Talk:Cigarette

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I propose adding http://www.cigreviews.com/ under external links, the compiled reviews listed on there provides utility to the wiki community by allowing users to evaluate characteristics of individual cigarettes as noted by users. It also meets the external link criteria as outlined in "what should be linked" under clause 4 and doesn't infringe on any of the points listed under "Links to be avoided" Afro3429 (talk) 03:30, 23 November 2007 (UTC)

Contents

[edit] Separating Light Cigarettes Explanation

There is a paragraph inside the "Manufacturing" section explaining how light cigarettes are made (and thus their difference from regular cigarettes). This is extremely important information and I propose that it be separated into its own heading. Bigmantonyd (talk) 09:04, 22 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] List of cigarette brands with recent Tar, Nicotine and Carbon Monoxide content.

Tar, Nicotine and Carbon monoxide content are displayed on the side of cigarette packets (at least they are here in The Netherlands...).

It would be nice to put a link on this page that brings you to a table where these values are compared by brand.

I've been searching on the net for a list comparing these values between brands of cigarette and been able find only one dating back to 1994. Since 2004 limits have been set for the maximum allowed content of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide so we are really missing this information.

Example:


Brand Tar (mg) Nicotine (mg) Carbon Monoxide (mg)
Marlboro Gold (EU), Marlboro Lights 8 0,6 9
Lucky Strike Madura Silver 7 0,6 8

My name's Andy 08:41, 23 October 2007 (UTC)

  • I had a book years ago that contained exactly such a list (this one). As I recall, the list was something like five or six pages long due to the large number of different brands and types of cigarettes on the market. Unfortunately, the book was from 1987, and it sounds like you want more recent info. I've never seen anything like that on the Web, but I wouldn't be surprised if such existed somewhere. Good luck! Heather 22:52, 29 October 2007 (UTC)
I found / this on Erowid.org Maisma gardens (talk)
The list on erowid.org is impressive but never up to date because tobacco manufacturers regularly change their products. And at least some brands produce different products for different markets in seemingly identical packages, either because of local taste or because of local regulations.Maggy Rond (talk) 09:22, 7 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] getting high off of cigaretts?

you can get a slight dizziness known as getting high if you inhail enough cigarettes —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.8.79.196 (talk) 02:12, 6 November 2007 (UTC)

this occurs when you smoke your first cigarette. It's actually a rather unpleasant feeling; light-headedness, accompanied by nausea, sweating, and a general feeling like you're about to die. (speaking from experience) Nemilar (talk) 03:50, 18 February 2008 (UTC)
This is a sign of a mild nicotine poisoning, often seen in first time smokers. Their bodies are much more vulnerable to the negative effects of nicotine than regular smokers. Too bad they hardly ever see this as a warning sign... The human body is capable of building a surprisingly high resistance against nicotine poisoning, regular smokers can actually enjoy doses of nicotine that would be lethal to a non-smoker. The human body is actually quite good at getting rid of nicotine, causing smokers to "need a fix" quite often compared to other substances. As far as I know there are no known cases of lethal nicotine poisoning by cigarette smoke, most lethal cases are caused by either swallowing tobacco or by abuse of nicotine as pest control.Maggy Rond (talk) 09:37, 7 May 2008 (UTC)
Many people have died while smoking ridiculous numbers of cigarettes simultaneously, typically on a dare or trying to win a bet. I don't know if the nicotine specifically is to blame, however. <eleland/talkedits> 00:29, 11 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Butts

This anecdotal -- and wholly unprovable -- paragraph about litter is worthless biased trivia (yeah, there's sources but so what, it's still anecdotal, and it's is still totally unprovable). Even if true. It doesn't belong here. It's a function of litter not of the butts themselves, nor the act of smoking. It's just Wikiality. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 217.42.129.162 (talk) 17:43, 11 December 2007 (UTC)

Actually I would argue that it's a by-product of smoking. Except for places with butt-dispensers, there aren't many options when it comes to disposing of cigarette butts. Sure, you can extinguish them and find a trash to throw them in (because, if you don't completely put them out, you're risking starting a fire); so it's much easier (and hence, much more common) just to toss the butt aside. While I agree that it might not be provable that cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world, I'd say it's probably true. Might not qualify for wikiality, since I don't know that there are any sources around to back up the claim, but I think it certainly belongs in the article, even if the language is toned down a bit. --Nemilar (talk) 03:53, 18 February 2008 (UTC)
It may be relevant, but it badly needs rewritten. 89.242.220.122 (talk) 23:03, 12 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Legal

Isn't the legal age to smoke normally much lower than the legal age to actually buy them yourself in most countries, I think they have been confused? AJUK Talk!! 18:20, 8 January 2008 (UTC)

