Myth: If I smoke only filtered, menthol, or low-tar cigarettes, I'll be safe.
Fact: Smokers who puff on only one or a few cigarettes a day or smoke low-tar cigarettes have a tendency to take more drags on the few cigarettes they allot themselves each day because they sense they're getting less nicotine and need to fill that craving. Despite the filters, nicotine and other dangerous chemicals still get through when you smoke. People who smoke filtered or low-tar brands may inhale even more deeply, thereby getting more carbon monoxide and other substances into their lungs, according to the National Cancer Institute.
