# Recessed P-Funk Filters **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 5, 2001, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926 "2001-09-05T20:43:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gtzaskar00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@gtzaskar00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gtzaskar00)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/1 "2001-09-05T20:43:17Z")
I came across a pack of Parliament Lights cigarettes, and I couldn’t get enough of how the filters looked. As many may know, they are recessed filters, they don’t come all the way to the end of the cigarette. My questions are these… does this serve any purpose? Also, am I getting less filter, or less tobacco? I know as far as lung cancer and other lung problems go, the filter isn’t going to make much difference, but I would like to know exactly what is being given up here. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/2 "2001-09-05T21:03:24Z")
If you look closely (And parls are still the same as they were a few years ago) you’ll see a ring of microperforations around the paper that juts past the end of the filter. The purpose of this is to bring some outside air into the puff you take. The purpose of this I will leave to greater minds than mine. ---
**Author:** ![gtzaskar00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@gtzaskar00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gtzaskar00)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/3 "2001-09-05T21:10:59Z")
No kidding… I never noticed those till right now. ---
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/4 "2001-09-05T21:47:35Z")
Back in the 70’s people used the cavity to easily measure out a “bump” of cocaine. ---
**Author:** ![gtzaskar00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@gtzaskar00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gtzaskar00)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/5 "2001-09-05T23:16:42Z")
Not exactly the purpose I thought it might serve, but a purpose nonetheless. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/6 "2001-09-05T23:28:48Z")
The perforations of P-Funks are much larger than those you will find on, say, Camel Lights or other full-filtered smokes. I’ve always thought that this was a way to save a few bucks on filter material. Let more fresh air in, and need less filter to qualify as a “light” cigarette. I’m pretty sure the numerous studies which show that smokers unconsciously cover the perforations when they inhale have not yet been refuted. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/7 "2001-09-06T00:03:44Z")
I haven’t forgotten about ya, **gtzaskar**. As it turns out, that peculiar little feature has been at the center of a lot of controversy. Near as I can tell, it was initially marketed by Philip Morris as a “flavor enhancer”. From this [interesting site](http://www.tobacco.org/Documents/roswell.html). > [@](#): > > 1. The Most Important 1/4 Inch in Smoking Today > Philip Morris Cos., Inc. > **[snip]** > Advertisement for Parliament cigarettes. Touts the recessed filter which gives more flavor. States “The most important 1/4 inch in smoking today”. Has text, picture of hands measuring filter, and name next to boxes of cigarettes. At some point, it looks like this was marketed as creating a “healthier smoke” although I’m still digging on this. From the same site as above: > [@](#): > > 1. [Re: Parliament’s No Filter Feedback Advertising] > Lorillard Inc. > Date: 19590204 > Author: Parmele Harris B > Source: KLUG (Klugman?) > **snip** > Letter from Harris Parmele to Robert Wald dated February 1959. Objects to suggestion that Parliament cigarettes claim to offer physiological benefit to smoker because of recessed filter - tip, saying this is unconfirmed by scientific fact. Discusses lab tests and concludes that the amount of tar and nicotine which might accumulate in the end of the filter is so minute as to be immeasurable and physiological insignificant. Declares Parliaments “feedback claims” to be deceptive. And into the fray leaps no less an authority than **Dave Barry** ; > [@](#): > > For example, Parliament cigarettes had a commercial wherein perky singers informed the public that: ''Every Parliament gives you . . . extra margin! > > The filter’s recessed and made to stay > > A neat, clean, quarter-inch away!’’ Think of it! A recessed filter! No way you could get cancer from a cigarette like that! (I’ll decline to link to this because I believe the source is in violation of copyright.) So, clear as mud, right? Hopefully this additional info may help the curious dig further. ---
**Author:** ![DJScherr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@DJScherr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DJScherr)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/8 "2001-09-06T00:10:59Z")
Let me preface this with I am not a smoker (cept for the rare cigar) so I don’t know the whole phsyics of smoking. But the holes may be so that the Parliments can get a lower nicotine rating. Do a quick search on yahoo for low nicotine (was trying to find a low nicotine cigarette for my brother.) You will see studies where they say the holes are used to bring in more fresh air, so that when they test the nicotine content of an ‘average’ puff with a machine they test lower. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/9 "2001-09-06T00:26:14Z")
