Health Effects of Cigars

What Is a Cigar?

A cigar is a roll of tobacco wrapped in leaf tobacco or in a substance that contains tobacco. This is different from a cigarette, as cigarettes are wrapped in other substances that do not contain tobacco.¹  

Cigars contain the same addictive, toxic and carcinogenic compounds found in cigarettes and other tobacco products and are not a safe alternative to them. Regular cigar smoking can increase the risk of cancers in the throat and mouth including esophagus, larynx (voice box), pharynx (throat) and the oral cavity (lip, tongue, mouth). ¹

The American Lung Association strongly supports U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversight over cigars and all other tobacco products. On May 5, 2016, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it was extending its authority to include all forms of cigars.

Key Facts about Cigars and Their Health Effects

• A single large cigar can contain as much tobacco as an entire pack of cigarettes.¹ Heavy cigar smoking and inhaling cigar smoke may increase the risk of developing coronary heart disease. ¹ 
• Researchers estimate that 900,000 premature deaths per year are attributed to cigar smoking. ¹
• Researchers estimate cigar-attributed annual health care expenditures to be around $1.8 billion annually. ¹
• There are 4 different types of cigars, namely the little cigar, small cigar (also called cigarillos), regular cigars and premium cigar.²
• Like other forms of tobacco, cigars contain radioactive elements such as radium and polonium. ² 

Cigar Use in the U.S.

• In 2022, 4% of adults reporting currently smoking cigars. This being 7% of men and 1% of women.³ 
• Cigar smoking is more common among Black individuals (6%) and white persons (4%), than Hispanic (3%) or Asian (1%) people. ³ 
• Among high school students, 3% (2% girls and 4% boys) had smoked cigars at least once in the past 30 days as of 2022. ³
• Cigar smoking was higher among Black high school students (4%) compared to white (3%) or Hispanic (2%) students. ³