Sneaky Facts About Cigarette Additives

In the mid-90s, major tobacco companies made public their master list of almost 600 additives used in cigarettes. But the complete list of ingredients used in cigarettes is still unknown except to the companies manufacturing them – until today.

While the list was only the tip of an iceberg, it led to many useful researches that revealed important facts about the additives included in the master list. Tobacco companies maintain, however, that the additives simply add flavor and are used only as processing aids. But studies say there’s more into these additives – they claim that around 100 of those additives listed either enhances the addictive properties of cigarettes or mask the negative effects of smoking.

For example, some of the additives:

  • Dilate the airways, allowing more smoke to enter deeper into the lungs, thus increasing nicotine and tar exposure of the smokers.
  • Have shown addictive properties of their own or boosts the effects of nicotine.
  • Slowdown nicotine metabolism, thus increasing exposure to nicotine.
  • Have sedative properties that lessens the roughness of cigarette smoke on the throat.

Big tobacco companies continue to deny these findings, however, most studies would agree that strict regulation over cigarette additives is highly important.

There are documents, however, that suggest cigarette companies have conducted researches to make cigarettes more addictive to the user on a shorter time, from genetically modifying tobacco plants to using nicotine extracts to enhance nicotine properties in cigarettes.

Ammonia. It is used in free-basing cigarettes. The result, nicotine becomes more potent.

Menthol. This additive make smoking more appealing to young people. It enhances the flavor of cigarettes. But there is more to this additive, menthol has an anesthetic properties that eases throat irritation caused by tobacco smoke.

Acetaldehyde. This compound is formed when tobacco and other cigarette ingredients are burned.

Acetaldehyde is formed when cigarette ingredients and additives, including sugars are burned. Animal research suggest that acetaldehyde complements nicotine, thus enhancing the effects of smoking to the human body.

Deadly Byproducts of Cigarettes

The burning of additives by themselves can create new compounds that are harmful to human health. An to make things worse, pesticides used in tobacco plantations and metals found on the soil remain even after all the processing had been done, making every stick of cigarettes more dangerous.

If you’re smoking…

Nicotine addiction would tell you that it is impossible and there is no good time to stop smoking. If you want to quit smoking, you have to have a strong mind set to overcome any obstacle. You’re your eyes on the goal. Nicotine addiction is hard to break and is very tricky. Arm yourself with knowledge and try to work it out before you start your quit program. Quitting is hard but never impossible.

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