A filtered cigars contains a cigarette filter or filter tip, which contains comparatively less nicotine content. Filtered cigarettes are said to be less harmful than others. The filter may be made from paper, cellulose acetate fibre or activated charcoal. In laboratory testing, filters have been shown to reduce tar and nicotine smoke yields up to 50%, with a greater removal rate for other compounds such as phenol, but are ineffective in filtering toxins like carbon monoxide gas.

However, most of these measured reductions only occur when the cigarette is smoked on a smoking machine. When people smoke them, deliveries remain similar with or without a filter.

Filtered Cigars are not meant to be inhaled like cigarettes but instead smoked similarly to premium cigars and thus offer a closer smoking experience to traditional premium cigars. Some of the most admired filtered cigar brands are OHM Filtered Cigars Wrangler, Vaquero, Clipper and Golden Harvest Filtered Cigars. Most factory-made cigarettes are equipped with a filter.

Various add-on roll of tobacco filters is sold-out as stop-smoking or tar-reduction devices.

The idea is that filters reduce tar-nicotine levels, thus permitting the smoker to be deprived away from cigarettes.

A filtered cigar is created with cent per cent natural and pure tobacco, that is the tobacco will never be a blend of more than one type, and a filter on the top. Unlike cigarettes, which is stuffed with a blend of tobacco types and uses harmful chemicals, filtered cigars use tobacco which is either fermented, aged or both. Filtered cigars are obtainable in many different flavours including fruity flavours comprising rum, wine, peach, grape, strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, wild berry, cherry, honey etc. Also, filtered cigars are not considered in the group of cigarettes and hence carry lower taxes comparatively. This means that filtered cigars can be sold at nearly over the manufacturing cost, to facilitate the producer to make a profit and the consumer is even receiving a cheaper product.

The tobacco industry has reduced tar and nicotine yields in cigarette smoke since the 60’s using cigarette filters, high-porosity wrapping papers, incorporating tobacco stalks etc. However, when a smoker switches to a low-tar, low nicotine cigarette, they tend to smoke more cigarettes, take more puffs and inhale more deeply. In the ’70s and ’80s, surveys showed about a 50% reduction in risk of lung cancer for long-term smokers of filtered cigarettes as compared to smokers of non-filtered cigarettes. But later studies indicated a similar risk for lung cancer in smokers of filtered and non-filtered cigarettes.

Cellulose acetate fibres used as predominant filter material do not biodegrade readily due to the presence of acetyl groups on cellulose. A normal life span of a discarded filter is considered to be up to 15 years.

Many governments have sanctioned stiff penalties for littering of cigaret filters.

Another option is developing better biodegradable filters. Many research groups and startups are developing methods to accelerates the degradation of cigarette filters, thus reducing pollution. Researches have also been put into finding ways to utilizes the filter waste to develop a desired product.