99-25417. Report of the ``Tar,'' Nicotine, and Carbon Monoxide of the Smoke of 1262 Varieties of Domestic Cigarettes for the Year 1996 and Report of the ``Tar,'' Nicotine, and Carbon Monoxide of the Smoke of 1252 Varieties of Domestic Cigarettes for ...

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 189 (Thursday, September 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 52791]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-25417]


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FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION


Report of the ``Tar,'' Nicotine, and Carbon Monoxide of the Smoke 
of 1262 Varieties of Domestic Cigarettes for the Year 1996 and Report 
of the ``Tar,'' Nicotine, and Carbon Monoxide of the Smoke of 1252 
Varieties of Domestic Cigarettes for the Year 1997

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Trade Commission publishes the ``Report of the 
`Tar,' Nicotine, and Carbon Monoxide of the Smoke of 1262 Varieties of 
Domestic Cigarettes for the Year 1996'' and the ``Report of the `Tar,' 
Nicotine, and Carbon Monoxide of the Smoke of 1252 Varieties of 
Domestic Cigarettes for the Year 1997.''

DATES: September 30, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the reports are available from the FTC's World 
Wide Web site at: http://www.ftc.gov and from the FTC's Public 
Reference Branch, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 
20580. Telephone [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Ostheimer, Staff Attorney 
Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 600 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20580. Telephone [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: These reports contain data on the ``tar,'' 
nicotine and carbon monoxide yields of 1262 varieties of cigarettes 
manufactured and sold in the United States in 1996, and of 1252 
varieties sold in 1997. The Tobacco Institute Testing Laboratory 
(TITL), a private laboratory operated by the cigarette industry, 
conducted the ``tar,'' nicotine, and carbon monoxide testing for the 
widely-available domestic cigarette varieties. This testing was 
conducted under the review of a representative of the FTC through 
periodic unannounced inspections. TITL provided the results to the 
respective cigarette companies, which then provided the data generated 
by TITL regarding their own brands to the Commission in response to 
compulsory process. Cigarette smoke from generic, private label, and 
not-widely-available cigarettes was not tested by TITL, but was tested 
by the cigarette companies and the test results were provided to the 
FTC in response to compulsory process.
    In response to concerns that have been raised regarding the 
accuracy and utility of the testing method currently used to determine 
the ``tar,'' nicotine, and carbon monoxide ratings of cigarettes, the 
Commission in 1998 requested the assistance of the Department of Health 
and Human Services in reviewing the scientific and public health 
questions surrounding the test method and, if appropriate, determining 
how the test method should be changed. In its July 1999 ``Report to 
Congress for 1997, Pursuant to the Cigarette Labeling and Advertising 
Act,'' the Commission recommended that Congress consider giving 
authority over cigarette testing to one of the Federal government's 
science-based, public health agencies.

    By direction of the Commission.
Donald S. Clark,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-25417 Filed 9-29-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6750-01-M