Cigar vs cigarette: what's the difference?
Updated November 2026
How they're made
A premium cigar is rolled from whole, fermented and aged tobacco leaves, wrapped in a tobacco leaf. A cigarette is shredded, processed tobacco rolled in paper, usually with a filter.
Size and nicotine
Cigars are much bigger. The National Cancer Institute notes that a single large cigar can contain as much tobacco as a whole pack of cigarettes, and cigars can deliver a lot of nicotine even when the smoke isn't inhaled.
How they're smoked
Cigarettes are usually inhaled. Cigar smoke is normally held in the mouth for flavour and not inhaled, and cigars are typically smoked slowly and occasionally.
Are cigars safer?
No. According to the National Cancer Institute, cigar smoking causes cancer of the mouth, throat, oesophagus and lung, and the risks rise with how much you smoke and how deeply you inhale. Cigars are not a safe alternative to cigarettes.
Official sources: National Cancer Institute: Cigar smoking and cancer · FDA: Cigars, cigarillos, little filtered cigars
Common questions
Is a cigar worse than a cigarette?
They're different, and neither is safe. A large cigar can contain as much tobacco as a pack of cigarettes, and cigar smoking causes several cancers.
Do cigars have nicotine?
Yes. Cigars contain nicotine, and a large cigar can contain a lot of it.
