The result of this misconception is due to tobacco selling companies, misguidance of people who smoke as well as a drawback of incapable government regulatory agencies. This essay evaluates which of the three is more at fault at promoting the increased usage of such cigarettes and which ones follow.
Cigarette smoking has been romanticized by popular culture in the past. However, since the awareness about diseases such as lung cancer has increased, an increasing number of people have quit. Yet, the introduction of various brands of ‘Light’ and ‘Ultra-Light’ cigarettes during the 1960s has resulted in an increasing number of people instead of normal cigarettes. This is due to the fact that it is a common belief amongst people in the US that these cigarettes are less effective than the stronger cigarettes with a lesser amount of nicotine. In many researches that have taken place over the past few years, it has been discovered that smoking light or ultra-light cigarettes does not reduce the levels of tobacco and nicotine, nor does it reduce the risk of diseases posed by them. Often tobacco companies claim that it is due to the very concept that their products are sold. In their marketing campaigns and advertisements the companies show a machine test which claims that there are lower levels of tobacco and nicotine in light smokes. However, this may be due to a special type of filter used, which when passed through the machine lets more air pass than tobacco, thus the recorded levels appear to be influenced. Moreover, previous misleading researches have posed the concerns of misinforming the population in general about not only the nominal levels of tobacco in light and ultra-light cigarettes, but also in promoting the fact that they are a relatively healthier option than regular cigarettes, as is negated by the National Cancer Institute.