Anne Landman's Collection
Ignition Prevention Cigarettes
Abstract
This 1979 memo reveals a link between low-tar cigarettes and increased fire-causing propensity in cigarettes. The author, Helmut Wakeham (Vice President and Director of Research & Development at Philip Morris) reveals that the higher porosity of paper used in "low tar" cigarettes actually increases the ignition propensity of the cigarette, since it results in more of the cigarette burning between puffs, and in the cigarette giving fewer puffs overall. Because of this, cigarette smoking machines (used by the Federal Trade Commission) would get less smoke per cigarette, and thus lower tar and nicotine readings.
Wakeham admits that the company has ignored this relationship, saying
"...it has come to be assumed that an ignition prevention cigarettes in the sofa or mattress situation would be one which would also extinguish in the ash tray...In the interest of consumer acceptability we have striven for cigarettes which would continue to burn in the latter case without regard to the former."
Wakeham states the company's internal stance that "...the rapid burn low delivery is preferred by the consumer even though the ignition potential may be greater." The memo suggests doing internal testing to find out if it would be possible to make a lower ignition propensity cigarette without altering the tar and nicotine numbers.
Shortly after this memo was written, in 1980, a Tobacco Institute spokesperson dismissed the importance of low ignition propensity cigarettes, saying "We might cut down on an insignificant number of people dying in fires," but that [low ignition propensity] cigarettes would have higher outputs of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide. He added that because of this, "We would be increasing the number of people who would contract lung and heart disease." This was a stunning admission at the time of the link between smoking and disease. [http://tobaccodocuments.org/pm/2028659868-9869.html at -9869, The Courier Journal, June 12, 1980]
Fields
- Notes
Thanks to Chuck Tauman of Portland, Oregon and the Tobacco Trial Lawyers Association for pointing out this memo and its significance.
- Quotes
Increasing concern and publicity about fires and fire fatlities which may be caused by careless disposal of lighted cigarettes had led to a review of the ignition prevention (self-extinguishing in furniture, etc.) cigarette. It is known that in an ash tray situation certain cigarettes tightly packed tobacco rods, or with high chloride tobaccos, or with very slow burning rod wrappers would not keep burning. " It has also been assumed that the static burn rate, as measured in the test, would indicate whether or not a cigarette would self-extinguish. To reduce tar and nicotine numbers in the low delivery cigarettes the tendency has always been to move in the direction of more rapid burning and lower puff counts.
As a result of these interrelationships in the "conventional wisdom" about cigarette design it has come to be assumed that an ignition prevention cigarette in the sofa or mattress situation would be one which would also self-extinguish in the ashtray or in the static burn test. In the interest of consumer acceptability we have striven for cigarettes which would continue to burn in the latter case without regard to the former. We have said that, since slower burning cigarettes give higher delivery, the rapid burn low delivery is preferred by the consumer even though ignition potential may be greater. We have never exposred what the requirements are for an ignition prevention cigarette in the sofa case and whether or not these requirements are in conflict with those properties needed to give the consumer a low delivery product which sustains burning in normal usage situation.
- Company
- Philip Morris
- Author
- Wakeham, Helmut R. R., Ph.D. (PM R&D VP)Vice President and Director of Research & Development, Philip Morris
- Recipient
- Seligman, Robert B. (PM VP of R&D c. 1976-82)Vice President of Research and Development at Philip Morris Richmond, VA 1976-1982. Reported to Senior Vice President of Operations. In 1982 transferred to tobacco technology group. Wanted to share ammonia and other tobacco technology with PM International companies.
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