Why Are Clove Cigarettes Illegal in the US

Clove Cigarettes Illegal

You might wonder what made clove cigarettes illegal in the United States. Well, get ready to learn a little bit of history because we are going to tell you exactly why.

Clove cigarettes or kretek cigarettes are cigarettes that are made with a special blend that includes tobacco and cloves.

It is called kretek cigarettes because the word “kretek” actually arise from the crackling sound of cloves that are burning.

This kind of cigarette originated from Indonesia, where it is preferred by almost 90% of the smokers there.

That is why there is a lot of kretek cigarette manufacturer in Indonesia such as Sampoerna, Djarum, Gudang Garam, and Wismilak.

Clove Cigarettes Illegal in the US

Despite kretek cigarettes being super popular in Indonesia, it is currently banned in the United States.

Based on a study done by the Central for Disease Control, smokers in the United States prefer smoking menthol cigarettes than clove cigarettes.

Even so, the government of the United States has prohibited the use of flavors inside cigarettes aside from tobacco and menthol.

There is a reason why clove cigarettes are illegal in the States. The process which made them illegal was filled with a lot of political debate that will be briefly discussed in this article.

Clove Cigarettes Prohibition

In 2009, a US Senate bill that would have made flavor in cigarettes illegal was proposed. That bill would have made it impossible for cigarettes in the US market to have any ingredient other than tobacco and menthol.

This means that clove is also illegal to be added to cigarettes. What made it attracts a lot of critics is the fact that Philip Morris, a large US tobacco maker, was a huge supporter of this bill. Phillip Morris was a tobacco maker who mainly uses menthol in his tobacco.

That is why it is thought that this bill was only proposed to protect Morris’s company from any kind of competition.

Indonesia Announces Deal with US on Clove Cigarettes Trade Dispute

Indonesia made a formal claim to the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding the discrimination of clove cigarettes in the US until later on April 4, 2012, the WTO ruled in favor of the claims that Indonesia made.

However, it is not clear how the US will proceed with its clove cigarettes ban.

Clove cigarettes are consumed heavily in Indonesia. But in the States, they are banned because of a particular reason.

What made clove cigarettes illegal in the United States is still being debated until now.