Cigars are a type of tobacco product that is defined as a roll of tobacco wrapped in either tobacco leaves or a substance containing tobacco. There are three main types of cigars sold in the United States: large cigars, cigars, and small cigars. Small cigars are the same size and shape as cigarettes, often include a filter, and are packaged similarly, but are taxed differently than cigarettes. Cigar smoking is more prevalent among young people who use other tobacco products or other drugs.
Studies have shown that cigar smokers who were former cigarette smokers (secondary cigar smokers) are more likely to report that they inhale cigar smoke than primary cigar smokers. This is of particular concern because inhaling cigar smoke increases the risk of contracting diseases caused by tobacco more than cigar smokers who have never smoked cigarettes. The health and economic burden of smoking cigars in the United States is large and may increase over time due to the increase in cigar consumption in the United States. Restricting the prevalence of tobacco to regular smokers reduces SAM estimates to just over 7,000 deaths and to just over 100,000 YPLL with an economic value.
We calculated these risks based on the relationship between excess RR between current and former cigar smokers by cause based on CPS-II data on the causes for which these data are available. Similarly, we estimated the relative risks of CPS-II by monitoring mortality among regular cigar smokers who had never smoked cigarettes or pipes regularly (“major cigar smokers”), compared to those who had never smoked cigarettes, cigars or a pipe regularly. However, the effect of any difference in women's RR in the estimates of harm to the population should be minimal, due to the low prevalence of regular consumption of cigars in women. Instead of reducing consumption, people who smoke and worry about costs could switch from cigarettes to cheaper small cigarettes. In conclusion, there are economic benefits associated with women cigar smoking, but it is important to note that this activity carries significant health risks. Cigar smoking is more prevalent among young people who use other tobacco products or other drugs, and former cigarette smokers often inhale when they smoke cigars, which increases their risk of contracting diseases caused by tobacco.
