Can you name some poisons in cigarettes?

Answer 1

You can find a list of carcinogens of tobacco at the following website:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_constituents

Answer 2

The list of chemicals in cigarette smoke is long (there are about 4000), but here are some highlights:

Benzene (gasoline additive)
A colorless cyclic hydrocarbon obtained from coal and petroleum, used as a solvent in fuel and in chemical manufacture - and contained in cigarette smoke. It is a known carcinogen and is associated with leukemia.

Formaldehyde (embalming fluid)
A colorless liquid, highly poisonous, used to preserve dead bodies - also found in cigarette smoke. Known to cause cancer, respiratory, skin and gastrointestinal problems.

Ammonia (toilet cleaner)
Used as a flavoring, frees nicotine from tobacco turning it into a gas, found in dry cleaning fluids.

Acetone (nail polish remover)
Fragrant volatile liquid ketone, used as a solvent, for example, nail polish remover - found in cigarette smoke.

Tar
Particulate matter drawn into lungs when you inhale on a lighted cigarette. Once inhaled, smoke condenses and about 70 per cent of the tar in the smoke is deposited in the smoker's lungs.

Nicotine (insecticide/addictive drug)
One of the most addictive substances known to man, a powerful and fast-acting medical and non-medical poison. This is the chemical which causes addiction.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) (car exhaust fumes)
An odorless, tasteless and poisonous gas, rapidly fatal in large amounts - it's the same gas that comes out of car exhausts and is the main gas in cigarette smoke, formed when the cigarette is lit.

Arsenic (rat poison)

Hydrogen Cyanide (gas chamber poison)

Answer 3

There are radioactive elements, such as radioactive lead (210-Pb) and radioactive polonium (210-Po) that are present during smoking tobacco. This radioactivity originates from impurities in the phosphate fertilizers which the tobacco draws into its leaves. These radioactive elements have been found to cause cancer in rats, and may be a factor in lung cancer in those who breath cigarette smoke. One of the references mention that one cigarette smoked produces the same radiation exposure to the smoker as having one chest x-ray.