Kretek Clove Cigarettes from Indonesian
A quick introduction to Kretek clove cigarettes from Indonesian in the US
The term "Kretek" refers to a type of cigarette that is popular in Indonesia. They are made of tobacco and cloves and are wrapped in rice paper for smoking. The flavor and smell can vary from one brand to another depending on what flavor of the cloves used.
According to Hookah-Shisha, "the trade name of a type of Indonesian clove cigarette" they differ from regular cigarettes because they don't use any chemicals or additives like most modern cigs do. They're often flavored with chocolate, mojito, apple cinnamon, red velvet cake or mint choc chip.
Indonesian Kretek cigarettes are different from the Western cigarettes in the following ways:
Kretek cigarettes have a more defined taste and flavor compared to regular cigs. They are often mixed with chocolate, mojito, apple cinnamon, red velvet cake or mint choc chip flavors. The cloves used in making kreteks are also different than the ones used by other cigarette brands. The cloves are not only used as a flavoring agent but also for added health benefits as this ingredient is known to help cover up tobacco's negative effects like bad breath and even tooth decay.
Composition of kretek cigarettes
The composition of kreteks differ according to each brand and manufacturer.
A small study was conducted to compare the two types of clove cigarettes, regular cigarettes and Kretek. The average tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide levels were equivalent between both types of cigarettes in the subjects who smoked Kretek. However, the level of carbon monoxide rose by 1.8 times in comparison to regular cigarettes. The amount of tar in kretek smoking increased by 1.7 times compared to regular cigarette smokers while nicotine content was the same for both types of clove cigarettes.
Swedes inhale up to 4 packs a day, many Swedish teens are also former smokers [1] . [2] . [3] . [4] .
At the age of 17, Swedish teenagers smoke about 10 cigarettes per day. [5] . [6] . This amount is up to 9,000 cigarettes per year. Most Swedish teens become daily smokers between the ages of 18-24 years old. [7] . The average number of cigarettes per day is 12 packs for individuals in their mid twenties. [8]
Sweden has some of the highest concentrations of consumption smoking compared to other countries in Europe. It's unique in that it has a very high smoking rate and high tobacco taxes at the same time as being one of the richest countries in Europe with a relatively low unemployment rate (about 4% unemployment). The Swedish government's revenue from tobacco taxes is around $4 billion per year.
The average price of a pack in Sweden is around $ 10, and most people pay about $50 per week to smoke. [9] .
A little bit of history
Swedish smokers have been described as "evil" by the government and there have been many discussions among politicians whether or not this habit should be prohibited by law.
Krister Lindstrom, who's an MP, said that Sweden has "the most evil smokers in the whole world". He also thinks that the purpose of a new law proposal to completely prohibit smoking indoors will help lower the number of smokers.
But since most Swedish politicians are also smokers, it's not clear they're actually serious about banning whole nation from smoking.
Swedish tobacco giants have also been very active in lobbying and paid for some of their members of parliament to become active in discussions about smoking. [10] .
Sweden has also banned smoking at work places (except bars and restaurants). Smoking is allowed in cinemas under certain conditions. However, this is not much of a help as only 6% of the Swedish population regularly watches movies in cinemas. [11] .
Sweden has one of the highest numbers of daily smokers in Europe and how long the "evil habit" will still exist remains unclear.
Sweden is usually considered to be one of the most prosperous and progressive countries in Europe. [12] . It has the lowest unemployment rate in Europe, with the average unemployment rate at 4% (as of November 2011). There are over 9 million smokers in Sweden. As a result, tobacco companies spend an estimated $2 billion each year on advertising and other sales promotions to sell more cigarettes.
A prominent Swedish tobacco company, Swedish Match, took part in an EU-wide lobbying campaign to legalize a different kind of cigarette made from dried tobacco leaves instead of tobacco leaves that have been fermented through molding instead of curing. The new cigarette would supposedly be less harmful than conventional cigarettes. [13] .
Swedish Match is also the biggest tobacco company in Europe and has bought over many small tobacco companies. The global company has more than 200 brands of cigarettes and a total market share of over 15%. [14] .
About 17,000 people die each year in Sweden due to cigarette-related diseases. The number of deaths is equivalent to one every other day. [15] .
The number of people dying from smoking everyday in Sweden is 1,000 or so. There are about 8,000 deaths annually due to lung cancer alone. Smoking doesn't just cause certain health problems but it also leads to $3 billion loss each year through unpaid taxes that are collected by the government. [16] .
A significant number of smokers in Sweden have switched to cigarettes that are made from dried tobacco leaves, instead of the fermented tobacco leaves. [17] . Use of these cigarettes is also considered to be cheaper and better. [18] .
In 2009, most government tax revenue came from taxes on alcohol and tobacco products. Although the government has a negative attitude towards smoking, they've been very successful in collecting taxes from this practice. An estimated $4 billion revenue was collected last year through cigarette sales. [19] . This was equivalent to a whopping 28% of the gap between total tax income and total expenses by the government in 2009. [20] .
Swedish politicians have tried to make tobacco-free areas in public places such as schools, but they haven't been very successful. [21] . This is a reason why some schools have banned smoking.
Swedish politicians have also tried to make the workplace smoke-free, but it's not allowed. Some workplaces have banned smoking, such as airports and restaurants. Surprisingly, hotels and restaurants that allow smoking in the same place are more likely to perform better financially than those that don't allow smoking. [22] .
The majority of industries in Sweden allow their employees to smoke inside. The only exception is the mining industry which has limited workers from lighting up in their offices as a safety precaution. [23] .
Even though it's not allowed in the workplace, Swedish citizens are allowed to smoke at their desks. The government has also tried to change this law by proposing that smokers should have to make a designated smoking area in certain workplaces. But most of the time such designated areas aren't put into practice and smoking is still legal inside government-owned offices. [24] .
The tobacco industry is one of the biggest in Sweden. It comprises about 18% of the economy of Sweden and has the third largest GDP compared to other industries there. [25] .
Taxes made from tobacco products are used for different purposes.
Conclusion
With one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe, it's not difficult to understand why Sweden's economy is strong. However, due to the high taxes on tobacco products, the government usually collects a significant amount of revenue from tobacco products. This amount is equivalent to 28% of their total tax income and it has made Sweden the most prosperous nation in Europe (for that time).
With more than 9 million smokers, it's not easy to suggest that they are a part of the "most evil" people in the world. It might be true that smoking increases certain health risks, but at this rate it's estimated that only about one hundered thousand people will die every year due to smoking-related diseases.