Pipe smoking can lead to cancer of the lip, tongue and gums.
Some consider smoking a pipe a safe way to use tobacco. This is because pipe smokers claim to get their pleasure from the smell and taste of tobacco, rather than from inhaling the smoke. On the other hand, cigarette smokers who switch to a pipe typically inhale deeply. Whether you inhale or not, pipe smoking is hazardous to your health.
Cancer
Pipe tobacco smoke produces the same toxic compounds as cigars and cigarettes. Even though a pipe smoker may not inhale, some smoke will get into his lungs. If he smokes in an enclosed space, he'll breathe second-hand smoke. Over time, this small amount may accumulate enough to cause lung cancer. Pipe smokers are also at risk of other cancers, like lip, gum, throat and tongue cancer. These oral cancers pose a greater risk for pipe and cigar smokers than they do for cigarette smokers. Cancer of the liver, colon, kidney and other internal organs is higher in smokers than non-smokers.
Oral Diseases
More than 130 years ago, dentists recommended not using tobacco in any form. They observed several types of disease that lead to lesions that caused tooth loss, gum, mouth and tongue problems. Smoking a pipe or cigars increases the likelihood of these oral diseases.
Other Health Hazards
Besides cancers, pipe smoking increases the chance of heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, emphysema, aneurysms, chronic bronchitis and pneumonia.
Safe Pipe Smoking
Ignoring the reality of pipe smoking, many believe that some ways of smoking a pipe are safer than others. Hookahs are thought to be safer because they filter the smoke through water. The smoke, however, still contains carcinogens, carbon monoxide and other toxic agents that enter the body. Others recommend smoking two or three bowls of pipe tobacco a day and rinsing the mouth after each bowl. While this reduces smoke exposure, the same health risks of tobacco are always present.
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