The Manufacturing of Cigarettes
When the first cigarette factory was established in the United States in the late 1800's, cigarettes became cheaper and easier to use. Each year four trillion cigarettes are sold throughout the world. The main manufacturing country is the United States, but countries like Pakistan, Brazil, Zimbabwe and Kenya also have a strong market in the tobacco industry.
Tobacco is sold undercover in the United States, Italy, Greece, France and Germany. Tobacco is stored in long thick rows in a huge warehouse. It is then bought by cigarette, cigar and pipe companies and taken to their factories. Cuba is famous for their cigars, and Cubans could not survive without the tobacco industry. But more and more, Fidel Castro and his communist goverment are trying to push the poor farmers to plant and cultivate different crops. Although Fidel Castro is often portrayed with a cigar in his mouth, he does not smoke. Much of the money made by the cigarette companies is
used for advertisements. Although advertising on television is now prohibited, cigarette manufacturers still spend more than 2.7 billion dollars each year in advertising. Billboards and cigarette boxes must now by law have a warning about the health risk to yourself, your baby and others.
Pictures from: "DANGERS DU TABAC" by Judith Condon and Francois Carlier
Last updated: April 30, 2000