Lights vs Full Flavor Cigarettes: Difference and Comparison

There can be various kinds of cigarettes based on the quantity of tar and nicotine they emit. One such kind includes lights. Full-flavor cigarettes include the other variety of such cigarettes.

Smoking either of these cigarettes is bad for one’s health. While both these kinds belong to the same category of substance, they are very different things.

They have some very significant points of difference between them. It is important to know these differences to not confuse them with each other.

Key Takeaways

1. Light cigarettes contain lower levels of tar and nicotine compared to full-flavor cigarettes.
2. The design of light cigarettes includes small ventilation holes in the filter to dilute the smoke inhaled.
3. Full-flavor cigarettes deliver a stronger, more robust flavor and produce denser smoke.

Lights vs Full Flavor Cigarettes

Lights contain less tar, nicotine, and other chemicals, making them appear milder and easier to smoke. Full flavors contain more, making them appear stronger and harsher on the throat and lungs.

Lights have less nicotine and tar emission as compared to full-flavor cigarettes. However, the meters used for measuring emissions give faulty readings.

They come with fine pores in their filters to reduce the air-to-smoke ratio and significantly minimize the cancer risk but things are different in the case of an actual human smoker, so smoking these are not completely safe either. 

Full-flavor cigarettes contain an intermediate amount of tar. They also emit more nicotine. They do not have fine pores on their filters.

Therefore, cancer risks are high for people smoking these. Therefore, the air-to-smoke ratio is not low here, and smoking these are not considered safe. They have the full flavor.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Lights	Full Flavor Cigarettes
Nicotine emission	Measurably and comparatively less emission of nicotine. However, the meters used for measurement do not show completely accurate readings.	They emit more nicotine and are not considered “safe”.
Tar emission	They emit less tar. But again, the meters used for measurement may give faulty results.	They emit an ordinary or normal amount of tar which is considered quite unhealthy.
Filters	Their filters have fine pores.	Their filters do not have fine holes.
Air to smoke ratio	The fine holes in filters reduce their air to smoke ratio making them “safer” for smokers.	As they have no fine holes in their filters, their air to smoke ratio is not reduced by anything.
Flavor	They are less flavored.	They are more flavored.

What is Lights?

These are advertised to be the ones with less nicotine and tar emission. The emission of the other inhaled substances in ordinary cigarettes is also said to be much lower than these.

However, the screen is the major difference between a light and a normal cigarette. 

These have white paper filters. Because the light cigarette’s white screen has small pores pierced in it, the amount of air in each drag of the cigarette is greater than a conventional cigarette’s draw.

As a result, a light cigarette smoker breathes more air every puff than a typical heavy smoker.

Shifting to these has no scientific evidence of improving the user’s health as such. Light cigarettes are just as harmful to your health as conventional cigarettes.

It is important to realize there really is no such thing as a “healthy” cigarette; all tobacco products are harmful and can cause cancer.

Many smokers who transition to a light cigarette end up taking a bit longer, heavier, and more occasional puffs as a result of the altered filter, so they may be consuming just as much smoke and nicotine as they would from a typical cigarette.

Shifting to this sort of cigarette does not affect your intake of cigarette smoke’s nicotine, tar, or toxins. It is strongly advised that you do not use these goods.

Stopping smoking is the only method to lessen the danger to your health. Stopping smoking is the only method to lessen the danger to your health.

What is Full Flavor Cigarettes?

Cigs can be flavored to disguise the taste or odor of tobacco smoke, increase the flavor, or reduce the social taboo related to smoking.

Additions such as taste, flavor, and smell are added to tobacco, even though some cigarette companies use unusual flavor delivery systems such as flavored granules or rods inserted inside the cigarette filter.    

Full-flavor cigarettes are more flavored. Flavorings can be applied to tobacco, cigarette paper, the screen, and even the foil wrapper.

Polymer pellet innovation, using a flavored filter pellet (polyethylene bead), flavor microencapsulation in the material or packaging technology, and flavor fibers placed into the screens include just a few of the innovative flavor delivery techniques created by tobacco firms.

Flavored tips are also included among all such techniques. Flavorings are applied towards the end of the cigarette process of production.

They emit an ordinary amount of nicotine. This amount is measurably and comparatively more. Therefore, they are considered “unsafe.” Full-flavor cigarettes emit an ordinary or normal amount of tar. This is considered quite unhealthy.

These do not have fine pores on their filters. They use brown paper as their screens. As these filters lack those pores, the air-to-smoke ratio is not affected in any way here. Therefore, this feature makes these cigarettes unsafe.  

Main Differences Between Lights and Full Flavor Cigarettes

1. The amount of emission varies from cigarette to cigarette. The lights are designed such that they give lighter or fewer emissions. They emit less nicotine. However, the meters used for measurement do not show completely accurate readings. However, full-flavor cigarettes differ in this regard. They emit an ordinary amount of nicotine. This is measurably more. Therefore, they are considered “unsafe.”
2. Measurably and comparatively, light tar emission is much less in light cigarettes. But again, the meters may be faulty. The measurement they show may give inaccurate results. However, full-flavor cigarettes emit an ordinary or normal amount of tar. This is considered quite unhealthy.
3. The filters of lights and full-flavored cigarettes are also quite different. The filters present in the former have fine pores, while the filters present in the latter do not have fine holes.
4. The fine holes in the filters of lights have a significant purpose for their presence. They reduce their air-to-smoke ratio. This makes them “safer” for smokers. On the other hand, as full-flavor cigarettes have no fine holes in their filters, their air-to-smoke ratio is not reduced by anything.
5. Lights are less flavored, but full-flavored cigarettes are more flavored.

References

1. https://academic.oup.com/ntr/article-abstract/6/Suppl_3/S323/1084714
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273230008000871

Last Updated : 25 June, 2023