Light and mild? Deadly and deceitful

Are light and mild cigarettes 'milder' or 'lighter' (by that what we really mean is 'safer' or 'less dangerous') than so-called full-flavor cigarettes?

To answer this question, we must first understand what a light or mild cigarette is. A light cigarette is identical to the full-flavor version with the exception of two things: first, the filter is longer. This gives the smoke more time to cool down before entering the airways and this reduction in temperature gives the illusion of a milder 'taste'. (This is why most smokers can't smoker non-flitered cigarettes: the smoke is too hot for them and they find the 'flavor' too harsh). Second, many manufacturers also put microscopic ventilations in the filter. Again, this allows the smoke to cool down giving the illusion of a milder taste. Also some side-stream smoke escapes through the ventilations, which gives these cigarettes lower tar and nicotine levels when the cigarette is tested by the FTC's smoking machines.

However, we do not smoke like a machine smokes. We cover the ventilations with our lips or fingers. We rip the filter off, or tape it up. We drag deeper, smoke further down the butt or smoke more cigarettes to compensate for the loss of this side-stream smoke.

Because we smoke light and mild cigarettes differently, we actually end up getting very similar amounts of nicotine (and therefore tar, carbon monoxide etc.) from ultra-light cigarettes as we do from full-flavor brands, it's just that the smoke is cooler giving the illusion of mildness.

In Canada this scam has been blown wide open and tobacco companies and now no longer allowed to use the deceitful descriptors 'light' and 'mild'.

As with so many other walks of life, in quitting smoking knowledge is power. To get more knowledge and power, visit us at www.theeasywaytostopsmoking.com