Do cigarettes really contain sugar ?

[NicoleC1971]

Apparently cigarettes were far too bitter but the addition of sugar really propelled smoking into a mass habit, especially for women,in the 1930s before the rise in lung cancer was linked to cigarettes.
There is a parallel with Big Sugar (Coca Cola et al) trying to deny the causal links between their product and disease (a calorie is just a calorie and the association with sports).
Has anyone also noticed that vaping also uses plenty of sweet flavours to keep you baited into a profitable nicotine habit. Your brain smells the spice and sweetness and thinks it is getting the real foods it craves. It worries me because although the vapes seem to be used by ex smokers at present, once they get legalised throughout won't it seem normal to the young to vape behind the bike sheds?

 

[Robinredbreast]

Apparently cigarettes were far too bitter but the addition of sugar really propelled smoking into a mass habit, especially for women,in the 1930s before the rise in lung cancer was linked to cigarettes.
There is a parallel with Big Sugar (Coca Cola et al) trying to deny the causal links between their product and disease (a calorie is just a calorie and the association with sports).
Has anyone also noticed that vaping also uses plenty of sweet flavours to keep you baited into a profitable nicotine habit. Your brain smells the spice and sweetness and thinks it is getting the real foods it craves. It worries me because although the vapes seem to be used by ex smokers at present, once they get legalised throughout won't it seem normal to the young to vape behind the bike sheds?

I am an ex smoker and have never touched a cigarette since quitting and will never vape

 

[NicoleC1971]

I am an ex smoker and have never touched a cigarette since quitting and will never vape

Sorry. Was not intending to tar all ex smokers with the same brush. I watched my husband give up and he reckoned ciggies were harder to give up than any recreational drugs he had tried in his youth.

 

[Robinredbreast]

Sorry. Was not intending to tar all ex smokers with the same brush. I watched my husband give up and he reckoned ciggies were harder to give up than any recreational drugs he had tried in his youth.

It can be hard to give up smoking, the first week was a nightmare, I am so pleased I am 9 years smoke free, just wish I had given it up a lot sooner though.

 

[Deleted member 308541]

I am 9 years smoke free, just wish I had given it up a lot sooner though.

I have 26 years of being nicotine free.

I gave up a four packet a day nicotine addiction cold turkey, I used no patches or vapes too achieve this.

 

[rosco 2]

I gave up cigarettes on 17th November 2016. Cold turkey. Not had a single fag since. Missed it hugely, don’t anyone kid you that it’s easy. It is not, it’s purgatory for at least the first year. Every day I missed it. Used no widgets as I believe that is another addiction from which to wean yourself. I smoked over 50 years, loved every fag but then I realised I just had to stop for my health...and that’s almost 2 years before knowing I have T2!

 

[LooperCat]

I gave up cold turkey after a 12 year, 20 a day, full fat Marlboro habit. Was the only way I could do it - weaning myself off never worked. 18 years on and I still miss it...

 

[Deleted member 308541]

I gave up cold turkey after a 12 year, 20 a day, full fat Marlboro habit.

Marlboro were my favourite smokes as well, that and a packet of Drum rollie weed occasionally.

I do not miss smoking, but my hand does go searching the spot where I kept my smokes at night time. Instead of a packet of smoke it finds a Airomir inhaler.

 

[kitedoc]

Absolutely effects blood sugar!! There is 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in each cigarette! You didn’t know or hear about it because they don’t want us to know, there is no ingredient list on the packs. And there are approximately 7,000 chemicals in cigarettes!! Be glad you quit dear and congrats!!!

How can burnt sugar affect BSLs? As others have pointed out other chemicals in cigs like nicotine can have effects on the body that influence BSL to some extent. Of course those diabetics addicted to cigs might have rise in BSLs if they go into nicotine withdrawal.

 

[TomT2]

I am a social smoker nowadays and my mum has just called me to say that Cigarettes contain sugar !!! Did anyone else already know this ? Trying my best to give up completely but I find if I meet up with anyone who smokes, I have one too :-(

There is indeed. Sugar has been added to cigarettes - especially American blends - for years. it is done to improve the taste, by making the smoke sweeter. Sugar forms part of the tar that is inhaled and may be some of the cause of the cancers that result.
Gary Taubes in his book 'The Case Against Sugar' gives a comprehensive description....