Cigarette and cigarette filter element therefor

A cigarette comprises a blend of tobacco materials and a filter element provided from a non-woven thermoplastic material. The non-woven material comprises polyester or polypropylene fibers. The non-woven material is in intimate contact with a water soluble tobacco extract and a further material for altering the character of mainstream smoke which passes through the filter element. The tobacco extract can be a spray dried extract which has been subjected to heat treatment. The further material can be in an acid (e.g., levulinic acid), a base (e.g., sodium hydroxide) or a salt (e.g., diammonium hydrogen orthophosphate).