Monday, January 25, 2010

R.J. Reynolds Publishes Cigarette Ingredients by Brand; Shows Stupidity of FDA Tobacco Law and Demonstrates that Anti-Smoking Groups are Full of Crap

Proving untrue the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids' assertion that the FDA tobacco law will allow us, for the first time, to find out the ingredients in cigarettes, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company has published online the complete list of ingredients for each of its cigarette brands, along with the maximum amount of each ingredient.

As R.J. Reynolds points out, most of the additives are either commonly used in foods and beverages, explicitly approved for use in food by the FDA, or generally recognized as safe for use in foods.

Here is the complete list of ingredients, other than tobacco, used by R.J. Reynolds in the manufacture of its cigarettes:
  • Acetanisole
  • Acetic Acid
  • Acetoin
  • Acetophenone
  • 2-Acetylpyrazine
  • 3-Acetylpyridine
  • Ammonium Alginate
  • Ammonium Hydroxide
  • Amyl Butyrate
  • Amyl Octanoate
  • Amyris Oil
  • trans-Anethole
  • Anisic Aldehyde
  • Ascorbic Acid
  • Balsams, Peru
  • Beeswax Resinoid
  • Benzaldehyde
  • Benzaldehyde
  • Benzoic Acid
  • Benzyl Alcohol
  • Benzyl Benzoate
  • Benzyl Cinnamate
  • Bornyl Acetate
  • Brown Sugar
  • Butanoic Acid, 3-Methyl-, 4-Methylphenyl Ester
  • Butanol, 3-Methyl-, Benzoate, 1-
  • Butyl Alcohol
  • n-Butyl Isovalerate
  • Butyric Acid
  • Caramel Color
  • Caramel (Plain)
  • Carbon
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Cardamon Oil
  • Carob Bean Extract
  • Carrot Seed Oil
  • l-Carvone
  • Caryophyllene
  • Caryophyllene Oxide
  • Celery Seed Oil
  • Cellulose Fiber
  • Chicory Extract
  • Chocolate Liquor
  • Cinnamaldehyde
  • Cinnamon Bark Oil
  • Citral
  • Citric Acid
  • Citronella Oil
  • Clary Sage Oil
  • Cocoa (Extract, Powder, Extractive, Tincture, Distillate, Absolute)
  • Coffee Beans, Ground
  • Coriander Oil
  • Corn Syrup
  • Damascenone
  • Davana Oil
  • delta-Decalactone
  • gamma-Decalactone
  • Decanoic Acid
  • Dextrose
  • Diammonium Phosphate
  • Diethyl Malonate
  • 2,6-Dimethoxyphenol
  • Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinol Butyrate
  • Dimethyl Sulfide
  • 3,4-Dimethyl-1,2-Cyclopentadione
  • 4,5-Dimethyl-3-Hydroxy-2,5-Dihydrofuran-2-one
  • 2,5-Dimethylpyrazine
  • Dodecahydro-3A,6,6,9A-Tetramethylnaptho-(2,1-b)-Furan
  • delta-Dodecalactone
  • gamma-Dodecalactone
  • Ethyl Acetate
  • Ethyl Benzoate
  • Ethyl Butyrate
  • Ethyl Caproate
  • Ethyl Cyclotene
  • Ethyl Decanoate
  • Ethyl Heptanoate
  • Ethyl Levulinate
  • Ethyl Maltol
  • Ethyl Methyl Phenyl Glycidate
  • Ethyl Myristate
  • Ethyl Nonanoate
  • Ethyl Octanoate
  • Ethyl Pentanoate
  • Ethyl Phenylacetate
  • 3-Ethyl Pyridine
  • Ethyl Vanillin
  • 4-Ethyl-2-Methoxy-Phenol
  • Ethyl-2-Methylbutyrate
  • 2-Ethyl-3,5(or 6)-Dimethylpyrazine
  • 5-Ethyl-3-Hydroxy-4-Methyl-2(5H)-Furanone
  • 2-Ethyl-3-Methylpyrazine
  • Eucalyptol
  • Fenugreek Absolute/Extract
  • Fenugreek Seed
  • Fig Juice Concentrate
  • Furaneol
  • Geraniol
  • Geranium Bourbon Oil
  • Geranyl Acetone
  • Glycerides, mixed decanoyl and octanoyl
  • Glycerol
  • Graphite
  • Guaiacol
  • Guar Gum
  • Helichrysum Absolute
  • gamma-Heptalactone
  • Heptanoic Acid
  • omega-6-Hexadecenlactone
  • gamma-Hexalactone
  • Hexanal
  • Hexanoic Acid
  • 3-Hexanoic Acid
