In this article, we look at the 10 cigarette brands with the least chemicals in the world. You can skip our detailed analysis on some of the most harmful chemicals used in this tube-shaped tobacco product, and head over directly to the 5 Cigarette Brands With The Least Chemicals In The World.
According to the American Lung Association, cigarettes contain about 600 ingredients which, when they burn, create over 7,000 chemicals. Of these, at least 69 are known to be linked to cancer. Some of the most toxic chemicals present in cigarettes include acetone, found in nail polish removers; arsenic, used for rat poison; toluene, a chemical used in paint manufacturing; tar, which is also used to pave roads; and nicotine which is commonly used as an insecticide.
A 2021 publication by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a non-profit organization, stated that about 80% of the world’s smokers lived in low and middle income countries, and that if current trends were to continue, about a billion people could die from smoking related diseases in the 21st century. In 2020, more than 5.2 trillion cigarettes were sold to over a billion consumers, with a global retail volume estimated to be worth $717 billion.
China is the largest market for cigarettes in the world, with a retail value of $232.8 billion in 2020. Indonesia, Turkiye, Japan, Egypt, Vietnam, and Bangladesh were other countries with higher retail volumes of cigarettes that year. Cigarette sales grew 7.5% in the Asia-Pacific, and increased 15.3% in the Middle East and North Africa region between 2006 and 2020. These trends go on to show that emerging markets in Asia and Africa are critical for the tobacco industry, while cigarette consumption is beginning to decline in the developed world due to stronger government regulation.
Cigarette Smoking in the United States
The United States is also among the top smoking nations in the world. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) measured the sales volume of cigarettes sold by domestic manufacturers to wholesalers and retailers across the country at $173.5 billion in 2022.
More than 480,000 Americans die from smoking cigarettes each year, accounting for one in five deaths in the country, as noted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – making it the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. In 2021, more than 28 million Americans smoked cigarettes, while over 16 million lived with a smoking-related disease. However, on the brighter side, the percentage of Americans who smoke has come down drastically from 20.9% of the population in 2005 to 11.5% in 2021.
The drop has likely been triggered by an increased awareness about the risks associated with smoking – in particular by tar and nicotine found in them. These are two of the most harmful substances found in cigarettes. According to a report, about 70% of the tar remains in the lungs after a smoker inhales cigarette smoke, while nicotine is what gets individuals addicted to cigarettes – making it difficult for them to quit even if they want to.
Alternatives to Smoking
Considering the risks involved, a lot of people have begun looking for ‘healthier options’ in cigarettes that contain low tar and nicotine, as well as alternatives to smoking cigarettes with products such as snuff, snus, and nicotine pouches. That being said, even consuming cigarettes with low amounts of harmful chemicals and using alternatives like smokeless tobacco have risks and can lead to deadly diseases.
Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM) in September 2023 unveiled its zero-tobacco heat stick that is used with its IQOS device, which heats small packets of tobacco in the stick instead of burning it. The company believes the new product is likely to reduce health risks compared to smoking cigarettes. According to Reuters, the heat stick may also help Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM) in avoiding taxes currently affecting its tobacco products.
Last year, Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM) acquired Swedish Match, a Stockholm-based nicotine pouch maker, for a deal worth $16 billion. The Swedish company has made huge strides over the last few years to reduce the harm associated with tobacco products, with its wide range of smoke-free products – the most prominent being ZYN, its nicotine pouch. The acquisition is part of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM)’s strategy to be a predominantly smoke-free corporation by 2025.
Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO), based in Richmond, also made inroads in the nicotine pouch industry in 2019, after purchasing 80% stake in Swiss tobacco firm Burger Sohne’s global businesses for an agreement valued at $372 million. The deal, which will involve Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) distributing Burger Sohne’s nicotine pouch brand On in the US and Canada, is the company’s latest attempt to develop a portfolio of products beyond cigarettes. According to a report, On was well received in the American market, especially among female consumers. By the end of 2020, the number of stores in the US selling the brand had nearly doubled by when it was first launched by Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) in 2019.
