Cigarette is, traditionally, a roll of shredded tobacco wrapped in paper. Nearly all cigarettes smoked in the United States are a blend of tobaccos grown inside the country or imported. The tobacco blend is sprayed with flavorings and a chemical that preserves moisture. Cigarettes may contain hundreds of additives, including acetic acid, ammonia, and benzyl alcohol. Most cigarettes have a filter at one end. In the 2000’s, manufacturers introduced electronic devices that have the same purpose as traditional cigarettes do, to deliver the addictive drug nicotine to the lungs.
Hand-rolled cigarettes began to achieve limited popularity in the mid-1800’s. Most smokers rolled their own, but some cigarettes were hand-rolled in factories. Hand-rolled cigarettes contained either Oriental tobacco, flue-cured tobacco, or a blend of the two varieties.
An American inventor named James A. Bonsack patented the first practical cigarette-making machine in the early 1880’s. After the invention of cigarette-making machinery, the cigarette industry grew rapidly.
During the 1960’s, scientists reported that tar and nicotine, substances that are inhaled in cigarette smoke, could cause lung cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses. Since then, many countries have passed laws requiring manufacturers to label packages and cartons of cigarettes with a health warning. Many countries have also banned certain types of cigarette advertising, such as commercials directed toward young people. Governments also restrict smoking in public places and tax cigarettes at high rates. Many lawsuits have been brought against cigarette makers because of the health hazards of cigarette smoke. For more information, see Smoking (Smoking regulations).
In the 2000’s, cigarettes with electronic components became popular. Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are devices that vaporize a liquid mixture of such ingredients as nicotine, THC, CBD oils, flavorings, and other chemicals that the user then inhales. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is a mind-altering chemical substance found in marijuana. CBD (cannabidiol) oils are also chemicals found in marijuana but are not mind altering. The manufacturers of e-cigarettes have claimed that their products carry fewer health risks than traditional cigarettes do. However, e-cigarettes carry their own health risks. For information about these risks, see Electronic cigarette.