  • 1-Hexanol
  • 2-Hexen-1-ol
  • cis-3-Hexen-1-yl Acetate
  • cis-3-Hexenol
  • Hexyl Acetate
  • Hexyl Phenylacetate
  • High Fructose Corn Syrup
  • Honey
  • Hydroxyphenyl)-Butan-2-one, 4-(para-
  • Invert Sugar
  • alpha-Ionone
  • beta-Ionone
  • alpha-Irone
  • Isoamyl Acetate
  • Isoamyl Butyrate
  • Isoamyl Isovalerate
  • Isobutyl Phenylacetate
  • 2-Isobutyl-3-Methoxy Pyrazine
  • Isobutyraldehyde
  • Isovaleraldehyde
  • Isovaleric Acid
  • Jasmine Absolute
  • Labdanum Absolute
  • Lactic Acid
  • Lauric Acid
  • Lemon Oil
  • Lemongrass Oil
  • Levulinic Acid
  • Licorice
  • Licorice Extract Powder
  • Lime Oil
  • Linalool
  • Linalool Oxide
  • Linalyl Acetate
  • Linoleic Acid
  • Lovage Root
  • Maltol
  • Mate Extract
  • para-Mentha-8-Thiol-3-one
  • Menthol
  • l-Menthone
  • 2-Methoxy-3-Methyl-Pyrazine
  • 2-Methoxy-4-Methylphenol
  • Methyl Dihydrojasmonate
  • Methyl Linoleate/Methyl Linolenate
  • 2-Methyl Pentanoic Acid
  • Methyl Salicylate
  • trans-2-Methyl-2-Butenoic Acid
  • Methyl-2-Furoate
  • Methyl-2-Pyrrolyl Ketone
  • 2-Methyl-3((5 or 6)Furfurylthio)pyrazine
  • 6-Methyl-3,5-Heptadien-2-one
  • 6-Methyl-5-Hepten-2-one
  • 4-Methylacetophenone
  • 2-Methylbutyric Acid
  • Methylcyclopentenolone
  • 2-Methylpyrazine
  • 5-Methylquinoxaline
  • 3-Methylvaleric Acid
  • Myristic Acid
  • Myrrh Absolute
  • Myrrh Extract
  • Myrrh Oil
  • Nerol
  • Neroli Bigarade Oil
  • Nerolidol
  • 2,6-Nonadien-1-ol
  • gamma-Nonalactone
  • Nonanoic Acid
  • gamma-Octalactone
  • Octanal
  • Octanoic Acid
  • 1-Octen-3-ol
  • 2-Octenal, (E)-
  • Olibanum Oil
  • Orange Oil
  • Orange Oil Terpenes
  • Orange Sweet Terpeneless Oil
  • Orris Root Extract
  • Palmitic Acid
  • Patchouli Oil
  • Pogostemon cablin Benth
  • Patchouly Absolute
  • omega-Pentadecalactone
  • 2,3-Pentanedione
  • Pepper Oil, Black
  • Peppermint Oil, Terpeneless
  • Peru Balsam Oil
  • Phenyl-2-Propenoic Acid Ethyl Ester, 3-
  • Phenyl-2-Propenoic Acid, 3-
  • Phenylacetaldehyde
  • Phenyl Acetic Acid
  • Phenethyl Acetate
  • Phenethyl Alcohol
  • alpha-Pinene
  • Piperonal
  • Potassium Carbonate
  • Potassium Sorbate
  • Propyl Acetate
  • Propylene Glycol
  • Prune Juice Concentrate
  • Rose Oil (Turkish)
  • Rosemary Oil
  • Salicylic Aldehyde
  • Sandalwood Oil, Yellow
  • Sodium Carbonate
  • Sodium Citrate
  • Scotch Spearmint Oil
  • Sucrose
  • alpha-Terpineol
  • alpha-Terpinyl Acetate
  • 5,6,7,8-Tetrahydroquinoxaline
  • 2,3,5,6-Tetramethylpyrazine
  • Thymol
  • para-Tolualdehyde
  • Triethyl Citrate
  • 3,5,5-Trimethyl-1,2-Cyclohexanedione
  • 2,6,6-Trimethyl-2-Cyclohexene-1, 4-Dione
  • 4-(2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohex-1-enyl) but-2-en-4-one
  • 2,3,5-Trimethylpyrazine
  • delta-Undecalactone
  • gamma-Undecalactone
  • 2-Undecanone
  • Urea
  • Valerian Root Oil
  • gamma-Valerolactone
  • Vanilla Oleoresin
  • Vanillin
  • Veratraldehyde
  • Vetiver Oil
  • Violet Leaves Absolute
  • Water
  • Wheat Absolute
R.J. Reynolds also provides the specific combination of ingredients present in each brand of its cigarettes. For example, the ingredients in Camel Filters Hard Pack are:
  • tobacco
  • water;
  • glycerol;
  • brown sugar;
  • propylene glycol;
  • high fructose corn syrup;
  • sucrose;
  • cellulose fiber;
  • cocoa;
  • licorice;
  • diammonium phosphate;
  • ammonium hydroxide; and
  • natural and artificial flavors.
The Rest of the Story

