For Christians, smoking pipe, cigars (including marihuana), or chewing tabaco, belong to matters of indifference. There is no place in the Bible that forbids smoking. Discussing about smoking is an important topic but are not essential to salvation. Medically it is proven that smoking is bad for health. Smoking is an addiction. Addiction is defined as exhibiting a compulsive, chronic, physiological, or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, or activity. Anything that you love so much that you feel you miss it, is addictive. The Bible calls it an idol. God hates idols. If you desire the pleasure the idol gives to you, you will become distant from God. Even ‘innocent’ idolatry damages your intimacy with God. These are some examples of everyday idols: special food, alcohol, smoking cigars, drugs, vacation, loving people more than loving God, dancing in a night club or to worldly music, playing cards, getting tattoos, watching movies showing violence or sex, or pornography. These activities can be included in ‘matters of indifference’. Question: people who claim to be saved but also drink alcohol or smoke cigars, are they Christians? The answer may be yes, or no. Drinking alcohol or smoking cigars are not the basis by which a man becomes a Christian or the criteria by which you know a believer. We are saved by grace alone, thru faith in Christ alone. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are the only true proof of salvation and Love is the first ‘slice’ (Gal 5:22, 23). Look especially for Love and Self-control in that person! Be wise! Be careful!

Smoking is the world’s leading preventable cause of untimely death. The chemical component in a cigar is called nicotine. It is highly addictive. Nicotine is as difficult to give up as cocaine or heroin. It is found in the leaves of a plant called tabaco which was discovered in 1492 by Christopher Columbus while exploring the Americas. He brought few tobacco leaves and seeds back with him to Europe. Many loved the feeling of smoking. The tabaco industry started to grow. Later, nicotine was produced artificially in the laboratory. Nicotine was discovered to be poison in 1828. The lethal dose of inhaled nicotine is 50 mg/kg in an adult. Children are more in danger than adults. They can eat the cigars and poison themselves. The symptoms or tabaco poisoning are vomiting, headache, dizziness, convulsions, coma, and heart failure. Death can occur in one hour after the exposure. Electronic cigars use heated liquid nicotine. Because of the high concertation of nicotine in its liquid form, these are more dangerous, especially to the children. Most countries (including Nigeria) prohibit the selling of cigars to minors (below 18). Why do people smoke cigars? These are some pleasant effects of nicotine: you feel more alert, more relaxed, and less anxious. But nicotine can disturb your sleep, cause stomach ulcer, dizziness, and cancers. It is proven that 90% of lung cancer cases are related to smoking. Smokers die 10 years earlier than nonsmokers. There are more than 7000 chemicals in the cigarettes and most of them cause cancer of the lungs, kidneys, liver and of the skin. It reduces fertility in both men and women. It reduces the immunity of the body. Wounds heal slower in smokers. The danger extends to the people who live around smokers. Smoking is not just un-healthy. It is deadly. It is the greatest poison of the lungs. Once the smoke enters the lungs, it cannot be ‘washed’ away.

A menthol cigarette is a cigarette infused with menthol which imparts a ‘sweet, minty’ flavor to the smoke. Menthol decreases the irritant sensations of nicotine making smoking feel less harsh compared to regular cigarettes. The smoker feels a cooling sensation in his throat. Menthol cigarettes are easier to learn how to smoke and harder to quit. They are more addictive and just as harmful as regular cigarettes. I read that the tobacco industry in the US targeted the African American people in particular. They advertised the menthol cigars by saying that they are healthier than the regular ones. The menthol cigars industry invested heavily in the Civil rights movements in the 60s. They sponsored events in the black community. They subsidized their products in the black schools, churches, and organizations. This marketing strategy was a great success for them. The rate of smoking of the menthol cigars grew in the black community and went down in the white community. Studies say that 80% of all the African American smokers, consume the menthol cigars. Much of the increase is from young people.

About 1 billion people smoke worldwide. That means 1 out of 8 people smoke cigars. Each year, more than 8 million people die prematurely from tobacco use. Thank God, all over the world, the rate of smoking is going down. Men smoke more than the women. The rate of smoking is higher among the young people, the less educated, the poorer, divorced, widowed, homosexual people, those who have a disability, and those who experience frustration in life and depression. Why it is so hard to stop smoking? Nicotine is the main addictive chemical. During smoking, it goes immediately to the brain and gives a feeling of instant pleasure. Over time, nicotine changes the way the brain works. The brain thinks that without nicotine, you can never be happy. Nicotine helps people to concentrate. If they don’t smoke, they feel that they can’t focus. Trying to stop nicotine intake is hard. These are some signs of withdrawal: you become uncomfortable, angry, and overanxious. You can’t sleep. You start feeling hungrier and put on weight. There are now medications helping smokers to quit. Pray for the grace to stop smoking. Millions of people have done it. After some time of struggle, you will be free from this addiction. You feel much better, healthier, and happier. Do it!

Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) one of the greatest preachers in the world was known to smoke cigars. He publicly defended his habit saying it is not a sin. But it is on record that he was often sick and could not preach. He battled depression all his life. Even his wife was chronically sick and most of the time could not come to church. After 24 years of chronic sickness and smoking, he died at the age of 57 with kidney’s failure.

The Bible does not forbit smoking. We shall analyze the habit of smoking thru general Biblical principles:

*We should not be ‘mastered’ by anything, except by God. “Everything is permissible for me, but not all things are beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything [and brought under its power, allowing it to control me]” (1Cor 6:12; AMP). Smoking may not be illegal or sinful, but it’s not beneficial, useful, helpful, or good. It can make me its slave. It will damage my relationship with God.

*We should honor God with our bodies because they belong to Christ. He has paid for them. “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1Cor 6:19, 20). Smoking damages my body which belongs to Jesus and dishonors God.

*We should do everything to the glory of God, as a personal testimony that we worship God. “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1Cor 10:31). Smoking is addictive and cannot bring glory to God!