WHY "LIGHTS" ARE JUST AS DEADLY
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Jonathan Foulds, MA, MAppSci, PhD
“Tar” is the substance delivered by cigarettes that causes cancer and respiratory diseases. Nicotine is the addictive drug people smoke for. Cigarettes marketed as "light", "mild" or "ultra light" are reported to deliver lower quantities of tar and nicotine than regular cigarettes. However, this is only the case when they are smoked in a standard manner by a machine. However humans do not smoke cigarettes in a standard manner like machines. If you have smoked, you will probably recall that some of your cigarettes are smoked intensively almost right down to the butt, while others largely burn out themselves, with only a few quick puffs being taken. You can therefore have complete control of how much smoke you inhale from each cigarette. Cigarette manufacturers reduce the machine-smoked yields of cigarettes by putting tiny holes in the filter (vents) which allow air to be mixed with smoke when a person (or machine) draws a puff. This gives it a lower “tar score” on the machine test. However, smokers who switch to these "light" cigarettes tend to smoke them in a manner which increases the amount of smoke they inhale, such that it is well above the machine-smoked yields printed on the packs. Smokers do this because they are smoking for nicotine, and will puff more frequently, more deeply or simply block the vents with their lips or fingers (subconsciously) in order to obtain their usual dose of nicotine (and therefore tar).
A study has shown that Camel Lights actually contain more nicotine per cigarette (10.3mg) than Camel Full Flavor (9.5 mg). Thus the numbers printed on the packs bear very little relation either to the total quantity contained in the cigarette or absorbed by the smoker.
The majority of smokers of "light" cigarettes believe them to be less harmful than regular brands. Unfortunately the evidence suggests that "light" cigarettes are just as harmful as regular cigarettes, and that for many smokers, switching to "lights" merely delays the day when the person quits completely. Of course, the tobacco industry has known all of this for more than thirty years. An internal memo within the Philip Morris tobacco company in 1976 indicated that their own research on Marlboro Lights already showed that smokers of light cigarettes do not inhale less harmful smoke. It stated, "Marlboro Lights cigarettes were not smoked like regular Marlboros. There were differences in the size and frequency of puffs, with larger volumes taken on Marlboro Lights......In effect, the Marlboro 85 smokers in this study did not achieve any reduction in the smoke intake by smoking a cigarette normally considered lower in delivery".
The main message for smokers is that if you are interested in doing something to reduce or avoid the health risks of smoking, then switching to so called "light" cigarettes will not necessarily help achieve that aim. The single best thing a smoker can do for their health is to stop smoking.
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6 Comments:
At Tue Mar 27, 02:40:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
Just because a bunch of lawyers in madison county won a ton of money using this argument, does not mean that you should tell smokers that they shouldn't smoke light cigarettes. I find that ludicrous. Are you suggesting one should switch to (unfiltered) pall mall's or lucky strikes because they're "healthier?"
At Thu Mar 29, 09:39:00 AM 2007,
Jonathan Foulds, MA, MAppSci, PhD said…
No. I'm not suggesting that Lights smokers should switch to regulars or unfiltered. My advice is contained in the last paragraph above.In the recent law suit that found the tobacco companies guilty of racketeering, the judge concluded that the tobacco companies misled consumers into believing that so-called low tar and light cigarettes are healthier than other cigarettes and an acceptable alternative to quitting.
So for 40 years of deception leading people to believe light cigarettes are less harmful, many of whom died prematurely as a result, guess what the financial penalty was to an idustry that made billions in that time period?
Zero. I find that ludicrous.
At Tue Apr 17, 09:45:00 AM 2007,
Anonymous said…
Everyone is missing the point!
Light cigarettes are less dangerous when SMOKED PROPERLY.
Just because people don't smoke them the way they were designed doens't mean they are not healthier.
that's like saying...since people drive like idiots anyway, let's make all cars to have 600 horsepower and expect there to not be in increase in accidents. Driven properly, slower cars mean less accidents.
At Sat May 19, 06:41:00 PM 2007,
Jonathan Foulds, MA, MAppSci, PhD said…
I'm afraid you are missing the point. People smoke Lights precisely as the tobacco company intended them to be smoked (and precisely how they knew they would be smoked from their own internal research studies).But if you don't believe me, have a read of Judge Kessler's 1,700 page opinion in the DOJ lawsuit, which found the tobacco companies guilty of racketeering and commiting fraud on the American public. (the link is on my blog about that case). Sounds like they succeeded in fooling you too.
At Tue Dec 11, 08:42:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
well first hand i do all of those things like block the hole without thinking.... but my lung capacity has improved greatly and i am alot more active again... i can run and do everything i used to be able to again
At Wed Apr 16, 07:59:00 PM 2008,
Anonymous said…
I think the doctor is right. camel lights have more nicotine than regular camels. They pull every trick
to keep people buying them. They are
extremely smart and pay scientist to study things about humans that would help sales in anyway shape or form, right down to one's favorite color.
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