What do cigarettes contain?

Cigarettes are made of more than just tobacco. In addition to nicotine and tobacco leaves, various chemicals, additives and combustion agents are added that affect the flavour, the burning time and the perception of cigarettes. But what's actually in cigarettes, and how do the contents affect the smoke? In this article we look at what cigarettes are made of and what substances are released when smoking.

What are cigarettes made of?

The basis of a cigarette is tobacco leaves that have been dried, fermented and processed before use. In addition to tobacco, cigarettes also contain:

• Filters - usually made from cellulose acetate, these are used to reduce the amount of tar and particles in the smoke.
• Paper - wraps the tobacco and controls how fast the cigarette burns.
• Additives - affect flavour, burn time and nicotine uptake.

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Try IQOS ILUMA i for 60 days

Discover a better alternative by heating tobacco instead of burning it.

No smell of smoke

Heats tobacco & nicotine without burning it

No second-hand smoke and no ash

With IQOS there is no fire and therefore no smoke or ash follows - and no cleaning required, ever, with our latest ILUMA series!

Try IQOS ILUMA i

What else is in cigarettes besides tobacco?

Many people think that cigarettes only contain tobacco, but in fact several hundred chemicals may be added during production. Some common additives are:

• Sugar and cocoa - used to give a milder flavour.
• Ammonia - can affect how quickly nicotine is absorbed in the body.
• Glycerol - helps tobacco retain moisture and prevents cigarettes from drying out.
• Burn timer - makes the cigarette burn at a steady rate.

When a cigarette is lit, its contents change, and the smoke can contain thousands of chemical compounds that were not originally present in the tobacco leaves.

What does cigarette smoke contain?

When tobacco is burnt, several substances are produced that were not originally present in the cigarette. Some of the best known are:

• Nicotine - The stimulant and addictive substance found naturally in tobacco leaves.
• Tar - A residual product from the burning of tobacco.
• Carbon monoxide - A gas formed during combustion.
• Acetaldehyde - A chemical compound that can enhance the nicotine effect.

Contents of different types of cigarettes

Cigarettes come in different flavours, and what they contain can vary slightly depending on the type:

• Light cigarettes - contain less nicotine and tar but often have vented filters, which can affect how much smoke is inhaled.
• Menthol cigarettes - Contains added menthol for a cooler sensation when inhaled.
• Hand-rolled cigarettes - may contain cleaner tobacco but often lack filters, which affects the amount of tar and other substances in the smoke.