Abstract: The present invention incorporates film forming additives to modify cigarette paper in such a fashion as to reduce sidestream smoke. The sidestream smoke reduction paper includes an alginate as a film forming agent used in combination with a burn additive to form a coating to reduce visible sidestream smoke as compared to a control paper without the additives. The alginates include ammonium alginate, sodium alginate, and potassium alginate. The preferred burn additives include alkali metal salts, particularly alkali metal carboxylates, which include potassium succinate, potassium citrate, potassium acetate, sodium succinate, sodium citrate, and sodium acetate, added to the cigarette paper in combination with the film forming agents. An acid may be used in combination with a burn additive to form a precoat solution applied to the cigarette wrapping paper preceding the addition of a film forming agent.