Our list of 5 healthiest, least harmful cigarettes with the least chemicals will help you choose healthier options and eventually quit smoking as well. It is common knowledge that all cigarettes contain carcinogens which can shorten our lives significantly and lead to smoking-related diseases. No matter which cigarettes we choose, we will be exposed to a health risk. There are no safe cigarettes which do not contain any toxicants, but quitting smoking is not as easy as talking about it. All smokers go through this dilemma at least once in their lives, and we are constantly in search of a compromise, something to make us feel a little less guilty for smoking.
While there is no arguing with the fact that all cigarettes are dangerous and damaging to our health, we often debate whether these cigarettes are healthier than those because they contain less nicotine, tar, and other cancer-causing substances. It is not the tobacco that kills us, but the smoke and countless additives found in cigarettes, which seriously damage our health, but yet provide a unique flavored taste that we enjoy. There is a selection of flavored cigarettes designed to attract people with refined or unusual taste. You can read more about different flavored cigarettes on our list 5 Best Tasting Cigarettes for New Smokers.
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As a way to attract those who wish to quit smoking, tobacco manufacturers designed cigarettes with labels such as “mild” and “light”, referring to the content of tar and nicotine. However, while this sounded appealing, it was actually proven to be counterproductive. Misguided by the label, people were led to believe that consuming light cigarettes is less harmful because it contains less nicotine, and therefore they inhaled more smoke as to compensate for the amount of nicotine, so the result was the same. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009 decided to prohibit labeling cigarettes as “light” or “mild”.
Since tar and nicotine are responsible for the smoking-related diseases, tobacco manufacturers designed brands with lower levels of the two, therefore offering us a choice. According to the Federal Trade Commission Cigarette Report for 2013, unlike before, now we have countless brands offering low-tar cigarettes with numbers that go as low as 0.2%.
By the way, you can watch the video below to find out 7 cigarette brands that contain the lowest tar and nicotine.
What really affects levels of tar and nicotine are actually filters of different size and density, and holes made in cigarettes to dilute the amount of smoke. Chemical additives in the paper or tobacco also affect the tar and nicotine measurements, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
In order to collect data on 5 healthiest, least harmful cigarettes with the least chemicals we searched through the Public Health Law Center, American Lung Association, Center for Disease Control and Prevention among many others. The result was no surprise – no cigarettes are healthy and chemicals-free. But there are a few alternatives which may lessen the effect of additives that cause cancer and many other diseases. More importantly, some of them may help you overcome your addiction. Here is our list of healthiest, least harmful cigarettes with the least chemicals:
5. Cigarettes With the Lowest Level of Nicotine
If you are looking for cigarettes that will cause less harm to your health, there are certain cigarettes which contain low levels of tar and nicotine. Brands that have the lowest level of these substances are Carlton with 0.1 mg nicotine yield and 1 mg of tar, and Now with 0.2 mg of nicotine 1 mg of tar. However, even though these cigarettes contain less tar and nicotine there is no scientific evidence that low-yield cigarettes are less dangerous. Considering the fact that low-nicotine cigarettes that used to be labeled as “light” actually make you inhale more deeply and more often than you normally would, to compensate for the amount of nicotine, some even believe it might be healthier to smoke high-nicotine cigarettes because you need less smoke to satisfy your need for this substance, and less smoke means less danger.
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4. Nicotine-Free Cigarettes
Although they do cause damage to our health, nicotine-free cigarettes, as the name says, do not contain this addictive substance and therefore, they represent a great replacement for those trying to quit smoking. These cigarettes contain herbs instead of tobacco, so sometimes they are referred to as herbal cigarettes. They might not be healthy, but will help you get rid of your addiction since they contain no nicotine at all. They come in many flavors such as cherry or vanilla, and one of the most popular brands is Ecstasy.
3. Slim Cigarettes
Slims cigarettes are very popular, but except the fact that they look nicer and more elegant, they are also responsible for lower exposure to tar and nicotine. The reason why we included slim cigarettes among our 5 healthiest cigarettes with the least chemicals is based on a research conducted in Russia, where, says the University Herald, it turns out that slim cigarettes can actually shield you from the unnecessary chemicals and nicotine. They measured exposure to tar and nicotine of 360 smokers, and the results showed reductions in the levels of many chemicals such as nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, and acetaldehyde. It is assumed that this is due to their shape which makes it harder to inhale. They come in different flavors such as menthol, apple, and strawberry. The most popular brands include Kiss, Virginia, Karelia, and others.
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2. E-cigarettes
Up next on our list of healthiest, least harmful cigarettes with the least chemicals are E – cigarettes which do not contain tobacco, and therefore they don`t contain all those 7, 000 chemicals present when a regular cigarette is lit. They don`t contain tar or carbon monoxide. Since the nicotine in e-cigarettes in liquid, there is no fire or smoke, but users still get their dose of nicotine. Popular among former smokers, they represent a healthier alternative to smoking, and a great option if you are trying to quit. Among the most popular brands are V2 Electronic Cigarettes and VaporFi.
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1. Heat-Not-Burn Cigarettes
Similar to e-cigarettes, tobacco heating products contain liquid content which is heated, but not burned. The difference is that a heat-not-burn cigarette contains tobacco, so it delivers the tobacco flavor to consumers. These cigarettes never reach combustion, so there is no smoke that we inhale into our lungs. They contain around 90% less toxicants than regular cigarettes, therefore they are the highest on our list of 5 healthiest, least harmful cigarettes with the least chemicals. iQOS from Phillip Morris and glo™ from British American Tobacco are among the most popular brands.
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