Abstract: Some key combustion character parameters, including heat release, smoke release, mass loss, deliveries of CO and CO₂,during combustion of cut reconstituted tobacco (CRT), expanded cut tobacco (ECT) and expanded cut stem (ECS) were compared by means of cone calorimeter. The results indicated that:1) ECS was less combustible than CRT and ECT. 2) ECT released smoke more rapidly than did CRT and ECS during puffing stage; while obviously slowly than did CRT during smoldering stage. 3) Comparing with CRT and ECT, ECS released less smoke and delivered more CO and less CO₂ during the whole combustion process. However, CRT released more smoke than did ECT at smoldering stage. 4) For all the samples, the CO delivery was higher at smoldering stage than at puffing stage; while it was on the contrary for CO₂ delivery.