Tar levels and rolling tobacco

[shaunnutley]

I am wondering about the tar levels in rolling tobacco as opposed to pre-made cigarrette tobacco. I've noticed that the manufacturer does not state the tar or nicotine levels for my tobacco. I've searched the internet but with little success. How much tar does a regular length 'roll-up' of Golden Virginia rolling tobacco have if it weighs 0.2 gram?
Secondly, i understand that filters in ordinary cigarettes are supposed to reduce the amount of tar entering your body per cigarette, but i have heard that doctors do not see any real benefits to filters for various reasons. What are the main reasons?

[JPChenet]

I've seen those 50g pouches of Golden Virginia with tar levels on the back, thing is it depends on how thick you roll and which weight of Rizla you use. I think the Extra Slim Filters with blue rizlas is about 9mg

The reason rolling tobacco is not as bad for you is because cigarette companies put loads of other chemicals in fags to keep them alight which arnt in rolling tobacco. So although the tar levels are the same there less other crap to give you cancer. Also i don't know about how effective filters are but they deifnately go a horrible colour which suggests they take something out. plus they stop your fingers going yellow

[wildwood]

The main reason for filters is to make customers think that they are smoking a healthier product. If you want to prove to yourself how effective they are, light up a filtered fag and only take one draw. Then have a few normal breaths and then blow through a clean hankie. Keep the hankie and later on try the same procedure with a non-filtered. Now compare hankies.

I did find that rollies did limit the number of siggies to about half of that as when I smoked taylor mades, so there is something to be said for roll your owns.

[weggiewabbit]

When I started smoking back in the 60s, my fingers used to go yellow [I smoked Gold Leaf or Embassy]. I think the amount of nicotine in ready-mades must have dropped dramatically over the years, as that hasn�t happened for many years now.

A couple of years ago I went abroad and brought back some Drum Original for a mate, but I bought too many by mistake. When I rolled some cigs with the surplus I couldn�t smoke them without feeling ill � and they turned my fingers yellow and left a very strong taste in my mouth. I didn�t make a note of the nicotine content, but I think it must be much higher?

As for how effective filters are, I can�t answer that.

[gkandpal]

I have been trying to find the answer to the same question for a long time now, I prefer smoking rollies just because that ways you will just smoke much less. Also i think the fact that you get satisfied much faster with a rolled one as its purer tobacco. But i am still skeptical about the tar content in rollies and a bit scared because its found in a scientific study that most smokers dont die of the chemicals (they do play a part) but more so because of the tar that gets accumulated in their lungs. So if anyone one has specific answers back by some studies and research it would be welcome to share.

p.s. who says we smokers don't care about our health, this question being put up and people discussing this issue is proof itself, that we care. :-)