ISO 8243:2006 specifies two methods of providing representative samples of a population of cigarettes manufactured for sale. Different procedures are specified according to whether sampling is undertaken at the point of sale or at a factory.

• Sampling at one point in time provides for appraisal of the chosen properties of the cigarettes on that occasion. Sampling is carried out within as short a period as possible.
• Sampling over a period of time provides for on-going appraisals. It can be considered for practical purposes as a series of samples each taken at one point in time.

ISO 8243:2006 provides information on the statistical basis for the treatment of data and gives estimates, based on practical experience, of the typical confidence intervals for NFDPM, nicotine and CO yields which may be found when a product is sampled in accordance with this International Standard and smoked in accordance with the procedures specified in International Standards ISO 3308, ISO 3402, ISO 4387, ISO 8454, ISO 10315, ISO 10362-1 and ISO 10362-2.