Anti-smoking campaigners claim ‘safer’ cigarettes could cost lives

ANTI-SMOKING campaigners yesterday warned that plans by one of the world’s largest tobacco companies to launch so-called “safer” cigarettes in Britain could cost hundreds of thousands of lives.

British American Tobacco (BAT) denied claims it intends imminently to start making products developed using reduced harm research - but admitted that producing less toxic cigarettes is an urgent priority.

A spokesperson confirmed that it is currently developing new brands which could take advantage of new filtering procedures, but admitted the science around harm-reduction is inconclusive.