Are you looking for the differences between a cigar and a cigarette for a long time? Do you naively think that a cigar is nothing more than a large cigarette?
Take the time to read what follows.
If you've come here, it's because you're wondering if there are differences between cigars and cigarettes other than the ones that seem obvious to us, like their aesthetic aspects.
Here are the main differences between cigars and cigarettes:
- Composition
- Nicotine quantity
- Burning duration
To delve deeper, in this article, we will cover:
- Detailed characteristics of a cigar
- Detailed characteristics of a cigarette
- Explicit differences between the two
Continue reading below.
What is a Cigar?
Let's begin by summarizing the physical characteristics and composition of a cigar.
Physical Characteristics
Cigars are cylindrical rolls made exclusively from an assembly of three types of tobacco leaves:
Cigars are available in various shapes and sizes and are categorized into three different types: cigarillos, large cigars, and small cigars.
Composition, Flavors, and Lighting:
Some brands like ACID also use original flavors to offer cigars that provide new tastes.
When smoking a cigar, the head should be ideally cut with a cigar cutter before lighting it, following a specific technique. It's not very complicated, but it's essential to ensure that the filler, binder, and wrapper are well taken to ensure even combustion.
Furthermore, the smoke from the cigar is not inhaled (at least, it's not recommended) but rather held and worked in the mouth to bring out all the flavors.
Finally, cigars contain between 100 and 200 milligrams of nicotine.
Please note that cigar smokers do not inhale the smoke, so their absorption rate is greatly reduced (but not zero).
What is a Cigarette?
Even though everyone knows what a cigarette is, let's take a moment to go into some details.
Physical Characteristics
Like cigars, cigarettes are cylindrical rolls, but they are much smaller and narrower. They come in various sizes, although the standard format is 8 mm in diameter and 8.4 cm in length
Compared to cigars, they are not entirely made from tobacco because their wrapper is made of thin white paper (in 99% of cases).
Finally, another distinctive feature of a cigarette is the presence of a filter (although several brands offer "filterless" versions). The filter is primarily composed of cellulose acetate, a plastic derivative.
It is responsible for trapping harmful substances related to tobacco combustion, such as tar or nicotine. Some brands add charcoal to improve its effectiveness.
Composition, Flavors, and Lighting
Similar to flavored cigars, cigarettes have long been available in menthol variants and, for a few years, even with unexpected flavors like chocolate or strawberry. However, these variants have been banned in some countries.
Using a cigarette is quite simple and does not require the attention that a cigar demands, especially when lighting it. Due to the smaller diameter, the shredded tobacco is drier, so a single puff is sufficient to ignite it completely.
Regarding consumption, the work done on cigarette tobacco to develop character and flavors is much less significant than for a cigar, if not negligible. Depending on the brands, they can contain between 7 and 13 milligrams of nicotine.
Differences Between a Cigar and a Cigarette
After this quick overview to recall the main characteristics of cigars and cigarettes, some differences must have already caught your eye. But let's take this opportunity to list them.
1 - Appearance
It hasn't escaped anyone that, beyond the color that instantly sets them apart, cigars are obviously much longer and have a larger diameter than cigarettes, with the exception of cigarillos.
While more than 90% of cigarettes have a standard length of 8.4 cm, cigars range from 10 cm to 20 cm for the largest ones (excluding special cigars like the Puros Indios Chief, which reaches 46 cm).
2 - Composition
Cigarettes are composed of dried, shredded tobacco, which contributes to their quick combustion. Cigars offer a much more meticulous tobacco composition. Special care is taken in selecting tobacco leaves, from the origin of the plant to the "quality" of the leaf.
These leaves are stored under specific humidity conditions before being rolled. Additionally, they are not shredded but "simply" rolled together and cut to match the cigar's size. A video of cigar manufacturing is worth a thousand words.
3 - Nicotine Quantity
A commonly accepted expression states that a cigar contains as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. Although the scale is broad, the idea is there. Specifically, the nicotine content in a cigarette varies between 7 and 13 milligrams depending on the brands, while a cigar contains between 100 and 200 milligrams of nicotine.
To understand: This data cannot be taken literally if we overlook the way a cigar is consumed. While a cigarette smoker primarily seeks "their dose" of nicotine, a cigar smoker is more interested in pleasure, relaxation, and flavors, which explains why they do not inhale the smoke.
This also explains that despite the high nicotine content of a cigar, aficionados only absorb a tiny portion of it.
Regarding nicotine addiction: An interesting fact is that, unlike cigarette smokers who have difficulty quitting, very few cigar smokers claim the desire to quit. Many cigarette smokers struggle with quitting, in contrast.
4 - Burning Duration
Naturally, the difference in size between cigars and cigarettes, as well as the difference in density in their respective compositions, means that the burning duration has absolutely nothing in common between the two.
While cigarettes are particularly suited for the famous "smoke break," with a combustion time not exceeding 10 minutes, cigars offer a variable burning time depending on the brands and cigars.
That said, their complete combustion will not fall below 30 minutes and usually offers between 50 and 60 minutes of pleasure on average.
Prioritize Pleasure Over Addiction!
We have explored the differences between cigars and cigarettes. Although it is rational that a good portion of the information in this article may seem obvious, it was important to recap it to cover the topic comprehensively.
It is also important to emphasize that tobacco, whether in cigars or cigarettes, remains harmful and can pose health risks, particularly by causing lung and throat cancers and cardiovascular diseases.
What we believe is worth noting is that cigarettes are a source of addiction much more difficult to overcome than a cigar. This is, in fact, the biggest difference between the two—where one becomes a reflex without genuine pleasure or any purpose other than meeting a need, the other offers a welcome relaxation break.
Make your choice; for us, it's already made
