Determinants of puff duration in cigarette smokers: I

This research was undertaken to provide information about variables that might account for the decreases in puff duration that consistently occur as a whole cigarette is smoked. Cigarette smoking was investigated under conditions in which subjects smoked cigarettes which they could not see. In a series of three experiments, the length of the tobacco rod, the length of the cigarette holder, and the cigarette nicotine delivery were systematically manipulated. The results showed that puff duration correlates with the length of the tobacco rod, and that visual stimulus control, satiation, distance from the burning ember to the smoker's mouth, nicotine delivery, particulate build-up during smoking, and subjective acceptability of cigarette smoke do not contribute significantly to the control of puff duration.