Contrary to popular belief, cigarette filters do not protect people against the health harms of smoking and are also a major source of pollution. A new editorial led by Dr Katherine East, Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS), highlights how persistent misperceptions about the protective benefits of filters could stand in the way of effective tobacco regulation.
Using survey data from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) 2025 wave of their Smokefree GB survey conducted by YouGov, the authors showed that only a quarter of adults in Great Britain correctly understood that cigarette filters do not protect against the health harms of smoking. Misconceptions were even higher among people who smoke, with just 17% recognising that filters do not protect against harm.
“Cigarette filters were designed to give the false impression of safety,” said Dr East. “In reality, they do not reduce toxicant exposure and may even increase harm, because they lead people to inhale deeper and for longer and can embed harmful fibres and microplastics in the lungs. They are also a major contributor to the global plastic waste crisis.”
With the upcoming Tobacco and Vapes Bill, the UK Government will have new powers to regulate the design of tobacco products. The authors argue this presents a crucial opportunity to ban cigarette filters in the interests of both public health and the environment. However, they warn that entrenched misperceptions among the public and policymakers could represent a major barrier to implementation.
In addition to reducing the environmental impact of smoking, the authors argue that banning filters might motivate more people to stop smoking by removing the false comfort that filters provide.
Hazel Cheeseman, Chief Executive of ASH and one of the authors says: "Filters are a marketing con to keep people smoking, protecting tobacco industry profits. This incredibly successful deception means the majority of people are unaware filters have no health benefits. The government has an opportunity to stop enabling this deception and ban filters outright."
The editorial calls for strong public education campaigns to dispel myths about cigarette filters alongside regulations, and to highlight how the tobacco industry has long used them to mislead consumers.