Do You Inhale Cigar Smoke?

This current culture has been blessed with an age where most are free to express themselves in any way they choose and still be socially accepted, and apparently the coolest of the bunch are the most distinct. Suddenly, out of date possessions, styles, and material goods are making a comeback as a nod to “classic cool” within the hipster community. Among these throwback items are the humble cigar and wooden pipe. However, no matter how “hip” you look with a cigar in your mouth, you won’t look cool for very long if you don’t know the proper way of smoking one.

Although there are several different theories as to how to smoke a cigar, true experts and connoisseurs have stuck to this trend: Do Not Inhale Cigar Smoke.

Simply put, cigar smoke is not meant to be inhaled. Why? It has to do with how they are made and what they are made from. Cigars are prepared from shredded tobacco leaves, known as the filler, then rolled in a larger, uncut leaf, known as the wrapper, to hold it all together.

 

To Inhale or Not Inhale Cigar Smoke?

cigar smoke

In general, the only “ingredient” in a cigar is tobacco, as compared to cigarettes and other smoking goods, which are made up of other components and chemicals. Cigarette tobacco is usually treated also, but cigar tobacco is not, making it heavier than the tobacco in a cigarette. Because of the large amount of tobacco, the smoke from a cigar is rather thick, dense, and hard to inhale, and even more difficult to breath out completely. If inhaled, some of the smoke may be left behind in the lungs (since it is heavier than oxygen) and can cause immediate breathing problems like shortness of breath and lung constriction. In other words, you won’t look so cool appreciating a cigar if you’re choking on its smoke.

So then, what is the best way to enjoy a cigar? Well first, don’t inhale.

Cigar smoke is meant to be tasted, not breathed in. When you bring the foot up to your lips, draw in the smoke like you are sucking through a straw; this way, the smoke is only entering your mouth and not your lungs. The smoke will roll around in the mouth for a while, allowing you to taste and enjoy the essence of the cigar. When you are finished, slowly exhale, pushing the smoke out with your breath. Because the smoke is not stuck down in your lungs, where it is fighting gravity in order to get out, all the smoke should leave your body without residue. You’ll have all the pleasure of a cigar without the suffocating consequence of breathing it in.