Today, many manufacturers including Philip Morris USA (PM USA) use banded cigarette paper to achieve improved ignition propensity test results and compliance with mandatory standards, such as the standard currently in effect in the state of New York. PM USA has utilized banded paper technology called PaperSelect™ in all Merit brand cigarettes sold throughout the United States since 2000 and another version of banded paper in all of our cigarettes sold in New York since the summer of 2004.

According to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), the developers of the test method incorporated in the New York standard, cigarettes with improved test performance are less likely to ignite bedding and upholstered furniture, such as mattresses and sofas. Banded paper cigarettes have been in the marketplace for a short time, and therefore there is a limited amount of data regarding their real-world impact. It is important to note that these cigarettes are not “fire-safe.” Anything that burns, if handled carelessly, can cause a fire. RCIP cigarettes should be handled and disposed of properly, just like un-banded cigarettes.

PM USA’s cigarettes with banded paper technology have rings of ultra-thin paper that are applied on top of traditional cigarette paper during the paper making process. These rings act as "speed bumps" to slow down the rate at which the cigarette burns as the lit end crosses over them. The idea behind the banded paper technology is that the cigarette is less likely to stay lit or more likely to self-extinguish when left unattended. PM USA believes that cigarettes made with banded paper technology do not increase the known health risks of smoking.

Because banded paper technology makes cigarettes more likely to self-extinguish during normal smoking, some adult smokers may find cigarettes made with banded paper technology to be less acceptable than cigarettes without banded paper technology.

Please visit the Reduced Cigarette Ignition Propensity section under legislation and regulation to get additional information on where we stand on state and federal legislative issues.