Yeah, **DJScherr** , among the sites I ran into is a study called _The 1999 Massachusetts Benchmark Study_. It’s full of interesting scientific terms like “puffing behavior” but aside from that amusement I regret to say that it was somewhat over my head and will take some serious effort to interpret. But it is worth noting that the Mass Dept. of Public Health requires that > [@](#): > > one of the potential design features found in the cigarette (filter ventilation) must be partially eliminated by applying tape to 50% of the cigarette filter The study is apparently sponsored by Brown and Williamson, who are not only a tobacco company but a competitor of Philip Morris, so you know what they say about grains and salts. But it appears that the govt., at least in Massachusetts, has tumbled to the fact that these tips may not perform as advertised under actual working conditions. Here’s a link to a .pdf of the study in question: [http://www.bw.com/APPS/PDF/Final\_Report\_1999\_Mass\_BenchMark\_Study.pdf](http://www.bw.com/APPS/PDF/Final_Report_1999_Mass_BenchMark_Study.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![gtzaskar00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@gtzaskar00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gtzaskar00)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/10 "2001-09-06T16:06:12Z")
Well, quite a bit to poke through… thanks Stol… as far as a better taste, or cleaner drag… I don’t know, IMHO they taste like crap (compared to other cigs, of course), and give me a headache. ---
**Author:** ![daniel801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@daniel801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daniel801)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/11 "2003-05-07T03:15:44Z")
Any updates to this during the last two years? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/12 "2003-05-07T03:23:38Z")
Bumping threads older than about 6 months is highly frowned upon. The preferred thing to do is start a new thread, with a link back to the old one. ---
**Author:** ![Lucki\_Chaarms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lucki\_Chaarms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucki_Chaarms)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/13 "2003-05-07T05:04:16Z")
1. I was thinking this would be some kind of question about the “envelope filter” type of guitar effects popularized in the 70’s by funk groups like George Clinton’s Parliament/Funkadelic (Most just say P-Funk) 2. Parliament cigarettes suck. Turkish Gold for life! 3. In the spirit of “Freedom Fries”, we should snub naughty peacenik Europe by calling Parliaments “Congresses”. 4. **Q.E.D.** , I was unaware that we “highly frowned upon” bumping old threads. Why? Is that a GQ thing, or a whole boards thing? LC ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/14 "2003-05-07T05:54:45Z")
It’s a whole boards thing, **Lucki**. Bumping old threads generally leads to much confusion, espeically if a banned member is still featured in the thread. Parliament Cigarettes: The trach ring connection. ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@Dark\_Brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Brown)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/15 "2003-05-07T14:36:29Z")
I always smoked the recessed filter brand having been assured that the special feature would reduce the staining of my teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/16 "2003-05-07T14:57:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lucki Chaarms \* > \*\*4. **Q.E.D.** , I was unaware that we “highly frowned upon” bumping old threads. Why? Is that a GQ thing, or a whole boards thing? > > LC \*\* [quote] What if I want to continue / add to the discussion on a topic that was mentioned in an old thread? Start a new thread with a link to the old thread. A general guideline for “old” would be a thread older than three months.\*\* From the SDMB FAQ. I read someplace else that it was even more highly frowned upon than the FAQ would indicate, but I can’t find that thread. ---
**Author:** ![Ivar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ivar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ivar)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/17 "2003-05-07T15:54:08Z")
I like to stick my tongue in the butthole. ---
**Author:** ![rhinostylee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bc79bd/32.png) [@rhinostylee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhinostylee)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recessed-p-funk-filters/79926/18 "2003-05-07T18:11:54Z")
I only smoke P Funks because they taste good and they are also my fashion statement. i was hoping there was a definite answer to the question since it always comes up with us P Funk smokers, but I guess the debate will prevail. Sigh . . . .