Tobacco News and Interesting Information

OTTAWA-A Japanese company is releasing a new technology sure to leave Canadians breathless.

It's called LSS - Less Smoke Smell, and the company selling the patent-pending technology is Japan Tobacco International, the world's third largest tobacco company.

Mirage cigarettes are a new product, exclusive to Canada, that Japan Tobacco's Canadian subsidiary, Mississauga-based JTI-Macdonald, is promising will have "less lingering tobacco smoke smell in an enclosed area when compared to a typical Canadian cigarette."

"The smell of cigarette smoke is part of what lets people know to get out of the way," said Cynthia Callard, executive director of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada.

Callard has sent a letter to Health Canada's Tobacco Control Program. She argues that Mirage ads contravene section 20 of the Tobacco Act, which states that no person can promote tobacco products by means "that are likely to create an erroneous impression about the characteristics, health effects or health hazards of the tobacco product or its emissions."

Andre Benoit, JTI-Macdonald's vice-president of corporate affairs and communication, says the cigarette paper for the new product has a vanilla aroma used to improve the smell of the smoke. He says neither the ads or packaging indicate Mirage cigarettes are less hazardous to health than other varieties.

Japan Tobacco has applied for a Canadian patent for its smell-masking technique. The patent's title is "Method of fixing flavorant which improves sidestream smoke smell of tobacco and cigarette." It states that a "smell-improving agent" comprising an ethanol or propylene glycol solution is applied to the cigarette paper.

Rob Cunningham, a lawyer with the Canadian Cancer Society, says the Mirage cigarettes undermine efforts made to ensure people smoke outside their homes and vehicles so others aren't exposed to second-hand smoke.

"This is an example of the bottomless creativity of tobacco companies to market their products," said Cunningham. "Give them an inch, and they take 10 miles."