331 



88 



In the 1984 R«port, "Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease," the Surgeon 

 General reiterated the serious concern about additives stating: 



"When Initially introduced, lower yield cigarettes lacked 

 palatablllty and acceptability. Advertisements for the current 

 low tar and nicotine cigarettes emphasize their flavor, 

 presumably achieved by the use of additives in the processing of 

 the tobacco. Additives employed may include artificial tobacco 

 substitutes (Freedman and Fletcher 1976), flavor extracts of 

 tobacco and other plants, exogenous enzymes, powdcrcb i"(.(« 

 (Gori 1977), and other synthetic flsvoring subsrrnces. Pari.ips 

 more additives are being used in the new lower tar and nlcot^rtc 

 cigarettes than in the older bramis, and new ageurs may also be 

 in use. Some of the substances, such as pordere(< cocoa, h^-e 

 been shown to further increase the carcinogenicity of t?.r [''■\•^ 

 1977), and otiers may result in increased or new and different 

 health risks. The pyrolytic products of these additive agents 

 may product novel toxic constituents. A characterization of th« 

 chealcal composition and adverse biologic potential of these 

 additives is urgently required, but is currently impossible 

 because cigarette companies are not required to reveal what 

 additives they employ in the manufacture of tobacco (USOHHS 

 1381). No government agency is empowered with supervisory 

 authority in the manufacture of tobacco products. With this 

 lack of basic information and the usually prolonged latent 

 period before manifestation of the adverse effects of smoking, 

 it is likely that a long time period will elapse before we know 

 the hazards of the new cigarettes in current use." (p. 352-353) 



In addition to the chemical additives, tobacco smoke contains an estimated 

 4,000 constituents. Om of the most well known is carbon monoxide, a 

 poisonous gts. As the 1983 Surgeon General's report "Cardiovascular 

 Disease" concluded, "Research fundings suggest that carbon monoxide may 

 act to precipitate cardiac symptomatology or ischenic episodes in 

 individuals already compromised by coronary disease." (p. 232) 



