In the present study, a within-subject experimental design was employed for a preliminary comparison of toxin exposure from cigarettes with a popular brand of cigarillos to determine if there was any support for the assumption that ��freaking�� diminished toxin now exposure. The primary hypothesis was that there would be increases in heart rate (HR), exhaled carbon monoxide (CO), and nicotine boosts after smoking all tobacco products. The secondary hypothesis was that HR, CO, and nicotine boosts would vary across the types of products smoked. Methods Participants Twelve adult (average age = 43.6 years; range: 29�C55) volunteers (10 men and 2 women) were recruited from the community through newspaper advertisements and word of mouth.

All the participants were Black daily menthol cigarette smokers��10 smoked Newport 100��s and the others smoked Newport Kings and Kool 100��s. They smoked an average of 16.1 cigarettes/day (range: 10�C30). Their score on a test of nicotine dependence averaged 6.0 (range: 3�C9; Heatherton, Kozlowski, Frecker, & Fagerstrom, 1991). All participants were required to have smoked B&M in the past, though no specific amount smoked was required; two reported that they had smoked B&Mf. All the participants signed a consent form approved by the institutional review board describing the study, its risks, and benefits. Tobacco Products Smoked Unflavored B&M cigars with plastic tips (John Middleton Company, Limerick, PA) were provided by the investigators; the cigarettes were provided by the participants.

At their initial visit, participants were shown a picture (actual size) of a B&M and were asked to draw a line on the picture indicating how much of the tobacco rod (total length = 88 mm) they usually smoked in one sitting. Three participants stated that they usually smoked all (100%) the tobacco rod, whereas the others usually smoked only a portion (35%�C83%) and typically saved the remainder for later consumption. In subsequent laboratory sessions, participants smoked only that portion of the B&M or B&Mf that they usually smoke. On one occasion, the participants smoked B&Mf that had been amended (i.e., ��freaked��) by the laboratory personnel using methods described on an Internet site (How to freak a Black & Mild, 2011) as follows: Tobacco was gently removed from the rod, the thin paper liner of the tube was removed, and the loose tobacco was repacked into the outer tobacco wrapping.

Experimental Protocol This study was performed on an outpatient basis in Battelle��s Human Exposure Assessment Laboratory. Participants reported for four sessions at least one day apart. Data from the first session, where participants smoked a conventional cigarette while standing, are not reported. The order of the remaining Carfilzomib experimental conditions was randomized (i.e., cigarette, B&M, B&Mf). There were no restrictions on smoking prior to the experimental visits.