One way the tobacco industry has manipulated cigarettes to increase addictiveness is by
loading cigarettes with chemical compounds. Bronchodilators were added so that tobacco smoke can more easily enter the lungs. Sugars, flavours and
menthol were increased to dull the harshness of smoke and make it easier to inhale. Ammonia was added so that nicotine travels to the brain faster.
The result of these manipulations in cigarette design is devastating. The surgeon general found that today’s cigarette smokers, have a much higher risk for lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than smokers had in 1964, despite today's smokers smoking fewer cigarettes. Even though there are fewer smokers today than there were decades ago, smoking remains the number one cause of preventable death, accounting for 1,300 American deaths every single day.
