Abstract: A literature review on the effects of cigarette paper characteristics, such as air permeability, additive types (combustion promoter, amount of combustion promoter, catalytic additive, absorptive additive, etc.), basis weight, pulp type, on the release of harmful compounds in mainstream cigarette smoke was conducted to investigate the relationships between cigarette paper parameters and harmful smoke component release and to guide suitable cigarette paper in production. The results showed that:1) Among cigarette paper characteristics, the effect of air permeability of cigarette paper was greater. 2) Additives were widely studied at home and abroad, the developed additives (including combustion promoter, catalyst, flame retardant, ash regulator) reduced the release of harmful components in mainstream cigarette smoke to different extents. 3) The proportion of flax pulp and coniferous pulp also influenced the release of harmful components in mainstream cigarette smoke greatly. 4) The effects of filler and basis weight of cigarette paper on the release of harmful components were smaller. Increasing the permeability of cigarette paper is a convenient and effective way to reduce the release of harmful components in mainstream cigarette smoke, however, this should be used by combining with the other ways to keep the sensory quality of cigarette unchanged while reducing the release of harmful components.