AHF NCI Collection
'The Less Harmful Cigarette'.
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- Chart/Graph
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- Characteristic
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- Author
- F, W.A.<fink, W.>
- Gori, G.B.
- Hoffmann, D.
- Tso, T.C.
- Gori, G.B.
- Recipient
- O, T.S.<osdene, T.S.>
- Named Person
- Bross
- Auerbach
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- Hammond, Paul, Dr. (ATC scientist)
Defense- Russel
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Document Images
r
7Rr" : Cu`~7-F / N E-r,-c_rr 7?T;F-L:
"THE LFSS HARAFUL CIGA.RE'r'TE".
by
D. Ho=fmann
American Heal'th Foundat±ori
T.C. Tso
U.S. Dept: o= AgricultL_e
:
G.B. Gori
National Cancer T_nstitute
. ~
~~ .
?or : resentz;:i on at,,Co^ "e_ ence crn the Pi-ar Prevention
o_ Cznce=
r?ssessme:a of Risk ?zctors
New Yoric, N.Y. c.^d?Ut.Iz2 D_rectioS1s. . .7L'r^ .ee %-$. 1979

,
G
.
FIRST DRAFT SECOND DRAFT THIRD DRAFT FOURTH' DRAFT
May 23, 1979 June 1, 1979 June 5, 1979 June 6, 1919
IF FT DH~RAF~INAL
June 14, 1979
THE LESS HARIMFUL CIGARETTE
INTRODUCTION
The reports on the adverse health effects of cigarette
smoking by the Royal College of Physicians in 1962 (1) and
~
by the U.S. Surgeon General in 1964 (2) led to increased
efforts by private and public agencies to discourage ciga-
rette smoking. Over 30 million people in the USA may have dis-'
continued their smoking habit because of information campaigns,
educational programs and smoking cessation clinics, with the
highest success achieved in college-educated males (3). How-
ever, we can take little comfort in this fact, as 54 million
men, women and teenagers are smoking cigarettes in the USA
today (3) compared to an estimated 64 million in 1963 (2).
Under current cultural, social, economic and political systems,
it is unlikely that people will soon stop smoking. The only
alternative in reducing the risk associ~ated with cigarette smoking
appears to lie in the further improyeTlent of the less harmful cigarette.
The humanidata gathered during the last 10 years support
the development of the less hazardous cigarette. In the USA,
Bross and Gibson (4) and Wynder and associates (5-7) have shown,
in retrospective studies, that the long term filter cigarette
4
smoker has a 10-308 lower risk for cancer of the larynx and lung
than has the smoker of nonfilter cigarettes (Fig. 1& 2). Reports
from the United Kingdom have demonstrated that cohorts of
younger male and female cigarette smokers had asignificantly
- 1 -
~QQ01~~.6J5

lower risk for lung cancer than older cohorts (8). These
facts appear to reflect a greater number of junior smokers who
have stopped smoking and that there are a greater manber of filter
cigarette smokers (8). Recently, tiamrond et al reported in a prospective
study that risks for coronary artery disease and lung cancer
were significantly reduced for smokers of low "tar"-low nicotine
cigarettes, compared to smokers of high "tar"-high nicotine
cigarettes (9). These data reconfirm the increased disease
1
risks for smokers of all types of cigarettes, including low "tar"
cigarettes, over those for nonsmokers, however, they also
demonstrate that the risks for the consumer of low 'tar"-low
nicotine cigarettes are of lesser magnitude than those for
the "heavy " smoker. Additional data indicate that smokers
of low "tar"-low nicotine cigarettes are more likely to
eventually give up smoking than are smokers of other types
of cigarettes (10). Auerbach et aZ have recently observed '
that progressive neoplastic changes in the bronchial epithelium
of smokers, who had died within the years of 1970:to 1977 and
who had:primarily smoked filter cigarettes, were less
common than those in smokers of plain cigarettes who had
died during the 1950's (25).
- 2 -

