Is hand-rolling tobacco less harmful than cigarettes?

Yes, if the tobacco is chemical free -- however the tar content may be higher than in commercially produced cigarettes.

Article found in The Press, Christchurch Monday 22 September 2008, parts of this even surprised me...I actually smoke Holiday Red tailor-mades used as part of this study.

Loose-leaf tobacco no safer than cigarettes

People who smoke hand-rolled cigarettes believing they do less harm than tailor-mades may be deluding themselves, the Ministry of Health warns.

It released research yesterday that compared the smoke generated by several brands of loose-leaf tobacco with that from New Zealand’s top-selling tailor-made cigarette, Holiday Red. Tests found roll-your-owns generated a third more tar than the Holiday cigarette, and several also had higher nicotine levels.

Self-made cigarettes lack the chemicals in tailor-mades that keep the tobacco burning, hence the perception they are less harmful.

However, they also needed a higher “puff count” to smoke them, and delivered an “appreciable” amount of nicotine, considering the small quantity of tobacco used to make them, the report from Environmental Science and research said.

Combined with the high tar readings and their low cost, roll-your-own cigarettes were not a safer alternative for smokers, the report said.

“Considering the fact that tobacco excise rate per gram is currently the same for both cigarette types and that roll-your-own cigarettes contain much less tobacco, their lower price could encourage increasing numbers of smokers towards roll-you-own smoking and, consequently, higher tar yields.”

The scientists did note their findings could not be exact, as there was no way of knowing exactly how much tobacco each person put into their hand-rolled cigarettes.

For the tests, tobacco from 10 brands – both normal and mild – was put into a cigarette-rolling machine. Commercially available wrapping paper and filters were used.

“The filters tested in the study provide no protection from volatile organic carcinogens in tobacco smoke,” the report said.

It also found there was no appreciable difference between some normal and “mild” brands of tobacco in terms of the dangerous chemicals they emitted.

“We found that five top-selling brands of loose tobacco used in rollies are no safer that the most commonly sold tailor-mades, and some brands actually produce more cancer-causing substances,” said Ashley Bloomfield, the Health Ministry’s national director of tobacco control.

“Anyone who thinks rollies are safer is wrong. There are a lot of myths around tobacco harm – like loose tobacco is more natural, with fewer additives, so it’s less harmful. It’s not just wrong, but some rollies are potentially more harmful.”

Bloomfield said most New Zealand smokers wanted to quit their habit, and this latest research should prove a powerful incentive to do so.

Most of the time there are lots more dangerous additives in cigaretts but both will make you sick so give it up already.

They are both the same. Some studies have even found rolled tobacco is sometimes more dangerous, especially in women studied. The carcinogens are of the same level in both forms of ciggies.

I'd like to think the rolled cigarettes I've smoked in the past are 'better' for me but they are not, no matter how thin you think you're rolling them. My conclusion has been to quit and I only smoke once in a while, sometimes even less!

Best thing to do if you're unsure is ...quit

Normal cigarettes have 2000 different chemicals in them, including a chemical similar to gun powder that keeps them burning when you are not smoking it. Hand rolled tobacco, organic tobacco if you have access to it (like American Spirit) is much more natural, and hence much better for you.
I switched to hand-rolled 2 years ago. My chest quit hurting after a night of partying, and I stopped getting that irritating stream of flem at the bottom of my throat. It comes back immediately if I smoke Chemical laced cigarretes. Don't believe the Ministry of Health. they are in bed with the Tobacco Companies. If you can't quit, then go more Natural.

There are more chemicals in a cigarette as opposed to rolling your own...But what ever way you look at it...they are both bad.
....I need to listen to myself here and stop smoking :(

Only in the sense that the time you spend rolling them is time that you are not smoking.

YES....absolutly, if youre going to smoke at all deffinatly roll youre own. You will smoke less, feel better and save a ton of money.....easy

A swiched to RYO a few monts ago. My experience tells me that it's less harmgull then regular cigarettes. Even if I am wrong there is a fact that can not be questioned in my case: I smoked a pack per day. 20 cigarettes= approximately 20grams of tobacco 20g*30 days= aprox 600 grams per month with regular fags.
However, using roll your own tobacco a smoke 50 grams per week, that is 200 grams per month! I smoke 1/3 amount of tobacco that I used to smoke using regular fags, without experiencing any symphoms of nicotine crisis. Also, like Zac said abowe, my chest are just fine(for a smoker).
And I would conclude the same, the best choice of tobacco is NO TOBACCO! If you can't quit, roll your own!

I'll bet that 'study' was lobbied for by some big cigarette company or other. Their reasoning seems pretty feeble to me:
"[Rollies] also needed a higher “puff count” to smoke them, and delivered an “appreciable” amount of nicotine, considering the small quantity of tobacco used to make them."

Puff count my arse. And hell yes they conntain nicotine. That's the point of smoking, I think, even if we know it's poison to us... it's the drug people want.

The conductors of this study seem to define 'safety' ONLY in terms of tar, and completely overlook any potentially ill effect from chemical additives. \-: Dunno' 'bout that... What I'M curious about is whether hand-rolling tobacco also contains such chemicals. One of my friends told me he thought they all did. I know at least some claim not to anddd I don't see why any should, but you never can never tell.

depends what tobacco you smoke,mines hand rolled.

if u roll and smoke the "Americam Spirit" natural brand tobacco there are NO additive chemicals, but it may have more tar...... (?) Can anyone tell me why there are no tar and nicotine labels in the Swiss market, for one....

I went down from pack a day regular cigarettes to 3 - 5 hand rolled. I smoke 42 years. Hand rolled smoke saves money and some health...

I'll bet that 'study' was lobbied for by some big cigarette company or other. There reasoning seems pretty feeble to me:
"[Rollies] also needed a higher “puff count” to smoke them, and delivered an “appreciable” amount of nicotine, considering the small quantity of tobacco used to make them."

Puff count my arse. And hell yes they conntain nicotine. That's the point of smoking, I think, even if wee know it's poison to us... it's the drug people want.

The conductors of this study seem to define 'safety' ONLY in terms of tar, and completely overlook any potentially ill effect from chemical additives. \-: Dunno' 'bout that... What I'M curious about is whether hand-rolling tobacco also contains such chemicals. One of my friends told me he thought they all did. I know at least some claim not to anddd I don't see why any should, but you never can never tell.