Sensory ratings, respiratory behavior and eye blink rate were recorded in 11 nonsmokers exposed to a no‐smoking (CONTROL) condition or to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) from one of three kinds of cigarettes: a Kentucky reference (1R4F), an ultra‐low tar (ULT) and one that heats tobacco (TEST).For each two‐hour session in a controlled‐environment room, two smokers “puffed” unlit cigarettes, for the CONTROL condition, or smoked 16 cigarettes to generate ETS (sidestream plus exhaled mainstream smoke). Concentrations of nicotine and respirable suspended particles (RSP) observed with the 1R4F and ULT cigarettes were 10‐ to 20‐fold higher than those typically found in field sampling studies of office and restaurant smoking environments. The ULT and TEST cigarettes resulted in ETS analyte concentrations that were 77‐100% and O‐56%, respectively, of those observed with 1R4E Sensory ratings (odor, irritation, annoyance, acceptability) with the two tobacco‐burning cigarettes were similar and were much greater than those recorded for the TEST or CONTROL conditions which were, in turn, rated similarly. Respiratory parameters (respiratory rate, tidal volume, expiratory time), which generally failed to discriminate the TEST and CONTROL conditions, were altered during exposure to ETS from the 1R4F and, to a lesser extent, the ULT cigarette. Eye blink rate was not significantly altered by ETS from any of the cigarettes.