In cancer of the oral cavity and esophagus, risk
reductions have so far not been observed for long term
smokers of filter cigarettes. This is likely so because
these types of cancers are also related to other kinds of
tobacco usage, as well as to alcohol consumption (6,12).
Since cigarette smoking is of lesser influence for cancer
of the pancreas, kidney and bladder, and since other
factors play a significant role in the etiology of these
cancers, the diminished smoke exposure of smokers of
filter cigarettes may not be detectable (12,34,35). Furthermore;
little is known about the reduction of organ specific
carcinogens in the smoke of filter cigarettes (12,36,37).
r
- 3 -

THE STATUS OF THE LESS HARMFUL CIGARETTE IN 1978/79 '"
Epidemiological studies have documented a dose response
between number of cigarettes smoked and risk to develop
cancer of the lung, oral cavity, larynx, esophagus,
pancreas, bladder and kidney (2,7,11-13).
Bioassays have also demonstrated dose responses between
amount of "tar" applied to the skin in mice and development of
tumors (14,15). The daily exposure to various quantities
of cigarette smoke was also shown to be dose-related in respect to
the development of tumors in the larynx of Syrian golden
hamsters (15,16). Thus, the first approach toward the
less hazardous cigarette was the reduction of "tar". In
the USA we witnessed sales weighted average "tar" reductions
from about 39 mg per cigarette in 1957 to 16 mg in 1977;
nicotine reduction ranged from about 2.55 mg to 1.1 mg (7,Fig.3).
For the average German cigarette in 1960 and 1975, these
values were 25 mg and 15 mg for "tar" and 1.45 mg and
0.65 mg for nicotine, respectively (Fig.4). Similar trends in the
reduction of "tar" and nicotine were reported for Switzer-
land and the UK (17,18). Concurrent reductions also
occurred for other smoke constituents, such as benzo(a)pyrene (17,Fig. :
Several
developments have led to these Feducti©ns.
One was the increasing consumer acceptance of filter cigarettes
(1956 USA 19%, Germany 19%; 1977 90% and 89%, respectively). The
other major change occurred in the composition of the cigarette
filler. The major modifications and their effects on smoke
-4 -

composition and on tumorigenicity of the smoke in the
e:<perimental setting are listed in Table 1 (19-22).
Furthermore, we have indications that the tumorigenicity
of the "tar" measured on mouse skin, has even been
selectively reduced (22;Fig.5).
The most marked changes in the make up of the commercial
blended cigarette of many Western countries were brought
about by breeding and use of new tobacco cultivars, by
increased selection of low "tar" tobaccos, by the use of
tobacco stems, reconstituted tobacco sheets, and expanded
tobacco lamina and stems, as well as by the utilization of
tobacco leaves with better combustibility.
The reduction of "tar" and nicotine during the last two
decades has been paralleled by a significant reduction in
CO concentration in the smoke of commercial cigarettes (17).
However, studies from Germany, the UK and the USA have
non-perforated
demonstrated that conventional/filter cigarettes can deliver
snoke witlz sanewhat higher CO concentration than that of plain cigarettes
(8,17,23), !wen'thaugh-cigarettes with perforatad.-£ilter tips,
deliver significantly less CO than other
types of cigarettes (Table 2).
The perforated filter cigarettes,
which work basically on an air dilution principle, appeared on the ~
market only in recent years. It is expected that in 1979 Q
close to 25% of all cigarettes sold'on the US market ~'
will have perforated filter tips. Russel has shown on rJ
~
CA
_ 5 _ cc

smokers that the beneficial effects of these low CO, "tar",
and nicotine cigarettes is only partially negated by more
intensive smoking (24). Until recently, behavior scientists
have assumed that the lowest acceptable nicotine level
would be around 1.0 mg per cigarette (26). However, due to
modifications, including enrichment of smoke flavor, consumers
today accept products with 0.8 mg nicotine and less.
The use of tobacco blends that are high in flavor components
and/or the addition of extracts of flavor_rich tobaccos to certain
blends, require thorough evaluation of the biological activities
of smoke from such products. Continued assays on toxicity
and tumorilgenicity must assure that the reduction of toxic
and tumorigenic effects in the smoke of the low "tar"-
low nicotine cigarette is not offset by the introduction of
unknown factors
It has been calculated from data published in large scale
prospective studies (11) that a smoker of approximately 2
cigarettes per day of the "average" type of cigarette marketed before 1960 apparentl:
faced no detectable risk of increased mortality when compared to
the nonsmoker (20). Table 3 lists the delivery of smoke components
of the "average" types of cigarette manufactured prior to 1960
the current "average" brands, as well as smoke delivery of a
vs.
1978/79 low "tar" cigarette. These differences could be inter-
preted to represent a true reduction in risk, if recent changes
in smoke flavor components have no bearing on the biological
activities of cigarette smoke.
- 6 -

