The Dangerous Effects of the Tar in Cigarette Smoke

Understanding Tar and Its Impact on Health

Cigarette smoking exposes users to a number of harmful chemicals that can wreak havoc on nearly every organ system in the body. Among these hazardous compounds is tar, a sticky substance produced when tobacco burns that contains thousands of individual chemicals. Many of these chemicals are toxic, carcinogenic, and capable of causing DNA damage.

Tar is often cited as a major reason why smoking is so dangerous to human health. But what exactly is tar, how much of it is in cigarette smoke, and how does it affect the body? Keep reading to learn more about tar and its risks.

What is Cigarette Tar?

Tar is the common term for the mixture of particulates and gases that is produced when tobacco burns. It is sticky and brown in color, which is how it got its name, as it resembles road tar used for paving.

Tar contains thousands of individual chemical compounds, at least 70 of which are known to cause cancer. Examples of chemicals found in tar include:

• Formaldehyde - a chemical used for embalming that is known to cause cancer
• Acrolein - a herbicide that irritates the lungs
• Ammonia - a compound that irritates the lungs
• Acetone - a solvent used in nail polish remover
• Hydrogen cyanide - an industrial chemical that can be fatal in high doses
• Arsenic - a poisonous element linked to lung, skin, and bladder cancers
• Benzene - a solvent known to cause leukemia

When tobacco burns, these toxic chemicals are drawn into the lungs through cigarette smoke. According to the American Lung Association, there are over 7,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, hundreds of which are hazardous.

How Much Tar is in Cigarette Smoke?

All cigarettes contain tar, but the amount can vary based on factors like the brand, filter type, and how the cigarette is smoked. Tar levels are measured in milligrams per cigarette.

Cigarettes today typically contain between 10 to 15 mg of tar per cigarette. However, this number has decreased over time due to changes in manufacturing. In the mid 20th century, a typical cigarette contained 30 to 40 mg of tar.

Here are the average tar levels found in cigarettes today:

• Ultra light cigarettes - 4 mg of tar per cigarette
• Light cigarettes - 8 mg per cigarette
• Regular cigarettes - 12 mg per cigarette
• Non-filter cigarettes - 22 mg per cigarette

However, there are still some outliers. Unfiltered, full-flavor cigarette brands contain upwards of 35 mg of tar per cigarette. Even filtered, light cigarettes can deliver a significant dose of tar to your lungs.

How Cigarette Tar Affects Your Body

When cigarette tar enters your lungs, it begins to cause damage immediately. There are a number of ways tar specifically harms your health:

• Lung damage - Tar starts to irritate the airways and lungs, causing inflammation. This can lead to wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.
• Reduced lung function - The chemicals in tar destroy cilia, tiny hair-like structures in the lungs that sweep debris out. This causes a buildup of mucus.
• Bronchitis and emphysema - The ongoing lung irritation can lead to chronic bronchitis. Tar also damages lung tissue, causing emphysema.
• Cancer - Tar contains numerous carcinogens that cause genetic mutations and can lead to cancer.
• Cardiovascular disease - Tar makes blood more prone to clotting and thickens arteries, increasing the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

In particular, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been directly linked to tar exposure in smokers. There is no "safe" level of tar exposure.

How Much Tar is in 30 Cigarettes?

Now that we've covered the basics on tar, let's calculate how much tar is found in 30 cigarettes. This can give you an idea of just how much cancer-causing chemicals you could be exposed to if you smoke a pack and a half per day.

If we assume each cigarette contains an average of 12 mg of tar, 30 cigarettes would contain a total of 360 mg of tar. That may not seem like a lot, but keep in mind there are 7,000+ individual chemicals found in that 360 mg of tar.

Over the course of a week, a person who smokes 30 cigarettes per day would inhale 2,520 mg of tar. Annually, that totals 131,040 mg or 131 grams of tar.

To put this into perspective, the World Health Organization warns that the lifetime risk of lung cancer death for a smoker is up to 25% for men and 25.7% for women. Much of this risk comes from regular exposure to the carcinogens in tar.

Other Risks of Smoking 30 Cigarettes Per Day

While tar causes significant lung damage, it's not the only health hazard posed by heavy smoking. Other risks of smoking 30 cigarettes or more each day include:

• Greatly elevated risk of all types of cancer
• Up to 25% higher risk of heart disease and stroke
• Increased rate of COPD and chronic bronchitis
• Higher likelihood of infertility, pregnancy complications, and birth defects
• Worse outcomes after surgery with increased complications
• Significantly increased risk of developing diabetes
• Impaired immune system and frequent colds/flu
• Premature aging of skin and wrinkling

Keep in mind that smoking even 3-5 cigarettes daily also increases your risk of chronic illnesses and shortens lifespan.

Ways to Reduce Your Tar and Chemical Exposure

Clearly, smoking poses substantial threats to your health. If you currently smoke, the best way to reduce tar and chemical exposure is to quit as soon as possible. This can dramatically lower your risk of lung cancer and other diseases.

However, quitting smoking can be very difficult due to the addictive nature of nicotine. Here are some tips that may help:

• Get support - Tell friends and family you plan to quit and ask them to encourage you or even quit with you.
• Talk to a doctor - They can prescribe medications or offer tools to help overcome cravings.
• Try nicotine replacement - Patches, gum, and lozenges give you nicotine without the tar and carcinogens in smoke.
• Consider vaping - While not harmless, vaping is generally safer than smoking traditional cigarettes.
• Explore behavioral counseling - Programs teach coping strategies for the psychological and physical aspects of tobacco addiction.

If you aren't ready to fully quit, even cutting back the number of cigarettes you smoke per day can benefit your health. You may also consider switching to light cigarettes, which have less tar than regulars and full-flavors.

However, keep in mind that light cigarettes are not risk-free. They also contain carcinogens and can still cause long-term harm. The best option is to quit smoking entirely.

The Takeaway

Tar is a hazardous mixture of chemicals produced when tobacco burns. There are over 70 cancer-causing chemicals found in tar, which sticks to the lungs and causes long-term damage.

On average, each cigarette contains around 12 mg of tar. Smoking a pack and a half per day equates to about 360 mg of tar inhaled daily and over 130 grams of tar per year.

This heavy tar exposure helps explain why smoking is so linked to cancer and respiratory diseases like chronic bronchitis and COPD. The good news is quitting smoking can significantly improve health in just a matter of weeks.

While not easy, quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do to reduce your risk of cancer and other smoking-related diseases. Talk to your doctor today about tools and support that can help you successfully stop smoking.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.