Monday, April 23, 2012

Thoughts on the chemistry of cigarette smoke

Light up a smoke and instantly the byproducts of the reaction to burning tobacco creep through the paper corridor leaving sticky traces of tar clinging to the surface of blended tobacco in its path.  Now consider the burning of the tar, of which will assume increasingly dangerous ways as more tar is burned leaving a sort of "super tar" in its wake.  Tar is known to be carcinogenic as well as burning at a higher temperature than regular tobacco.  "Super tar" is even more hot and cancerous.  What about "super super tar" or "super super super tar"?

The chemistry towards the end of a cigarette is much more dangerous than the initial smoke from tobacco because it has seemingly infinitely many layers of tar more super than the last layer and each more deadly.

Thought on how the chemicals relate to the heat of the smoke to further along emphysema:  The higher temperatures of smoke drive its chemicals  to move much faster.  These faster moving chemicals have more energy to drive further into deeper crevices of your lungs.  Emphysema is a natural reaction to flush your lungs of these dangerous chemicals.  Smoke itself, I have once learned for whatever that is worth :/, inhibits the tendency of cilia in the lungs to remove inhaled particles.  This resonates with my experiences quitting smoking, I find myself coughing and clearing my throat much more after a few days have passed without a smoke.  Thus daily smokers never give their lungs proper change to rid itself of chemicals before layering on more and more, which will manifest itself as emphysema.

Perhaps if people took fewer drags off their cigarettes or if they were made smaller so people didn't even have to consider such chemistry then society might be healthier and more well informed.

The box exists in a world outside of itself.  Is it possible to understand from within?

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