There’s no such thing as a safer cigarette

BMJ Group News

What do we know already?

Low-tar cigarettes are just as harmful as other types, because people simply draw deeper on lower tar cigarettes in order to get the same amount of nicotine. Because of this, labels such as ‘light’, ‘low tar’, and ‘mild’ were banned, in the hope that smokers would not be misled into thinking some cigarettes were less harmful.

But despite this change, many smokers still think some brands or types of cigarette are safer than others. Researchers suspect this is linked to packaging, as lower tar cigarettes are often packaged in silver, blue, white, or gold packages, while higher tar cigarettes tend to have red or black packets.

In a new study, researchers interviewed more than 8,000 smokers from the UK, US, Australia, and Canada, where the use of labels like ‘light’ and ‘mild’ has been banned.

What does the new study say?

Almost 2 in 10 people thought that some brands of cigarettes were less harmful than others.

The signs people thought indicated a less harmful cigarette were:

• Lower tar numbers and nicotine levels on the packet
• A smoother or lighter tasting cigarette
• Use of words including ‘light’, ‘mild’, ‘smooth’, and ‘ultra’ to describe the cigarettes
• Having a filter.

Smokers of brands with packets coloured silver, gold, purple, or blue were more likely to think their brand was less harmful than others, compared with smokers of red or black packets.

People who described their own brand of cigarette as ‘light’, ‘mild’, or ‘slim’ were more likely to think that some brands were less harmful than others, and that their own brands were less harmful.

Where does the study come from?

The researchers were from universities in Canada, the US, and Australia. The study was published in the journal Addiction, which is owned by Wiley Blackwell. It was funded by grants from several organisations, including health charities.

What does this mean for me?

If you smoke, it’s worth knowing that all types of cigarettes are equally harmful to your health. No type offers protection against the harms caused by cigarettes, such as cancer and heart disease.