3 Answers

Cigar smoking is increasing in the United States, mainly in young and middle-aged men, but also among teenagers and women. In some circles it has even achieved a certain social status. It may be people think that cigar smoking is a safer alternative to cigarettes. This is not the case - the practice is known to be a risk factor for cancer of the mouth, throat, larynx, gullet (esophagus) and lung, and also and for a troublesome breathing condition - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

So far it was not known whether it carried an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but a recent study has provided evidence to that effect.

Over 17,500 men aged 30 to 85 were enrolled in the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program between 1964 and 1973. They had never smoked cigarettes, and were not currently pipe smokers. Their health was carefully followed from 1971 through 1996, using hospitalization discharge records and local tumor registries.

There were over 1,500 cigar smokers at entry - about 9% of the total - and their subsequent health records were compared with those of the 91% non-smokers. The analyses took into account the health information collected at enrollment, medical history, alcohol consumption, and any exposure to occupational hazards such as solvents, pesticides, asbestos and silica.

Read more here >http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/cigars

Yes there is.

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/cigars

Yes they are just as filthy as any other smoke.