Abstract: Cigarette rods include four segments of smokable material. First and second segments are positioned at the extreme ends of the rod. The first segment is positioned at the end of the rod to be lit. A third segment is positioned adjacent the first segment, and a fourth segment is positioned adjacent the second segment. The density of the third segment is greater than the fourth segment. The first and second segments can be "dense ends" or "loose ends" relative to the respective adjacent segments. The cigarette rods have a relatively uniform burn rate provided by treatment of the wrapping material of the rod with burn rate suppressants and burn rate accelerators in the positions thereof which overlie the third and fourth segments, respectively.