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BAT pioneers cigarette that puts itself out

Rupert Steiner (Sunday Times)

THE world's second-biggest cigarette maker, British American Tobacco (BAT), is working on one that lights itself, puts itself out and even has no nicotine.
The maker of Benson & Hedges, Rothmans and Lucky Strike has a research team working on the new products full time. Adrian Payne, BAT's international scientific affairs manager, says: "We have certainly had a look at this area, but our research is commercially sensitive and we cannot go into too much detail other than to say everything is kept under review."

The self-extinguishing cigarette would be welcomed by safety campaigners. There are various versions, one of which has an ampoule of water separating the tobacco and the filter, so that when the cigarette burns close to the end the water puts it out. Discarded cigarette butts are a common cause of house fires. Payne says that research is divided over whether there is a market for this, because smokers might be more careless with self-extinguishing cigarettes.

"It is complicated," he says. "Because there is no recognised standard or test to show it is less of a fire hazard. If you develop it, it might encourage people to be less careful when they get rid of their butts but we keep these areas under review. The one that has come to the fore most recently is one with speed bumps that slow the burn rates." With these products, smokers have to take regular puffs or the cigarette will go out. Cigarettes being developed with slow-burning tobacco also keep the temperature down to prevent fire.

BAT is also testing a self-lighting cigarette with a tip that has been strengthened and coated with a similar material to a match head. The cigarette is then struck against the side of a packet like a match. Payne is concerned about the safety issues. "It has always been a delicate balance between innovation and what the consumer wants," he says. "Our focus is on developing products that are less risky."

Phillip Morris, the world's biggest cigarette maker, has developed one that filters out all the nicotine, but Payne says BAT has yet to find a way of making a nicotine-free product that retains its flavour.

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BAT pioneers cigarette that puts itself out