Jan 15, 2025

Ever wondered how cigarettes are made, and what goes into them? As an adult smoker, it might come as no surprise to know that cigarettes contain – and produce – harmful substances. The word “produce” deserves special emphasis, as many of the problematic substances in cigarettes are not necessarily the ingredients. Rather, they are substances produced through burning – or combustion.  

 

The ingredients of a cigarette

Identifying the ingredients of a cigarette isn’t too difficult – there are a few key ones that make up a cigarette, depending on the brand. What makes identifying factors in a cigarette challenging are the thousands of chemicals produced by a burning cigarette. Before we review this factor, let’s first examine what one might consider the “main ingredient of a cigarette”. Which is, of course, the tobacco leaf.

The tobacco leaf contains nicotine and releases it when a cigarette is burnt. It is important to note that nicotine is an addictive chemical. However, contrary to popular belief, nicotine is not the primary cause of smoking-related diseases. Other non-tobacco materials, such as paper, can also be found in a cigarette. So, now you know what some of the cigarette ingredients are, it can be useful to understand that there is more to cigarettes than just what goes into them.

 

What does a burning cigarette produce?

During combustion, a burning cigarette releases thousands of chemicals which can be harmful, such as carbon monoxide. This harmful gas is released when an adult smoker smokes a cigarette, and it can have significant implications. Click the following link to learn about the impact of carbon monoxide [Internal Link 9.4 - Carbon monoxide levels, HT vs cigarettes]. The same is true for tar, which can cause problems – learn more in the guide to tar [Internal Link 10.6 - A guide to tar].

 

Are there alternatives to smoking cigarettes?

If you are an adult smoker who’s looking to switch to a smoke-free alternative, you might not know just how many options there are available to you.

E-cigarettes are not the only option. Some tobacco heating systems utilise heating technology instead of relying on combustion (like burning cigarettes do). However, the lack of combustion should be substantiated on a product-by-product basis. Incorporating heated tobacco sticks, IQOS provides real tobacco taste and satisfaction, but without tar. Cigarettes produce tar. IQOS doesn’t. Tar is the residue from smoke after a cigarette is burned.

"Burning a cigarette generates smoke and tar. This is not the case with IQOS. Why?
IQOS heats tobacco instead of burning it. It generates a tobacco vapour that is fundamentally different from cigarette smoke with significantly reduced levels of harmful chemicals.*"

Important information: the absence of tar does not mean that IQOS is risk-free.

* Average reductions in the levels of a range of harmful chemicals (excluding nicotine) compared to cigarette smoke.

The best decision any smoker can make is to quit tobacco and nicotine use altogether. IQOS heated tobacco products are not alternatives to quitting and are not designed as cessation aids.

This article is for general information and educational purposes. Some of the information in this article is based on external, third-party sources, and we make no representations or warranties of any kind regarding the accuracy, validity or completeness of such information.