Current Events

A current event about cigarettes is about a study done on low tar cigarettes. The risk of lung cancer is no different in people who smoke medium tar cigarettes, low tar cigarettes, or very low tar cigarettes, concludes new research from the United States. Researchers analyzed the relation between the tar rating of the brand of cigarette smoked in 1982 and death from lung cancer over six years among 364,239 men and 576,535 women aged 30 years or more. Irrespective of the tar level of their current brand, all current smokers had a far greater risk of lung cancer than people who had never smoked or who had quit. Men and women who smoked very low tar (7 mg or less) and low tar (8-14 mg) brands had risks of lung cancer indistinguishable from those who smoked medium tar (15-21 mg) brands. This pattern did not change after demographic factors, dietary habits, and occupational and medical histories were taken into account. Men and women who smoked non-filtered cigarettes with tar ratings of 22 mg or more had even higher risks of lung cancer.

These findings are consistent with other evidence that people smoke low tar cigarettes more intensively, and challenge the assumption that the link between tar rating and lung cancer risk is necessarily linear, say the authors. They suggest that reducing the use of high tar non-filter cigarettes may provide limited public health benefits in those countries where these products are commonly used. There have been numerous occasions recently of smokers going to the hospital with lung problems from smoking cigarettes. When asked did they smoke the patients responded "Yes I do, but they are low tar cigarettes." The doctor then explained to them that there was no difference in the two cigarettes because the smoker would still get the same effect. There is no difference in the lung cancer both kinds of cigarettes will give you.