In response to the tough economic times, smokers are re-lighting used cigarette butts, a new study found.

Although smokers may be saving some money, they are paying with their health and researchers warned that re-lighting cigarettes does not reduce exposure to harmful chemicals.

“Smokers who re-light cigarettes may be at higher risk of lung cancer and chronic bronchitis,” said senior study author Michael Steinberg, director of the Tobacco Dependence Programme at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey in the US, in a news release.

The study involved about 500 smokers seeking treatment from the Tobacco Dependence Programme. Of these, 46 percent admitted to re-lighting cigarettes. This group smoked 16 cigarettes daily on average, while smokers who did not re-light smoked an average of 20 cigarettes each day.

According to the study, women were more likely to re-light cigarettes and higher rates of re-lighting were also found among black people and those who were divorced, widowed or separated. Those who started smoking at an early age, smoked menthol cigarettes or who said they wake up to smoke during the night are also more likely to re-light cigarette butts. The behaviour was also linked to unemployment, illness, disability and having less than a high school qualification.

“While the re-lighting of cigarettes is a relatively unexplored smoking behaviour, it was anticipated that certain economic characteristics, such as lower education and lack of employment, would be related to a higher level of relighting,” Steinberg said.

The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco in Boston.

Source: HealthDay News