The implementation of a Low Ignition Propensity (LIP) regulation in combination with 10 mg tar/1 mg nicotine/10 mg carbon monoxide ceilings (10/1/10) requires adjustments in cigarette design.

The levers and tools available to comply with both regulations and how they are actually used will be reviewed.

The major tools to reduce smoke yields are based on two principles: the reduction of puff number and the reduction of yields per puff. Main design changes adopted to achieve 10/1/10 were the decrease of tobacco weight and density and the increase of filter ventilation, leading to a decrease of puff number or a reduction of deliveries per puff. Additionally and depending on blend style, filter retention and paper permeability were adjusted.

Compliance to LIP requirements is achieved by switching from an unprinted base paper to an LIP paper with two bands printed per cigarette. The low ignition behaviour is obtained through a shutdown of paper permeability in the band, which ensures ASTM requirement when properly designed on one hand, but on the other hand, the decrease of permeability generates increases in smoke deliveries due to a reduction of diffusion/dilution by cigarette paper. To comply with LIP as well as the 10/1/10 regulations, cigarette manufacturers have to modify the design of their cigarettes. In Europe, a variety of solutions was applied. Increased paper permeability and filter ventilation were the most obvious ones. Some limited tobacco blend adjustments were also observed.

In a majority of cases, several cigarette paper parameters (e.g. permeability, burn additives) have been adjusted to offset effect of band application on smoke deliveries, in particular carbon monoxide.

Tobacco blend components (expanded lamina, expanded stems, reconstituted tobacco) also influence ASTM and FASE performances. Nevertheless, by and large tobacco blend composition has remained unchanged, the achievement of Low Ignition Propensity being achieved through fine tuning of the LIP paper design.