# Dangers of pipe smoking vs. cigarettes **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 15, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangers-of-pipe-smoking-vs-cigarettes/207658 "2003-10-15T22:29:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangers-of-pipe-smoking-vs-cigarettes/207658/1 "2003-10-15T22:29:18Z")
So let’s say I suddenly get hit with a compulsion to smoke. Some reason… get a blood transfusion from a smoker or somthing stupid (:p). I think pipes are the epitome of the (percieved) “coolness” of smoking. I’m not going to smoke, but I’m curious: What is the danger of: Pipes vs. standard cigarettes? and Pipes vs. hand-rolled cigarettes? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangers-of-pipe-smoking-vs-cigarettes/207658/2 "2003-10-15T23:15:50Z")
I smoked a pipe for several years. You may not inhale as much or as often with a pipe, but when you do, you’re getting the full monty, with no filtering going on. In addition, tar can accumulate in the pipe bowl. If you inadvertantly tilt the pipe upwards, you’re going to get a dose of one of the foulest substances imaginable. The risk of mouth and throat cancer is (I believe) heightened with pipe and possibly cigar smoking, but I can’t provide a cite off the cuff. They really can be a pain in the ass to keep stuffed and lit, and you’re always fussing with the bloody things and having to clean and scrape them. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2003, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangers-of-pipe-smoking-vs-cigarettes/207658/3 "2003-10-15T23:21:27Z")
Well, I found [this](http://www.drweil.com/app/cda/drw_cda.html-command=TodayQA-questionId=3340), and also [this](http://www.no-smoking.org/dec98/12-01-98-1.html) site. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2003, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangers-of-pipe-smoking-vs-cigarettes/207658/4 "2003-10-15T23:44:36Z")
Both are risky, but have different risks. Obviously, cigarettes have the lung cancer/heart disease risks. Pipe smoking causes an increased risk in mouth and face cancers, as well as tooth problems. I’ll go find some cites now. (I have one particularly nasty tooth photo in mind - hopefully I can find it…) ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangers-of-pipe-smoking-vs-cigarettes/207658/5 "2003-10-16T01:04:15Z")
I don’t have the cite online, I saw it on the Custer’s Last Stand episode of Battlefield Detectives, but they were able to tell that one of the troopers was a pipe smoker because of the way his teeth were messed up. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangers-of-pipe-smoking-vs-cigarettes/207658/6 "2003-10-16T01:12:49Z")
One danger of pipe smoking is being perceived as a pretentious twit. Stick to cigars-- they’ll treat you right.