Many smokers warn each other not to light their cigarettes on candles, as this is supposedly extremely unhealthy. But is this really the truth or just a myth?
The claim
All sorts of wild theories exist to explain the dangers of a candle flame. Many believe that the wax particles are harmful to health, while others see the ingredients in the wick or candle smoke as the culprits.
There is also the legend that a sailor always dies if you light your cigarette on a candle. Again, it is not certain where this theory originated. The most popular explanation is that sailors earned their money by selling matches. But if the cigarettes were lit with a candle, this was a loss of earnings for the sailor, who, in the worst case, had to suffer hunger and eventually died.
The truth
Many studies have shown that candles and their combustion products do not have nearly the concentration of pollutants of a single cigarette. Still, in general, when buying candles, make sure they have a seal of approval and are not coated with acrylic varnishes.
You should also be wary of cheap figurine candles where the outer layer does not burn down with them, as they may contain flame retardants whose fumes are bad for your health.
Conclusion
For smokers, it doesn’t really matter how they light their cigarettes. Because: smoking is already so unhealthy due to nicotine, tar, condensate and other toxic substances that are inhaled, that a candle doesn’t make it much unhealthier.
