Nicotine Level Has Been Increased 11 % in the Last 7 Years by Tobacco Companies

Only in US, tobacco inflicts annually 438,000 premature deaths (20 % of these cases) and about 900,000 individuals become addicted to it.

A recent study at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), using data submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) by the manufacturers, investigated the nicotine yield in major brand name cigarettes marketed in Massachusetts from 1997 to 2005.

The researchers discovered that the manufacturers have been steadily increasing the levels of nicotine, the tobacco compound that induces addiction, with an average of 1.6 % annually or about 11 % over a seven-year period (1998-2005).

Added to the higher nicotine level in the tobacco, the manufacturers changed several design features of cigarettes to raise the number of puffs per cigarette, in order to increase the addictive power.

The nicotine amount was higher in the cigarettes of each of the four major manufacturers and across all the cigarette market types (mentholated, non-mentholated, full-flavor, light, ultralight).

"Cigarettes are finely-tuned drug delivery devices, designed to perpetuate a tobacco pandemic," said Howard Koh, associate dean for public health practice at HSPH and a former commissioner of public health for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1997-2003).

"Yet precise information about these products remains shrouded in secrecy, hidden from the public. Policy actions today requiring the tobacco industry to disclose critical information about nicotine and product design could protect the next generation from the tragedy of addiction."

"Our analysis shows that the companies have been subtly increasing the drug nicotine year by year in their cigarettes, without any warning to consumers." said Gregory Connolly, professor of the practice of public health.

"The discovery of an 11 % increase in nicotine content confirms recent statements by the US District Court for the District of Columbia that manufacturers have the ability to manipulate addictive additives. It underscores the need for continued surveillance of nicotine delivery in products created by an unregulated industry." said Connolly.

Judge Gladys Kessler stated that tobacco companies "can and do control the level of nicotine delivered in order to create and sustain addiction" and that the "goal to ensure that their products deliver sufficient nicotine to create and sustain addiction influences their selection and combination of design parameters." at the trial US vs. Philip Morris USA et. al.