Cigarette butts are among the most abundant types of human-produced garbage in the world's oceans.

originally posted by: Scrutinizing

originally posted by: howtonhawky
a reply to: Scrutinizing

In 1954, Reynolds Tobacco introduced Winston – the first filter cigarette to achieve a major success in the marketplace. Reynolds Tobacco introduced Salem – the first filter-tipped menthol cigarette, in 1956. The Belair menthol brand was launched nationally by B&W in 1960. History | R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company www.rjrt.com...

Sorry, but I don't know what possible valid conclusion, relating to my comment, one is supposed to come to, via a tobacco company website.

After your excellent post i decided to research a bit.

Those butts today are not cotton!

Numerous people smoke cigarettes down to the butt.

They had better stop. They are smoking a baby diaper.

originally posted by: howtonhawky

Those butts today are not cotton!

Numerous people smoke cigarettes down to the butt.

They had better stop. They are smoking a baby diaper.

I see, and I was simply relating what was in the news a long time ago, not just rumor, as there was no web back then, though not, to this day, knowing if propaganda was involved, only do recall credible sources of various horrendous information. I believe Owens Corning even had something to do with filter manufacture, not exactly a cotton company?

Thank you for the research. I would imagine this whole subject could really get vetted these days, on the web, may look more into this, see what the scoop is on the web, though one problem with the web is that there is so, so much bogus information. You have research and research, to sort out the garbage and come to credible conclusions. It sometimes seems there are more liars than links!

The filters on cigarettes – four-fifths of all cigarettes have them – are made of cellulose acetate, a form of plastic that is very slow to degrade in the environment. A typical cigarette butt can take anywhere from 18 months to 10 years to decompose, depending on conditions.Nov 18, 2009 Earth Talk – Little cigarette butts make big litter impact - CSMonitor.com www.csmonitor.com...

I have not found the answer as too how long they have used the cellulose acetate as a filter but most all butts are now made from that plastic.

Now they claim it is non toxic. That is true until you heat the filter and then chemicals are released. The further you burn to the end of your cigarette the more toxic plastic goes into your lungs.

Personally i switched to cigars 10 yrs ago but many of you should take notice today if you smoke cigarettes.

originally posted by: howtonhawky

originally posted by: pointessa

originally posted by: howtonhawky
Who's big idea was it to put cotton on a cigarette in the first place?

I would not bother me if they quit putting cotton in cigarettes.

There are more worth while causes to bring up since butts last only 6 months to a year.

The article stated that they last for decades, and they are the one of the major pollutants in the oceans, also toxic substances have been found in wildlife so it is not inconsequential.

Then the article is full of it.

Hyperbole

I suppose we first have to find out exactly what a butt is made of now days. The answer will surprise you.

Cotton degrades pretty quick...within a year in most cases and a couple months in a compost pile.

The answer to this is sickening.

I checked many sources that agree filters are not made of cotton. I could have put 100 sources that said the same thing.

1. Filters:
Cigarette filters are specifically designed to absorb vapors and to accumulate particulate smoke components. Filters also prevent tobacco from entering a smoker's mouth and provide a mouthpiece that will not collapse as the cigarette is smoked. Filters generally have the following components:

A "plug" of acetate cellulose filter tow
95% of cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate (a plastic), and the balance are made from papers and rayon. The cellulose acetate tow fibers are thinner than sewing thread, white, and packed tightly together to create a filter; they can look like cotton. Other materials have been tried and rejected in favor of the taste that acetate produces. Filters vary in filtration efficiency, depending on whether the cigarette is to be "light" or regular.

www.longwood.edu...

Looks like they are in fact, made of plastic, essentially. We all know plastic does not decompose quickly.

originally posted by: howtonhawky

I have not found the answer as too how long they have used the cellulose acetate as a filter but most all butts are now made from that plastic.

Now they claim it is non toxic. That is true until you heat the filter and then chemicals are released. The further you burn to the end of your cigarette the more toxic plastic goes into your lungs.

