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Low-Tar Cigarettes
Not Any Better
Everyone
knows of the health hazard that smoking causes. However, some believe that
smoking low-tar cigarettes may not be as bad. A recent study reported by
the London Associated Press on January 9, 2004, disputed this notion.
According to the first study comparing lung cancer deaths among smokers of
ultra-light, mild and medium filtered cigarettes, low-tar cigarettes do
not carry a lower risk of lung cancer.
The study published in
the January 10, 2004 British Medical Journal was conducted by scientists
at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the American Cancer Society.
Researchers examined the link between the tar rating of the cigarette
smoked in 1982 and deaths from lung cancer in the subsequent six years
among 940,774 Americans over the age of 30 who were smokers, former
smokers or had never smoked.
The results of the study
found no difference in the lung cancer death rate among those who smoked
the medium filtered cigarettes and those who used mild or ultra light
varieties. Researcher Michael Thun, epidemiology chief at the American
Cancer Society, states, "There was not a shred of evidence of reduced
risk. The ultra light haven't been used as long as the light and it is
possible that some difference in risk might emerge with longer term use of
the ultra light, but this is very, very solid for the low tar."
Tim Lord, chief
executive of the London-based Tobacco Manufacturers Association, said.
"This was not a dastardly plot by the tobacco industry to launch products
on health claims," Lord said. "We never claimed it to be safer and we did
it at the request of the government. We were even asked to spend more of
our advertising and promotional pounds to promote the lighter products
than the stronger products."
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