Chemicals in Cigarettes: List of Toxins In Cigarettes

In the United States, the legal age limit for purchasing cigarettes, cigars, or any other tobacco products is 21.

Every puff of a cigarette or e-cigarette introduces dangerous substances, toxic metals, and carcinogens into your bloodstream. In fact, of the more than 7,000 chemicals present in cigarette smoke, at least 250 are known to be harmful to health, and 69 of those can cause cancer. These chemicals, whether inhaled through cigarettes, e-cigarettes (vape pens), or secondhand smoke, impact various aspects of your health, including blood pressure, pulse rate, organs, and the immune system.

Chemicals Found in Cigarettes

Cigarette smoke contains a mixture of chemicals that pose risks to anyone who breathes it.

Carcinogens

A carcinogen is a substance that can cause or aggravate cancer. Approximately 70 of the chemicals in cigarettes are known carcinogens, including:

• Acetaldehyde
• Aromatic amines
• Arsenic
• Benzene
• Beryllium (toxic metal)
• 1,3-Butadiene (hazardous gas)
• Cadmium (toxic metal)
• Chromium (metallic element)
• Cumene
• Ethylene oxide
• Formaldehyde
• Nickel (metallic element)
• Polonium-210 (radioactive chemical element)
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
• Tobacco-specific nitrosamines
• Vinyl chloride

Toxic Metals

Toxic (heavy) metals are metals and metal compounds that can harm health if absorbed or inhaled. They are present in the soil and fertilizer used to grow tobacco. Small amounts of some of these metals are essential for life, but high levels can be toxic. These include:

• Arsenic: Commonly found in rat poison, it enters cigarette smoke through pesticides used in tobacco farming.
• Cadmium: This heavy metal is used in batteries. Smokers typically have twice the amount of cadmium in their bodies compared to non-smokers.

Radioactive Toxic Metals

Two toxic metals in cigarette smoke pose additional risks due to their radioactive nature: Lead-210 (Pb-210) and Polonium-210 (Po-210) are poisonous, radioactive heavy metals found in cigarette smoke.

Poisons

Poisons are substances that cause severe physical distress or death when introduced to a living organism. Science has identified approximately 250 poisonous gases in cigarette smoke. Some common examples include:

• Ammonia compounds: Used in cleaning products and fertilizers, ammonia is also added to manufactured cigarettes to enhance the impact of nicotine.
• Carbon monoxide: Present in car exhaust and lethal in large amounts, it is found at high levels in cigarette smoke.
• Hydrogen cyanide: This substance was used to kill people in gas chambers during the Holocaust.
• Nicotine: This poison used in pesticides is the addictive component in cigarettes.

Secondhand Smoke

Also known as environmental tobacco smoke, secondhand smoke originates from two sources: smoke exhaled by a nearby smoker (mainstream smoke) and smoke produced by a smoldering cigarette (sidestream smoke).

According to the National Toxicology Program, secondhand smoke contains at least 250 poisonous chemicals and an additional 70 cancer-causing chemicals.

The U.S. Surgeon General emphasizes that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. If you can smell cigarette smoke, it could be harmful to your health.

E-Cigarettes

E-cigarettes (also known as vapes) contain many of the same chemicals as traditional cigarettes, along with additional substances.

A CDC study revealed that 99% of the tested e-cigarettes contained nicotine, not in small amounts either. According to e-cigarette manufacturer Juul, a single cartridge contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 cigarettes.

A 2021 study by Johns Hopkins University researchers identified nearly 2,000 undisclosed chemicals in vaping aerosols, including six potentially harmful compounds, one of which is a pesticide.

Furthermore, the liquid used in e-cigarettes, commonly referred to as "e-juice," contains numerous flavorings and chemicals, such as:

• Solvent carriers (propylene glycol and glycerol)
• Tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs)
• Aldehydes
• Metals
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Phenolic compounds
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
• Tobacco alkaloids

In January 2020, the U.S. FDA banned the sale of prefilled cartridge e-cigarettes in any flavor other than tobacco or menthol, unless officially authorized.

If You're Still Smoking

It's never too late to begin your journey towards a smoke-free life. You will reap numerous benefits beyond your imagination, and they can start as early as 20 minutes after your last cigarette, as your body starts to heal.