What are bidis?

• Pronounced "bee-dees," they are small, thin hand-rolled cigarettes imported mostly from India and other Southeast Asian countries
• They are tobacco wrapped in a tendu or temburni leaf (plants native to Asia), and may be secured with a colorful string at one or both ends
• Bidis may be flavored (e.g., chocolate, cherry, and mango) or unflavored
• Machine-smoking analyses (remember, not the same as human lungs) indicate that bidis have higher concentrations of nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide than conventional cigarettes

What are kreteks (cloves)?

• Pronounced "cree-techs," they are usually referred to as clove cigarettes
• Clove cigarettes are mostly imported from Indonesia.
• Cloves typically contain a mixture of tobacco, cloves, and other additives
• Cloves deliver more nicotine, carbon monoxide, and tar than conventional cigarettes

Bidis and cloves should not be considered safe alternatives to conventional cigarettes.

BACK TO TOP