American Cigarettes More Carcinogenic

A recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has proven that tobacco in United States cigarettes is more carcinogenic than tobacco found in cigarettes from other countries.

American cigarettes use a different curing process than other countries use; this process, along with the type of tobacco blended in the United States, accounts for higher levels of nitrosamines, the researchers said.  Canadian, British and Australian brands use a lighter colored tobacco and a different curing process (LA Times).

The researchers enlisted the help of 126 smokers, all of whom smoked the most popular brands in their countries.  They then gathered the cigarette butts left by the smokers and focused on one particular carcinogen.   They also collected urine samples from the participants to check levels of the metabolized carcinogen expelled through the smokers’ urine.

They discovered that the butts of US cigarettes had higher levels of the carcinogen; the urine of US smokers reflected the higher carcinogenic level found in the butts. 

Study researchers said the carcinogenic level of American cigarettes could be reduced with a modified curing process.  The specifics of the study are being published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention.

In other related news, bolder, more prominent warnings will be printed on smokeless tobacco products beginning June 22.  Next year, they will display more prominently in smokeless tobacco ads. The new rules mandate that the warnings take up 20% of ad space.

These new rules regarding smokeless tobacco products are the result of H.R. 1256: The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which was enacted last year (New York Times).