Alice Mutchler
Health 1050
May 3, 2012
What Are You Really Smoking?
The Hidden Ingredients in Cigarettes
One would assume that a cigarette is simply tobacco leaves rolled in paper. This is not
the case. Over the years substances have been added to cigarettes for many reasons, because of a
lack of labeling laws there was no definitive list of ingredients in cigarettes. In 2009 the Federal
Food and Drug Administration mandated that within two years all cigarettes would have to list
all substances on the label its products. This has led to shock and renewed efforts to reduce the
number of Americans who currently smoke.
There are around 600 ingredients in cigarettes, containing over 4,000 chemicals, 51 of
which are carcinogenic. Not many read what is on the back of a pack of cigarettes. Even then, it
is just a list of long complicated terms. In order to reduce smoking and save lives, education is
best. A good first step is knowing what exactly is in that cigarette along with tobacco leaf.
Insecticide, gas chamber poison, mothballs, ant poison, nail polish remover and
embalming fluid are just a few of the additives in a cigarette. When spelled out that way it is far
more disturbing. There are too many deadly toxins to cover in one research paper; this explores
11 of the most horrific ingredients:
o Acetone – found in nail polish remover
o Ammonia – a common household cleaner
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Arsenic – used in rat poison
Butane – used in lighter fluid
Cadmium – active component in battery acid
Formaldehyde – embalming fluid
Lead – used in batteries
Methanol – used in antifreeze
Naphthalene – an ingredient in moth balls
Nicotine – used as insecticide
Tar – material for paving roads
“Acetone is a colorless and highly flammable manufactured liquid. It has a distinctive
fruity or mint-like odor and a pungent taste. Acetone is used as a solvent to dissolve other
substances, such as paints, varnishes, lacquers, fats, oils, waxes, resins, printing inks, plastics,
and glues.” (ToxTown Chemicals) Most commonly known for its use in nail polish remover, it is
being phased out due to its toxicity. Non acetone alternatives are now available.
Exposure to high levels of acetone can cause unconsciousness, seizures, respiratory
distress, coma, and death. As it pertains to smoking, the exposure of acetone by inhalation
include: “nose, throat, lung, and eye irritation. It can also cause intoxication, headaches, fatigue,
stupor, light-headedness, dizziness, confusion, increased pulse rate, nausea, and vomiting.”
(ToxTown Chemicals)
“Ammonia is a colorless gas with a sharp, pungent odor. It is commonly sold in liquid
form, and is a corrosive chemical.” (ToxTown Chemicals) Products that contain ammonia
include: window cleaners, floor waxes, and smelling salts. Ammonia is used as a refrigerant in
industrial facilities and in metal treating. Exposure to extremely high levels of ammonia can
cause blindness, lung damage, collapse, seizures coma and death. “Breathing lower
concentrations of ammonia can cause coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, laryngitis,
headaches, fever, nausea, vomiting, pink frothy phlegm, chest pain, asthma, rapid pulse, and
increased blood pressure.” (ToxTown Chemicals) Pink frothy phlegm sounds rather unpleasant.
Breathing lower concentrations could be considered smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, high
concentrations would build up over repeated uses over long periods of time.
Arsenic is a silver-gray or white metal. Arsenic is a known poison and has historically
been used as rat poison. “Exposure to arsenic may increase the risk of damage to a developing
fetus. Exposure to lower levels of arsenic can cause nausea, vomiting, abnormal heart rhythm,
decreased production of red and white blood cells, impaired nerve function, damage to blood
vessels, skin warts and corns, and red or swelling skin. Repeated exposure to arsenic can damage
the liver and kidneys, cause stomach problems, and cause a darkening of the skin.” (ToxTown
Chemicals)
When breathing high levels of arsenic (as in cigarette smoking) a sore throat or irritated
lungs can occur. Arsenic is also a known carcinogen; exposure to it causes skin, lung, bladder,
liver, kidney, and prostate cancer.
