This CORESTA Recommended Method (CRM) specifies two methods of sampling a population of cigarettes manufactured for sale for the preparation of laboratory samples. Different procedures are specified according to whether sampling is undertaken at the point of sale, at the producer's premises or importer's and distributor's warehouses.

The CRM provides information on the statistical treatment of data and provides estimates, based on practical experience of the order of ranking in condensate and nicotine which is present when a product is sampled according to the specified procedures.