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Dangers of Smoking Cloves

Clove cigarettes are a type of smoking product sold primarily in North and South America and Europe. They are made of a complex blend of tobacco and cloves, and generally use some sort of artificial flavoring to give them a specific flavor. While cloves do not contain the same level of nicotine as traditional cigarettes, there are still a number of dangers associated with smoking them.

  1. Tar Levels

    • One of the greatest danger of smoking cloves is that they contain nearly the same level of tar as regular cigarettes. The majority of cloves have at least 10 to 12 mg of tar, which can have highly negative effects on human lungs.

    Carbon Monoxide

    • According to a test conducted by the American Cancer Society, the levels of carbon monoxide poisoning from a clove cigarette is nearly identical to that of regular brands of cigarettes. This carbon monoxide can cause small levels of asphyxiation to capillaries within the lungs and blood vessels.

    Eugonol

    • A chemical called eugenol, found in the smoke from cloves, has been identified as a numbing element. When this smoke penetrates the cells of the throat, it limits the ability of the body to continue using its gag reflex.

    Respiratory Infection

    • Cloves have also been found by the American Cancer Society to have heavily negative effects on lung health in general. Due to enzymes in cloves, these cigarettes have a higher occurrence of causing respiratory infections such as bronchitis than regular tobacco cigarettes.

    Sudden Death

    • One major danger of smoking cloves is the occurrence of aspiration pneumonia, which can potentially cause sudden respiratory failure. Although this is extremely rare, it is believed to kill dozens of people each year.

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