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
New concepts towards further improvements with respect
to a less harmful smoking product continue to be tested in
laboratory studies (Table 4). Although we realize that
there will never be a totally "safe" cigarette, it is
anticipated that future developments will further reduce
the risks associated with smoking and that such developments
will lead to products acceptable to the majority of those
who choose to continue to smoke.

REFERENCES
I. The Royal College of Physicians, Lond'on, "Smoking
and Health" Pitman Publ. Co., London, 1962, 70 pp.
2. U.S. Public Health Service, "Smoking and Health",
Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General
of the U.S. Public Health Service. PHS Publ. No. 1103,
1964, 387 pp.
3. National Commission on Smoking and Public Policy. "A
National Dilemma; Cigarette Smoking or the Health of Ameri-
cans." American Cancer Society, New York, 1978, 151 pp.
4. Bross, I.D.J. and Gibson, R., Risks of Lung Cancer in
Smokers Who Switch to Filter Cigarettes. Am. J. Public
Health 58: 1396-1403, 1968.
5. Wynder, E.L. Mabuchi, K. and Beattie, E.J., The Epidemiology
of Lung Cancer. Recent Trends. J. Am. Med. Assoc. 213:
2221-2228, 1970.
6. Wynder, E.L. and Stellman, S.D., Comparative Epidemiology
of Tobacco Related Cancers. Cancer Res. 37: 4608-4622, 1977.
7. Wynder, E.L. and Stellman, S.D., The Impact of Long TernL
Filter Cigarette Usage on Lung and Larynx Cancer Risk:
A Case Control Study. J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 62: 471-477, 1979.
8. Wald, N.J., Mortality from Lung Cancer and Coronary Heart
Disease in Relation to Changes in Smoking Habit.
Lancet 1:
136-138, 1976.

9. Hammond, E.C., Garfinkel, L., and Seidman, H'..
0. Some recent Findings Concerning Cigarette Smoking.
In "Origins of Human Cancer." H.H. Hiatt, J.D. Watson and
J.A. Winsten (eds), Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory,
Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. 1977, Book A, pp101-112'.
U.S. Public Health Service: "Modification of Smoking
11. Behavior in "Smoking and Health". U.S. Public Health
Service, Chapter 19, 1979.
Haenszel,W., Editor, "Epidemiological Approaches to the Study
of Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases" Natl. Cancer Inst.
Monogr. 19, 1966, 465 p.
12. U.S. Public Health Service: "Smoking and Health" A Report to
~ the Surgeon General. Chapter 5"Cancer"' U.S.Govt. Printing Office
1979: 284-109/6619.
13. Doll, R. and Peto, R., Cigarette Smoking and Bronchial Carcino-
14. ma; Dose and Time Relationship Among Regular Smokers and
Lifelong Nonsmokers. J. Epidemiol.Comm.Health 22: 303-313,1978.
Bock, F.G., Dose Response: Experimental Carcinogenesis.
15. Natl.Cancer Inst. Monogr. 28: 57-63, 1968.
Dontenwill, W.P., Tumorigenic Effect of Chronic Cigarette
Smoke Inhalation on Syrian
Golden Hamsters. In "Experimental
Lung Cancer." E. Karbe and J.F. Park, eds.
New York, 1974, 331-359.
Springer Verlag,

