A comprehensive evaluation of the toxicology resulting from laser-generated ventilation holes in cigarette filters.

CONTEXT

Recent technological advances allow ventilation holes in (or adjacent to) cigarette filters to be produced using lasers instead of using the mechanical procedures of earlier techniques.

OBJECTIVE

Analytical chemistry can be used to compare the composition of mainstream smoke from experimental cigarettes having filters with mechanically produced ventilation holes to that of cigarettes with ventilation holes that were produced using laser technology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Established procedures were used to analyze the smoke composition of 38 constituents of mainstream smoke generated using standard conditions.

RESULTS

There were no differences between the smoke composition of cigarettes with filter ventilation holes that were produced mechanically or through use of laser technology.

CONCLUSION

The two methods for producing ventilation holes in cigarette filters are equivalent in terms of resulting mainstream smoke chemistry, at two quite different filter ventilation percentages.