Real Men Smoke Reds – Myths debunked about light versus regular cigarettes

Most people know that every cigarette brand has their “light”, “regular”, and sometimes even “ultra light” versions.  I’m pretty sure a lot of folks out there have seen somebody smoking an unfiltered or “full flavor” version of a brand and wondered how much worse their cancer really will be, after all; these people are hardcore man.
So whether you are a true cancer cowboy smoking Marlboro reds or just a little minor melanoma puffing on ultra lights, what is the real difference between the carcinogen laden devices you’re choking down?

Let’s start out with the easy one: Nicotine

The Myth

Yes, there is supposed to be less of that generously legal substance called Nicotine in Light versus regular cigarettes.  Does this mean that you are getting less nicotine from light cigarettes?  Not necessarily.

The Reality

The amount of nicotine is measured by special smoking machines that smoke every single cigarette exactly the same way.  Unfortunately, every person smokes differently.  If you work on wall street, you’re taking rapid puffs inhaling as much tar, poison, and nicotine the cigarette and surrounding environment can throw at you before the next check hits your bank account or round of layoffs occurs.  If you are herding cattle across the United States, you might be inclined to take slow deep breaths while riding a horse and wondering why you are the only person who actually does that anymore.  The point is, you are not a smoking machine.  You can get cancer, have sex, get depressed, and of course as much nicotine you want from the cigarettes whether they are light, mild, natural, or TNT-based.

The amount of tar is lower in light versus regular cigarettes.

The Myth

Most definitely.  As measured by the tobacco companies heartless and lungless smoking machines, the amount of tar inhaled during a “normal” smoking session is lower for light cigarettes than normal ones.

The Reality

Again, the smoking machines are assuming we all smoke the same way.  People take longer drags, deeper drags, faster drags, and sometimes dress in drag.  This will lead to different amounts of tar going into their lungs than what is measured by the smoking machines.  Furthermore, these machines are fingerless and lipless (these smokers have nothing going for them).  The tobacco company can design light cigarettes with tiny holes near where the smokers’ lips or fingers go so a machine smoking will measure less tar or nicotine.  However, when an actual person smokes the same cigarette their lips and fingers cover the hole thus returning the cigarette back to a normal one.

Switching to light cigarettes can help me quit.

The Myth

…

The Reality

If you’re addicted to nicotine, you are pretty much screwed until you actually stop smoking cigarettes altogether.  Switching to lights or ultra lights isn’t going to help you wean yourself off.  You will probably just smoke more often, take deeper puffs, or start shoving them up your…nose (ahem).  Most smokers will do whatever they can to continue getting the amount of nicotine they are addicted to and lights aren’t going to change that fact.
The fact is, the tobacco companies do whatever they can in their tests to call a cigarette light.  Unfortunately, smoking lights isn’t going to make smoking any less toxic or less likely to cause cancer.
So, if you want to look hardcore and smoke reds, go right ahead my friend, its no more dangerous than smoking ultra light pink slim rainbow brand cigarettes.  But keep in mind, how hardcore do you really look when you’re six foot tall 95 pounds with two plastic tubes coming out of your nose getting pushed around in a wheelchair by an underpaid nurse who’s face shows just how stupid she thinks you are.