Background: With the demise of the "low tar" cigarette as a putative harm reduction measure, some tobacco control advocates have turned their attention to new possibilities for making cigarettes less harmful. Emission limits are most often proposed as the mechanism for achieving reduced harm.

Discussion: A review of recent research shows that harm reduction efforts based on emission limits are highly unlikely to be effective, either for individual smokers or for populations. However, regulation of the construction of cigarettes based on the goal of limiting their attractiveness to consumers is much more likely to benefit both individual smokers and populations.

Conclusion: "Attractiveness", rather than "harmfulness", should be the target for new efforts to regulate the construction of cigarettes.