I am very concerned and devistated that I smoked these bugs

This article is part of the Tobacco portal on Sourcewatch funded from 2006 - 2009 by the American Legacy Foundation.

I am very concerned and devistated over the fact that I smoked these bugs.

SUMMARY: An alarmed cigarette consumer wrote to the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in 1996 to tell them she found find live bugs crawling out of her cigarette filters. The customer says she fumigated her home after finding bugs crawling out of her cigarette pack, and communicates her displeasure with the cavalier manner in which the company apparently handled her complaint.. She further expresses her displeasure that R.J. Reynolds could be so unconcerned about her health:

I am very concerned if there are any dangers from smoking or injesting these bugs... I am very upset on how this issue was handled through your so called supervisors. They showed no concern when I explained that these bugs could be in my house and in my body. You would think that they would put a rush on this situation but I was told it would take 2 weeks to receive the mailer [to return the cigarettes to the factory] and 5 weeks to examine the cigarettes. There were no concerns that this could be a health risk to me and my family.

Title: I AM VERY CONCERNED AND DEVISTATED OVER THE FACT THAT I SMOKE THESE BUGS.
Company: R.J. Reynolds
Document Date: 02 Feb 1996
Length: 2 pages
Bates No. 518290139/0140
URL: http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/ruy50d00