Campaigners say "safe cigarettes" will kill thousands

One of the world's largest tobacco companies, British American Tobacco (BAT), is apparently about to launch a so-called "safer" cigarette.

Campaigners in Britain say it could cost hundreds of thousands of lives.

Although the company is denying claims its plans to market the products, apparently developed using reduced harm research, are imminent, it does admit that there is an urgent priority to produce less-toxic cigarettes.

The plans have been confirmed by the company who says they currently developing new brands which could take advantage of new filtering procedures, but admits the science on harm-reduction is inconclusive, and though there is no such thing as a safe cigarette, they are working very hard to bring a reduced risk product on to the market in the future.

The company denies any suggestion of creating a product which could reduce the risk of a smoker developing cancer or heart disease by up to 90%, related to the claims of a study of the use of smokeless tobacco.

The suspicion that BAT may be about to launch new brands as early as next year, has engendered outrage from health campaigners who believe such a move could hinder efforts to reduce the 120,000 annual deaths caused by smoking-related illnesses.

Earlier this year rival firm Philip Morris began tests of a new Marlboro Ultra Smooth brand, supposedly to be marketed on the strength of a new carbon filter system, but critics attacked the marketing slogan 'All of the flavour gets through' and claimed there was a subliminal message that the cigarettes carried a reduced risk to health.