Where There S No Smoke...

So what’s not to love? Well, Eclipse still emits carbon monoxide and other toxic substances. And since RJR insists Eclipse is just ““a work in progress,’’ its taste and satisfaction probably still leave something to be desired. It was poor flavor and aroma that killed off RJR’s Premier, Eclipse’s predecessor, after a 1989 test marketing. So far, Eclipse has been tried by about 100 smokers in focus groups. ““We feel we are making progress or we would have scrapped it,’’ says RJR’s Maura Ellis. ““We want to make sure we can’t improve it further.''

Tobacco companies face big obstacles in trying to market products like Eclipse. Antismoking groups want the FDA to regulate all cigarettes as drugs because of their nicotine content. And any claims that new cigarettes are healthier than current ones could throw open liability floodgates – sending profits up in smoke.

The low-smoke cigarette is designed to reduce secondhand smoke. Its vapor also contains fewer toxins than conventional cigarettes.