Greta Jimenez
Cigarette smoke is a major contributor to air pollution and has a significant impact on the environment and human health. Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS), or second-hand smoke, is the smoke from other people's cigarettes that non-smokers inhale. It contains over 7,000 chemicals, including at least 60 carcinogens, and is known to cause serious adverse health effects such as eye, nose, and throat irritations, respiratory infections, heart disease, and lung cancer. While the health risks of second-hand smoke are well-known, the environmental impact of tobacco goes beyond the smoke itself. Tobacco cultivation leads to deforestation, soil pollution, and water pollution, while the tobacco industry's carbon footprint contributes to global warming. The toxic remnants of consumed tobacco products, including cigarette butts and packaging, further add to environmental pollution. With tobacco being the most littered item globally, the pollution caused by the tobacco industry far exceeds that of second-hand smoke, affecting not only the health of individuals but also the planet.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) | Causes twice as many deaths as all other types of air pollution put together |
| ETS | Consists of around 85% sidestream smoke and 15% mainstream smoke |
| Sidestream smoke | Has a higher concentration of dangerous substances than mainstream smoke |
| Smoking | Releases 2.6 billion kg of carbon dioxide and 5.2 billion kg of methane per year |
| Smoking | Causes 8 million deaths per year from lung cancer or other smoking-related diseases |
| Tobacco production | Costs the world more than 8 million lives, 600,000 million trees, 200,000 hectares of land, 22 billion tonnes of water and 84 million tonnes of CO2 per year |
| Tobacco products | Are the most littered item on the planet, with 4.5 trillion cigarette filters polluting the environment annually |
| Cigarette filters | Contain microplastics and are the second-highest form of plastic pollution worldwide |
| Third-hand smoke | Refers to residual particles that remain in the environment after a cigarette is extinguished, lingering on surfaces and fabrics |
| Secondhand smoke | Can cause health problems in infants and children, including sudden infant death syndrome, respiratory and ear infections, and more frequent and severe asthma attacks |
| Secondhand smoke | Contains at least 60 cancer-causing chemicals and can increase the risk of lung cancer by about 25% for non-smokers exposed at home or in the workplace |
| Secondhand smoke | Can cause eye, nose, and throat irritations, as well as respiratory tract infections, worsening of pre-existing respiratory problems, and increased susceptibility to lung diseases |
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What You'll Learn
- Cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, 60 cause cancer
- Tobacco production costs 600,000 million trees, 200,000 hectares of land
- Cigarette butts are the second-highest plastic pollution worldwide
- Tobacco farming uses land needed for food production
- Second-hand smoke increases the risk of lung cancer by a quarter
Cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, 60 cause cancer
Cigarette smoke is a complex mixture of chemicals formed by burning tobacco and its additives. Tobacco smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, at least 60 of which are known to cause cancer. These cancer-causing chemicals are referred to as carcinogens.
Cigarettes are made from dried tobacco leaves, to which other chemicals are added for flavour and to make smoking more pleasant. When a cigarette is burnt, it releases thousands of additional chemicals in the tobacco smoke. Many of these chemicals are harmful to both the smoker and those who breathe in second-hand smoke.
Some of the carcinogens found in tobacco smoke include radioactive materials, which are given off in the smoke inhaled when using cigarettes or cigars. Long-term exposure to this radiation can damage the lungs and increase the damage caused by other carcinogens, thereby increasing the risk of lung cancer. Tobacco smoke also contains toxic metals, poisonous gases like carbon monoxide, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
The World Health Organization reports that at least sixty cancer-causing chemicals have been identified in secondhand smoke. Research on Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) has shown that living with, working with, or simply being around a smoker can harm one's health. When one breathes in ETS, they are at risk of developing health conditions similar to those faced by the smoker, including eye, nose, and throat irritations, respiratory tract infections, worsening of pre-existing respiratory problems such as asthma, heart disease, and cancers. Recent studies have estimated that non-smokers exposed to ETS at home or in their workplace have their risk of lung cancer raised by about a quarter, while heavy exposure at work doubles the risk.
