From a contrary perspective though, it was the original US & UK Surgeon General’s reports that indicated a causal link to lung cancer -and possibly other smoking related diseases. In those reports the epidemiological evidence was that the more cigarettes smoked the higher the risk.

Fair enough.

But doesn’t it then logically imply that the less you smoke the lower the risk?

One of the problems with the accuracy of the tar content however was that individual smokers do not smoke like the smoking machines that measure the tar and nicotine in each stick. Placing your fingers around a specific area of the filter will effectively block much of the air holes and allow a higher amount of tar content to enter the lungs. Also, some of the flavoring additives were lessened in low tar brands which would reduce the tar that resulted from burning the additives.

For years, everyone seemed to be OK with this system. People felt that they were getting a “better”, “safer” smoke, the scientific numbers were there for all to examine and seemed irrefutable, the tobacco companies were doing what was demanded. Fast forward to today and we know more than the past. More research will undoubtedly help pave the way to better products.

Unfortunately, some public health agencies and advocates, many cigarette company researchers and executives, and the overwhelming majority of smokers and nonsmokers inaccurately believe that so-called low tar, light and ultra-light (and filtered) cigarettes are less hazardous than other cigarettes.