Are high-quality cigars healthier?

[bobarian]

Originally Posted by shilala

Different outfits use dyes and molasses and other crap in their cigars.
I think I know exactly what you're asking, and I'd absolutely say yes.

To back that up, what's the difference between a CAO Flavours Cherry Bomb pc and a Por Larranaga pc? If anyone can smoke the former the whole way through without dying, they deserve a medal. The second, they'll want another one.

Scott, I would humbly disagree. Flavored cigars are a significant portion of the "Premium" market. Maybe even similar proportion to the "Super-premium" Your statement may apply to some machine made cigars, but even with those the detrimental effects is arguably the same as any other tobacco. Cigarettes are a different animal as they are inhaled. Without inhaling, the absorption of chemicals through the mucous membranes is minimal.

[markem]

In my opinion, it all depends on what you are taking in when you smoke the cigar. Many cigars that people may call "low quality" are pure tobacco. I can't see where there would be much of a health difference between those and higher end cigars except to the degree that that fertilizers may have an affect.

Cigars with additives, well, it depends upon the additive doesn't it? Inhaling smoke with sugar residues could be bad, especially long term.

[shilala]

Originally Posted by markem

In my opinion, it all depends on what you are taking in when you smoke the cigar. Many cigars that people may call "low quality" are pure tobacco. I can't see where there would be much of a health difference between those and higher end cigars except to the degree that that fertilizers may have an affect.

Cigars with additives, well, it depends upon the additive doesn't it? Inhaling smoke with sugar residues could be bad, especially long term.

There's a thought.
When tobacco is cured it has to be washed carefully and thoroughly to take the awful tasting sticky resin off the leaves (I forget what it's called).
Poorly processed tobacco could leave that residue, and poor aging can change the properties of tobacco substantially to the negative.

[shilala]

Originally Posted by bobarian

Scott, I would humbly disagree. Flavored cigars are a significant portion of the "Premium" market. Maybe even similar proportion to the "Super-premium" Your statement may apply to some machine made cigars, but even with those the detrimental effects is arguably the same as any other tobacco. Cigarettes are a different animal as they are inhaled. Without inhaling, the absorption of chemicals through the mucous membranes is minimal.

I think I missed delivering my point. I don't mind a flavored cigar. I actually like the tubos of almost all the CAO Flavours line and recommend them regularly. I also own tons.
The particular one I mentioned (along with all the other flavours coronas) taste like burning tires and chemicals after about two inches. It's a combination of too much "flavour" building up and becoming acrid. If something tastes that foul, it's gotta be bad, to some degree.
Compared to the PLpc I mentioned, which doesn't have a bunch of foreign crap and chemical additives, I think common sense says that the latter would be less detrimental, healthwise, which is how I interpreted the OP's question.
I also believe that food without a bunch of chemicals and additives is better for us, in general. I was using that line of thought, "the worse of two evils", I suppose.