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Saturday, February 28, 2015
Smoking and Tobacco
what is in a cigarette?
As reported by the tobacco industry, there are approximately 600 substances that may be added to different cigarettes during manufacturing - such as flavor-enhancing agents, and bicarbonate to modify acidity.
When a cigarette burns, about 4000 substances are released. The commonly reported substances are nicotine, carbon monoxide, and tar. Several of the other components include: benzopyrene, acetaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, and nitrosamines from tobacco. The nitrosamines break down into several forms and have the potential to lead to cancer. (National Cancer Institute Monograph, 1996).
Karen L Ahijevych, PhD, RN, FAAN
College of Public Health
College of Nursing
The Ohio State University