brand logo

Nicotine or cinnamon: Does it really matter?

23 Mar 2021

  • A doctor’s view on the ‘healthier’ cinnamon cigarette

By Dr. Dilshan Anthony Fernando   Last week, we saw the introduction of a cinnamon cigarette produced in Sri Lanka, which has been designed to be sold locally as well as to global markets. The product is backed by the Ministry of  Industries, and the image of the Honourable Minister of Industries, Wimal Weerawansa, with a cinnamon cigarette between his lips was circulated far and wide, instantly making him the poster boy for these cigarettes. Already, around Rs. 400 million has been invested in this project. This cigarette has been billed Sri Lanka’s newest Ayurvedic invention and has been portrayed as a product without any harm to the human body, as it is made out of an extract from the cinnamon tree. It has also been granted a patent in Sri Lanka.   Controversy with NATA   A controversy erupted around it with the NATA (National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol), with the Minister of Industries lashing out at NATA for discouraging the production and distribution of the cinnamon cigarette and cast doubts as to whether the NATA has been backed by international tobacco product manufacturers. The Minister stated that when the Ayurveda Department and Export Development Board (EDB) have already approved the product, NATA shouldn’t be putting roadblocks in the path of a local product which is set to take on the global markets.   The harm caused by traditional tobacco cigarettes   Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths globally. Smoking causes more deaths each year than the following causes combined: human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, and firearm-related incidents. Tobacco smoking is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, as it causes damage to the inner lining of blood vessels causing them to thicken and grow narrower, causing your heart to beat faster and blood pressure to increase. The smoking can also lead to the formation of blood clots which block the blood circulation. These clots can cause strokes by blocking the blood circulation to the brain or by causing a rupture of a blood vessel in the brain. The clots can also cause reduced blood circulation to the lower limbs and skin as well. Furthermore, cigarette smoking is a leading cause of respiratory diseases globally. It causes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Over time, exposure to irritants that damage your lungs and airways can cause COPD, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. When a cigarette burns, it burns about 7,000 chemicals which cause irritation to lungs when inhaled, leading to chronic damage of the respiratory system. Cigarette smoking is also the leading cause of lung cancer, and also triggers attacks of asthma in those who have pre-existing asthma, even if the they’re not the smoker and inhale secondary smoke. Smoking can also cause cancers in almost every part of the body, including the oesophagus, bladder, any part of the digestive system, cervix, liver, etc. There are many other far-reaching effects of smoking. It causes the sperm count to decrease in males, and destroys testosterone-producing cells, which in turn reduces testosterone levels. Smoking also causes miscarriages in pregnant women and birth defects. Smoking is also a leading cause of type II diabetes and also makes diabetic control more difficult than usual. These far-reaching health impacts are caused by thousands of chemicals in the cigarettes, which is not only tobacco or nicotine.   Chemical composition of tobacco smoke   There are approximately 600 ingredients in cigarettes. When burned, cigarettes create more than 7,000 chemicals. At least 69 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer, and many are toxic. A few of the chemicals in tobacco smoke and other places they are found are acetone – found in nail polish remover, acetic acid – an ingredient in hair dye, ammonia – a common household cleaner, arsenic – used in rat poison, benzene – found in rubber cement and gasoline, butane – used in lighter fluid, cadmium – active component in battery acid, carbon monoxide – released in car exhaust fumes, formaldehyde – embalming fluid, hexamine – found in barbecue lighter fluid, lead – used in batteries, naphthalene – an ingredient in mothballs, methanol – a main component in rocket fuel, nicotine – used as an insecticide, tar – material for paving roads, and toluene – used to manufacture paint. Nicotine, the second most abundant constituent of tobacco smoke, is responsible for the addictive properties of tobacco.   Current situation in Sri Lanka regarding tobacco products   According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) factsheet of 2018 regarding tobacco usage in Sri Lanka, tobacco causes 12,350 deaths per year, which is 10% of all deaths. The commonest form of disease caused by smoking is cardiovascular disease, which is responsible for 53% of the tobacco-related deaths. It has been found that the mean age of starting smoking in Sri Lanka is 20.3 years, and that starting smoking at an early age has a more profound impact on health. However, the Government has mostly banned public smoking and also banned public promotion of tobacco products while it has made it mandatory to display the harmful effects of smoking on the packets of cigarettes.   