Definition: A cigarette filter is the short section at the end of most manufactured cigarettes that the smoker inhales cigarette smoke through. The purpose of the filter is to absorb some of the toxins in cigarette smoke and collect solid particles known as tar. Cigarette filters are also intended to keep tobacco from entering the smoker's mouth.
Cigarette Filter Facts:
- Most cigarette filters contain a core of cellulose acetate and two layers of wrapping that are made of paper and/or rayon.
- Cellulose acetate fibers in a cigarette filter are thinner than sewing thread and a single filter contains more than 12,000 of these fibers.
- The inner wrapper on a cigarette filter is designed to either allow air to flow through it from the core for light cigarettes, or to block airflow for regular cigarettes.
- The outer layer of paper is engineered to not stick to a smoker's lips and attaches the filter to the tube of tobacco.
