Medicine: Filters & Cancer

Do filter tips really work? Yes, reported an eminent cancer researcher in last week's A.M.A. Journal. They make smoking safer—up to a point.

Dr. George E. Moore's research team at Buffalo's Roswell Park Memorial Institute tested six brands of cigarettes, four plain and two filtered, by "smoking" them in a machine and collecting the tar.

The tar yields from plain cigarettes differed by less than 20%, but the filtered brands yielded 67% less than the unfiltered average. Of 76 mice painted with tar from "straights," 41 developed tumors, and 16 of these turned to cancer;...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!