Current trends in smokers   According to the WHO, 51.8% of current smokers in Sri Lanka are making an attempt to quit smoking. Smokers are looking for alternative methods to curb their addiction and some have resorted to nicotine gum, nicotine patches, e-cigarettes, etc., all of which also come with its fair share of harm. In today’s context, the majority of people are readily accepting anything hailed as herbal, organic, or Ayurvedic, without question. In this backdrop, the cinnamon cigarette might be seen as a potential alternative for the smokers who are trying to quit because of the way the cinnamon cigarette is being portrayed as being not harmful.   Is a tobacco-free cinnamon cigarette harmless?   The short and simple answer is no. No form of smoking is without harm to the health of the smoker or the bystanders. However, it is without nicotine, which is the main component in tobacco smoke which causes addiction to tobacco. Even though a detailed chemical analysis is not yet done to confirm the exact constituents of the newest cinnamon cigarette in Sri Lanka, the known science proves that burning any form of herb or naturally occurring tree compound produces tar, carbon monoxide, cancer-inducing aromatic amines, smoke condensate, and many other toxins. Tar produced by the burning of natural compounds is gradually accumulated in the lungs, which is the cause of naturally pink-coloured lungs turning black in smokers. The primary effect is that the tar paralyses and can eventually kill cilia in the lungs. Cilia are tiny, hair-like structures that line the trachea. They help trap pollutants, but when they're damaged, the toxins in tar can travel deeper into the lungs. Some of these toxins are washed out of the lungs or coughed out, but most of them settle in lung tissue in the long term, causing emphysema, bronchitis, and lung cancer. Apart from damage to lungs, the tar can cause diabetes, infertility, and heart disease. Carbon monoxide is another common compound produced by burning any compound, and when inhaled, carbon monoxide has equally debilitating effects as tar. Carbon monoxide enters the body through the lungs and gets into the blood stream. Carbon monoxide has a higher affinity and binding capacity with the haemoglobin in red blood cells than oxygen. Usually, haemoglobin in the red blood cells binds with oxygen at the lungs and carries the oxygen to tissue around the body. However, carbon monoxide competes with oxygen to bind with the haemoglobin and increases the carbon monoxide concentration of the oxygen and the carrying capacity of haemoglobin is reduced. Therefore, the heart has to work harder to get the blood pumping around the body to get the necessary oxygen, thereby leading to cardiovascular disease. Increased levels of carbon monoxide in the body cause increased heart rate, reduced exercise capacity, headaches, and visual distortions. Previous studies on herbal cigarettes have found that the level of cancer-causing agents in herbal cigarettes are almost similar to the traditional tobacco cigarettes. Therefore, minus the nicotine addiction, any form of herbal smoking is injurious to health. Furthermore, the presentation of herbal cigarettes as an alternative to tobacco smoking in attractive packaging, without the usual advisory warnings on the packages and the images of harm in smoking, can cause members of the non-smoking impressionable younger generation of the country to take up smoking herbal cigarettes, which may eventually lead to tobacco and maybe even worse. A percentage of the ignorant population in Sri Lanka may be misled into believing that due to the absence of tobacco and nicotine, the new form of herbal cigarettes can be smoked freely without fear. The bottom line is, any form of smoking is harmful to the human body. The government policy on developing a new cinnamon-based product or introducing it to the global market as an export product may be a money spinner and revenue generator for the country. In fact, it may even generate new jobs and have an overall positive effect on the economy. But when introducing it to the local market, necessary precautions should be taken and safeguards established while the pictorial warnings and bans on smoking in public already in place should be maintained, and the ban on the marketing of cigarettes must remain in place. It is up to the educated public of Sri Lanka to decide whether they go up in tobacco-flavoured smoke or cinnamon-flavoured smoke.   (The writer is a medical officer currently attached to a government hospital. His experience spans across the medical profession as a medical practitioner, and across the pharmaceutical and surgical equipment industry. He also possesses an MBA and a Diploma in Economics. Having represented his university rugby team in international tournaments, he also has a special interest in sports medicine)

Kapruka

Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!

Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!


More News..