The study by researchers from Goethe University Frankfurt was published in the journal Tobacco Use Insights on September 8.
In the research, 11 products purchased from Turkey, 4 products purchased from Germany and a reference cigarette of US origin were examined.
A total of 402 cigarettes, 23 to 30 cigarettes from each product, were tested with an automatic device in a closed cabin of 2.88 cubic meters. In the measurements, not only the main smoke inhaled by the smoker, but also the sidestream smoke emitted directly into the environment during the combustion of the cigarette were taken into account.
Researchers pointed out that approximately 85 percent of the smoke exposed to secondhand smoke consists of sidestream smoke.
THE HIGHEST VALUE IS IN CIGARETTES PURCHASED FROM TURKEY
In the tests, the density of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 particles in cigarette smoke was measured. The highest average values were recorded in the Parliament Night Blue product purchased from Turkey.
In this product, PM10 density was measured as 1677 per cubic meter, PM2.5 density was 1675, and PM1 density was 1548 micrograms. The lowest values were seen in the Camel Yellow product purchased from Germany.
PM10, 10 micrometers in diameter and below; PM2.5, 2.5 micrometers and below; PM1 refers to particles of 1 micrometer and below. As the particle size decreases, the probability of reaching deeper parts of the respiratory system increases.
UP TO 51 PERCENT DIFFERENCE IN THE SAME BRAND
According to the news of Esen Dolma from Gazete Oksijen; One of the striking results of the research was the difference between the versions of the same brands sold in Türkiye and Germany.
In a comparison of four similar products, PM10 emissions of cigarettes in Germany were 3.6 to 51 percent lower, PM2.5 emissions were 3.6 to 50 percent lower, and PM1 emissions were 4.4 to 48 percent lower than their counterparts in Türkiye.
The biggest difference was seen in Camel Yellow. While the PM2.5 concentration in the product purchased from Turkey was 1569 micrograms per cubic meter, this value was measured as 1043 micrograms in the product from Germany.
The emission of the Turkish version of the L&M product was measured to be approximately 28 percent higher, 13 percent higher in Davidoff and 3.6 percent higher in Marlboro.
THE REASON FOR THE DIFFERENCE HAS NOT BEEN EXACTLY DETERMINED
The researchers assessed that differences between countries may be due to production characteristics such as tobacco blend, additives, paper or filter design. However, the study did not determine which of these factors caused the emission difference.
Bülent İnce, Chairman of the Board of Tobacco Experts Association, stated that it is difficult to explain this result due to the difference in production machines, and pointed out that the different regulations of the countries for the domestic market may lead to the use of different tobacco formulas.
30 PERCENT LOCAL TOBACCO CONDITION IN Türkiye
There is also a difference between the legislation in Türkiye and the regulations in Germany.
Within the scope of Law No. 4733, at least 30 percent of the total tobacco used in the cigarettes that producers produce and import for the domestic market in a calendar year must be produced in Türkiye. This rate is calculated not on individual cigarettes or brands, but on the manufacturer's total annual use in the relevant category.
In Germany's federal tobacco legislation, there is no domestic tobacco use quota similar to that in Turkey.
However, since tobacco types, blend ratios and additives were not examined in the study, a direct cause-effect relationship could not be established between the 30 percent regulation and high particle emissions.
NO SPECIFIC UPPER LIMIT FOR PM EMISSIONS
In Türkiye and Germany, emissions limited to cigarettes are limited to tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide. A maximum of 10 milligrams of tar, 1 milligram of nicotine and 10 milligrams of carbon monoxide is allowed to be released per cigarette.
On the other hand, there is no upper limit for cigarettes for PM1, PM2.5 and PM10. There is no special provision requiring these particles to be measured by the manufacturer or disclosed on the package.
95 PERCENT OF SMOKE CONSISTS OF THE SMALLEST PARTICLES
It was observed that most of the particles in cigarette smoke in all products examined in the research were in the PM1 group. The share of PM1 in total PM10 varied between 92.3 and 95.3 percent.
Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Addiction Fighting Application and Research Center Director and pulmonologist Assoc. Dr. Pınar Mutlu pointed out that small particles can reach the deep parts of the lungs.
Mutlu stated that the particles in cigarette smoke are part of a complex aerosol that carries toxic and carcinogenic substances, and that short-term exposure may be associated with problems such as irritation in the respiratory tract, cough and shortness of breath; He stated that long-term exposure may contribute to the risk of chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer.
"SMOKING ESPECIALLY IN THE VEHICLE" WARNING
The researchers pointed out that the volume of the experimental cabin used was close to the interior volume of a small car and emphasized the exposure that smoking in closed vehicles may cause.
