A look at clove cigarettes, which will be banned in September under federal tobacco laws

A look at clove cigarettes

CLOVES: Also known as kreteks (pronounced “cree-techs”) for the crackling sound they make when burned, the cigarettes contain tobacco blended with cloves.

WHERE THEY STARTED: They originated in the 1880s in Indonesia and are a staple of the Indonesian smoking culture — so much so that companies like Philip Morris International Inc. have created their own blends of clove cigarette bearing the famous Marlboro name in Indonesia and India. The company also has a controlling interest in Sampoerna, another Indonesian maker of clove cigarettes.

POPULARITY: Indonesia exports more than $500 million worth of the product per year, with about a fifth of the shipments coming to the U.S., according to the Indonesian embassy in Washington. The industry employs about 11 million Indonesian workers.