Tobacco Documents Online

0 1% ,R. J: Reynolds Tobacco Company ~3ij ~1~.~' Reynolds Building A subsidiary of 4th & Main Street RJR Nabisco, Inc. Winston-Salem, N.C. 27102 Contact: David B. Fishel RJRT 87-189 RJR Tobacco Public Relations (212) 872-9143 Sept. 14 (212) 872-9144 Sept. 14 (919) 777-7654 Sept. 15 09/14/87 R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO CO. DEVELOPING NEW CIGARETTE NEW YORK -- RJR Nabisco, Inc. today announced that its subsidiary, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., is developing a new cigarette that uses, but does not burn, tobacco. The company said it was too soon to say whether or when the product would be introduced nationally or what its impact on the company or its market share potential might be. The cigarette is based on new technology that heats rather than burns tobacco to provide smokers with tobacco taste and satisfaction. It looks, lights and smokes like other cigarettes, but produces no ash and virtually no sidestream ~ smoke after the first few puffs. The smoke exhaled by the ~ O smoker dissipates rapidly. In addition, the cigarette, when ~ CD lying flat, is unlikely to ignite most materials. -more- , ~,,,,,srirta~t~rrnft~~~r3»a~~~r;s~fll~ri~3aftat~tit3t3~tr3~31i1fatf~13i7t1f#fta31~i~3~

-2- I "Since the tobacco does not burn, a majority of the compounds produced by burning tobacco are eliminated or greatly reduced, including most compounds that are often associated with the smoking and health controversy," said Edward A. Horrigan Jr., vice chairman of RJR Nabisco and chairman and chief executive officer of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. "Simply put, we think this will be the world's cleanest cigarette," he said. Horrigan said that since the cigarette produces virtually no sidestream smoke after the first few puffs, no ash and no tobacco smoke odor, "we believe it will be well-received by those people who object to tobacco smoke. "And since this cigarette eliminates or greatly reduces most of the compounds often associated with the smoking and health controversy, we feel this product addresses the desires and perceptions of many of today's smokers." "This product represents a major evolution in cigarette design made possible by technological breakthroughs," Horrigan said. The cigarette is lit like any other cigarette. A highly refined carbon heat source in the tip of the cigarette generates warm air that passes through tobacco, tobacco extract, flavorings and glycerin to form smoke that looks and tastes like smoke produced by other cigarettes. The cigarette produces carbon monoxide and nicotine at the level of fuller-flavor, low "tar" brands. -more-

4P -3- After the first few puffs, the cigarette produces virtually no sidestream smoke (smoke that comes off the lit end of the cigarette). Unlike other cigarettes, the cigarette does not burn down. It remains lit for about as long as a king size (85mm) cigarette and extinguishes itself without having to be crushed out like other cigarettes. The smoker disposes of the entire cigarette. Because of"its design, the cigarette does not produce tobacco smoke odor or any ash that needs to be flicked into an ashtray. It does, however, provide taste, flavor and overall smoking sensation similar to fuller-flavor, low "tar" brands such as Winston Lights. The new cigarette will be taxed and labeled under the same rules that apply to other cigarettes, and will not be advertised on broadcast media. Horrigan said that through the years, cigarettes evolved from the original non-filtered product to filtered cigarettes to reduced "tar" cigarettes as Reynolds Tobacco responded to consumer wants for various product characteristics. "These past product advances were achieved through many modifications in tobacco blending, filtration and flavorings," said Horrigan. "However, we believe further major advances of this nature are limited. "So it became obvious that we had to develop a new cigarette that went beyond 'tar' reduction to address the perceptions regarding cigarettes." -more-

• .. . . ..... ....~,~,,,,,,u.~„~ -4- Work on the new cigarette began in the early 1980s at Reynolds Tobacco's research facilities in Winston-Salem, N.C. Horrigan said that development and testing of the new cigarette have not been completed and that it is still too early to assess what the cigarette's impact on the market might be. He said the company has committed and will continue to commit substantial personnel and financial resources to the project. "We believe this new cigarette, when development is complete, will prove a major alternative that expands the options currently available to smokers," said Horrigan. The company has filed a series of patent applications on the new cigarette. The development of the new cigarette continues Reynolds Tobacco's tradition of innovation in the cigarette industry and in particular its leadership in research and development. In 1913, the company introduced Camel, the first nationally successful cigarette. Reynolds Tobacco also pioneered the development of filtered cigarettes, with Winston in 1954, and Salem, the first filter-tipped menthol cigarette, introduced in 1956. More recently, the company has become a leader in the development and marketing of low and ultra-low "tar" brands such as Vantage and NOW. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., with headquarters in Winston-Salem, N.C., manufactures one out of every three cigarettes sold in the U.S. and markets cigarettes in 160 countries. The company's major brands are Winston, Salem, Camel, Vantage, Century, Doral, More, NOW and Ritz. ###