Research About Handmade Premium Cigars (HPCs)

Publication: June 8th, 2021

The type of product that the TPD-ID refers to in this page (via the concerning Research Information File; Research.xml) is called a Handmade Premium Cigar (HPC).

Tobacco Products containing Additives (TPAs)

According to many sources, including the European Public Health Website, the majority of smokers who consume Tobacco Products (mainly cigarettes) use products that contain a significant number of additives (TPAs).

“Tobacco products, most commonly cigarettes, have come to include more and more additives in recent decades.”

These additives include ammonia, levulinic acid, formaldehyde, acrolein, menthol and many more, making TPAs more addictive and easier to inhale, while feeling less irritating in the throat. In short, TPAs are "designed for addiction".

What makes HPCs different?

HPCs consist of 100% tobacco in nearly all cases and lack the additives mentioned above. They are intended for responsible adult enjoyment, not mass consumption or addiction. Unlike TPAs, HPC consumers are not meant to intentionally inhale deeply, and cigars are not designed for rapid, habitual intake.

Enjoying HPCs vs. being addicted to TPAs

Studies show that HPC smokers typically enjoy cigars occasionally, with days of consumption interspersed with longer periods of abstinence. Many enjoy only a few cigars per week or during special occasions. This is markedly different from TPA consumption, where addictive design leads to daily dependence.

HPCs and young people

Unlike TPAs, HPCs are not a product attractive to young people. Internal studies and shop surveys show that the vast majority of HPC consumers are older than 30 years of age. Only a very small proportion of smokers under 22 report consuming premium handmade cigars.

• Younger than 22 years: 5%
• Between 22 and 30 years: 10%
• Older than 30 years: 85%

Published, Peer-Reviewed Research Related to Premium Cigars