Is AQI 300 bad for health?

Yes. An AQI of 300 is considered "Severe." In terms of lung damage, it is roughly equivalent to smoking 13 to 14 cigarettes in a single day, even for children and the elderly.

How accurate is the pollution to cigarette calculation?

It is a scientific rule of thumb derived from mortality data. While tobacco contains specific carcinogens not found in smog, the PM2.5 particles in pollution enter the bloodstream similarly, causing heart and lung disease.

Can wearing a mask reduce the 'cigarettes' I breathe?

Yes. Wearing an N95 mask can filter out up to 95% of PM2.5 particles, effectively reducing your 'daily cigarette intake' from 20 down to 1 or 2.

The Invisible Smoker Calculator

You might not smoke, but your city does it for you. Enter your local AQI to find out your daily damage.

Disclaimer:

This tool is for illustrative purposes only and is based on research by Berkeley Earth, which found a correlation that an AQI of 22 is equivalent to smoking one cigarette. It is not a medical diagnosis. Air pollution contains different toxins than cigarette smoke. Consult a healthcare professional for health advice.

How Does the AQI to Cigarette Calculator Work?

People often ignore numbers like "AQI 400" or "PM2.5 levels," but everyone understands the danger of smoking. This tool converts complex Air Quality Index data into a metric everyone understands: Cigarettes per day.

The Science Behind the Math

We use the research conducted by Berkeley Earth (co-founded by Dr. Richard Muller). Their study found that breathing in 22 µg/m³ of PM2.5 pollution for 24 hours causes the same health damage as smoking one cigarette.

Formula: AQI (PM2.5) / 22 ≈ Cigarettes Smoked

Note: This is an approximation to help visualize health risks. Pollution affects lungs and hearts differently than tobacco, but the mortality risk is comparable.

Why is "AQI to Cigarette" Trending in 2024?

With pollution levels in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Lahore, and Beijing hitting record highs in January 2024, residents are looking for ways to explain the severity to family and friends.

AQI Level	Cigarette Equivalent	Health Impact
0-50 (Good)	0 Cigarettes	Safe
150 (Unhealthy)	~7 Cigarettes	Passive Smoking
400+ (Hazardous)	~18+ Cigarettes	Chain Smoker status

Is Your City Making You a Smoker?

Even if you live a healthy lifestyle, high AQI reverses your efforts.

City	Typical AQI	Cigarette Equivalent
Delhi (Winter Peak)	500+	≈ 22 Cigarettes/day
Mumbai/Kolkata	200	≈ 9 Cigarettes/day
New York/London	20-50	≈ 1 Cigarette/day