"We''re being very careful about not rushing the scientific development," said evp and chief counsel Paul Perito. "We''re looking at the issue of proving that reduced exposure to toxin equals reduced risk. In the meantime, we''re very conservative and are recommending that other companies refrain from making health claims."Brown & Williamson contracted to buy 1.5 million pounds of the Star-cured tobacco, about half the expected harvest from this year''s growing season, ending in October. The No. 3 producer of Kool, Capri, Misty and GPC will have low-nitrosamine cigarettes on the market within a year. Other firms are buying smaller amounts, while R.J. Reynolds is field-testing its own process for reducing tobacco toxins. Separately, Star this month will debut activated charcoal filters on all its brands.The focus on nitrosamines comes amid legislation pending in Canada proposing to add more information on labeling about tobacco''s toxic constituents and specific warnings about nitrosamines being the most active cancer-causing agent in cigarettes. Also, a World Health Organization gathering in May recommended that cigarette brands unable to conform to a standard ceiling of nitrosamine content should be excluded from markets.

This summer Philip Morris, which supplies about half of America''s cigarettes with its Marlboro, Benson & Hedges, Merit, Virginia Slims, Parliament and Basic brands, introduced the Accord battery-powered cigarette, a pricey gadget that reduces sidestream smoke, ashes and most lingering odor. For $40, consumers get a carton of specially made cigarettes, a battery charger, an instructional video and a "puff-activated" electronic lighter that holds the cigarette and allows smokers to wait hours between puffs. Since Accord burns at a lower temperature than normal cigarettes, it could introduce fewer harmful chemicals to the body, but the packaging currently does not make health claims. The high-tech smoke is not blowing their socks off, spokespeople say, but they plan to keep working on it and expanding awareness through direct-mail of the product, which has been five years and over $200 million in the making.A reduced-smoke cigarette is also in the works for B&W, a company representative said, but additional details were not available at press time.

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