Cigarettes

While we're used to seeing cigarette butts littering public roads, such butts may soon be making their way into those roads, strengthening them in the process. It's all part of a recycling effort, which should also reduce the need for road repairs.

To drive down the cost of biodiesel, researchers have developed an eco-friendly way of extracting triacetin, a combustion-enhancing additive, from an abundant waste source, cigarette butts, both reducing waste and providing a sustainable use for it.

A new study has found a link between cigarette and e-cigarette use by adolescents and young adults and the frequency and severity of eye problems they reported. The effects were worse for those that used both cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

After a decade of legal and political battles, the FDA finally issued a conclusive new ruling for warnings on cigarette packs. The 11 new labels will fill 50 percent of the package with text and graphic imagery depicting the consequences of smoking.

The FDA has finally approved two new low-nicotine cigarettes for the US market. The announcement comes less than a month after the FDA faced criticism for seemingly backing down on a 2017 initiative to regulate nicotine levels in cigarettes.

​Although many smokers apparently don't realize it (or just don't care), cigarette butts are very much a form of litter – in fact, they're the world's most common type of litter. And they're not just an eyesore, as new research now indicates that they also dramatically reduce plant growth.

Following complete bans on e-cigarettes in countries like Brazil and Singapore, San Francisco recently proposed new legislation to essentially follow suit. What is underpinning these calls to ban vaping? Is it really a gateway for young people into using tobacco products?

A new study has found that third-hand smoke – chemical residue from cigarette smoke – can spread more pervasively than previously thought, even moving throughout a seemingly “smoke-free” building. But despite this compelling research the dangers to human health still remain unclear.

A huge amount of research is currently underway examining the broad health effects of e-cigarettes. A new study has examined the specific chemicals used to flavor e-cigarette liquids and found that different flavorants can significantly alter the levels of free radicals in the resulting vapor.

While e-cigarette vapor certainly doesn't contain the same kinds of carcinogenic compounds as regular cigarette smoke there is a growing body of research to suggest “vaping” may have its own set of unique harmful effects.

The 6 trillion cigarettes produced every year generate over 1.2 million tonnes of toxic butt litter in the environment. Now, researchers at RMIT University in Australia have found a new way to safely dispose of cigarette butts: seal them up inside roads and paths.

Many people assume e-cigarettes are a healthier – or less unhealthy – option than regular cigarettes. While the long-term effects of e-cigarettes are still unknown, research out of Johns Hopkins University has found that e-cigs may deliver a false sense of security along with their nicotine hit.