low tar cigarette

A type of cigarette that is claimed to give off less tobacco tar than a regular cigarette when smoked. Low tar cigarettes have been shown to be no safer than regular cigarettes, and smoking them does not lower the risk of cancer or other diseases. A person smoking a low tar cigarette can inhale the same amount of tobacco tar, nicotine, and harmful, cancer-causing chemicals as in a regular cigarette, depending on how the cigarette is smoked. Cigarettes are no longer allowed to be labeled or advertised as low tar cigarettes. Also called light cigarette.