Salt in cigarettes (3)
I believe the answer is:
tar
'salt' is the definition.
(both can informally mean a sailor)
I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for tar that I've seen before include "Informal sailor or coal distillation" , "Sticky substance used in road construction" , "Sailor; bitumen" , "Road-making substance" , "Informal sailor, the rat" .)