Low Tar Cigarettes Safer During Pregnancy?

Are low tar cigarettes safer during pregnancy?

Pregnant smokers who switch to light cigarettes aren't doing themselves - or their babies - any favours. The labels on light cigarettes may say "low nicotine" or "low tar," but the claims are meaningless. All cigarettes have roughly the same amount of nicotine and tar. Cigarette companies have simply changed the design of some cigarettes so they produce fewer toxins when tested by machines in government laboratories. For instance, manufacturers put tiny vents in the filters so that the machines suck in fresh air as well as cigarette smoke. But when so-called low-nicotine or low-tar cigarettes are smoked by people instead of machines, any differences pretty much disappear.

When people smoke light cigarettes, they instantly adjust their smoking technique. Without even thinking about it, they puff more quickly and breathe more deeply. Many smokers also inadvertently cover the vents in the filters with their fingers, essentially turning their light cigarettes back into regular cigarettes. In the end, they get their full dose of nicotine, along with carbon monoxide, tar, and all of the other poisons that can harm a woman's health and threaten her pregnancy.

If you're worried about the dangers of regular cigarettes, switching to light or low tar cigarettes isn't the answer. You need to give up, and the sooner the better. The only safe cigarettes are the ones that don't get smoked.

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