In its fiercest indictment of cigars yet, the U.S. government concludes in a long-awaited report that they can be just as lethal as cigarettes, a finding likely to spur new rules to restrict the sale and promotion of cigars.
The government found that cigar smoking can cause cancers of the mouth, esophagus, larynx and lung. The report also said that regular cigar smokers who inhale have an increased risk of coronary heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The government called the national boom in cigar smoking "disturbing" and the rise of teen-age usage "alarming." Despite their hazards, cigars have long been exempt from strict federal regulations.
That could end now that the study has exploded the myths about the safety of smoking cigars. Contrary to popular belief, the study concluded, it is how one smokes -- the frequency and inhalation patterns -- rather than what tobacco product is smoked that determines the risk of serious illness.
"To those individuals who may be thinking about smoking cigars, our advice is -- don't. Cigars are not safe alternatives to cigarettes and may be addictive," states the 232-page report, a copy of which was obtained by The Sun yesterday. "To those cigarette smokers who are thinking of switching to cigars, don't be misled. To those currently smoking cigars, quitting is the only way to eliminate the documented harm that can result from cigar smoking."
The report, a yearlong product of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the work of more than 50 leading scientists, was scheduled to be released by the government next week, but could be made public as early as today.
Donald R. Shopland, coordinator of the cancer institute's smoking and tobacco control program and the person who conceived and oversaw the report, declined to discuss specific findings.
"This is the most comprehensive assessment of what we know about the health risks and trends of cigar smoking in this country," he said. "I think this is similar in importance to the original report of the surgeon general in 1964 on cigarettes."
That landmark report, with which Shopland also was involved, established the link between cigarettes and their hazards, ultimately leading to a series of laws and regulations on cigarettes.
Armed with a massive health study, the government could impose advertising restrictions and warning labels on cigars, Shopland said, and it could place cigars under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
