New publications

Cigarette filter ventilation, product appeal and regulatory options: a review of the influence of ventilation on consumers’ sensory and risk perceptions Rees V.W. et al, Tobacco Control Published Online First: 03 February (2025) Cigarette filter ventilation may enhance product appeal, support initiation and sustained smoking, and increase smoking prevalence. A scoping review showed that cigarettes with filter ventilation are perceived as smoother and less irritating than non-ventilated cigarettes. These modified sensory experiences shape perceptions of reduced health risks. Pack text descriptors and colours convey further information to consumers about smoothness, supporting lowered risk perceptions. Since filter ventilation has no benefits for public health, policy makers could consider banning filter ventilation or even disallowing filters.

Patterns of use of heated tobacco products: a comprehensive systematic review Scala, M. et al, Journal of Epidemiology. Advance online publication, January 11 (2025) A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted on the usage patterns of heated tobacco products (HTPs) and their impact on conventional tobacco smoking. The study analyzed 76 eligible articles, including cross-sectional and prospective cohort studies. Findings indicate that HTP use is more prevalent among young adults and less common among middle-aged and older adults. Former and current smokers are more likely to use HTPs, with 68.3% of HTP users being dual users of both HTPs and conventional cigarettes. The analysis also reveals that HTP users are more likely to start smoking conventional cigarettes, and current smokers using HTPs are less likely to quit smoking. The study concludes that HTPs are popular among younger generations but are not effective tools for smoking cessation.

The Effects of Filter Ventilation and Expanded Tobacco on the Tar, Nicotine and Carbon Monoxide Yields from Cigarettes Sold in AustraliaWinall, W.R. et al, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22, 50 (2025). RIVM assessed Australian cigarettes to determine differences between variants and effects of the characteristics on TNCO emissions. When measured using the HCI protocol, which better emulates human smoking behavior than the industry-favored ISO protocol, TNCO emissions were markedly higher. Also, the emission differences by extent of filter ventilation were minimized, indicating that ISO measurements are misleading. Using the HCI protocol, our measurements show that higher levels of filter ventilation are not associated with reduced TNCO emissions measured. These findings confirm that cigarette color names, and the filter ventilation levels they signify, remain misleading more than a decade after plain packaging eliminated pack colors in Australia.