Light Cigarettes Are More Harmful Than Traditional Cigarettes

How Much More Harmful Are Light Cigarettes Than the Traditional Varieties?

A new report from researchers at University of California, Riverside, has revealed that light brand cigarettes are more toxic than traditional cigarettes. This will come as a shock to smokers who prefer to smoke light cigarettes, considering them to be far less harmful than the more traditional, full flavored brands.

The researchers at UC Riverside, lead by Prue Talbot, have discovered that light brand cigarettes do retain toxins of more traditional types of cigarettes, and also that the toxicity of the light brands can adversely effect prenatal fetal development.

Talbot has also said that many of the chemicals found in light cigarette smoke have not been tested, and many of these chemicals are listed by the tobacco companies as safe. Her tests on mice have gone to show a link between the harmful toxins from these chemicals and adverse effects to reproduction and prenatal development. They suggest that this is likely to have the same effect in humans.

Researchers studied the effects based on two kinds of cigarette smoke: directly inhaled smoke and smoke produced by burning cigarettes, producing a “second hand smoke” effect. They also studied the effects of both smoke types with light and traditional cigarettes.

Findings showed that inhaled smoke and “side-stream” from both types of cigarettes are toxic in pre-implemented embryos, causing a slower growth and often killing cells. However, what was really surprising to the team was the both smoke effects produced by the light brand cigarettes were more potent than the smoke from more traditional cigarettes.

What is also clear is that non-smoking women of reproductive age must stay clear of second hand smoke, especially if it is produced by the lighter variety of cigarettes. The main reason for this being that “side-stream smoke” is produced at a far lower temperature than inhaled smoke, and thus contains more toxicity.