["How does smoker really smoke?"--preliminary report on smoking topography among Polish smokers].

Levels of toxic substances in tobacco smoke are undeniably influenced by temperature-oxygen conditions in which the smoke is generated. These conditions depend on the way the cigarette is smoked (smoking topography). Smoking topography may be characterized by such factors as: puff volume and its velocity, intervals between puffs and a number of puffs per cigarette. Vast majority of formerly published papers on tobacco smoke composition present data obtained in accordance with ISO (International Standard Organization) and FTC (Federal Trade Commission) standards concerning conditions of tobacco smoke production. Currently, the standard methods for tobacco smoke generation in lab conditions are frequently questioned by researchers, since such methods do not give reliable results as far as toxic substances delivery to smokers' bodies is concerned. To determine the real doses a tobacco smoker is exposed to, first of all smoking topography should be measured in a given population. The aim of this study was to characterize smoking topography among Poles and its statistical assessment. 129 volunteers were involved in the research. To assure representativeness of the group of smokers, in the first step of the study a demographic structure analysis of smokers' population in Poland was carried out (the authors used data provided by GUS (Central Statistical Office). Smokers were divided into study groups in terms of their sex and age and also detailed information on tobacco addiction (number of cigarettes smoked, its brand and type etc.). Smoking topography was measured using a portable CreSSmicro device (Plowshare Technologies, USA). Mean puff volume in the examined group was 60 ml and was 78% higher than the puff volume used for tobacco smoke control according to the ISO method (35 ml). Mean measured puff velocity (48 ml/ sec.) was as much as 120% higher comparing to ISO (17.5 ml/sec.). Mean duration time of puff in the examined group was 1.7 sec. (2 sec. in the ISO standard method) so the difference was not very significant but still 13.2%. However, mean interval between puffs in our group was 20 sec.--threefold lower than in the ISO method (60 sec.). Moreover, examining the variability of subsequent puffs, the authors found out that the puff volume lowers as the cigarette is smoked. All measured smoking topography parameters were highly dispersed within the examined population of smokers.