How do cigarette filters work?

Yes, they filter out the particulate components of smoke such as tar. This results in a mild decrease in the amount of carcinogens, but filtered cigarettes should not be considered in anyway more safe or "better" for a person than unfiltered cigarettes- they represent an enormous health risk that can contribute to lung cancer, heart attack, stroke, and emphysema, among others. Stopping smoking now can greatly reduce your risk of developing such diseases.

Filtered cigarettes make no difference to the damage done to a person's lungs and body.

The filters do not even mildly decrease the amount of carcinogens. Same applies to Light,Mild or Extra Light cigarettes. It's all a successful marketing ploy.

The only thing that the filter on cigarettes is good for, is keeping bits of tobacco out of your mouth.

Filters cools the smoke, keeps your fingers from getting stained and keeps the tobacco out of your mouth. Whatever reduction in health risk has been counteracted by the additives that have been added to increase the flavor of the smoke. There is also the added risk of inhaling partials from the filter into the smoker's lungs and causing scaring and increasing the chances of emphysema. Also studies have shown that smokers tend to draw longer and harder on filtered cigarettes. This causes additional exposure to the harmful chemicals found in tobacco smoke. In other Words, filtered cigarettes may in fact be worst for you than non-filtered ones. the same goes for the low tar and "light" cigarettes. The healthiest thing to do is simply to quit but if you are going to smoke, there maybe a slight and I mean slight reduced risk smoking non-filtered 100% natural cigarettes. Sadly there has been no study done on what is the healthiest way to smoke because there is really no interest in the non-smoking lobby in proving a healthier way to smoke and tobacco companies are not going to research that counteracts their marketing of low tar and filtered cigarettes.