Black & Mild
Black & Mild is a brand of cigars created by the John Middleton Co. They are available as singles, packs of 5, or boxes of 25.
They are very popular among cigar smokers and are one of the highest-selling machine-made cigars worldwide. The concept for the ”Black & Mild” came from the creators’ desire to enjoy the aromas and flavors of the pipe tobacco while enjoying the convenience of not having to smoke from a pipe.
They are sold with a plastic or wood tip. Also, Black & Milds are made of pipe tobacco rolled in a tobacco leaf.
Ingredients
They are predominantly natural tobacco with non-tobacco ingredients added. Also, the main tobacco leaf used in Black & Mild is burley.
Varieties
They are sold in the following varieties:
- Cherry Vanilla (Prince Albert);
- Black & Mild (original);
- Wine;
- Apple;
- Soft Vanilla (Prince Albert);
- Blues;
- Royale;
- Casino;
- Natural Wrap Wood Tip;
- Mild;
- Cream;
- Jazz;
- Cruise;
- Filtered Tips (Black & Mild FT);
- Cherry (Middleton’s);
- Rhythm.
Side Effects
They are not filtered (with the exception of one variety). Therefore, if you don’t inhale, you are exposing your throat, mouth, and possibly nose (depending on how you expel the smoke).
Smoking tobacco has been linked to dental and oral dental diseases, like gum disease and tooth loss.
Additionally, cigar smokers of any brand who do not inhale have about 400 to 1000 increased percent risk of dying from cancers of the esophagus, mouth, and larynx than non-smokers.
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Cigarettes
There are over 600 ingredients in cigarettes. When burned, they create approximately 7,000 chemicals.
Ingredients
Some of the chemical constituents of cigarettes are:
Methanol
Methanol is a colorless, flammable liquid that is used in the aviation industry.
Polonium – 210
It is a radioactive element that is used in nuclear weapons as well as an atomic heat source. Interestingly, this compound was used to kill the former Russian spy, Alexander Litvinenko, in 2006.
Pesticides
These pesticides find their way into cigarettes since they are used on tobacco plants as they are growing.
Methylamine
Chemical found in tanning lotion.
Toluene
It is a highly toxic chemical that is used in the production of oils, rubbers, adhesives, resins, detergents, inks, explosives, and dyes.
Acetone
It is used as a solvent.
Ammonia
It is a toxic gas with a sharp odor that is used to boost the impact of nicotine in manufactured cigarettes.
Arsenic
Arsenic is usually found in rat poison. Also, arsenic-containing pesticides used in tobacco farming occur in small quantities in cigarette smoke.
Carbon Monoxide
It is a colorless gas that is released from burning tobacco. When it is inhaled it enters the bloodstream.
Tar
It’s a sticky brown substance that forms when tobacco cools and condenses. It collects in the lungs and can cause lung cancer.
Nicotine
Nicotine is a poisonous alkaloid that is derived from the tobacco plant. More importantly, nicotine is a potent drug, that affects the brain and becomes very addictive.
Other ingredients found in cigarettes are:
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons;
- Formaldehyde (a highly reactive aldehyde gas);
- Nitrosamines;
- Benzene;
- Uranium;
- Lead.
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Side Effects
Cancer
All tobacco smoke contains chemicals that can cause cancer. Regular cigar smoking increases significantly the risk of several types of cancers, including cancers of the throat, mouth, larynx, and esophagus.
This happens since tobacco smoke is made up of thousands of chemicals, including 70 cancer-causing chemicals. These chemicals are referred to as carcinogens.
Additionally, passive smoking can be a cause of ischaemic heart disease and lung cancer in non-smokers. In addition, passive smoking can cause cot death, respiratory disease, asthmatic attacks in children, and middle ear disease.
Fertility Problems
Women and men who smoke cigarettes are more likely to have fertility problems and take longer to conceive than non-smokers.
Breathing Problems
The effects of cigarette smoke on the respiratory system include:
- permanent damage to the air sacs of the lungs;
- symptoms such as coughing and wheezing;
- increased risk of lung infection;
- impairment of the lungs’ clearance system that may lead to the build-up of poisonous substances;
- reduced lung function and breathlessness;
- irritation of the larynx (voice box) and trachea (windpipe).
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Addiction
Smokers usually inhale about 1 milligram of nicotine in a single cigarette. For some, that is all it takes to become addicted.
A high dose of nicotine can cause a smoker to overdose. This means that an individual has taken more nicotine than their body can cope with. The effects of large doses of nicotine include the following:
- death;
- respiratory arrest (stopping breathing);
- seizures;
- a rapid decrease in breathing rate and blood pressure;
- confusion;
- feeling faint.
Type 2 Diabetes
Smoking contributes to type 2 diabetes mellitus. Additionally, smoking cigarettes increases substantially the risk of complications from type 2 diabetes – including poor blood flow to the feet and legs.
Face
Smoking cigarettes can cause your skin to be dry and lose elasticity, leading to stretch marks and wrinkles. By around age 30, wrinkles can start to appear around your eyes and mouth, adding unnecessary years to your face.
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Bottom Line – Black & Mild vs Cigarettes
When smoking Black & Milds, the smoke remains in the mouth. This also means the chances of inhaling are very little. As a result, your lungs will not be negatively affected, however, your throat, mouth, and nose will. Smoking cigarettes will affect your lungs. In the case you inhale in your lung Black & Mild, you are taking in unfiltered smoke into your lungs. This can cause serious damage.
Black & Milds are made with pipe tobacco, which contains no additives other than flavoring, whereas cigarettes are filled with 7,000 chemicals, including 70 carcinogens.
Black & Mild has more nicotine than regular cigarettes. There are between 100 and 200 mg of nicotine in Black & Mild, while a cigarette has around 8.4 mg of nicotine, according to Maryland’s Tobacco Resource Center.
In conclusion, smoking can lead to numerous health problems. But, the risk of developing disease symptoms depends on the intensity of your smoking habits. So, whether you smoke cigarettes or Black & Milds, tobacco is dangerous to your health.
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References http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/141/4/e20173557 https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/26/1/34 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4110871/