A brand of cigarette with nominal tar and nicotine yields of 4.0 mg and 0.4 mg, respectively, was examined under various machine‐smoked conditions that reflect the wide range of human smoking behavior. Three levels of each of five smoking parameters‐butt length, puff duration, puff interval, puff volume, and ventilation occlusion‐were examined, and the effects on puff number and total particulate matter (TPM) as well as gas phase, particulate phase, and total HCN yields were estimated. Yields of hydrogen cyanide (a ciliatoxic agent) and TPM varied significantly under different smoking conditions. Ventilation occlusion had the most pronounced effect, accounting for 34% of the response variation of TPM yields and 42% of the response variation for total hydrogen cyanide yields.