Smoking cigarettes labelled as lower in those harmful chemicals may not be adequately tested, and therefore may not reduce the amount of tar and nicotine that gets into your lungs. To arrive at their conclusion, Jarvis and his colleagues analyzed the concentration of a compound called cotinine in the saliva of 2,031 adult smokers of manufactured cigarette brands. Cotinine is formed when the body breaks down nicotine, and it's considered a valid measure of nicotine intake. Through this method, the researchers found that the nicotine intake per cigarette was far higher than measured by smoking machines. The British figures on nicotine intake don't surprise other researchers.
Most people defeat the system by covering up the holes.
By plugging the holes with their fingers or their lips, smokers can get full-strength smoke rather than the reduced amount the filter ventilation would provide by diluting the smoke with air. N.C. His colleague, Edward Levin, PhD, a Duke toxicologist and associate professor of psychology and behavioral science, says smokers are aware of how much nicotine they're getting when they puff, and it's easy to change the intake amount. It's not just a habit or an addiction. It's both a habit and an addiction. He says that nicotine ratings obtained by use of smoking machines should be considered suspect.