Made in Indonesia and sold worldwide Clove cigarettes are made of flowers that have been dried and unopened of the clove plant ( Syzygium aromaticum), 1 that is native of the Indonesian Maluku Islands. 2 Cloves are primarily utilized as a spice for cooking and provide the distinctive flavor and aroma to the clove cigarettes. They are typically manufactured by machines and come without filters as well.
Ingredients in Clove Cigarettes
Clove cigarettes typically have between 60 to 80 percent tobacco, and 20 to 40 percent ground clove buds as well as the oil of clove. 3 Sometimes additional spices like cinnamon, cumin, and nutmeg are included. Other ingredients that can be harmful are found as well.
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Nicotine, Carbon Monoxide, and Tar Exposure
Based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) The CDC states that clove cigarettes are a higher concentration of nicotine, carbon monoxide, and tar than the regular cigarettes that are sold within the United States. 4
The whole process of smoking a clove cigarette requires more time and puffs per hour smoking cloves are at risk 20 times more risk of developing lung cancer than those who do not smoke. 5 People with asthma or a respiratory illness are at a higher risk of the health hazards that come with the use of clove cigarettes.
Exposure to Eugenol
The cigarettes in cloves also have eugenol an anesthetic mild that is naturally present in cloves. The numbing effect of cloves allows users to inhale more slowly and longer than traditional cigarettes. Actually, eugenol can be included in some traditional cigarettes to soothe the throat from the hardness of tobacco smoke.
The longer and more prolonged inhalations could raise the chance of developing lung infections as well as respiratory illnesses and allergic reactions in certain individuals. It is particularly risky for those who suffer from lung sensitivities.
Health Effects of Clove Cigarettes
Based on the American Cancer Society, clove cigarettes have an identical risk of health similar to traditional cigarettes with an increase in the risk of developing cancer and coronary diseases. Kreteks specifically are associated with a higher risk of acute lung injuries such as inflammation, fluids in the lungs, and low levels of oxygen. As with traditional cigarettes, cigarettes are also a source of lung cancer as well as nicotine dependence.
Smoking clove cigarettes can trigger various other hazardous problems, including:
- Abdominal pain
- Angina
- Blood-streaked sputum
- Bronchospasm
- Cough that is chronic (possibly bloody)
- Diarrhea
- The breathing is labored.
- Lung injury
- Burns on the throat and mouth
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Nosebleeds
- Edema of the lungs
- Rapid breathing
- Rapid heartbeat
- Infections of the respiratory tract
- Seizures
- Sleepiness
- Worsening of asthma and chronic bronchitis
Gateway to Tobacco Use
Similar to the bidi cigarettes, clove cigarettes are usually an early introduction to tobacco. Due to its taste and appearance, this kind of cigarette is popular with younger smokers and is often regarded as to be a gateway to tobacco. Sweet flavors are added to cigarettes to help to soften the bitter flavor of smoking tobacco, helping ease the new users into what usually can be a lifetime battle with nicotine addiction.
Since the sale of cigarettes with flavors is now banned in some countries current data from the CDC on the amount of cigarette smoking with cloves in the youth population is not available.
Clove cigarettes began to be very popular among young people in the 1980s. The popularity reached its peak in 1984 when the imports, which were primarily from Indonesia reached 150 million cigarettes annually. The trend started to change in 1985, as evidence suggested that the effects of clove cigarettes had more harm than was initially thought.
Between 1984 and 1985 the CDC identified 12 instances of serious illness that may be connected to clove cigarettes. The symptoms included pulmonary edema, sweating blood, and asthmatic bronchospasm.
If you smoke a clove cigarette or any other type of cigarette take guided steps by the best psychologist in India at a psycho-wellness center to quit this habit.
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