HHS HealthBeat (October 1, 2012)

Changing dangers

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports huge jumps in use of pipe tobacco and cigars that are like cigarettes, just about offsetting a drop in cigarette smoking, from 2000 to 2011.

Pipe tobacco is taxed less than cigarettes, so the CDC’s Darryl Konter says people have been buying it at shops that turn it into cheaper cigarettes. And Konter says people are using cigarette-like cigars because they can be flavored, while the Food and Drug Administration restricts flavoring cigarettes.

He warns that any tobacco can be deadly. And he says:

“Any of these products that are smoked like cigarettes are just as addictive as cigarettes.”

The study is in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Learn more at healthfinder.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: October 1, 2012