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.
Lights vs Full Flavor Cigarettes
The main difference between lights and full flavor cigarettes is that the former is designed to emit less nicotine and tar while the latter emits more tar and nicotine. This also causes a significant difference in their flavors and lights are often less flavored than full flavored cigarettes. The former has a filter with fine holes which is absent in the latter variety of cigarettes.
Lights have less nicotine and tar emission as compared to full flavor cigarettes. However, the meters used for measuring the emissions many-a-times 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 often 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 Between Lights and Full Flavor Cigarettes
| 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 usually 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 from 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?
To disguise the taste or odor of tobacco smoke, increase the tobacco flavor, or reduce the social taboo related to smoking, cigs can be flavored. Additions such as taste and flavor and smell are usually added to the 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, 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 usually 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
- 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”.
- Measurably and comparatively light tar emission is much less in the light kind of 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Lights are less flavored but full flavored cigarettes are more flavored.
Conclusion
Therefore, we can see that both lights and full flavor cigarettes are different things with different features. Both light and full flavor cigarettes belong to the same category of the addictive substance. The fundamental distinction between lights and full flavor cigarettes is their features.
The lights are designed such that they give lighter or fewer emissions. They emit less nicotine and tar. 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 and tar. This emission is measurably more. Therefore, they are considered “unsafe”.
Usually, neither of these is safe. If one intends to maintain good health and avoid the risk of cancer, one should completely abstain from smoking.
References
- https://academic.oup.com/ntr/article-abstract/6/Suppl_3/S323/1084714
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273230008000871