What? I hope you're mistaken, because that makes no sense at all. Why would they allow people to smoke at a younger age than they are allowed to buy tobacco products? 74.194.27.245 (talk) 19:43, 6 February 2008 (UTC)

As far as I know, in the US, you're allowed to smoke at any age; you're just not allowed to aquire Cigarettes (or tobacco products) until you meet the state-mandated age requirement. In NY, it's 18 years of age (19 in some places), but a 3 year old isn't breaking the law if he lights up in public (although his parent/guardian could probably be charged with endangering the welfare of a minor). --Nemilar (talk) 03:55, 18 February 2008 (UTC)

In Alberta, it is illegal for anyone under 18 to use or own cigarettes or other tobacco products in public, punishable by a $100 fine or community work. Canjth (talk) 16:20, 12 March 2008 (UTC)

Probably everywhere where it's illegal to sell tobacco to minors it's also illegal to give them a cigarette.Maggy Rond (talk) 09:41, 7 May 2008 (UTC)

I know in the UK you can smoke from 16 years of age, but must be 18 to buy tobacco products. 89.242.220.122 (talk) 22:56, 12 May 2008 (UTC)

It is illegal in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Washington and Montana, USA to smoke under the age of 18 (19 in Utah, except w/in the International Airport). Smokers are cited with a misdemeanor and each state I have listed requires a tobacco education class be completed by the cited. This does not exclude other states, these are just the states I know for fact. 64.90.193.188 (talk) 20:27, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] dangers....

I think we should make a section that tells the dangers of smoking. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.112.98.253 (talk) 22:29, 9 January 2008 (UTC)

That's already been covered. --Goldfndr (talk) 06:27, 19 January 2008 (UTC)
Furthermore, isn't this article already littered with warnings? Frotz (talk) 07:49, 19 January 2008 (UTC)
The dangers of smoking have nothing to do in this article. They aren't specific to cigarettes - cigars, cigarillos and snuff are also highly dangerous. See Health effects of tobacco smoking. Canjth (talk) 01:07, 23 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] what is a cigarettes

well know one knows realy —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.138.29.88 (talk) 13:12, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] spelling error

smoulder does not have a u in it. its spelt smolder.

N.B. Smolder is an American illiteracy.

Connecticut's postal abbreviation is "CT" not "CN."

The OED says It does have a 'U'.(Morcus (talk) 12:44, 29 April 2008 (UTC))

[edit] Grammar

In subsection "Paper", the second to last sentence is a grammatical atrocity. Better keep the page locked so no one can fix it. - Anonymous IP Address 15:33, 9 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Smoking rates table

In the table of smoking rates by country, for the United States it shows 35% of men smoke, and 22 percent of women smoke. However, this doesn't seem to match the table of smoking rates for each US state. Assuming there are roughly as many men as women in the US, we can estimate the smoking rate at 28%, however, only 1 state (Kentucky) has a smoking rate that high. Perhaps one table is looking at whole populations, and the other is only looking at adults?--RLent (talk) 18:32, 28 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] The History section.

The section could do with rewriting because it isn't chronological. The Crimean war is mentioned then we jump back to 1830. (Morcus (talk) 12:40, 29 April 2008 (UTC))

I agree this is a very confusing section with no logical line of events. And these events, although possibly related to the "inventions" of pre-packed rolling tobacco with the needed cigarette papers and ready rolled cigarettes, say nothing about how the industrial production of these products actually started.Maggy Rond (talk) 09:49, 7 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] List of known ingredients?

A list of known ingredients and byproducts besides filter, paper, tobacco, and flavoring might be good, as well as what purpose they serve. For example, why do cigarettes allegedly contain formaldehyde? Wycked (talk) 00:30, 7 May 2008 (UTC)

The first footnote directs to a PDF from the WHO with clear explanations as well as most kinds of known ingredients. Several tobacco manufacturers have ingredient lists on their website (but never complete as explained in the WHO document). Formaldehyde might possibly be used to prevent mold in stored tobacco. If so than most of it will be evaporated during the manufacturing process, it has a boiling point of 19.3 °C. It is highly flammable so even if there would be any residue it would burn up before entering the smokers body. On the other hand it is an intermediate of burning organic matter as well as a by-product of your own metabolic system. Is it important? We all know that cigarette smoke is very harmful. The tobacco industry is of course responsible for taking on average several years off a smokers life expectancy. But it would be an extremely strange marketing strategy to deliberately add toxic components that would shorten their customers lives.Maggy Rond (talk) 10:07, 7 May 2008 (UTC)