Clove cigarette
Clove cigarettes ( Indonesian : Kretek ) are cigarettes that contain crushed cloves in addition to tobacco . The Indonesian tobacco is also sauced with herbal and fruit extracts to refine its taste. The name Kretek is derived from the cracking sound when the cloves burn. These cigarettes are mostly made in Indonesia .
Kreteks were first produced by Haji Jamhari in the city of Kudus around 1880 . The active ingredient eugenol , which is found in cloves, was supposed to relieve his asthma . Indeed, Jamhari's lung problems stopped and he started marketing his invention in his village.
In the United States , clove cigarettes are even more controversial than ordinary cigarettes. In the USA, for example, there has been a general ban on the sale of kreteks since September 22, 2009. This is justified by the fact that especially Kreteks induce young people to smoke. Consumption remains legal, however, and continues with cigarettes obtained from Canada, in which significantly higher nicotine and tar levels were measured (up to 76 mg tar and 3.4 mg nicotine) before the American ban.
The nicotine and tar levels in clove cigarettes are very high and are usually the highest legal levels in Europe (currently 1.0 mg nicotine / 10 mg tar ). Clove cigarettes are at least as harmful to health as conventional cigarettes, but whether they are even more harmful is still a matter of debate. With the entry into force of the new EU Tobacco Directive, the sale of clove cigarettes was banned across Europe. In Germany, the Djarum company offers cigarillos with tobacco wrappers, which do not fall under the Tobacco Directive and are therefore freely available.
Selling is still allowed in Switzerland.
Well-known Kretek brands available in Europe are Gudang Garam , Djarum and Sampoerna .