Tobacco is Changing: Cigar Products

 

Young people smoke cigars, too

E-cigarettes, or “vapes,” are one of the latest evolutions in tobacco products. They’re also one of the biggest threats to our kids’ health. While traditional cigarette smoking rates have dropped, use of electronic smoking devices has skyrocketed among young people—exposing them to the dangers of nicotine, addiction, and a variety of new health risks.

In Wisconsin, 11 percent of middle schoolers have tried electronic tobacco products, and 4 percent of middle schoolers are current users. Those numbers jump by the time kids reach high school. Today, 32 percent of high schoolers have tried e-cigarettes, and 20 percent consider themselves current users.

What to look for

The giant stogie you remember from old movies still exists, but today’s kids have traded it in for cigar products that come in many other shapes and sizes. Many look just like cigarettes.

 

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• Little cigars can look a lot like cigarettes. They’re usually darker in color and may have a filter.
• Cigarillos are shorter and narrower than old-fashioned cigars. Some have wood or plastic tips.
• The average full-sized cigar is about 7 inches long.
• Cigar products can be sold as singles, or in pairs and packs.

Some of the health risks

Most of us are familiar with the many serious health risks associated with smoking cigarettes. Smoking cigars is just as dangerous and can negatively impact every organ in a young person’s body.

• Heart disease
• Lung disease
• Tooth decay and gum disease
• Cancers of the mouth, throat, and lungs

Share what you've learned

Research shows that kids are more likely to avoid risky behaviors when they have an open, trusting relationship with parents and other caregivers, so talk to your kids about e-cigarettes and share what you know with parents, teachers, and others.

You can tell your kids:

Don’t be fooled by those sweet flavors. Flavors like strawberry, sour apple, and chocolate can give the impression that flavored cigars, little cigars, and cigarillos are milder versions of conventional tobacco, but sweet and minty flavors just help mask the harsh taste of cigar smoke—making cigar products easier to use, but not safe.

Smoking cigars isn’t a popular move. It’s natural for kids to want to keep up with their friends and classmates. Unfortunately, young people often overestimate just how popular tobacco is among their peers. Remind your child that most Wisconsin teens choose to live tobacco free. In fact, 94% of Wisconsin high schoolers aren’t smoking cigars.

Cheaper doesn’t mean less potent. Because they’re often sold as singles, cigar products can be surprisingly cheap, but a low price doesn’t necessarily mean less tobacco, fewer chemicals, or less harm done. A single, large cigar can contain an entire cigarette pack's worth of tobacco.

Cigars aren’t a safe alternative to cigarettes. No tobacco product is safe. Smoking cigars kills about 9,000 people in the U.S. each year. The nicotine in cigar products can harm an adolescent’s growing brain, and cigar smoke contains many of the same toxic, cancer-causing chemicals found in cigarettes.

Make Sure Others Know

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