There's What in Cigarettes?
TAR: Stains Inside, Stains Outside
No, this tar isn't the stuff they use to make roads, but it's just as gross. Tar is a mixture of chemicals in cigarette smoke that settles into a sticky, brown residue and can stain your teeth, fingers, and lungs.
There are a lot of toxic chemicals in cigarettes besides tar. So, when you see a pack that says it contains "less tar," don't think for a second that it's less dangerous.
There's What in Cigarettes?
POLONIUM-210: Lots of Radioactive Fun
Polonium-210 is exactly what it sounds like: a radioactive element found in cigarettes. It emits very damaging alpha-radiation that you can normally block with your skin. But the polonium in cigarette smoke delivers radiation directly to the cells in your body — 100 times normal in some areas.
In fact, someone who smokes 1.5 packs a day is getting the same amount of radiation in a year as someone who has 300 chest X-rays.
There's What in Cigarettes?
FORMALDEHYDE: Not Just for Dead Bodies
Formaldehyde is a smelly chemical used to preserve dead bodies, kill bacteria, and make other chemicals. And, yet, tobacco companies stick it in cigarettes for live bodies.
Formaldehyde causes cancer — surprise, surprise — even in the small amounts found in second-hand smoke. But it doesn't stop there. Formaldehyde can also cause non-cancerous diseases in your lungs and airways, so you can have the worst of both worlds.
There's What in Cigarettes?
NICOTINE: Kills to the Last Drop
One pure drop of nicotine on your skin can send you into cardiac arrest and kill you. Sure, there's not nearly that much nicotine in a cigarette, but you get the idea.
Nicotine is a neurotoxin (a poison that kills nerve cells) found naturally in the tobacco plant. Why? The plant uses it as a defense to stop animals from eating it.
