Harmful Chemicals Found in Cigarettes

Dr. Sanja Jelic is board-certified in sleep medicine, critical care, pulmonary disease, and internal medicine.

In the United States, the minimum legal age to purchase cigarettes, cigars, or any tobacco products is 21.

Each puff from a cigarette or e-cigarette introduces poisons, toxic metals, and cancer-causing agents into your bloodstream. Among the more than 7,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, at least 250 are harmful, with 69 known carcinogens. Whether you smoke cigarettes, vape, or inhale secondhand smoke, these chemicals impact your blood pressure, heart rate, vital organs, and immune defenses.

Chemicals Present in Cigarettes

Air contaminated by cigarette smoke poses health hazards to anyone who breathes it. Below are some of the harmful chemicals found in cigarette smoke.

Carcinogens

Carcinogens are substances that can cause or worsen cancer. About 70 chemicals in cigarettes have been identified as cancer-causing, including:

• Acetaldehyde
• Aromatic amines
• Arsenic
• Benzene
• Beryllium (toxic metal)
• 1,3–Butadiene (hazardous gas)
• Cadmium (toxic metal)
• Chromium (metallic element)
• Cumene
• Ethylene oxide
• Formaldehyde
• Nickel (metallic element)
• Polonium-210 (radioactive element)
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
• Tobacco-specific nitrosamines
• Vinyl chloride

Toxic Metals

Toxic heavy metals in cigarette smoke originate from the soil and fertilizers used to grow tobacco. While some metals are essential in trace amounts, inhaling them in large quantities is harmful. These include:

• Arsenic, commonly found in rat poison, enters cigarette smoke via pesticides used in tobacco farming.
• Cadmium, used in batteries, is found at twice the levels in smokers compared to nonsmokers.

Radioactive Toxic Metals

Certain toxic metals in cigarette smoke are radioactive, posing additional health risks. Lead-210 and polonium-210 are radioactive heavy metals present in tobacco smoke.

Poisons

Poisons cause severe harm or death when introduced to living organisms. Cigarette smoke contains roughly 250 poisonous gases, such as:

• Ammonia compounds, used in cleaning products and fertilizers, which also enhance nicotine absorption in cigarettes.
• Carbon monoxide, a lethal gas found in car exhaust, present at high levels in cigarette smoke.
• Hydrogen cyanide, historically used in gas chambers.
• Nicotine, an addictive poison originally used as a pesticide.

Secondhand Smoke

Secondhand smoke, also called environmental tobacco smoke, comes from two sources: smoke exhaled by smokers (mainstream smoke) and smoke from a burning cigarette nearby (sidestream smoke).

The National Toxicology Program estimates secondhand smoke contains at least 250 poisonous chemicals and 70 cancer-causing agents.

The U.S. Surgeon General states there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. If you can smell smoke, your health may be at risk.

E-Cigarettes

E-cigarettes or vapes contain many of the same harmful chemicals as traditional cigarettes, plus additional substances.

A CDC study found 99% of tested e-cigarettes contained nicotine, with one Juul cartridge holding as much nicotine as a pack of 20 cigarettes.

Johns Hopkins researchers in 2021 identified nearly 2,000 undisclosed chemicals in vaping aerosols, including six potentially harmful compounds like pesticides.

The e-liquid, or "e-juice," in vapes contains flavorings and chemicals such as:

• Solvent carriers like propylene glycol and glycerol
• Tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs)
• Aldehydes
• Metals
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Phenolic compounds
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
• Tobacco alkaloids

Since January 2020, the U.S. FDA has banned flavored prefilled cartridge e-cigarettes except for tobacco or menthol flavors unless authorized.

If You Smoke, There’s Hope

It’s never too late to quit smoking and embrace a healthier lifestyle. Benefits can begin as soon as 20 minutes after your last cigarette, as your body starts to repair itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many chemicals are in cigarettes? Cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, with at least 250 harmful and 69 known carcinogens.
• How many chemicals are in e-cigarettes? A 2021 study revealed nearly 2,000 undisclosed chemicals in vaping aerosols, including six harmful compounds such as pesticides.
• Which cancer-causing chemicals are in cigarettes? Cigarette smoke includes carcinogens like arsenic, benzene, and vinyl chloride among others.
• Why do cigarettes contain so many chemicals? Tobacco plants absorb substances like cadmium and lead from soil; tobacco-specific nitrosamines form during drying; and additional chemicals are added during manufacturing to enhance flavor and nicotine delivery.

Explore more topics:

• Conditions A-Z
• Addiction
• Nicotine Dependence
• Recovery and Coping Strategies

Sources
Verywell Mind relies on trusted, peer-reviewed research to ensure accurate and reliable information. For details, see our editorial standards.

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chemistry and Toxicology of Cigarette Smoke and Biomarkers of Exposure and Harm. In: How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: CDC; 2010.
2. Warren GW, Alberg AJ, Kraft AS, Cummings KM. The 2014 Surgeon General's Report: "The Health Consequences of Smoking-50 Years of Progress": A Paradigm Shift in Cancer Care. Cancer. 2014;120(13):1914-1916.
3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. How tobacco smoke causes disease: The biology and behavioral basis for smoking-attributable disease: A report of the Surgeon General. 2010.
4. Jaishankar M, Tseten T, Anbalagan N, Mathew BB, Beeregowda KN. Toxicity, mechanism, and health effects of some heavy metals. Interdiscip Toxicol. 2014;7(2):60-72.
5. Seiler RL, Wiemels JL. Occurrence of ²¹⁰Po and biological effects of low-level exposure: the need for research. Environ Health Perspect. 2012;120(9):1230-1237.
6. Tsai J, Homa DM, Gentzke AS, et al. Exposure to Secondhand Smoke Among Nonsmokers - United States, 1988-2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018;67(48):1342-1346.
7. Marynak KL, Gammon DG, Rogers T, Coats EM, Singh T, King BA. Sales of nicotine-containing electronic cigarette products: United States, 2015. Am J Public Health. 2017;107(5):702-705.
8. Tehrani MW, Newmeyer MN, Rule AM, Prasse C. Characterizing the chemical landscape in commercial e-cigarette liquids and aerosols by liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry. Chem Res Toxicol. 2021;34(10):2216-2226.

Additional Resources:

• Health Risks of Secondhand Smoke. American Cancer Society.
• Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS): General Information and Health Effects. Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.
• Radiation in Tobacco. United States Environmental Protection Agency.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta (GA): CDC; 2010.

By Terry Martin
Terry Martin, a former smoker of 26 years, now advocates for individuals seeking to overcome nicotine addiction.

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