Smoking behavior and tobacco smoke intake: Response of smokers to shortened cigarettes

The response of four cigarette smokers to full‐length and three different types of half‐length cigarettes was examined in a naturalistic laboratory environment. During daily 100‐min sessions, subjects smoked ad libitum: (1) full‐length (100 mm) cigarettes, (2) the distal half of cigarettes, (3) the proximal half of cigarettes, or (4) the proximal half of previously smoked cigarettes. As a group, subjects smoked 75% more half‐length cigarettes than full‐length cigarettes. Subjects also puffed at a higher rate (i.e., had shorter interpuff intervals) on half‐length than on full‐length cigarettes. Mean puff duration (sec/puff) was higher when subjects smoked the distal‐half cigarettes than when they smoked the proximal‐half cigarettes and subjects spent proportionately more time puffing on the distal‐half cigarettes than on the other three types. Through a combination of smoking more half‐length cigarettes and modifying the way they smoked half‐length cigarettes, subjects maintained the same intake of smoke (as measured by expired air carbon monoxide) during sessions as when they smoked full‐length cigarettes. These results demonstrate that smokers make complex adjustments in their smoking behavior in response to changes in cigarette length. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1982) 32, 90–97; doi: 10.1038/clpt.1982.131