16. Bernfeld, P., Homburger, F. and Russfieldy A.B.,
Strain Differences in the Response of Inbred Syrian
Hamsters to Cigarette Smoke Inhalation. J. Natl.
Cancer Inst. 53: 1141-1151, 1974.
17. Weber, K.H., Recent Changes in Tobacco Products and
Their Acceptance by the Consumer. Proc. 6. Internatl.
Tobacco Sci. Congress. Nov., 1976, Tokyo, Japan 47-63.
18. Russel, M.A.H., Smoking Problems: An Overview.
Natl. Inst. Drug Abuse Monogr. 17: 13-33, 1977.
19. Wynder, E.L., Hoffmann, D. and Gori, G.B., Smoking and
Health I. Modifying the Risk for the Smoker. Proc.
3 World Conf. Smoking and Health. DHEW Publ. No(NIH)
76-1221,1976, 564 pp.
20. Gori, G.B., Low Risk Cigarettes: A Prescription.
Science 194: 1243-1246, 1976.
21. Gori, G.B. Toward Less Hazardous Cigarette, Report No. 1,
DHEW Publ. No{NIH)76-905; Report No. 2 DHEW Publ. No(NIH76-1111;
Report No. 3 DHEW Publ. No(NIH)77-1280, Report No. 4- in print.
22. Wynder, E.L. and Hoffmann, D., Tobacco and Health : P, Societal
Challenge, New Engl. J. Med. 300: 854-903, 1979.
23. Hoffmann, D., Hecht, S.S., Schmeltz, I., and LaVoie, E., and
Wynder, E.L., Recent Studies in Tobacco Carcinogenesis:
Chemistry, Bioassay and Bioassay Monitoring. In print.

24. Sutton, S.R., Feyerabend, C., Cole, P.V. and
Russel, M.A.H., Adjustment of Smokers to Dilution of
Tobacco Smoke by Ventilated Cigarette Holders.
Clin. Pharm. Therap. 24: 395-405, 1978.
25. Auerbach, 0., Hammond, E.C. and Garfinkel, L.,
Changes of BronchialEpithelium in Relation to Cigarette
Smoking 1955-1960 va. 1970-77. New Engl. J. Med.
300: 381-386, 1979.
26. Garrik, M.E., Cullen, J.W., Gritz, E.R., Vogt, T.M. and
West,'L.J., "Research on Smoking Behavior."
Natl. Inst. Drug Abuse Res. Monogr. 17, 1977, 3'83 p.
27. Tso, T.C., Lowe, R. and DeJong, D.W., Homogenized
Leaf Curing. I. Theoretical Basis and Some Preliminary
Results. Beitr. Tabakforsch. 8: 44-51, 1975.
28. DeJong, D.W., Lam, J., Lowe, R., Yoder, E. and Tso, T.C.,
Homogenized Leaf Curing. II. Bright Tobacco. Beitr.
Tabakforsch 8: 93-101, 1975.
29. Moser, G.P., "A Process for Removing Nicotine From Tobacco"
U.S. Pat. 3 151 118, Sept. 29, 1964.
30. Jones, S.O., Ashburn, J.G., Stewart, G.M. and Moser, G.P.
"Denicotinizing Process" U.S. Pat. 3 612 066, Oct. 12, 1971.
331. Zilkey, B.F. and Walker, E.K., Whole Plant Flue-cured
Tobacco and Tobacco Sheet Smoke and Smoke
Condensate
Characteristics. In "Smoking and Health" Vol. 1, "Modifying
the Risk for the Smoker", E.L. Wynder, D. Hoffmann, and
G.B. Gori, eds. DHEW Pubi. No(NIH)76-1221: 57-65, 1976.

