When I was a smoker, I thought I was safer smoking light cigarettes. Was it urban myth or sneaky advertising-- competing with growing health warnings-- that made me believe I could smoke lights instead of quit to spare my health? A new study points out that I was not alone in this misconception.

In 2000, a federal health survey reported that 37 percent of over 12,000 adult smokers chose lights believing they would be healthier in the long run than regular cigarettes. With lights substantiating roughly 85 percent of cigarette sales in the U.S., there are a lot of people who aren't quitting because they think they aren't facing as much risk. The truth is, light cigarettes are just as dangerous as regular cigarettes. Though lights are claimed to give you less nicotine and toxic chemicals when measured by a machine, they also may make you want to smoke more frequently or inhale more deeply. In reality, you get just as much nicotine and chemicals regardless of which cigarette type you smoke-- and the biggest danger is the belief that smoking lights is an alternative to quitting.