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The Truth About “Light” Cigarettes: Questions and Answers 

Many smokers choose “low-tar,” “mild,” “light,” or “ultra-light” cigarettes because they think 

that these cigarettes may be less harmful to their health than “regular” or “full-flavor” cigarettes. 

Although smoke from light cigarettes may feel smoother and lighter on the throat and chest, light 

cigarettes are not healthier than regular cigarettes. The truth is that light cigarettes do not reduce 

the health risks of smoking. The only way to reduce a smoker’s risk, and the risk to others, is to 

stop smoking completely. 

1. What about the lower tar and nicotine numbers on light and ultra-light cigarette 

packs and in ads for these products? 

• These numbers come from smoking machines, which “smoke” every brand of 

cigarettes exactly the same way. 

• These numbers do not really tell how much tar and nicotine a particular smoker may 

get because people do not smoke cigarettes the same way the machines do. And no 

 two people smoke the same way. 

Key Points 

• The lower tar and nicotine numbers on light cigarette packs and in ads are 

misleading (see Question 1). 

• Light cigarettes trick the smoking machines so that they record artificially low tar 

and nicotine levels (see Question 2). 

• Light cigarettes provide no benefit to smokers’ health (see Question 3). 

• Resources are available for people who want to quit smoking (see Question 6). 
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2. How do light cigarettes trick the smoking machines? 

 

• Tobacco companies designed light cigarettes with tiny pinholes on the filters. These 

“filter vents” dilute cigarette smoke with air when light cigarettes are “puffed” on by

smoking machines, causing the machines to measure artificially low tar and nicotine 

levels. 

• Many smokers do not know that their cigarette filters have vent holes. The filter 

vents are uncovered when cigarettes are smoked on smoking machines. However, 

filter vents are placed just millimeters from where smokers put their lips or fingers 

when smoking. As a result, many smokers block the vents—which actually turns the 

light cigarette into a regular cigarette. 

• Some cigarette makers increased the length of the paper wrap covering the outside of 

the cigarette filter, which decreases the number of puffs that occur during the machine 

test. Although tobacco under the wrap is still available to the smoker, this tobacco is 

not burned during the machine test. The result is that the machine measures less tar 

and nicotine levels than is available to the smoker. 

• Because smokers, unlike machines, crave nicotine, they may inhale more deeply; take 

larger, more rapid, or more frequent puffs; or smoke a few extra cigarettes each day 

to get enough nicotine to satisfy their craving. This is called “compensating,” and it 

means that smokers end up inhaling more tar, nicotine, and other harmful chemicals 

than the machine-based numbers suggest.

3. What is the scientific evidence about the health effects of light cigarettes? 

• The Federal Government’s National Cancer Institute (NCI) has concluded that light 

cigarettes provide no benefit to smokers’ health. 

• According to the NCI monograph Risks Associated with Smoking Cigarettes with Low 

Machine-Measured Yields of Tar and Nicotine, people who switch to light cigarettes 

from regular cigarettes are likely to inhale the same amount of hazardous chemicals, 

and they remain at high risk for developing smoking-related cancers and other 

diseases. 

• Researchers also found that the strategies used by the tobacco industry to advertise 

and promote light cigarettes are intended to reassure smokers, to discourage them 

from quitting, and to lead consumers to perceive filtered and light cigarettes as safer 

alternatives to regular cigarettes. 

• There is also no evidence that switching to light or ultra-light cigarettes actually helps 

smokers quit. 

 
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4. Have the tobacco companies conducted research on the amount of tar and nicotine 

people actually inhale while smoking light cigarettes? 

• The tobacco industry’s own documents show that companies are aware that smokers 

of light cigarettes compensate by taking bigger puffs. 

• Industry documents also show that the companies are aware of the difference between 

machine-measured yields of tar and nicotine and what the smoker actually inhales. 

5. What is the bottom line for smokers who want to protect their health? 

• There is no such thing as a safe cigarette. The only proven way to reduce the risk of 

smoking-related disease is to quit smoking completely. 

• Smokers who quit live longer than those who continue to smoke. In addition, the 

earlier smokers quit, the greater the health benefit. Research has shown that people 

who quit before age 30 eliminate almost all of their risk of developing a tobaccorelated disease. Even smokers who quit at age 50 reduce their risk of dying from a 

tobacco-related disease. 

• Quitting also decreases the risk of lung cancer, heart attacks, stroke, and chronic lung 

disease. 

6. What resources are available on smoking cessation? 

 For more information about smoking and advice on quitting, contact: 

Organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

Telephone: 1–800–CDC–1311 (1–800–232–1311) 

Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco 

Organization: National Cancer Institute 

Telephone: Smoking Quitline 1–877–44U–QUIT (1–877–448–7848) 

Web site: http://www.smokefree.gov 

 

This fact sheet is a joint effort of the Office on Smoking and Health at the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute. 
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References: 

Doll R, Peto R, Boreham J, et al. Mortality in relation to smoking: 50 years’ observations on 

male British doctors. BMJ 2004; 328 (74550): 1519. 

National Cancer Institute. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph 13: Risks Associated with 

Smoking Cigarettes with Low Machine-Measured Yields of Tar and Nicotine. Bethesda, MD: 

NCI, 2001. 

# # # 

Related Resources

Publications (available at http://www.cancer.gov/publications) 

• National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 10.14, Cigarette Smoking and Cancer: 

Questions and Answers

• National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 10.16, Questions and Answers About Cigar 

Smoking and Cancer

• National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 10.18, Secondhand Smoke: Questions and 

Answers

• National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 10.19, Questions and Answers About Smoking 

Cessation

National Cancer Institute (NCI) Resources

Cancer Information Service (toll-free)

 Telephone: 1–800–4–CANCER (1–800–422–6237) 

 TTY: 1–800–332–8615 

Online 

NCI’s Web site: http://www.cancer.gov 

LiveHelp, NCI’s live online assistance: 

https://cissecure.nci.nih.gov/livehelp/welcome.asp

 

This fact sheet was reviewed on 8/17/04