The misuse of 'less-hazardous' cigarettes and its detection: hole-blocking of ventilated filters.

Abstract

Smokers of low-yield, ventilated-filter cigarettes sometimes defeat the purpose of the smoke-dilution holes by occluding them with fingers, lips, or tape. Blocking the holes is shown to have large effects on the delivery by these cigarettes of toxic products (nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide). Techniques for detecting this misuse of "less hazardous" cigarettes are discussed, with particular emphasis on the distinctive signs of hole-blocking which are left in the spent filters. (Am J Public Health 1980; 70:1202-1203 low-tar smokers have blocked the holes with their fingers, lips or with tape.* Lipstick marks on the holes have proven to be clear-cut indicators of hole-blocking; holding the cigarette between the teeth appears to facilitate the practice of covering the holes with one's lips. A few smokers confess to having held their cigarettes with two hands (the tips of four fingers over the holes) to block the perforations. A simple "'pinch" of the perforations with opposing fingers is a more common method of blocking the holes. The present study reports the extent to which hole-blocking can increase the delivery of tobacco smoke to the smoker. MethodsMost of the apparently least-hazardous of the 'less-hazardous' low-tar, low-nicotine, low carbon monoxide (CO) cigarettes,' achieve their low yields of toxic products by means of ventilation holes in the filters. In 1979, about 25 per cent of all cigarettes sold in the United States had perforated filter tips.2 The rings of perforations cause inhaled tobacco smoke to be diluted with air and thereby decrease the amount of smoke per puff delivered to the smoker.The effects (and frustrations) of ventilated filters can be illustrated by making a ring of small holes about 10 mm from the proximal end of a drinking straw. A desired beverage can still be drunk, but it is adulterated with air and much harder to suck through the straw. Although smoking machines which measure tar and nicotine deliveries do not occlude the perforations, we have found in systematic interviews that 32 per cent to 69 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval) of

Taxes, Cigarette Consumption, and Smoking Intensity

“…We find that increases in taxes over the nineties have led to an increase 1 The epidemiological literature has paid more attention to compensatory smoking behavior. For instance, Kozlowski et al (1980) show that smokers of low yield cigarettes block ventilation holes in the filter. Jarvis et al (2001) show that smokers compensate low yield cigarettes by smoking more intensively.…”

Cigarette Mouth Insertion Depths Among Chinese Smokers

“…For example, amino acids in dried saliva on the tipping papers reacting with ninhydrin form a pink coloration. Insertion depths ranging from 3 to 25 mm with means of 10.1 to 11.5 mm were obtained and it was concluded that ventilation hole coverage by lips during smoking depended on the position of the ventilation zone (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8).…”

“…In this study, 95% of the ventilated filters examined showed that the vent zone was neither completely nor partially covered by smokers' lips. (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8). In these studies, mouth insertion depths were measured by a distinct color which was produced by reaction of a reagent with dried saliva residues on the cigarette butts.…”

Research Required for the Effective Implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Articles 9 and 10

“…The main means of achieving this improbable outcome was through the use of filter venting (King, Carter, Borland, Chapman, & Gray, 2003;Kozlowski, Frecker, Khouw, & Pope, 1980). The main effect of this is that it resulted in smokers changing the way they puff on cigarettes to ensure they received their target dose of nicotine.…”