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Kretek cigarettes were developed in Indonesia in the late 1800s to deliver the medicinal qualities of cloves to the lungs. However, they are as hazardous to health as other cigarettes and can cause additional side effects from the spice. The sale of kretek is banned in some US states due to their alluring characteristics.
A kretek, more often referred to as a clove cigarette, is a cigarette containing a specific blend of tobacco and cloves. Kretek cigarettes were developed in Indonesia in the late 1800s as a way to deliver the medicinal qualities of cloves to the lungs as they were believed to help treat asthma. Conversely, in laboratory studies, kretek cigarettes have been found to contain levels of tar and nicotine and emit levels of carbon monoxide comparable to other full-flavored cigarettes, deeming them as hazardous to health as other types of cigarettes.
In visual appearance, a kretek looks similar to a plain tobacco cigarette, although they are sometimes rolled in black rather than white paper. Kretek cigarettes can be filtered or unfiltered. The distinguishable feature of a kretek is the aroma. Cloves have a distinguishable spicy, almost sweet scent and a burning kretek smells a lot like incense. Similarly, a kretek tastes different than traditional tobacco cigarettes due to the cloves.
Although research has shown that kreteks have the same health risks as other cigarettes, people who smoke cloves can experience additional side effects from the spice. Cloves have been shown to irritate the gastrointestinal systems of some people, and other people have shown allergies to both the smell and ingestion of cloves.
While kretek cigarettes remain popular in the Orient and other parts of the world, there has been much debate in the United States about the sale of clove cigarettes. The primary concern surrounding the sale of kretek cigarettes is that their aroma and flavor may appeal to younger and underage individuals, as well as the school of thought that because they contain cloves, people are drawn to the thought of an herbal cigarette. While there has been talk of creating a federal law banning the sale of kretek, to date there are no laws on the books. However, due to their seemingly alluring characteristics, the sale of kretek is banned in some states including Maryland, Utah and New Mexico.
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