The adverse impact of lighting a cigarette goes beyond the smoker and affects people around them, especially infants and young children. The air pollution emitted by cigarettes is 10 times greater than diesel car exhaust, and the fine particulate matter produced by environmental tobacco smoke is the most dangerous element of air pollution for health.
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Tobacco production costs 600,000 million trees, 200,000 hectares of land
The environmental impact of the tobacco industry is alarming. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the industry costs the world about 600 million trees and 200,000 hectares of land annually. This massive deforestation is primarily driven by the demand for tobacco farming, as forests are cleared to make way for tobacco cultivation.
Tobacco farming not only contributes to deforestation but also degrades soil and water quality. The chemicals used in tobacco farming pollute the soil and water, further exacerbating the environmental damage. It is important to note that tobacco production is predominantly concentrated in low- and middle-income countries, where farmland and water resources are already scarce. By diverting these essential resources away from food production, tobacco farming exacerbates food insecurity in regions that need it the most.
The carbon footprint of the tobacco industry is also significant. The WHO report "Tobacco: Poisoning Our Planet" reveals that the industry's carbon emissions from production, processing, and transportation are equivalent to one-fifth of the CO2 produced by commercial airlines annually. This substantial contribution to global warming underscores the industry's detrimental impact on the environment.
Furthermore, tobacco products are the most littered item on the planet. Cigarette butts, containing over 7000 toxic chemicals, are often disposed of on the ground, polluting soils, waterways, beaches, and green spaces. These toxic chemicals leech into the environment, posing risks to children, animals, and aquatic life. The costs of cleaning up this litter fall on taxpayers, with countries like China and India bearing significant financial burdens.
The environmental impact of tobacco production extends beyond the immediate costs of land and tree loss. The long-term consequences of deforestation, soil degradation, water pollution, and carbon emissions contribute to a deteriorating planet. The tobacco industry's environmental footprint underscores the urgent need for sustainable alternatives and a shift towards more environmentally responsible practices.
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Cigarette butts are the second-highest plastic pollution worldwide
Cigarette butts are the second most common form of plastic pollution worldwide, with about 4.5 trillion individual butts polluting the global environment. While most of a cigarette's innards and paper wrapping disintegrate when smoked, the filters—also known as butts or ends—are made of cellulose acetate, a plastic fiber, and do not completely disintegrate. Only an estimated third of these filters make it into the trash, with the rest being discarded into the environment.
Cigarette filters are the main component of cigarette butts and are made of single-use plastic. They can take up to 10 years to degrade, and even as they do, they break down into microplastics, which are an increasing hazard in waterways and oceans. These microplastics have been found in human tissues, raising concerns about their potential health impacts. The toxic chemicals released by cigarette butts can remain in the environment for many years beyond the life of the butt itself, and the costs of environmental pollution caused by these plastics amount to an estimated US$26 billion every year in waste management and marine ecosystem damage worldwide.
The harmful effects of cigarette butt pollution are particularly pronounced in low-income communities of color, which tend to have higher smoking rates due to targeted marketing by the tobacco industry. These communities also face systemic inequities that make it harder for them to access health information and resources when they fall ill, and they disproportionately receive inequitable waste management services, leading to greater effects from cigarette butt pollution, such as contaminated waterways.
Some steps have been taken to address the plastic hazards posed by cigarettes. In 2016, India banned the use of plastic packaging for tobacco products, and in New Jersey, a law was enacted to limit smoking and vaping in public parks and on beaches. However, the plastic pollution caused by cigarettes remains a significant issue, with cigarette butts being the most commonly found item during beach cleanups.
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Tobacco farming uses land needed for food production
Tobacco farming is often less profitable for farmers than other crops, and tobacco-growing families are poorer than comparable non-tobacco-growing households. Research in Lebanon has shown that small-scale tobacco production is so unprofitable that it would not be possible without government subsidies. Tobacco is also among the most labour-intensive crops, requiring over 1,000 hours of unpaid labour to produce one acre of tobacco. The labour costs of growing tobacco are enormous, often double the labour needed to produce other similar crops.
