Alkenylbenzenes are flavorings found in human foods and flavored tobacco. Although these chemicals are unlikely to cause harm when entering the body via the digestive system, when inhaled with cigarette smoke they can act differently in the body. During digestion, the liver eliminates alkenylbenzenes. However, in the cigarette smoke, alkenylbenzenes reach the lungs and quickly spread through the body, before reaching the liver. Although there is not conclusive scientific research on the negative effects of alkenylbenzenes inhalation in humans, the long-term exposure to smoke containing alkenylbenzenes caused lung damage in laboratory animals.
Chromium, cadmium, nickel, beryllium, lead and cobalt are heavy metals found in flavored tobacco products. Although most foods contain small doses of these metals, the consumption via cigarette smoke is much more harmful than via digestion. Heavy metals cause DNA damage in the body cells, which is linked to the development of many conditions, including cancer. The radioactive metals lead-210 and polonium-210 are also DNA-damaging substances found in tobacco products, including flavored cigarettes.
Cancer-inducing substances are abundant in flavored cigarettes. The most harmful ones include arsenic, which is also used in wood preservative and can cause damaged blood vessels; benzene, which causes leukemia; formaldehyde, also used to kill bacteria; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrosamines, which damages genes involved in the body immune defense against cancerous cells.
Carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrogen cyanides, acetaldehyde, hydrogen sulphide, pyridine ammonia and hydrazine are some powerful toxic substances present in tobacco smoke. These chemicals are linked to emphysema, which is the progressive destruction of lung tissue, as well as to irritation in the airways, reduced numbers of immune cells and oxygen availability in the blood stream.