32. Tso, T.C. and Gori, G.B., A Novel Approach in Tobacco
Production as Food Source and Smoke Material - Year 1976
and Year 2000. Proc. 6. Intern. Tobacco Sci. Congress.
33. Nov., 1976, Tokyo, Japan 81-86.
Tso, T.C., Tobacco as Potential Food Source and Smoke
Material. Beitr. Tabakforsch. 9: 63-66, 1977.
34. Wynder, E.L., and Goldsmith, R. The Epidemiology of Bladder
Cancer. A Second Look. Cancer 40~: 1246-1268, 1977.
35. Wynder, E.L., Mabuchi, K., Maruchi, N. and Fortner, J.G.
Epidemiology of Cancer of the Pancreas. J. Natl. Cancer
Inst. 50: 645-667, 1973.
36. Hoffmann, D., Schmeltz, I., Hecht, S.S. and Wynder, E.L.
Tobacco Carcinogenesis. In: "Polycyclic Hydrocarbons and ~
4
Cancer", H.V. Gelboin and P.O. T"so, eds., Academic Press,
d
Vol. 1, 85-117, 1978. 0
37 Hecht
Chen
C
and Hoffmann
D
S
S
B
Tobacco-S
cifi
. .
,
.
,
.
.,
,
.,
pe
c
r~
~
,. Nitrosamines: Occurrence, Formation, Carcinogenicity, and ~
~
Metabolism. Accounts Chem. Res. 12: 92-98, 1979.
~
38. Hoffmann, D. and Wynder, E.L. Die quantitative Bestimmung von
Phenolen im Tabakrauch. Beitr. Tabakforsch. 1: 101-106, 1961.
39. Wynder, E.L. and Hoffmann, D. Some Practical Aspects of the
Smoking and Cancer Problem. New Engl. J. Med. 262: 540-543, 1960.
,
40. Hoffmann, D., Adams, J.D. and Wynder, E.L. UnpubZished data.

TABLE 1
RANGE OF CARBON MONOXIDE IN SMOKE OF CIGARETTESI
COUNTRY CIGARETTES4
Nonfilter Regular Filter Perforated Filter
mg/cig mg/cig mg/cig
USA2 (23) 11.6-17.0 [8] 14.4-20.0 ['23] 2.8-12.8 [9l
UK3 (8) 9-16 [9l 13-18 [1'0l --
Germany (17) .16-21 (7] 15.5-22.5 [17] --
1975
1 Brackets - numbers of commercial cigarettes tested.
Parenthesis - reference number.
2 Covers more than 90% of the US market in 1977/78: average values (mg);
nonfilter 14.9; regular filter 17.08; perforated filter 8.93.
3Average values (mg): nonfilter 12.5; filter 16.1.

TABLE 2
THE LESS HARMFUL CIGARETTE 1979-1980
REDUCTIONS OF BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF CIGARETTE SMOKEI
SELECTIVE REDUCTION OF
AETyODS SMOKE CONSTITUENTS BIOLOGICAL ACTIVIiPY2
"Tar" Nicotine BaP Carcinogenicity Tumor Promotion.
REMARKS
I. Agricultural
Aspects
robacco Type
3
(Bright - Burley) + + + + +
Yew'Cultivars + + + ?
Fertilization + + + + 7
(nitrate)
II. Tobacco Processing
-ut + + + +? ?
Jse of Stems + + + ++ ++
2econstituted
robacco Sheets (RTS)4 +
+
+
++
+
Some RTS gi
hi
h CO
2TS-Paper Process ++ + + ++ g
+
=-xpanded Tobacco + ++ + +7 +
Expanded Stems + ++ + ++ ?
III.Cigarette Production
Paper Porosity + + + + ?
=ellulose
Filters Acetate
+
+
+
+
+
:harcoal Filters5 + + + + T
Perforated Filters ++ ++ ++ + ?
LNethodology known to be applied to comnercial U.S. cigarettes.
Reductions: ++ >50%; + significant; + insignificant; +7 questionable; ? unknown.
r
Comparison of gram to gram "tar" on mouse skin tests andror hamster smoke inhalations.
Replacing Bright with Burley Tobaccos.
}Data given for RTS related to those not made by the paper process.
'Reductions of "tar", nicotine and BaP (and other nonvolatiles) and volatile
N-nitrosamines are, in general, greater with cellulose acetate filters than with
charcoal, filters.

