Tar (in Cigs)

Tar is a viscous (thick) black liquid. Most tar is produced from coal as a byproduct of coke production, but it can also be produced from petroleum, peat or wood.
As a cigarette is smoked, the amount of tar in cigarettes inhaled into the lungs tends to increase, so for example, the last puff can contain more than twice as much tar as the first puff. When cigarette smoke is inhaledn it condenses and deposits cigarette tar in the lungs. This tar then transports many of the dangerous chemicals in cigarettes smoke directly into the body.

Tar was an essential component of the first sealed, or "tarmac", roads and is still used as a solid on road surfaces today. Historically, it was also used as seal for roofing shingles and to seal the hulls of ships and boats.

Note that the list of chemicals included in this section (see the list on the left) is not a complete list of all the substances found in cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products.