Abstract

An improved smoking material affording reduced particulate matter and puff count yet having the flavor and aromatic qualities of natural tobacco, which comprises cellulosic material having incorporated therein a metal salt from the group consisting of calcium salts, magnesium salts, iron salts, and aluminum salts of various organic or inorganic acids. A process for producing such a synthetic smoking material is also disclosed. The process preferably comprises forming an aqueous slurry of the cellulosic material, preferably in the form of loose and slightly beaten cellulose fibers, adding the metal salt to the slurry, casting the same and thereafter drying, conditioning and slitting or cutting the resulting sheet to produce a low tar filler material. A preferred embodiment of the invention resides in foaming the slurry prior to casting the same to form an expanded product.