The British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI) has been shifting focus toward alternatives to smoking as well, and has dedicated itself to the commercialization of its ‘reduced-risk’ product line of vapes, tobacco heating products, and oral offerings such as the tobacco-free nicotine pouches, moist snuff, and snus. According to the company’s website, these products have found traction among the general public. Revenues for vapes were 55% higher in 2022 compared to 2021, while sales were also up 24% for its tobacco-heating device, glo, during the same time period.
10 Cigarette Brands With The Least Chemicals In The World
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Methodology
Cigarette brands with the least chemicals in the world are listed based on the amounts of tar and nicotine present in various brands. We searched for cigarettes with the lowest concentration of these two chemicals on online cigarette selling websites like KiwiCigs, CigsClub, and Tobacco Near. Features and ingredients of cigarettes were mentioned on these websites.
Since most of the cigarettes shortlisted had identical, lower concentration levels of nicotine and tar, we used price ranges of these cigarettes as a tiebreaker, with those priced lower outranking the pricey ones. Prices were taken from the above three mentioned sources, with prices varying on each source. Therefore, we have mentioned the price ranges of these cigarettes in the list section, depending on how they were priced on these sources. We searched for prices of these individual cigarettes on their manufacturer's websites, but they were not listed in a majority of the cases, and so we had to consider how they were being priced at online stores.
Slim cigarettes were omitted from our rankings because they are not as widely used and available in the market as the regular cigarettes are.
Please note that the prices can vary from place to place and we don't guarantee their accuracy.
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Let’s now head over to the list of the cigarette brands with the least chemicals in the world.
Top 10 Cigarette Brands With The Least Chemicals In The World:
10. Davidoff
Product: Davidoff White
Tar: 1 mg
Nicotine: 0.1 mg
Price Range (per carton): $56.9 - $77
Davidoff White is among cigarette brands with the least chemicals in the world. While Davidoff is a Swiss brand, its cigarettes segment has been owned by the UK’s Imperial Tobacco since 2006. A pack of Davidoff White contains 20 cigarettes.
9. Dunhill
Product: Dunhill Fine Cut Signature Blend
Tar: 1 mg
Nicotine: 0.1 mg
Price Range (per carton): $34.1 - $44.9
London-based Dunhill is one of the most popular cigarette brands in the world. These cigarettes are manufactured by Alfred Dunhill, Ltd. and British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI). Dunhill’s fine cut signature blend cigarettes have extremely low amounts of nicotine and tar.
8. Winston
Product: Winston One (White)
Tar: 1 mg
Nicotine: 0.1 mg
Price Range (per carton): $30.1 - $43.4
Winston One is the lightest offering in the brand’s range of cigarettes, with just 1 mg of tar and 0.1 mg of nicotine. It is suitable for users who are looking for light tobacco flavor, and a relatively less harmful product to smoke compared to others that have a high concentration of harmful chemicals. Winston’s cigarettes are manufactured in the United States by Imperial Tobacco’s subsidiary, ITG Brands.
7. Kent
Product: Kent Lights Nr. 1 (White)
Tar: 1 mg
Nicotine: 0.1 mg
Price Range (per carton): $32.1 - $37.5
Kent finds itself among cigarette brands with the least chemicals in the world due to one of its products, Lights Nr. 1 (White). These cigarettes come in a king size box, with 20 cigarettes of 8 mm diameter in each box. Kent’s cigarettes are manufactured by R.J. Reynolds in the United States, and by the British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI) elsewhere.
6. Parliament
Product: Parliament One
Tar: 1 mg
Nicotine: 0.1 mg
Price Range (per carton): $33.2 - $36.5
Parliament’s cigarettes are sold in more than 30 countries. In 2016, its production volume was over 45 billion cigarettes. Apart from being low on nicotine and tar concentration, its Parliament One cigarettes are a symbol of luxury and excellence, and offer a unique and satisfying smoking experience to users.
