Brief report
Misuse of “light” cigarettes by means of vent blocking

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0899-3289(94)90524-XGet rights and content

Best-selling “light” cigarettes (9–12 mg tar, by FTC method; Federal Trade Commission, 1990) generally employ filter vents to reduce standard tar and nicotine yields. Earlier research on “ultra light” cigarettes (1–4 mg tar) showed that filter vents were blocked by human smokers leading to dramatic increases in tar and nicotine yields. An objective indicator of vent blocking was applied to a sample of 158 discarded light cigarette butts, and results indicated extreme vent blocking in 27% (±8, 95% CI), some vent blocking in 26% (±8), and no vent blocking in 47% (±8). Cigarette consumers need to be informed of the risks of vent blocking as a countermeasure to the marketing of light cigarettes to health-conscious smokers.

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    However, despite its popularity, some epidemiological studies have revealed that the smoking of low-yield cigarettes and using current commercial filtered cigarettes have little effect on reduction of lung cancer incidence (Harris et al., 2004; USDHHS, 2004; Warren and Cummings, 2013). This can be attributed to compensatory smoking (more frequent smoking per day, deeper inhalation, and more frequent inhalations) and to the fact that the ventilation hole of filter cigarettes can be blocked by the smokers’ lips and fingers (Bridges et al., 1990; Herning et al., 1981; Hammond et al., 2005; Kolonen et al., 1992; Kozlowski et al., 1988, 1994; Matsumoto et al., 2013; Tobin and Sackner, 1982). It was reported by Kozlowski et al. (1982) that about 40% of long-term smokers block cigarette ventilation holes to a considerable extent.

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