Chapter 4 
Figure 9 
Percentage of current smokers who believe that low-tar cigarettes pose reduced cancer risk, 
by tar yield and history of switching: Ages 18 and older, United States, 1987 
Tar Yield (mg) History of Switching 
Source: National Center for Health Statistics, 1987. 
they smoked light or ultralight cigarettes because they taste better, 29 percent 
said they are less irritating, 21 percent said they thought these cigarettes 
were healthier than other brands, and 19 percent said they "just liked them." 
QUITTING SMOKING The surveys revealed some interesting trends with regard to 
quitting. In the 1987 NHIS, participants were asked to identify techniques 
they had used in their efforts to quit smoking. Among participants who had 
switched brands, 38 percent said they had ever switched to lower tar and 
nicotine cigarette brands as a quitting strategy; 62 percent switched for other 
reasons (Table 2). Switchers were more likely to have tried these quitting 
strategies, with the exception of quitting cold turkey, than smokers who had 
never switched. This suggests that switchers were seeking help with quitting. 
In addition, those who smoked lower tar cigarettes were slightly more likely 
to have sought help during previous quit attempts than were persons who 
smoked higher tar cigarettes. 
However, the data from the 1986 AUTS indicate that the prevalence of 
cessation increases with increasing tar yield (Figure 11). That is, ever-smokers 
who smoked higher tar yield brands were more likely to have quit than 
people who smoked lower tar brands. Respondents who had never switched 
were more likely to have quit smoking than switchers. 
49 
