If you are huffing and puffing in the United States – and you are not yet at the point when you can already bring yourself to stop – then it may be worth your while to check out where you cigarettes are coming from. This may be something that is difficult for some smokers to do, as there are those who can’t smoke anything other than Marlboros.
A study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked into the levels of nitrosamines among smokers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia in a span of 24 hours. Nitrosamine is a chemical compound that is considered as carcinogenic. The participants of the study included smokers who patronized the popular cigarette brands in their country; for the United States, these brands were Marlboro, Camel and Newport.
The results of the study indicated that those who smoked popular American brands had three times more nitrosamine in their lungs and mouth, as opposed to the smokers in Canada or Australia.
The solution, however, may not be as simple as switching cigarette brands. The study only looked into nitrosamine levels in particular, which means that there are two other carcinogenic toxins that are also present in cigarettes that were not assessed. The study, however, may eventually be used as a guide in how American cigarettes are formulated; this is now being regulated by the Food and Drug Administration as a result of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.
Needless to say, we believe that there is now way – at least for now – that a “healthy cigarette” may be formulated. The best way to steer clear of carcinogens from cigarettes is still to kick the habit.
Tags: American cigarettes, cigarette dangers, healthy cigarette, US cigarettes
