The first published chemical analyses of smoke from South African cigarettes

The smoke of 69 brands of cigarettes sold in South Africa in March 1978 was analysed for its content of tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. The average yield of tar per cigarette varied between 30 and 38,5 mg in 27 brands and between 20 and 30 mg in all but one of the other 42 brands. The nicotine yields with one exception varied between 1,0 and 2,40 mg per cigarette and generally correlated well with those of tar (r = 0,75). The yields of carbon monoxide per cigarette generally ranged from about 14 to 32 mg, and those of carbon dioxide from about 50 to 85 mg. The results of this analysis, the first to be published with regard to South African cigarettes, are very disturbing. In particular, the tar yields are unacceptably high by international standards. They demand urgent action including (a) regular cigarette analyses by the Government, and publication of the results by the mass media, especially the SABC; (b) compulsory printing of the results of analyses on every cigarette pack and advertisement; (c) education of the public with regard to the meaning of the analyses; and (d) a programme designed to replace more dangerous cigarettes with less hazardous ones. Most important, all these measures must be implemented within the framework of a really meaningful, systematic, continuous and appropriate campaign aimed at combating the tobacco hazard at every level in all population groups.