Butane is a gas. The most common use of butane is as lighter fuel for a common lighter.
Butane gas is also sold bottled as a fuel for cooking and camping. Inhalation of butane can cause
euphoria, drowsiness, narcosis, asphyxia, cardiac arrhythmia, and temporary memory loss.
Cadmium is a naturally-occurring metal used in battery acid. “Long-term inhalation of
cadmium dust or fumes can cause chronic cadmium poisoning that includes chest pains,
headache, and weakness. Short-term inhalation of cadmium dust or fumes may cause cough,
headache, chest pain, irritability, bronchopneumonia, and throat and nose irritation.” (ToxTown
Chemicals) Cadmium is another carcinogenic substance which causes lung cancer. It also has
been linked to prostate, kidney, and bladder cancers.
Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable gas or liquid that has a pungent, suffocating
odor. Its main use is in embalming fluid in mortuaries. Formaldehyde is also used as a
preservative in some paints, in the permanent press coating on fabrics and carpets; and in foam
insulation materials. Most interesting it is used as an industrial fungicide, germicide, and
disinfectant. “Exposure to low levels of formaldehyde can irritate and burn the eyes, nose, throat,
and skin. In women, exposure can cause menstrual disorders. Exposure to high levels of
formaldehyde can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs, severe shortness of breath, bronchitis,
and rapid heart rate.” (ToxTown Chemicals) Formaldehyde is listed as a human carcinogen because
it causes cancer of the throat, nose, and blood.
Lead is a heavy, soft, bluish-gray metal. “Lead is used to produce batteries, ammunition,
pipes, tank linings, solder, casting metals, building construction materials, roofing, scientific
electronic equipment, military tracking systems, medical devices, and products to shield X-rays
and nuclear radiation.” (ToxTown Chemicals) After reading all the things that lead is used for,
the idea of breathing it willing seems insane. Repeated or chronic exposure can cause lead to
accumulate in your body, leading to lead poisoning. “Lead poisoning can cause metallic taste,
poor appetite, weight loss, colic, upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, and muscle cramps. Breathing
lead compounds can irritate the nose and throat.” (ToxTown Chemicals)
Lead is a carcinogen. Exposure to lead has been associated with lung, stomach, and
bladder cancer. Lead is equally harmful if you eat it or inhale it. While lead affects almost every
organ and system in your body the central nervous system is most sensitive to lead exposure,
especially in children.
“Methanol is a highly toxic colorless liquid that may explode when exposed to flames.”
(ToxTown Chemicals) If that was the bold writing on the package of cigarettes, perhaps a
person would think twice before purchasing it. Methanol is the main ingredient in anti-freeze and
is also used in gasoline.
“Swallowing, breathing, or absorbing large quantities of methanol through the skin, as in
an industrial setting, can cause death. Exposure to methanol can cause visual problems and lead
to blindness. It can cause convulsions, coma, loss of consciousness, kidney failure, liver damage,
low blood pressure, respiratory arrest, and damage to the central nervous system. Chronic
exposure to methanol can result in methanol poisoning, which may cause inflammation of the
eye, recurrent headaches, insomnia, stomach problems, visual failure, and dermatitis. Short-term
exposure to methanol can cause difficulty breathing, lack of coordination, blurred vision,
dermatitis, headache, dizziness, insomnia, confusion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, inflammation
of the pancreas, conjunctivitis, stomach problems and pain, weakness, leg cramps, and excessive
sweating.” (ToxTown Chemicals)
Naphthalene is used in the production of mothballs. Short-term exposure to naphthalene
by inhalation, ingestion is associated with anemia, damage to the liver, and neurological damage.
Chronic exposure to naphthalene can cause cataracts and damage to the retina. Hemolytic
anemia has been reported in infants born to mothers who were exposed to naphthalene (as
mothballs) during pregnancy. Naphthalene is a carcinogenic that is thought to cause lung cancer
and adenomas.
