[ExI] Is tobacco really harmful?

[Robert Masters]

In my research so far on tobacco I've found out a few significant facts.

The popular brands of cigarettes, the ones with chemical additives, consist of a mixture of (a) tobacco and (b) some 599 chemicals.  For the full list of the additives, go to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_additives_in_cigarettes
http://quitsmoking.about.com/od/cigaretteingredients/Cigarette_Ingredients_and_Additives.htm
http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/nicotineinhaler/a/cigingredients.htm

One thing that's known about the additives is that many of them are carcinogenic, especially when combusted.  The same cannot be said of tobacco, at least to my knowledge.  I haven't been able to find any studies saying the smoke of pure tobacco is carcinogenic or otherwise harmful.

When you buy the popular brands with additives, you are buying (and inhaling) known carcinogens.   So the least that can be said is that it seems likely that the additive-free brands are safer.


Rob Masters