Personally i switched to cigars 10 yrs ago but many of you should take notice today if you smoke cigarettes.

Wow! Inhaling heated and/or burning plastic? Is that called progress? That's lovely, just lovely! Nothing like the thought of ingesting petroleum byproducts to whet one's appetite.

One thing about the cigars, or pipes, and add to that chewing tobacco, snuff type products, whatever, pure tobacco, itself, is proven carcinogenic. There is no safe tobacco product. Of course, this doesn't mitigate the fact that adding more poisons to the product makes it more like two rounds in the chambers, of a Russian roulette game.

It makes you wonder if the illnesses that occur from smoking are brought on in part from the plastic in the filters?

If the word spreads it should gain much momentum toward stopping this madness.

Clearly there is no need for the use of plastic butts that add unwanted poison to cigarettes and imo having cotton butts would not be as near of pollutant to the environment. Six months degradable vrs up to 10 yrs.

Cigarette butts are disgusting. I can say this now that I'm an ex-smoker for 10-weeks now.

originally posted by: CADpro
Cigarette butts are disgusting. I can say this now that I'm an ex-smoker for 10-weeks now.

Good luck Bruh. I've quit a lot of # in my time but those bastards are still with me 40 years later.

originally posted by: howtonhawky
If the word spreads it should gain much momentum toward stopping this madness.

Clearly there is no need for the use of plastic butts that add unwanted poison to cigarettes and imo having cotton butts would not be as near of pollutant to the environment. Six months degradable vrs up to 10 yrs.

That is what I am figuring out as well from doing research for this thread. Not only do those butts last decades I'm pretty dang sure they are doing horrible things to the lungs of those smoking them. There is absolutely no excuse why they can't make them to disintegrate rapidly. I still don't get why this is essentially being ignored by ecologists and the government? The only answer seems to be the money behind the cigarette companies, it really,really ticks me off.

I recall seeing videos of the cigarette executives swearing on record to the government that cigarettes don't cause any health concerns, that was some 40 years ago, do we trust them any more today???? NO

originally posted by: intrepid

originally posted by: CADpro
Cigarette butts are disgusting. I can say this now that I'm an ex-smoker for 10-weeks now.

Good luck Bruh. I've quit a lot of # in my time but those bastards are still with me 40 years later.

I feel for you, I know my mom who was really disciplined in everything else could never give up smoking either. I have had my issues with addictive behavior, not smoking, but other things.

originally posted by: CADpro
Cigarette butts are disgusting. I can say this now that I'm an ex-smoker for 10-weeks now.

Good for you!!! Congradulations, that is really an accomplishment. Do you have any tips for others trying to give it up?

a reply to: pointessa

Yep i am fairly certain that duping customers into believing ingredients in smokes are one thing but turnout to be another is illegal.

If they used cotton butts as they did before then this would not be an environmental issue worth debate.

The wild part is that this has been going on for over 10 yrs.

That is why people just throw them out without thought cause everyone still believes it is cotton and will degrade quickly.

a reply to: howtonhawky

If they used cotton butts as they did before then this would not be an environmental issue worth debate.

It still would. It's the nicotine, etc, in butts that are still poisonous.

tobaccocontrol.bmj.com...

Curious birds have been reported to ingest cigarette butts left in household ashtrays and have died as a result.

Although reports of human and animal exposures number in the tens of thousands, severe toxic outcomes due to butt consumption are rare. Nonetheless, the ubiquity of cigarette butt waste and its potential for adverse effects on human and animal health warrants additional research and policy interventions to reduce the stream of these pollutants in the environment.

a reply to: snowspirit

While true i call extreme weak sauce.

The danger rate of having plastic littered instead of cotton is far worse long term.

Neither plastic nor cotton is healthy for smokers or wildlife the much lesser dangerous by a long shot between the two is cotton.

Changing from plastic to cotton is a change that could actually happen and make a significant difference vs banning cigarettes or butts all together that is not likely to happen.

a reply to: Woodcarver

These people should be kept in chains and fed only lemon