Nicotine is a poisonous alkaloid that is the major psychoactive ingredient in tobacco.
“Nicotine is highly addictive. Smoke containing nicotine is inhaled into the lungs, and the
nicotine reaches your brain in just six seconds. Nicotine in small doses acts as a stimulant to the
brain. In large doses, it’s a depressant, inhibiting the flow of signals between nerve cells. In even
larger doses, it’s a lethal poison, affecting the heart, blood vessels, and hormones.” (Tobacco)
Originally Nicotine was used as a pesticide and in organic farming it is still permitted
since it derived from a botanical source. However, it must be labeled danger since it is toxic.
Starting in 2014 nicotine pesticides will not be available for sale in the United States. Chronic
exposure to nicotine can lead to nicotine poisoning. Symptoms include: vomiting and nausea,
headaches, syncope, sweating, palpitations, cramps, seizures, weakness, drooling, and difficulty
breathing. Nicotine has been linked to mouth, throat, lung, and breast cancer.
In solid form, tar is the brown, tacky substance that is left behind on the end of the
cigarette filter. Tar is what stains a smoker’s teeth and fingers brown and coats everything it
touches with a brownish-yellow film. Tar is present in all cigarettes and tends to increase as the
cigarette is burnt down, which means that the last puffs on a cigarette contain twice the amount
of tar as the first puffs. “Tar in cigarette smoke paralyzes the cilia in the lungs, and contributes to
lung diseases such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and lung cancer.”(Martin, T.) The
concentration of tar in a cigarette determines its rating:

High-tar cigarettes contain at least 22 mg

Medium-tar cigarettes from 15 mg to 21 mg

Low-tar cigarettes 7 mg or less
While this information won’t be responsible for the cession of smoking for the majority of
current smokers hopefully it will at least be an eye opening experience. Even while smoking and
tobacco use is already known to cause health problems and has been linked to cancers, it isn’t
enough to convince people to quit. Pictures of cancerous lungs or people smoking out of stomas
on television commercials have not made a difference. Perhaps reading the terms
“formaldehyde”, “lead”, and “arsenic” on the actual packaging of the cigarette when the person
goes to smoke will be enough to make the person think twice before lighting up.
Works Cited
Barrett, Mike. "Tobacco Industry Forced to List Ingredients Used in Their Products
http://naturalsociety.com/tobacco-industry-forced-to-list-ingredients-used-in-theirproducts/
Brick j, . "Neurotoxic Effects from Butane Gas."
http://www.wickedroots.com/vaporizers/neurotoxic-effects-butane-gas.html. Wicked
Roots, 2006. Web. 3 May 2012. <http://www.wickedroots.com/Vaporizers/NeurotoxicEffects-Butane-Gas.html>.
Dunnington, J.. "Tobacco Almanac." http://healthliteracy.worlded.org. N.p., 1993. Web. 3 May
2012. <http://healthliteracy.worlded.org/docs/tobacco/Unit4/1whats_in.html>.
Ginzel, . "Have you ever wondered what is in a cigarette?." . The Quit Smoking Company, 2011.
Web. 3 May 2012. <http://www.quitsmokingsupport.com/whatsinit.htm>.
Martin, T.. "Tar in Cigarettes." Quit smoking - about.com. Medical Review Board, 2010. Web. 3
May 2012. <http://quitsmoking.about.com/od/chemicalsinsmoke/a/tar_in_cigs.htm>.
"Naphthalene." Ttn. N.p., 2007. Web. 3 May 2012.
<http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/naphthal.html>.
"Tobacco." Alcohol, Tobacco, and Illicit Drugs. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 3 May. 2012
<http://www.encyclopedia.com>.
"ToxTown Chemicals." National Institutes of Health. Department of Health and Human
Services, 2012. Web. 3 May 2012.
<http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/text_version/chemicals.php?id=77>.