A new report argues that a global ban on cigarette filters is necessary to address a dual crisis of public health and plastic pollution. Filters, initially marketed by the tobacco industry in the 1950s as a way to make smoking “safer,” have been proven to offer no health benefits and may even increase the risk of certain cancers by allowing smokers to inhale more deeply. Despite this, a majority of smokers still believe filters reduce harm.
An Environmental Disaster
Beyond the health deception, cigarette filters are a major environmental threat. Made from a plastic called cellulose acetate, they are the most littered item on the planet. An estimated 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded annually, with roughly 800,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste entering the environment each year.
These filters do not biodegrade but instead break down into harmful microplastics. While other single-use plastics like straws and bags have faced regulatory bans, filters have largely been ignored, and new “biodegradable” alternatives are marketed as a false solution that still pollutes ecosystems.
A Unified Solution
Banning cigarette filters would serve a dual purpose: it would remove the illusion of safety, which could make smoking less appealing and potentially decrease smoking rates, and it would eliminate one of the largest sources of plastic pollution. The World Health Organization (WHO) has already advised against measures that create a perception of reduced harm, and a total ban on filters would align with this principle.
The proposal is gaining traction, with cities like Santa Cruz, California, already implementing a ban. As world leaders negotiate a new legally binding UN treaty on plastic pollution, a mandatory ban on all cigarette filters is being advocated by health and environmental groups as a meaningful and essential step toward a healthier planet.