Conditions

Lung Cancer: Smoking Light Cigarettes May Increase Cancer Risk

By Peter D'Souza | Update Date: Jun 04, 2017 07:41 PM EDT

Lung cancer is one of the most common diseases people have nowadays. More than 80 percent of people are suffering from it due to smoking.

Not exactly smoking it's could be called as "Light' Cigarette smoking." Light cigarettes smoking is a way that raises the risk of lung cancer. Get to know more details about it.

What Are Light Cigarettes?

Light cigarettes brands reportedly contain lower levels of tar, nicotine, and other chemicals inhaled by the smoker. Actually, the filter of these cigarettes is associated with perforated holes and it is one of the main differences between light and regular cigarettes.

In 2014, a Surgeon General's report found that the cigarettes with ventilated filters were associated with higher rates of lung adenocarcinoma. Lung Adenocarcinoma is a specific histological form of lung cancer.

The impacts Of Ventilated Cigarettes

A senior doctor from The Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center in Columbus said that the design of cigarette filters that have ventilation can make them even more dangerous. Simultaneously, it allows the smoker to inhale more smoke and to think that the smoke is safer because it is smoother.

According to Dr. Peter Shields, ventilated cigarettes change the way tobacco combusts, resulting in more toxin in the smoke. The scientific evidence is that switching from regular cigarettes to light cigarettes doesn't reduce the health risk, Business Standard reported. Dr. Shields added, "The holes have no health benefits; they serve no health purpose".

These Should Be Banned

However, a new research suggested that the FDA should ban cigarettes with ventilated filters because they are more dangerous than those without filters. Since 2009, the FDA has banned companies from labeling and marketing their cigarettes as "light" or "low-tar," Reuters reported.

Now, the study team of the FDA concluded that they now have the authority to require the elimination of filter ventilation. It does not serve any public health purpose and instead, provides a false promise of reduced risk.

The researchers urged to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that an immediate action should take against them, possibly banning the use of ventilation holes on cigarettes. Stay tuned for more updates. 

© 2023 Counsel & Heal All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Join the Conversation

Real Time Analytics