197 



Mr. McMillan. I thank the Chair. 



Mr. Sandefur, on Tuesday, Dr. Kessler spent some time going 

 over with me the level of nicotine in tobacco. He made very clear 

 that he believed that tobacco companies have elevated the level of 

 nicotine in tobacco to maintain an addiction level for smokers. In 

 fact, Dr. Kessler went so far as to show me a table detailing a 

 lower nicotine level in tobacco in the 1950's versus the 1980's. 



Can you explain for me how this could be, particularly in the 

 light of statements by both tobacco companies and Dr. Kessler that 

 nicotine levels in the cigarette have decreased? 



Mr. Sandefxjr. Yes, sir. Probably what happened, I don't — I'm 

 giving you my opinion that the cigarette tested was a nonfilter cig- 

 arette in order to deliver a nicotine that is 1.66. That's what I 

 would think. Because I can tell you over — over the last 40 years, 

 with the advent of filter cigarettes and ventilation of filtered ciga- 

 rettes, the tar and nicotine have been reduced substantially in this 

 industry, from levels of 25 percent tar and 1.5 percent nicotine, 

 down to levels that are a tenth of that, or to say it another way, 

 down to a cigarette that might have 1 milligram of tar and 0.2, 0.3 

 milligrams of nicotine. 



Mr. McMillan. I think when I asked him the question, is what 

 you have on the chart a filter at this point or a nonfilter at this 

 point, he couldn't answer the question, which is really important, 

 isn't it? 



Mr. Sandefur. Yes, I would think so. 



Mr. McMillan. The fact of the matter is, I think you've testified 

 that the trend in the nicotine content in cigarettes over time, par- 

 ticularly those that have had filters, has declined enormously over 

 that same time frame, 1950 to the present. 



Mr. Sandefur. Yes, sir. Most nonfiltered cigarettes, and there 

 are still some on the market, have a high delivery of tar and nico- 

 tine relatively speaking and those brands have, across the board, 

 declined significantly. They aren't a major factor in this business 

 today. And I don't think they ever will be again because the Amer- 

 ican consumer is looking for a milder cigarette. 



Mr. McMillan. With respect to the use of any Y-1 in brands as 

 was asserted by Dr. Kessler, in any instance, did the use of Y-1 ele- 

 vate the level of nicotine above that which was previously in those 

 cigarettes? 



Mr. Sandefur. Y-1? 



Mr. McMillan. Yes. 



Mr. Sandefltr. Congressman, it was — some of the brands when 

 we used, the 10 percent Y-1 the nicotine level went down. There 

 were other styles that the nicotine level went up marginally. I be- 

 lieve in all cases the tar came down, 



Mr. McMillan. These are cigarettes. I believe what he brought 

 in here were Raleighs and Viceroy. 



Mr. Sandefur. Yes, sir. 



Mr. McMillan. Maybe one other, I don't recall. 



Mr. Sandefur. Right. I'll be more than happy to supply the com- 

 mittee with the tar and nicotine figures on the blends pre- and post 

 Y-1. 