The stupidity of the FDA tobacco law, crafted by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and supported by the major, national anti-smoking groups, is that in response to this list of ingredients, the FDA has the authority to eliminate every single one of them ...

... except for the tobacco.

This may come as a surprise to the anti-smoking groups, but the one ingredient in the cigarettes which makes them the most hazardous consumer product on the market is ...

... the tobacco.

I feel like organizing a "It's the Tobacco, Stupid" march on Washington, D.C., and show up at the doorstep of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids to inform them of the breaking news that the tobacco is the ingredient which makes cigarettes deadly, and they can remove all the other ingredients if they wish, but cigarettes will still be deadly and kill hundreds of thousands of people each year.

Moreover, there is not a shred of evidence that Camel Filter Hard Packs will be any less hazardous if the FDA bans the use of glycerol, brown sugar, propylene glycol, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, cellulose fiber, cocoa, licorice, diammonium phosphate, ammonium hydroxide, and natural and artificial flavors.

If anything, banning these additives would be counterproductive because such an action would give the public a false sense of security about the improved safety of cigarettes and would divert attention from the real problem: the tobacco. In addition, it would essentially result in the government fraudulently deceiving consumers into believing that cigarettes have been made safer by virtue of the removal of the non-tobacco ingredients.

Remember - the removal of non-tobacco ingredients (i.e., additives) is already in place for one brand of cigarettes. Winston cigarettes contain only tobacco and water (look them up on the website if you don't believe me).

Does the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids truly believe that Winston cigarettes are safer than other brands? Do the national anti-smoking groups believe that by removing all additives, R.J. Reynolds has taken a step in the right direction? Do these anti-smoking groups truly believe that if all cigarette brands were required to take the step that Winston has taken, and remove all the additives, that the world would be a better place by virtue of the improved safety of cigarettes?

In fact, the anti-smoking groups don't believe this, as evidenced by their action when Winston promoted its cigarettes by advertising the absence of any additives. The anti-smoking groups forced R.J. Reynolds to put a special warning message on Winston ads, stating: "No additives does not mean a safer cigarette."

This is why the anti-smoking groups are full of crap. On one side of their mouths, they are arguing that finding out the ingredients in cigarettes is a great thing and will save countless lives by allowing us to somehow make cigarettes safer or less addictive. On the other side of their mouths, they attack R.J. Reynolds for taking precisely such an action - with its Winston brand - and for having the gall to suggest to its consumers that the removal of additives was a positive step for public health protection.

If the anti-smoking groups are not willing to assert that Winston cigarettes are in any measure safer or less addictive than other brands of cigarettes, then clearly the entire FDA regulation of cigarette ingredients is a complete and utter sham. Furthermore, the anti-smoking groups have been lying and massively deceiving the public by arguing that the revelation of the ingredients is a huge step forward for public health protection.

This is worth repeating. If the health groups are correct, and understanding the ingredients in cigarettes is going to lead to some measure of public health protection, then must it not be the case that Winston cigarettes have added some measure of public health protection by completely eliminating all ingredients other than the tobacco (and some water)?

Unless the anti-smoking groups are willing to concede that Winston cigarettes are safer or less addictive than other brands, then they are completely full of crap.

And since the anti-smoking groups would not in their right mind assert that Winston cigarettes are safer or less addictive then other brands, they are completely full of crap.

The rest of the story is that the disclosure and regulation of cigarette ingredients/additives is a complete scam, designed to make it look like the health groups and politicians have done something to protect the public's health, when in fact, even those very same health groups and politicians readily acknowledge that even the complete removal of every one of these ingredients and additives does not confer the slightest degree of improved safety or lowered addictiveness to cigarettes. Not a single one of these groups or politicians would argue that Winston cigarettes have a public health benefit compared to other cigarette brands.

In other words, they are all full of crap.


(Thanks to EinsteinSmoked for the tip).

No comments: