chocolate, cocoa, cocoa butter

active ingredient: theobromine

Why is it in cigarettes?

• Added for flavor.
• Added to make smoke smoother.
• Appeals to younger potential smokers.
• Opens lungs to help the smoker breathe the smoke in deeper.

What does it mean?

• Targets younger smokers.
• Chocolate is a physiologically-active additive.
• More smoke means more nicotine in your lungs.
• More smoke means more damage deeper in your lungs.

More...

Chocolate, cocoa and cocoa butter are all related products derived from the fruit of the cocoa plant. The active ingredient in chocolate is a chemical called theobromine, which is similar to the caffeine found in coffee.

Theobromine is a bronchiodialator - it simulates the air passages in the lungs to open, assisting the smoker to breathe the smoke more deeply into the lungs. [1]

Chocolate, cocoa and cocoa butter are added by various brands to create their brand taste, and to make the taste of the smoke less harsh and more appealing to younger and newer smokers.

Links

A good resource for more information on additives in cigarettes: http://www.ash.org.uk/?additives

References

[1] online report: Action on Smoking and Health, Tobacco additives: cigarette engineering and nicotine addiction, July 1999. Section 3.4.3. http://www.ash.org.uk/?additives

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