During the late 1960’s when increased emphasis was being placed on smoking and health research, it was determined that a cigarette that could be used as a research standard should be developed.  In 1968, the US Scientific Advisory Board of the Council for Tobacco Research requested the Industry Technical Committee to oversee the production of such a cigarette.  The University of Kentucky’s Tobacco and Health Research Program provided the organisational structure for developing such a cigarette.  This Reference Cigarette served as an international standard for research purposes and was approved by representatives of commercial manufacturers, the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, and the research program which subsequently became the Tobacco and Health Research Institute (now called the Kentucky Tobacco Research & Development Center).  The Reference Cigarette is useful for scientists involved in many aspects of research, and it provides a basis for comparing data that have been collected in different laboratories.

The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Reference Cigarette Program - https://ctrp.uky.edu

Note: The 3R4F reference cigarette is no longer available for purchase as of 31 December 2018. It can be replaced with the certified 1R6F, a robust alternative to 3R4F as a control.