These have been, and continue to be, the messages of the U.S. Surgeon General and public health authorities worldwide. Current cigar smokers and potential cigar smokers should rely on these messages when deciding whether or not to smoke cigars.
In this section of our website you will find information on these cigar-related messages, as well as links to government and public health authorities, including the U.S. Surgeon General's reports related to tobacco. Click on the links at the right to obtain more information about cigar smoking and health.
Cigar smoking causes serious diseases. The U.S. Surgeon General and other public health authorities have determined that:
- cigar smoking causes cancers of the mouth and throat, even if you do not inhale
- cigar smoking causes lung cancer and heart disease
- tobacco use increases the risk of infertility, stillbirth and low birth weight
- cigar smoking is not a safe alternative to cigarette smoking
- tobacco smoke increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease, even in nonsmokers
Current cigar smokers and potential cigar smokers should rely on these messages when deciding whether or not to smoke cigars.
Cigar smoking is addictive. The U.S. Surgeon General and other public health authorities have determined that cigar smoking is addictive. It can be very difficult to quit smoking, but this should not deter smokers who want to quit from trying to do so.
According to the National Cancer Institute, “To those currently smoking cigars, quitting is the only way to eliminate the documented harm that can result from cigar smoking.”
1-800-QUITNOW is a national quitline number that connects smokers wishing to quit with programs. This number allows callers to access the
National Network of Tobacco Cessation quitlines, which will link a caller to a state-run quitline, if one exists. Should a state not have a quitline, callers are routed to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) quitline.
One of Altria Group's mission goals is to provide cessation information. Philip Morris USA, an Altria company, provides a free resource called QuitAssist
®, designed to connect smokers who have decided to quit to expert quitting information from public health authorities and others. John Middleton has now made QuitAssist
® resources available to its adult consumers.
Cheryl K. Olson, Sc.D., a respected public health writer, wrote and edited the information for QuitAssist
® in conjunction with a review board with expertise in the area of smoking cessation. To learn more, visit the
QuitAssist® website.
The Surgeon General of the United States has been the nation's leading spokesperson on matters of public health since 1871. Beginning in 1962, at the request of President John F. Kennedy, the Surgeon General's Office took on the task of reviewing literature on smoking and health, including cigar smoking, and began issuing periodic reports. The first report was published in 1964.