The environmental impact of tobacco farming includes deforestation, water contamination, and soil degradation. The expansion of tobacco crops drives deforestation, contaminates water sources, and degrades soil quality. Tobacco farming also contributes to water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, with the agricultural sector already responsible for a significant proportion of global water use and emissions. Additionally, tobacco farming exposes farmers to nicotine poisoning and debt traps, with intensive labour hours, inadequate working conditions, low wages, and unfair conditions.
While tobacco farming has negative impacts on land use, the environment, and farmer livelihoods, it is important to note that the pollution emitted by cigarettes also has significant environmental and health consequences. Cigarette smoke produces ten times more air pollution than diesel car exhaust, and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) produces fine particulate matter, which is the most dangerous element of air pollution for health. ETS contains over 60 cancer-causing chemicals and increases the risk of various health conditions, including eye, nose, and throat irritations, respiratory infections, heart disease, and lung cancer. Children are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of ETS, including increased susceptibility to asthma, ear infections, and other respiratory issues.
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Second-hand smoke increases the risk of lung cancer by a quarter
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS), or second-hand smoke, is a significant form of air pollution, with the air pollution emitted by cigarettes being up to 10 times greater than diesel car exhaust. It is estimated that 85-90% of the smoke from a cigarette ends up in the air as ETS, which consists of Mainstream Smoke, exhaled by the smoker, and Sidestream Smoke, which comes directly from the burning tip of the cigarette.
Sidestream Smoke has a higher concentration of harmful chemicals than Mainstream Smoke, as it does not pass through the cigarette's filter tip. These harmful chemicals, which are also found in the smoke inhaled by smokers, include carcinogens that increase the risk of lung cancer.
The World Health Organization has identified at least 60 cancer-causing chemicals in second-hand smoke, and research has shown that non-smokers exposed to ETS have their risk of lung cancer increased by about a quarter. This is supported by the Surgeon General's estimate that second-hand smoke exposure caused over 7,300 lung cancer deaths among non-smoking adults each year between 2005 and 2009.
The effects of second-hand smoke are not limited to lung cancer, as it can also cause immediate adverse effects on the heart and blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease by 25-30%. It is also associated with other diseases and premature death in non-smoking adults and children, with around 2,500,000 non-smokers dying from health problems caused by second-hand smoke exposure since 1964.
Furthermore, second-hand smoke can have particularly harmful effects on infants and children, including an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), respiratory and ear infections, and more frequent and severe asthma attacks. Children exposed to second-hand smoke also experience more coughs and colds, eye and nose irritation, and reduced lung growth and function.
Overall, while pollution has a significant impact on the environment, second-hand smoke, as a form of air pollution, has been specifically linked to a range of adverse health effects, including an increased risk of lung cancer by a quarter in non-smokers.
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Frequently asked questions
Pollution has a much wider scope and variety of sources compared to second-hand smoke. While second-hand smoke is limited to the immediate vicinity of a burning cigarette, pollution can be caused by a multitude of factors, including vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, chemicals, and agricultural practices. These sources of pollution can affect both indoor and outdoor environments and have far-reaching consequences on a global scale.
Pollution contributes to climate change and global warming through the emission of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide. The production, processing, and transportation of goods, especially in industries like tobacco, leave a significant carbon footprint. Additionally, pollution causes environmental degradation, including deforestation, soil pollution, and water contamination. For example, tobacco farming leads to deforestation and the pollution of soil with harmful pesticides and fertilizers.
Both pollution and second-hand smoke have detrimental effects on human health. Second-hand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), contains over 7,000 chemicals, including at least 60 carcinogens, and is a major cause of lung cancer and other respiratory issues. Pollution also aggravates respiratory conditions and increases the risk of respiratory infections, heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. However, the impact of pollution can vary depending on age, location, underlying health conditions, and other factors. Vulnerable populations, such as low-income communities and minority groups, often bear a disproportionate burden of the adverse health effects of pollution.
