Health concerns

[PCR]

Maybe this has been posted elswhere but I can't seem to find it. Is there any information if you smoke occasionally; 1-3 cigars per month, that a healh risk exisits? Can anyone point me in the right direction? Thanks!

[MajorCaptSilly]

Here's a very good article showing the comparative risks:

http://www.cigardiary.com/index.php?...age&PAGE_id=30

MCS

[DocLogic77]

This is an article I wrote on another cigar message board.

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I know some of you are wondering how bad my cigars are for me? Well, here I will will present some of the evidence...NCIs interpretation of the studies and the dispute about their conclusions.

In 1998 the National Cancer Institute took a hard look at the studies of cigar smokers. Their conclusions dropped a bomb on the cigar world who always believed theirs was the safer way to enjoy tobacco. You can read their 1998 conclusions here...

http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/cigar

There was quite a stir in the medical community and many believed NCI had some political motivations to coming up with those conclusions.

Here Dr. Marc J. Schneiderman, M.D. writes a 2002 rebuttal of the 1998 NCI's conclusions. He sites the sources of their studies and breaks them down.

http://www.cigargroup.com/faq/health/

Both are well worth a full read...but here is his conclusion about the 1998 monograph.

Political agendas further complicating the cigar research field abounded in 1998. The World Health Organization studied second hand tobacco smoke (ETS or "environmental tobacco smoke") and found a small, and statistically insignificant protective effect from ETS with regards to heart disease. The WHO chose not to release the report as these results did not coincide with their mission. In 1998 U.S. District Court Judge William Osteen overturned the 1993 Environmental Protection Agency's report on secondhand tobacco smoke. He ruled that the authors approached the study with a predetermined mindset, manipulated the research and analyses to reach a conclusion they deemed favorable to their cause. Judge Osteen felt the report was internally flawed. Unfortunately that original EPA report had already resulted in considerable damage by fueling many an anti-cigar engine and created untold havoc and fear among the non-smoking public.

The National Institutes of Health, with the National Cancer Institute, published its long awaited Monograph number 9, Cigars, Health Effects and Trends in February, 1998. This publication is to date the most complete compilation of cigar research and health risks. NCI's conclusions regarding cigars and health are easily contested. But the papers they present should interest any student of the heath risks of cigar smoking. This monograph is highly recommended.

The relative risk values are the relative risk of occurrence of a certain disease compared to the general non-smoking population (which is considered a standard of "1"). It should be emphasized that the National Cancer Institute states that a "relative risk of less than 2 are considered small and are usually difficult to interpret." The NCI report then is encouraging to the moderate cigar smoker. According to the NCI the relative risk ratios of death are all less than 2 for smokers limiting cigar consumption from 1 to 2 a day for: 1) all causes of death, 2) lung cancer, 3) pancreatic cancer, 4) emphysema, and 5) coronary artery disease. Cancers of the oral cavity and larynx have higher risk ratios but are intimately associated with heavy alcohol use.

At the end of the last article are summaries of each study. It's obvious that heavy cigar smoking is linked with cancer. Which means we are at an increased risk. But according to Marc J. Schneiderman's conclusions limiting yourself to 1-2 per day significantly decreases your risk.

My suggestions
- Moderation is the key...and limiting your cigar smoking will go a long way to decreasing overall risk.
- Limit your alcohol intake.
- Don't hold the cigar in your mouth when not taking a draw
- Don't inhale
- Wash mouth and brush teeth after each cigar...use a tongue scraper.
- If you nose exhale I would recommend using a neti pot to irrigate the sinuses regularly. (I plan on going over use in a later post)

I fully recommend each of you discussing the risks of cigar smoking with your physicians.

[NCRadioMan]

Perspective.

Considering that by simply going to work, you are much more likely to get hit by a car and killed on your way there than get anything by regularly smoking cigars, I'll take my chances with cigars.

