Modern cigarette filters, which were introduced to reduce the health risks associated with smoking, actually increase the risk of lung cancer, according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The study, led by researchers at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, found that people who smoked cigarettes had an increased chance of developing lung cancer if they used filters made from polycarbonate plastic. The US Food and Drug Administration now has the authority to ban filter ventilation altogether because it does not serve any public health purpose.
Modern cigarette filters, which were introduced to reduce the health risks associated with smoking, actually increase the risk of lung cancer, according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Researchers found that although filter ventilation resulted in lower tar yields, the cigarette burnt down less rapidly, meaning smokers were taking more puffs per cigarette and there was more time for the coal to smoulder and form toxic byproducts. The US Food and Drug Administration now has the authority to ban filter ventilation altogether because it does not serve any public health purpose.