Why Do Cigarette Companies Put Tar And Carbon Monoxide In Cigarettes?
“Tar” is the term used to describe the toxic chemicals found in cigarettes. The concentration of tar in a cigarette determines its rating: * High-tar cigarettes contain at least 22 milligrams (mg) of tar * Medium-tar cigarettes from 15 mg to 21 mg * Low-tar cigarettes 7 mg or less of tar Cigarette filters were first added to cigarettes in the 1950s when it was reported that the tar in cigarettes was associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. The idea was that the filter would trap harmful tars and nicotine, but the design never worked as well as hoped. Toxins still make it through and into the smoker’s lungs, exposing them to the risks of smoking-related disease. In solid form, tar is the brown, tacky substance that is left behind on the end of the cigarette filter. It stains a smoker’s teeth and fingers brown and coats everything it touches with a brownish-yellow film. Imagine that settling into the delicate pink tissue of your lungs. Tar is present in all cigarettes and tends
