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Show Tobacco-free cigarette not totally safe QUESTION: I understand that a new tobacco-free cigarette has been developed. Is it safe? ANSWER: Yes and no in that order. A new, non-tobacco cigarette called FREE has been introduced in more than a dozen states according to a report in the "New York Times," and may be nationally distributed in six to 18 months. The product, created by International Brands, Inc., of Los Catos, Calif., consists chiefly of cocoa bean husks, with puffed wheat, citrus fruit derivatives and chemical flavoring agents. FREE contains no nicotine but its smoke contains tar and carbon monoxide, both hazardous to health. Growing concern over the health hazards from new materials and additives ad-ditives in cigarettes has prompted the ACS to request cigarette labelling that would disclose all contents, and to forbid the sale of any not proved safe. The Society also requested that all labelling identifying not only tar and nicotine, but also carbon monoxide and other toxic compounds in smoke. If the Food and Drug Administration does not feel it has the authority to take these steps, the ACS has signalled its purpose to ask Congress to pass enabling legislation. FOOTNOTE: I understand that the most energetic antismoking campaign in the history of the Soviet Union has been put into motion, led by a famous chain smoker Leonid I. Brezhnev. Previous admonitions against smoking have had little effect among the Soviets, heavy tobacco consumers. This time it looks as though the government is serious, however, since it plans to eventually ban smoking from work places and provide special rooms for smoking. |