Are organic cigarettes better?

Talk about organic cigarettes and the things that come to mind are pristine tobacco farms that use
only natural and pesticide-free tobacco leaves to come up with an environmentally-friendly product
that is healthier and safer than regular cigarettes. It sounds like a dream come true for smokers who
are longing for a safe cigarette. But are those images real or just an illusion?

Unlike other cigarettes that are conspicuously labelled with warnings of cancer, organic cigarettes
appear clean and safe. They appear as a smart choice for smokers who are willing to ignore a hefty
price in exchange for a chance to help farmers and Mother Nature. After all, they’re carefully made
and cater to an alternative lifestyle devoid of chemicals and other unnatural ingredients, right?

Unfortunately, that’s not the case. The truth is, organic cigarettes are just like any other cancer-
causing cigarette that can burn both your lungs and your wallet. They are no different from non-
organic or non-natural cigarettes.

As we’ve said in another article in this newsletter, the idea of a safe cigarette is a myth. All cigarettes
are dangerous and it doesn’t matter what brand you smoke. As far as the experts are concerned, all
cigarettes are guilty of causing cancer whether you accept it or not.

Even marketers of organic cigarettes know that. For instance, the packaging of one popular brand,
American Spirit, which boasts of being made of 100% certified organic tobacco, states that organic
tobacco does not mean a safer cigarette. It even adds that the absence of additives in its tobacco
products does not imply safety.

Okay, now you know that organic cigarettes are dangerous but you’d like to smoke ‘em anyway. Will
doing so give you less cancer than traditional cigarettes? If they’re not safe, are organic cigarettes
less dangerous?

Again, there is no scientific basis for this belief. Unknown to many, the tobacco used in organic
cigarettes is grown with the use of pesticides. True, organic tobacco doesn’t rely on synthetic
fertilizers, pesticides and the like but it uses biological pesticides or pesticides derived from natural
sources.

Regular cigarettes contain a lot of additives like water, vinegar, rosemary oil, and prune juice. These
additives can create toxic compounds when tobacco is burned. While it’s good to know that organic
cigarettes like American Spirit have no additives, that doesn’t mean they’re safer. The presence of
nicotine alone makes the product carcinogenic. Even in its purest form, burning tobacco produces
carbon monoxide and tar which are also carcinogens in their own right.

What about the environment? Won’t organic cigarettes help farmers and Mother Nature? Maybe they
do; it’s hard to tell actually. Organic farming is the rage nowadays in many communities because
of its supposed benefits to the environment. It’s gentle to the soil, we are told, and doesn’t hurt the
natural flora and fauna. It’s the natural way of doing things.

Natural perhaps but don’t think that every pack of organic cigarettes you buy will actually make the
soil richer, make the air cleaner or help a farmer. It can be difficult to quantify these things. One thing
is certain though: organic cigarettes won’t preserve your health. You can only do that when you stop
smoking.