[Bill86]

Originally Posted by NCRadioMan

Perspective.

Considering that by simply going to work, you are much more likely to get hit by a car and killed on your way there than get anything by regularly smoking cigars, I'll take my chances with cigars.

This.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by NCRadioMan

Perspective.

Considering that by simply going to work, you are much more likely to get hit by a car and killed on your way there than get anything by regularly smoking cigars, I'll take my chances with cigars.

For me, it's about the relaxation and stress relief. I think my cigars smoking is more likely to prevent my having a stroke than it is to cause my developing cancer.

[neoflex]

Originally Posted by icehog3

For me, it's about the relaxation and stress relief. I think my cigars smoking is more likely to prevent my having a stroke than it is to cause my developing cancer.

That's the way I look at it. My everyday life is usually one big giant ball of stress. What cigars allow me to do is to step away from the pressures of it all for an hour to two and just clear my mind and kick it down a notch.
When I first started getting serious with my wife she would always worry about the possible health risks from cigars and ask me to quit until she realized that they chill me the hell out and that was one of the major factors in why she dropped the whole I want you to quit spiels.

[forgop]

George Burns lived over 100 years, didn't he?

[MedicCook]

I live for today not tomorrow.

[nick2021]

I think you're likely to be killed by something else other than cigars....I also go to the gym everyday (most of the time) and have never had problems

[TripleF]

Let's give the human body a little credit shall we? One to three cigars......per month? The body can handle whatever little toxins "might" be introduced and then reject them just by it's simple recovery design...

1 to 3 per month? Really?

[ckay]

To be that guy...if you're concerned about your health...maybe this is the wrong hobby for you to undertake. Just a thought.

[Cigar_Noob]

Not to get all preachy..but I live by this quote.

"Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as
in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself
about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake
me." - Stonewall Jackson

Simple fact is that I aint going to worry about it. Think about it...you may get cancer..yes. I might get hit by a car, drown, have a stroke, choke, get murdered, car crash, get cancer for a completely different reason, die naturally, die in a fire, get crushed, ect. I'm not going to worry about the simple pleasures of tobacco.

"When I have found intense pain relieved, a weary brain soothed, and calm refreshing sleep obtained by a cigar, I have felt grateful to God, and have blessed His name." - Charles H. Spurgeon

peace

[DocLogic77]

Originally Posted by Cigar_Noob

Not to get all preachy..but I live by this quote.

"Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as
in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself
about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake
me." - Stonewall Jackson

Simple fact is that I aint going to worry about it. Think about it...you may get cancer..yes. I might get hit by a car, drown, have a stroke, choke, get murdered, car crash, get cancer for a completely different reason, die naturally, die in a fire, get crushed, ect. I'm not going to worry about the simple pleasures of tobacco.

"When I have found intense pain relieved, a weary brain soothed, and calm refreshing sleep obtained by a cigar, I have felt grateful to God, and have blessed His name." - Charles H. Spurgeon

peace

That is a truly awesome quote.

[papajohn67]

1-3 cigars a month.......my farts are more dangerous than that.

[LkyLindy]

............and keep the cell phone far away from your head

[xlc12rf]

I respect all of your opinions. This is a simple matter of personal risk assessment. If you are willing to accept that you might have health ramifications down the line and still choose to smoke, that is your choice.

However, i personally don't justify smoking by saying that i could die in a fiery car crash at any time. I believe moderation is key, and choose to accept the risks associated.

[dwoodward]

I know the risk is there, but there are risks in everything involved in life. If I someday develop cancer, who is to say that the cigars caused it? I smoke in moderation, 1 or maybe 2 cigars a week. Not because I don't like to smoke, but because I only smoke when in the mood to smoke.

The way I see it, I love to sit down with a glass of scotch/bourbon or just a good porter/stout and have a cigar and enjoy life. If I develop a life threatening disease as a result, then so be it. At least I enjoyed my life to the fullest that I had hoped.