Health risks associated with cigar smoking

This article summarizes principal findings from a conference convened by th e American Cancer Society in June 1998 to examine the health risks of cigar smoking. State-of-the-science reports were presented and 120 attendees (re presenting government and private agencies, academia, health educators, and tobacco control experts) participated in panels and summary development di scussions, The following conclusions were reached by consensus: (1) rates o f cigar smoking am rising among both adults and adolescents; (2) smoking ci gars instead of cigarettes does not reduce the risk of nicotine addiction; (3) as the number of cigars smoked and the amount of smoke inhaled increase s, the risk of death related to cigar smoking approaches that of cigarette smoking; (4) cigar smoke contains higher concentrations of toxic and carcin ogenic compounds than cigarettes and is a major source of fine-particle and carbon monoxide indoor air pollution; and (5) cigar smoking is known to ca use cancers of the lung and upper aerodigestive tract.