Lights Aren’t the Best Avenue for Smoking Cessation November 8
Many people who are making attempts to quit smoking are failing due to use of “lights”. These smokers who use full flavor or regular cigarettes and try to decrease their intake by switching to light, mild or low tar cigarettes don’t actually decrease their intake as intended and may actually begin to smoke more. In fact smokers who make this change are 50% less likely to be able to quit at all.
According to a study of 31,000 smokers (12,00 of which switched to a light brand) the reason for this could be as simple as the illusion that these cigarettes are healthier. Of those who switched 20% switched for better flavor, smoking a less harmful cigarette or as an effort toward quitting. Those who switched were 58% more likely to have made attempts to stop smoking between 2002 and 2003 than those who stayed with regular cigarettes. These people were also 60% less likely to quit than those who stuck to their brand. The 43% who said they wanted to quit were most likely to try quitting but they were also the least likely to succeed.
What most consumers don’t realize is that most cigarettes marketed as low tar have the same amount of nicotine, tar and other compounds as standard cigarettes do meaning that these cigarettes offer none of the differences they claim too, negating the purpose for switching. The FDA has been making changes in the way cigarettes are marketed and regulated since they were given the role in June. Since then many investigations into the nature of marketing and labeling causing changes to occur to better regulate tobacco in the US.
Tags: light cugaretttes, lights, quitting smoking, smoking, smoking cessation