What should I smoke?
Cigarettes or joints: which one to choose? According to the answer to this question, one filter is better than the other, but why?
Let’s take a look at the structures of both:
Cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate.
Classic cigarette filters come in different sizes and diameters. The most common type of cigarette filter is the narrow type, which is 15 mm long and 6 mm in diameter. These cigarette filters are usually made of highly compressed cellulose acetate. This substance helps retain harmful substances in cigarette smoke.
- chain
- nicotine
- arsenic
- direct
- Hydrocyanic acid
back (all tobacco causes cancer) and make sure larger tobacco fragments don’t get into your mouth. According to the latest research results, these filters guarantee a reduction of approximately 60% of pollutants compared to smoking without a filter (this also applies to paper filters). By using cigarette filters, smokers are protected from a large number of harmful substances. However, this information is not guaranteed and depends largely on the type of filter and the tobacco actually smoked. So, this is just a rough guide.
Structure of the activated carbon filter:
There are currently numerous manufacturers of activated carbon filters, which also makes it difficult to define the structure of the filter. For a better comparison, we also use an activated carbon filter with the famous “tipsize” for comparison. These filters are 25mm long, a bit longer than regular cigarette filters, but they also have a diameter of 6mm. Here, the interior is filtered with activated charcoal (usually coconut or hard charcoal).
If you want to know more detailed information about what constitutes a perfect activated carbon filter and how it works , check here .
The function of the activated carbon inside is to filter as many pollutants as possible from the smoke. Use the law of attraction to do this. This binds the contaminants to the surface of the activated carbon. Independent research conducted in 2018 showed that activated carbon filters are effective in reducing free radical penetration by 40% compared to regular cigarette filters. Another study found that activated carbon filters could reduce exposure to the irritant benzodiquinone present in cigarette smoke by up to 50%. This means that it filters out carcinogens more effectively than regular cigarette filters.
With an activated carbon filter , you can say that you can also use it for smoking.
But there’s still plenty of nicotine and tar left in the filter. So if you want to inhale less harmful substances or want to avoid smoking altogether for a long time, installing a filter like this is definitely an option.
However, they work best when used in conjunction with a carbon filter. Here, tobacco smoke and a large number of pollutants produced during the combustion process are removed, while most of the cannabis substance can pass through the filter unimpeded. This advantage offers consumers a significantly improved smoking experience. In addition, activated carbon filters that use open-pore cellulose closures (such as the Medusa filter) do not distort the flavor because no activated carbon dust enters the throat. Your lungs will thank you. Here you can learn how to make a high-quality activated carbon filter.
⇨ When we smoke without a filter, we absorb more than 7,000 different chemicals, many of which are still unknown.
Ultimately, this should answer questions about the health effects of filtered smoking. But what is the health of our environment? What impact do filters have on the environment?
Differences in environmental pollution
Admittedly, it’s difficult to come to a definitive conclusion, as there are currently countless types of filters on the market, some of which differ greatly from each other.
We still want to try:
Cigarette filters are usually made of compressed cellulose acetate:
It is a biodegradable plastic that can be used to create sustainable food packaging, for example. Therefore, it also ends up as municipal waste. Cellulose acetate (abbreviated CA) is classified as a thermoplastic, but it is more of a modified natural material. During the production process, cellulose, usually in the form of natural pulp, is esterified with acetic acid and acetic anhydride. Now the process is completely environmentally friendly.
The only (big) problem is that, in cigarette filters, cellulose acetate is compressed very strongly for maximum filtration efficiency, but this means that liquids (which drip while smoking or that rain after careless handling) cannot enter the filter. The degradation process begins (it breaks down more slowly). This requires a degradation period of 10 to 15 years. Cigarette butts are harmful to our environment and pollute 1,000 liters of water in our waterways. In all filters! According to statistics from the World Health Organization, around 4.5 billion cigarette butts are discarded in nature every year, causing environmental pollution. An incredible number. This not only affects our environment , but also ourselves and our diet. Toxic soil can lead to lower yields and weaker crop growth.
That’s why it’s so important to dispose of them properly and place them in the trash.
Now, cigarette filters are made from hemp, which takes much less time to degrade, but the density remains the same. They will serve as replacements in the future. But it’s equally important to manage them properly. Otherwise, the absorbed pollutants will end up remaining in the environment regardless of the degradation time.
Activated carbon filter with ceramic or plastic cover:
The ceramic filter consists of a cardboard tube, a piece of stamped paper and two ceramic lids, hence its name. Ceramics are one of the oldest materials in human history. Although it is an essentially natural product, the production of ceramics still requires a lot of energy, as it usually has to be heated or fired at temperatures of 1200 °C for 6 to 12 hours. This means that any environmental claims are eliminated during the production process. Current research shows that the use of fossil fuels to heat kilns in the mass production of ceramic products is particularly harmful to the environment because it generates high levels of greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, ceramic is not biodegradable, so it can easily last a lifetime or even generations. So, if we compare this result with that of cigarette butts, we should say:
⇨ Cigarette filters are problematic due to their high density and long degradation time, but their production is inherently environmentally friendly.
⇨ When using an activated carbon filter with a ceramic cover, the “problem” will appear sooner. The production process consumes a lot of energy. When discarded, the contaminants are captured by the activated carbon, but the ceramic is not biodegradable.
The situation with activated carbon filters with plastic caps is very similar, but microplastic particles also end up in the environment.
But why compromise?
We recommend using the most modern activated carbon filters, which feature an open-pore cellulose cover and fine coconut activated carbon. Not only are they environmentally friendly and made in Germany, but they also offer the pleasure of smoking with fewer pollutants.
100% pure flavor, 0% constipation.
So do yourself and the environment a favor and try our Medusa filters. Carefully made in Germany, using solar energy, to exceed your highest expectations. Find the difference now!
By the way, our cases are not only 100% recyclable, but all other components are also fully biodegradable.