TABLE 3
CHANGES IN SMOKE COMPOSITION OF
U.S. CIGARETTES
SMOKE AVERAGE DELIVERY PER CIGARETTE
CONSTITUENT BEFORE 19601 1978/794 1978f794
(LOW'nTAR" CIGARET"
TPi+t 43 16
NICOTINE (MG) 3.0 1.1 0.6
CO (MG) 23 17 8.9
N0x ( uG) ' 270' 280 100
HCN (uG) 410 200 130
ACROLEIN (uG) 130 80 50
PHENOL (uG) 1002 60 20
BENZO(A)PYRENE (NG) 353 18 10
I
1Gori, 1976 (20); 2Hoffmann and Wynder, 1960 (38);
3Wynder and Hoffmann (39); 4Hoffmann et aZ, 1979 (40).
.

1
TABLE 4
RECENT MODIFICATIONS TOWARD THE LESS HARMFUL CIGARETTE
METHOD RESULT OF MODIFICATION REFERENCE
Homogenized Leaf Curing Less Toxic Smoke 27,28
Denicotinizing of Tobacco Reduction of Smoke Alkaloids and other
Pyridyl Derivatives 29,30
Close Planting of Tobacco Smoke Reduced in Toxicity and
Tumorigenicity 31
Removal of_ Protein NOxF
Reduction in Smoke of/HCN, N-Nitrosamines,
Amines, Quinolines and Other Tumorigenic
Agents 32,33
049~ 40LY0 i0 0 00

Figure 1. Age-adjusted relative risk of lung and larynx
cancer for LTFS and N~FS by quantity smoked.
Fraction=No.cases/No. controls, LTFS= long term
filter cigarette smoker(s), NFS= nonfilter ciga-
rette smoker(s), F= filter cigarettes, NF=nonfil-
ter cigarettes. AY Lung cancer, males: No. cases=
143 LTFS, 150 NFS; B) Larynx cancer, mal~es: No.
cases=66 LTFS, 86 NFS, C) Lung cancer, females:
No. cases=50 LTFS, 13' NFS, D) Larynx cancer, fe-
males: No. cases=20 LTFS, 17 NFS.
Wynder and Stellman(7).
LDAY.. GINCDI (bIET.[SG mE L)..MALCs
MQ.OI. GGaRETTES SuOaED KR.OAT
LPC ~CDl.(10.CRIICTT(L I). tD1X:LS
b OI ClG+RElTE3SwOrtCO ([R DAT
IUR.w. C.hC(R, w."f
MD.: o.. Gfi.tnr(S SRDnED KR, Wt
LaR.Mt CuCU1.. F(.ALES

Figure 2. Sales weighted average tar delivery of U.S.
filter and nonfilter cigarettes, 1957-78..:
FTC=Federal Trade Commission. Wynder and
Stellman (7).
SALES WEIGHTED AVERAGE TAR DELIVERIES ( FRONI' 1959 TO PRESENTI
35
30
®
s
E 20
Q
~
u
.-
~ 1
10
©
59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71' . 72 7374 75 76 77 78
-V ,

Figure 3. Germany - Sales weighted average deliveries
of total condensate and nicotine per
cigarette - 1961-1975. Weber 1976 (17)
1960 1965 1970, 1975
© Moist condensate
* Dry condensate
0 Nicotine

.
Figure 4. USA - Decreasing concentration of benzo(a)pyrene
in the condensate of a leading non-filter
cigarette.
t
//V
1955 1960 1965 1970 1975
Years of purchase
m
ki
46

,C
Figure 5. Decline of tumorigenicity on mouse skin due
to smoke condensate,as teste&during the
period~1954-19G5,compared with responses to
a 0.005% benzo(a)pyrene solution (numbers
in parenthesis are number of mice per group).
a 100
T T ~
i.
~
140) Q T
120) Q
1201
{1
~ 8J
i 190) Q i
~ ~
d
t20l
p JL 1 i
E 60
o.
c
b2461
~
A 40
d
a
t
E
0 '
1200) a
1200)
0
246) j
1501
1
~
r..
``
0
I -
1
I
I
J
1954/55 1957/58 1959161 1962/63 1964165
99% confidence I'imit_
Condensate BP
on
