Filtered cigarettes have always been considered safer ever since they appeared back in the 60s. While it has been proved that they can be quite harmful, smokers continue to believe in the original myth. However, it is about time people realize the dangerous effects of cigarette filters since can damage both your health and the environment.
False effects
At first, it was believed that filters are able to reduce toxicants from cigarettes. Many thought that tobacco flakes won’t enter the lungs if they smoke filtered cigarettes. However, it was soon proved that it is not the case.
While evidence is very clear, smokers continued to believe in “less dangerous” cigarettes. In fact, vented filters have been engineered and they were supposed to introduce fresh air with every smoke.
Filters can cause cancer
It appears the filters have the opposite effect. The modern filters that are supposed to allow fresh air manage to make smokers take deeper puffs which makes more smoke go into the peripheral regions of the lungs, causing an upsurge of adenocarcinomas. It was also discovered that filter fibres break off and they can enter the lungs, which also leads to cancer.
Therefore, smokers who prefer filtered cigarettes were in more danger, since it appears that there are more lung cancer deaths for patients with adenocarcinoma than for other patients. Many researchers are fighting to ban filters, especially since many people choose them because they believe that they are “lighter”.
Littering affects the environment
It appears that filters are also dangerous for the environment. Filters contain plastic, which means that they are not bio-degradable. Since cigarette butts are usually the most littered item, it is easy to understand what kind of impact this has on the environment.
