Executive editor David Savona smokes and discusses the Rocky Patel Sixty Sixty. Read the full tasting note:

The Health Benefits of Smoking Cigars

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The Health Benefits of Smoking Cigars

The US federal government has recently begun regulating the sale of cigars. As a result, the FDA has ordered cigar manufacturers to remove some products from the market. This includes the ‘little cigars’ which are cigarette-like in appearance.

Cigars contain the same cancer-causing compounds as cigarettes, such as nicotine, which is addictive. Cigars also contain other substances that increase the risk of health problems, such as gum disease, tooth loss, and oral cancer. Compared to cigarettes, cigars are more expensive.

Despite their popularity, there is little known about the long-term health effects of cigar use. Cigars have been used for over a thousand years. In the United States, cigars are most commonly used by men.

Since the 1990s, the sale of cigars has risen dramatically. During this time, the majority of print media began to praise cigars as a trendy and lucrative habit.

However, research has shown that cigars are just as harmful as cigarettes. According to a study, cigars raise the risk of coronary heart disease by 30%. They increase the risk of emphysema by 45 percent. Using cigars as an alternative to smoking cigarettes raises the risk of larynx cancer by 53 percent.

Cigars are available in three basic types. There are the cheroot, the panatela, and the petite corona. Cheroots are thin cigars. These are about five inches long. Sometimes, they are slightly tapered. Petite corona-sized cigars are 4 1/2 to 5 inches in length.

Cigars are typically sold in packs of 20. While the FDA has issued regulations restricting the sale of non-premium cigars in singles, it has yet to regulate the sale of so-called premium cigars.