Fiberglass in cigarettes

[Sylvanz]

My younger son just came and asked me if there was fiberglass in chewing tobacco. He's also pretty convinced that there is fiberglass in the filters of all cigarettes. This might be true but I fail to see how it could be "harmful" it it's only in the construction of the filter. He, however, is saying that it gets there accidentally, "because they use a lot of fiberglass in the factories where they produce the cigarettes." I looked this up on the main board and all I can find is the old menthol cigarette thing and I don't think that will totally convince him that these things are not true.

P&LL, Syl

Originally Posted by Sylvanz

My younger son just came and asked me if there was fiberglass in chewing tobacco. He's also pretty convinced that there is fiberglass in the filters of all cigarettes. This might be true but I fail to see how it could be "harmful" it it's only in the construction of the filter. He, however, is saying that it gets there accidentally, "because they use a lot of fiberglass in the factories where they produce the cigarettes." I looked this up on the main board and all I can find is the old menthol cigarette thing and I don't think that will totally convince him that these things are not true.

P&LL, Syl

The UL I heard at least 20 years ago was that chewing tobacco contained bits of ground up glass. The purpose is to cut the gums and get the nicotine into the blood stream, feeding the addiction. Again, this was a UL from many years ago.

[Floater]

There are similar rumours about snuff (the wet variant that you place under your lip). What it's all about is that the tobacco has been treated with salt (don't remember which) and under some circumstances the said salt can crystallise and look like pieces of glass.

[Bonnie]

Originally Posted by Sylvanz

I looked this up on the main board and all I can find is the old menthol cigarette thing and I don't think that will totally convince him that these things are not true.

Actually, Barbara's page on rumors about menthol cigarettes does include this (emphasis mine),

Menthols are rumored to contain fiberglass. According to this canard, the evil cigarette companies secrete the substance in the product in an effort to better transmit that menthol sensation and nicotine kick by way of causing tiny cuts in the smoker's throat and mouth. This same rumor also attaches to smokeless (chewing) tobacco, especially to the Kodiak brand. There's no fiberglass in cigarettes. Granted RJR did try using a fiberglass shell on its flopped smokeless cigarettes in 1994, but that part of the contraption wasn't ingested by the smoker; it was more of a housing, if you will. Other than that, no fiberglass.

If your son has any further doubts, I'll bet Barbara can convince him that the whole fiberglass-thing is just a pervasive misconception.

Anyway, I think it's safe now to tell your son he can light up or chew without worry!

Bonnie "I had to say that, I'm from North Carolina" Taylor

[keepyourkiltdown]

When I was in grade school there was also a rumor about fiberglass in chapstick. It cut up your lips, thus making them more chapped so you would need to buy more chapstick, and the vicious cycle continued.