Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph No. 7 
DR. COHEN: Is there an intention on the part of cigarette manufacturers to 
convey information about tar yields by using color on packages, as well as 
terms such as "light" and other descriptive adjectives? 
DR. TOWNSEND: There is an intention, in my opinion, by the cigarette 
industry in general to convey tar information to the consumer so that they 
can make choices. In some brands the different colors are intended to 
convey the different tar category in which they fall, and that category is 
stated explicitly in the advertising. 
DR. FREEMAN: I have been informed by staff that approximately 40 percent 
of cigarettes sold in America are of the generic category. If that is true, then 
I think this is a major issue to be considered here. 
DR. KOZLOWSKI: It appears that Dr. Townsend is indicating that the 
designations light and ultralight are in a sense being used as surrogates in 
a broad sense for tar and nicotine ratings and that they are carrying tar and 
nicotine rating information. My question is, are there industry standards or 
R.J. Reynolds standards for what numbers are required before a cigarette is 
called light or ultralight or is there variance across the industry and in what 
products get the label "light"? 
DR. TOWNSEND: It is my understanding that the definition, of course, has 
changed a little bit over the years, but today the definition is really quite 
consistent. Cigarettes under 6 mg constitute ultralights, those from 6 to 15 
are lights, and above 15 are regulars. 
DR. FREEMAN: Dr. Henningfield? 
DR. HENNINGFIELD: I have a recommendation and a question for 
Mr. Peeler. The recommendation is that, on discovering that FTC does not 
have the means to put on the labeling this information that we are saying 
is so important, I recommend that the FTC use all means at its disposal 
to get this information and make it readily available to consumers. My 
question for Mr. Peeler is, what kinds of things can you do? For example, 
could you put your tar report information at all points of sale, or do people 
just have to write for the catalog? 
MR. PEELER: Let me clarify about the labeling. The place where we are 
preempted on cigarette labeling and where everyone is preempted on 
cigarette labeling is on statements relating to smoking and health, and there 
is a question about exactly where that is. I would think if there were a 
misrepresentation, for example, on a label of the tar content, and that is 
all that there was, that would be something on which the PTC could take 
action. The question of exactly how much information the ITC can 
affirmatively require to be disclosed absent a representation by the company 
is a whole other issue that we would have to look at in light of the panel's 
recommendations. For example, in the 1970's when the PTC required 
that health warnings start appearing in advertising, these requirements 
were based on allegations that the advertising at that point was making 
228 
