American Legacy Foundation(R)-Funded Study Says Increased Nicotine Levels Appear In Cigarettes Popular With American Youth
01/19/07
New research confirms
that the levels of the addictive agent nicotine have increased in
cigarettes since 1997, just one year before Big Tobacco reached a Master
Settlement Agreement with 46 states and five U.S. territories. A portion of
the MSA r
These data from Harvard University are an expanded study of findings
first released in August of last year by the Massachusetts Department of
Public Health. Both studies show that nicotine levels in seven brand
families -- including Marlboro, Newport and Camel cigarettes -- have
increased significantly between 1997 and 2005. American Legacy Foundation
President and CEO Dr. Cheryl Healton said news of nicotine increases in
these brands is particularly troubling, since they are favorites of
American youth.
"Smoking isn't a choice for many people -- it's an addiction," Healton
said. "Since most smokers -- more than 80 percent -- start before they turn
18 years old, these data mean that young people in America may be getting
larger doses of nicotine. This may have implications on the rate at which
new smokers become addicted, and it could increase the number of young
people that will become lifelong tobacco industry customers."
In addition, further research is needed to determine how these upward
trends may affect nicotine intake among the 45 million current smokers in
the United States and what impact this may have in their struggle to quit
smoking.
The Harvard study particularly looked at nicotine levels in the
Marlboro brand family and demonstrated a conclusive upward trend during
this period. Like the Massachusetts DPH report, the Harvard study found
that levels of inhalable nicotine increased regardless of whether the
cigarettes were menthol, full flavor, light or ultra light. Researchers
used data provided by the tobacco companies to review possible causes for
the increase related to cigarette design and concluded that the single most
important factor in the increased rates of inhalable nicotine was the
amount of nicotine in the tobacco chosen for the cigarettes.
Harvard researchers have been quoted as saying that this increase was
systematic, and the likelihood that the nicotine increases occurred by
chance was less than one in one thousand.
"We're really grateful to the American Legacy Foundation for enabling
Harvard School of Public Health to do this important research," said Greg
Connolly, a public health professor and director of the Tobacco Control
Research Program at the Harvard School of Public Health. "I think it's time
for science -- not the economic health of the industry -- to prevail and
protect Americans."
The American Legacy Foundation(R) is dedicated to building a world
where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit. Located in
Washington, D.C., the foundation develops programs that address the health
effects of tobacco use, especially among vulnerable populations
disproportionately affected by the toll of tobacco, through grants,
technical assistance and training, partnerships, youth activism, and
counter-marketing and grassroots marketing campaigns. The foundation's
programs include truth(R), a national youth smoking prevention campaign
that has been cited as contributing to significant declines in youth
smoking; EXSM, an innovative public health program designed to speak to
smokers in their own language and change the way they approach quitting;
research initiatives exploring the causes, consequences and approaches to
reducing tobacco use; and a nationally-renowned program of outreach to
priority populations. The American Legacy Foundation was created as a
result of the November 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) reached
between attorneys general from 46 states, five U.S. territories and the
tobacco industry. Visit