Is Rolling Your Own Cigarettes a Healthy Way to Smoke

Is Rolling Your Own Cigarettes a Healthy Way to Smoke Addiction Nicotine Use The Inside of Cigarettes Print Is Rolling Your Own Cigarettes a Healthier Way to Smoke? Weighing the Current Evidence By Terry Martin facebook twitter Terry Martin quit smoking after 26 years and is now an advocate for those seeking freedom from nicotine addiction. Learn about our editorial policy Terry Martin Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on September 28, 2019 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on January 07, 2020 More in Addiction Nicotine Use The Inside of Cigarettes After You Quit How to Quit Smoking Nicotine Withdrawal Smoking-Related Diseases Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Coping and Recovery As of Dec. 20, 2019, the new legal age limit is 21 years old for purchasing cigarettes, cigars, or any other tobacco products in the U.S. Many smokers believe that rolling your own cigarettes is a way to cut back on smoking and/or avoid the harmful chemicals that are in commercially-produced regular filtered cigarettes. But theres no such thing as a healthy smoking option, and hand-rolled cigarettes are no exception. Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin   About Roll-Your-Own Cigarettes Roll-your-own (RYO) cigarettes are hand-rolled cigarettes made with loose tobacco. Other names for RYO cigarettes include rollies, roll-ups, burns,  and rolls. There are a few ways to make hand-rolled cigarettes, including using cigarette papers and loose tobacco or using rolling machines to make a uniform and more tightly packed cigarette. Preformed cigarette tubes that can be filled with loose tobacco and smokedâ€"both with and without filtersâ€"are also available. Some common reasons smokers prefer RYO cigarettes include: Cost:  A pouch of rolling tobacco and cigarette papers is much cheaper than buying brand name or generic cigarettes.??Image:  There is a perception in some social circles that people who roll their own cigarettes are edgy and non-traditional. Many smokers assume that RYO cigarettes are healthier because they are more natural. The current body of evidence has shown that RYO cigarettes are just as risky to a  smokers health as regular ones. What They Contain While it is true that roll-your-own cigarettes dont contain the  many thousands of chemical compounds regular cigarettes do, they do still contain additives and dangerous chemicals.?? RYO cigarette smokers inhale enough toxins to be concerned about, such as: Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines (TSNAs):  These are some of the most potent  carcinogens  in tobacco and  tobacco smoke.?? TSNAs are present in green tobacco (unprocessed tobacco plant leaves) in small amounts, but it is the  processing and curing of tobacco that causes high levels. These remain in loose tobacco.Tar:  Tar is the sticky brown residue that stains the end of a cigarette filter and other surfaces it comes into contact with. Tar also settles on  delicate tissue in the lungs and bronchial tubes of smokers.   Smokers tend to inhale more  tar  when smoking RYO cigarettes, due in part to the lack of  a filter as well as the need to  suck harder to inhale the smoke. Nicotine:  Nicotine is the addictive substance of? cigarettes, and it is present in loose tobacco. Its also a potent poison that has been used in pesticides for decades.Carbon Monoxide:  Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic byproduct of the incomplete burning of carbon-containing fuels.?? When breathed in, CO interferes with the bodys ability to carry oxygen.  Cigarette smoke from any type of cigarette  can contain high levels of CO. Researchers have studied TSNAs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons  in the urine of both traditional cigarette smokers and RYO smokers. These two groups of chemicals are highly carcinogenic byproducts of cigarette smoking and appear to be present in virtually the same quantities regardless of the type of cigarette smoked.?? Deborah Arnott, chief executive of the U.S. anti-smoking organization Action on Smoking Health (ASH), puts the differences between RYO and regular cigarettes into perspective: A useful analogy that has been used is that arguing over the difference between roll-ups and straights is like arguing whether it’s safer to jump out of the 20th or 15th floor of a buildingâ€"either way, you’re going to hit the ground and die.?? Health Risks In fact, scientists and doctors widely believe that the risks to a smokers health are the same regardless of whether youre smoking commercially-produced cigarettes or rolling your own. Just like commercial cigarette smokers, people who smoke hand-rolled cigarettes face a risk of: Lung cancerEsophageal cancerCancer of the mouth, pharynx,  and larynxCardiovascular diseases?? Its difficult to assess the overall risk of RYOs because each hand-rolled cigarette is unique and the amount of tobacco will vary, as will how the cigarette is smoked. Also, some smokers use filtered tubes for their RYO tobacco and some dont. However, it is safe to say that RYO cigarettes are nothing remotely close to a healthy (or healthier) smoking choice. RYO cigarettes endanger the health of anyone who smokes them, as well as those who breathe in the secondhand smoke  they produce. A Word From Verywell If youre still smoking any type of cigarette, consider quitting sooner rather than later.  There are many tools and resources that can help you kick the habit, including support groups, quit aids, and counseling. Moreover, under the Essential Health Benefits of the Affordable Care Act, the tools for quitting can be provided free of charge through your health insurance, including Medicaid and Medicare. Are Hand-Rolled Bidi Cigarettes Safer?