Tobacco companies have responded to pressure from the medical community by introducing cigarettes manipulated to contain fewer toxic compounds. A new Institute of Medicine report calls for extensive research on these products to determine if they actually reduce the total burden of tobacco-related disease.
Tracking the health effects of these cigarettes presents numerous challenges, says Clearing the Smoke, including testing them in the exact way they are smoked. Previous research suggests that smokers who switched to low-tar or low-nicotine cigarettes inhaled more deeply and smoked more cigarettes, negating the possible benefits of a reduction in toxic substances.
The report (online at http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10029.html) also warns that even if a product can be shown to reduce the risk of disease for individuals, it may still lead to overall negative health consequences by encouraging continued smoking based on claims that it is less damaging than regular cigarettes.
