Smokers who switched to a low-tar, light or mild brand of cigarette had about a 50 percent lower chance of giving up smoking, according to a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study.

"Forty-three percent of smokers reported a desire to quit smoking as a reason for switching to lighter cigarettes. While these individuals were the most likely to make an attempt, ironically, they were the least likely to quit smoking," said Dr. Hilary Tindle, lead author of the study and assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Internal Medicine. The study is in the November issue of Tobacco Control.

"It may be that smokers think that a lighter brand is better for their health and is therefore an acceptable alternative to giving up completely," Dr. Tindle said in a news release.

The findings are based on more than 31,000 smokers in the United States who participated in a study and were quizzed in 2003 about whether they had switched to a milder/low-tar brand of cigarette and their reasons for the switch. They also were asked if they had attempted to give up smoking altogether during the previous 12 months, and whether they currently identified themselves as non-smokers.

In all, 12,000 people, or 38 percent, had switched to a lighter brand, with one in four citing flavor as the primary reason. Close to one in five of those surveyed said they had switched for a combination of better flavor, wanting to smoke a less harmful cigarette, and the intention to give up smoking completely.

According to the news release, those who switched brands were 58 percent more likely to have attempted to give up smoking between 2002 and 2003 than those who stuck with their brand, but this group was actually 60 percent less likely to be successful in quitting smoking.

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