The Dangers of Advertising Low Tar Cigarettes: Let’s Understand What Consumers Understand

Survey data presented in this chapter raises concerns about smokers' understanding and use of advertised tar numbers resulting from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) testing method. These results are presented against the historical background of government policy to reduce the overall tar level of cigarettes offered for sale, the cigarette industry's targeting of health concerned smokers via low tar cigarettes, and growing misgivings about the value of this information to smokers.