Cigarette with improved substrate

Disclosed is a new substrate for cigarettes which comprises an overwrapped rod of gathered cellulose-based paper having an outer diameter of from about 4 mm to about 8 mm; wherein the paper has a basis weight in the range of about 10 g/m to about 90 g/m ; and the paper can include up to about 50 weight percent of one or more burn retardant hydrated salts. The substrate typically comprises an overwrapped rod of a gathered web of a nonwoven cellulosic material, having a length of about 10 mm; wherein the dry unit weight of the substrate rod is from about 20 mg to about 120 mg; and wherein the web of cellulosic material is embossed or scored prior to gathering, thereby providing a substrate rod with a pressure drop of from about 2 to about 40 mm of H2O, under FTC conditions. When employed in a cigarette at a 10 mm length, the substrate is typically capable of generating an aerosol density of at least about 2000 Units for at least about 50% of the puffs, preferably for at least about 80% of the puffs (under 50/30 smoking conditions).