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nicotine yields'". The ventilation holes are sometimes laser 

 generated and can be hard for the smoker to see. Not all smokers 

 are aware of the existence of these holes or that the smoker may 

 be blocking them. (Chart N) 



Two other factors that are under manufacturers' control can 

 also confound the usefulness of the FTC ratings. The FTC method 

 smokes a cigarette down to within 3 millimeters of the tipping 

 paper overwrap. According to one study, "between 1967 and 1978, 

 18 brands of filter cigarettes underwent increases in overwrap 

 width that reduced the amount of tobacco smoked in the cigarettes 

 on the machine, even though the remaining tobacco is still 

 smokeable"." (Chart 0) Another way that the FTC numbers can be 

 confounded is by "increasing the rate at which cigarettes burn." 

 A faster burning cigarette lowers the puff count. Manufacturers 

 can increase the rate at which a cigarette burns by controlling 

 the porosity of the cigarette paper. The machine takes a puff 

 every minute, but humans can adjust their smoking rate". 



Because of all these confounding factors we are concerned 

 that consumers may assume that low yield cigarettes in fact 

 deliver low tar and nicotine when in reality they do not. 



Actual Nicotine Levels in Cigarettes 



To assess the levels of nicotine in cigarettes, we did two 

 things. First, FDA laboratories measured the amount of nicotine 

 actually in several types of cigarettes. We analyzed three 

 varieties of one brand family of cigarettes; one that is regular, 



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