Fact Sheet

Low-Yield Cigarettes and Cigarette-Like Products

(April 2007)
Cigarette manufacturers have developed cigarettes that deliver less tar or nicotine in
standardized machine measurements.
1,2
Brands with machine-measured lower tar levels
(i.e., low-yield cigarettes) have een mar!eted as reduced-ris! cigarettes, using terms
such as "light" and "ultra-light."
1
#he toacco industry recently introduced "cigarette-
li!e" products, such as $clipse
%
and &dvance
'
.
(
)ow-yield cigarettes and cigarette-li!e
products are e*amples of a classification of products referred to as "potentially reduced-
e*posure products" or +,$+s.
2
Cigarette esign and Co!pensator" S!oking
#ar refers to the total particulate matter in smo!e, e*cluding water and al!aloid
compounds such as nicotine, as measured y using a standardized protocol on a
smo!ing machine.
-

Cigarette rands that yield appro*imately 1./ mg of tar are generally called
"ultra-light." #hose with appro*imately /.10 mg of tar are called "light," and
rands yielding more than 10 mg tar are called "regular" or "full flavor."
1

1entilated cigarette filters are the ma2or innovation ehind low-yield cigarettes.
3ilter vents dilute smo!e with air and reduce standard yields of tar, nicotine, and
caron mono*ide.
1
Currently, 445 of all cigarettes are filtered.
0

6uring 14/7.1447, the average yield of tar in cigarettes decreased --5. #he
average nicotine yield decreased (-5.
-

8any smo!ers loc! the vents or compensate when smo!ing low-yield cigarettes,
thus inhaling more tar and nicotine than measured y machines.
/
9mo!ers may
get as much tar and nicotine from cigarettes with low-yield ratings as those with
higher yields.
1,-

Characteristics o# S!okers $ho %se Low-Yield Cigarettes
:se of low-tar products increases dramatically as age, education level, and
income level increase, and is higher among women than men.
1

8any smo!ers consider smo!ing low-yield cigarettes, menthol cigarettes, or
additive-free cigarettes to e safer than smo!ing regular cigarettes.
1,2

8any smo!ers of low-tar cigarettes may have switched to such rands instead of
;uitting.
/
9mo!ers may e misled y the implied promise of reduced to*icity
underlying the mar!eting of such rands.
/

&ealth 'isks o# Low-Yield Cigarettes
#he ris! for lung cancer is only slightly lower with low tar cigarettes, and reduced
tar levels have little, if any, effect on other lung diseases or heart disease.
/

$*isting research does not support recommending that smo!ers switch to low-
yield cigarette rands.
1
#here is no convincing evidence that changes in cigarette
design have resulted in an important decrease in the diseases caused y
cigarettes.
1

'e#erences
1. <ational Cancer =nstitute. ,is!s &ssociated with 9mo!ing Cigarettes with )ow
8achine-8easured >ields of #ar and <icotine. 9mo!ing and #oacco Control
8onograph 1(. Bethesda, 86? :.9. 6epartment of @ealth and @uman 9ervices,
<ational =nstitutes of @ealth, <ational Cancer =nstituteA 2BB1 Ccited 2BB0 <ov /D.
<=@ +u. <o. B2-04E-.
2. =nstitute of 8edicine. Clearing the 9mo!e? &ssessing the 9cience Base for
#oacco @arm +revention. Fashington, 6C? <ational &cademy +ressA 2BB1
Ccited 2BB0 <ov /D.
(. Breland &B, $vans 9$, Buchhalter &,, $issenerg #. &cute effects of &dvance
'
?
& +otential ,educed $*posure +roduct for 9mo!ers. #oacco Control.
2BB2A11?(E/.(E7 Ccited 2BB0 <ov /D.
-. 3ederal #rade Commission. "#ar," <icotine, and Caron 8ono*ide of the 124-
1arieties of 6omestic Cigarettes for the >ear 1447. (+63.--BGB) Fashington,
6C? 3ederal #rade CommissionA 2BBB Ccited 2BB0 <ov /D.
0. 3ederal #rade Commission. Cigarette ,eport for 2BB- and 2BB0. (+63.21/GB)
Fashington, 6C? 3ederal #rade CommissionA 2BBE Ccited 2BBE &pr (BD.
&vailale from? http?HHwww.ftc.govHreportsHtoaccoH2BBEcigarette2BB--2BB0.pdf.
/. :.9. 6epartment of @ealth and @uman 9ervices. ,educing #oacco :se? &
,eport of the 9urgeon Ieneral. &tlanta, I&? :.9. 6epartment of @ealth and
@uman 9ervices, C6C, <ational Center for Chronic 6isease +revention and
@ealth +romotion, Jffice on 9mo!ing and @ealthA 2BBB Ccited 2BB0 <ov /D.
For Further (n#or!ation
Centers for 6isease Control and +revention
<ational Center for Chronic 6isease +revention and @ealth +romotion
Jffice on 9mo!ing and @ealth
$-mail? toaccoinfoKcdc.gov
+hone? 1-7BB-C6C-=<3J
8edia =n;uiries? Contact C6CLs Jffice on 9mo!ing and @ealth press line at EEB--77-
0-4(.
+age last updated 11HB1H2BB0