Many people who have taken up smoking roll-your-own tobacco in recent times .. It is especially young people who have increased this type of tobacco consumption the most. Basically, they have done so for two reasons: they are convinced that it is cheaper and less harmful to their health.
In today’s article we will focus on the second question, although we will provide enough information to draw conclusions on the first one.
Is smoking roll-your-own tobacco less harmful than smoking manufactured tobacco? Before answering this question, let’s see what exactly is roll-your-own tobacco and how it differs from manufactured tobacco.
- Related article: “9 great health benefits of quitting tobacco smoking”.
What is roll-your-own tobacco?
The rolling tobacco essentially is a tobacco that is sold loose, without being sold in the form of cigarette already assembled.. It is a tobacco that has always been used, ever since western man discovered tobacco in America, but manufactured tobacco managed to take over the market a few generations ago.
Throughout the twentieth century, it was mainly associated with pipe tobacco consumption, although in many places rolling tobacco continued to be smoked in cigarette form. Preparing it also requires the purchase of paper and mouthpieces to assemble it. Generally all this material is sold in pouches by different specialized companies.
Why is it considered a different tobacco than manufactured tobacco?
At the beginning of the 19th century, the first manufactured and packaged paper cigarettes began to be distributed worldwide. Already during the 20th century, it established itself as the preferred form for consumers by far.
In essence, whether tobacco is sold loose or in a ready-made cigarette should not raise many questions. The fact that tobacco comes in one form or the other should not be a reason to ask whether one is better than the other..
However, some people believe that roll-your-own tobacco has fewer additives. They believe that this form of tobacco should be less subjected to the processes that the tobacco industry uses to manufacture conventional cigarettes.
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8 reasons why roll-your-own tobacco is not really a better option
As mentioned above, many people believe that rolling tobacco is a healthier form of smoking. There are different myths that circulate in society, but let’s see that smoking roll-your-own tobacco is no less harmful than smoking manufactured tobacco.
1. Roll-your-own tobacco is not more natural
There is a widespread belief that roll-your-own tobacco is less manipulated than manufactured tobacco. The fact that it has not gone through that last elaboration process makes many people think that it is more natural or even some people associate it with organic.
Nothing could be further from the truth, at least in theory. The fact that it does not come in a cigarette does not mean that it does not undergo the same manipulation processes as manufactured tobacco.. Additives can be added to improve combustion, retain moisture, produce less smoke or smell less, etc.
2. Used paper is simply not healthier
Manufactured tobacco is usually made with white paper. This paper has additives to make combustion effective, and also allows it not to go out after a short puff on the cigarette.
Many people believe that rolling tobacco paper is much better and does not contain any chemicals.. But we have no guarantee of this, unless the composition is specified on the package. It may still contain undesirable substances for our body.
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3. You do not always smoke less with roll-your-own tobacco
Some smokers conclude that with roll-your-own tobacco, you smoke less.. Some people say that they are too lazy to roll them, or that the paper goes out more and they smoke less. There are even those who say that they do not like smoking rolling tobacco so much that they end up smoking less.
While this is sometimes true, it is important not to cheat yourself by playing solitaire. In addition, here are some good reasons why smoking roll-your-own tobacco can be more expensive at different levels.
4. Carbon monoxide concentrations in the blood are higher.
It has been scientifically proven that roll-your-own tobacco burns more paper.. This causes more carbon monoxide to be emitted as a product of combustion. This substance passes into our respiratory system and blood, and complicates our respiratory and cardiovascular health.
- Other users have read: “12 consequences of drug use (in humans)”.
5. Nicotine dependence and its presence in the bloodstream
People who smoke roll-your-own tobacco have some substances in their blood for a longer time than smokers of manufactured tobacco.. One of these substances is cotinine, which is produced from the metabolism of nicotine.
6. You will not be saved from cancer
Smokers of roll-your-own tobacco do not enjoy better protection against cancer.. Statistical studies on cancer patients confirm that those who have smoked this type of tobacco have developed more cases of lung, pharynx, larynx and mouth cancer.
- To prevent cancer through diet we recommend: “The 12 anticarcinogenic foods (that you should include in your diet)”.
7. You will have as much or more tar in your lungs.
Comparing the composition of rolling tobacco and packet tobacco, it has been found that the former has more tar.. It also has more nicotine and produces more carbon monoxide, so a priori it does not seem a healthier option.
8. Your body oxidizes as much or as much as smoking conventional tobacco.
Smoking roll-your-own tobacco can put your body under more stress and oxidation.. This is what some scientific studies point out when comparing the health effects of the two types of tobacco. There is no doubt that tobacco smoke makes us age and neither is a good choice.
- You may want to read: “The 7 most common concerns of teenagers”.
Conclusion on whether one or the other type of tobacco is better.
Starting to smoke roll-your-own tobacco to smoke less or spend less money is a bad decision. We won’t beat around the bush by assessing whether one is better than the other. There is no doubt that, if you want to smoke or spend less, there is only one valid solution: quit smoking..
Smoking tobacco is an addictive behavior that makes our anxiety go up and down throughout the days without us being able to do much more. Even if smoking roll-your-own tobacco could smoke less and be less harmful, we could be suffering from more anxiety.
Smoking a few cigarettes more or less a week, using thinner or thicker paper, … these are not reasons worth expending our energy for. Scientific studies show that both roll-your-own and manufactured tobacco develop a dependence from which you cannot easily escape.
Therefore, from The Women’s Guide we advocate quitting tobacco as the only solution. And it is that self-deception can play very bad tricks on us. In spite of temporarily convincing ourselves about some idea, in the end we always come to the same conclusion: tobacco, whether it is one or the other, will always harm us.
- You might be interested in: “The 10 most common psychological disorders in adults”.