What Are the Effects of Smoking a Pipe?

Pipe smoking is the third ranked form of smoking, behind cigarettes and cigars. As with all forms of smoking, there are health risks.

Cancer

• As expected, there is the risk of cancer, such as lung, colon, rectum, pancreas and stomach. However, pipe smoking has a higher risk of cancers of the larynx, lungs and oropharynx (the throat area at the back of the mouth).

Teeth and Mouth

• A pipe smoker has three times greater risk of periodontitis (gum disease) and jawbone loss than does a smoker or a nonsmoker. The ability to taste foods is also lessened, creating the need for higher spiced foods.

Other Risks

• Although there are fewer risks with pipe smoking, a person is at risk for illnesses such as heart disease, lung disease and lip cancer.

Pipe Smoking as a Hobby

• Pipe smokers claim that this form of smoking is only a hobby because there is no inhaling of the smoke into the lungs. Pipe smokers on average enjoy two to three bowls a day, savoring the flavor and aroma of the tobacco before rinsing the mouth out when finished.

Psychological Effect

• It is hard to fully determine the calming and relaxing qualities of pipe smoking. However, such visionaries as Albert Einstein and Mark Twain claimed that enjoying a pipe helped increase productivity, which benefited their work.