Quote:
Originally Posted by Oracle Porn
link or proof? I get my cigs from Ukraine @ $20/carton straight from the factory.... don't remember the last time I bought them at a store.
|
If you're buying BRANDED (Marlboro) you have more protection than purely local labels. Regardless, tobacco from developing countries are cheaper. Here's why it's cheaper in developing countries:
Quote:
|
Pesticide use in the United States is still a threat to both public health and the environment, despite having some of the world's strongest regulations in place. In most developing countries, the problems associated with the use of pesticides are exponentially worse.27 As Dr. Lori Ann Thrupp of the World Resources Institute writes, "Most developing countries lack the political will and resources to devote attention to the hazards of pesticides, and are often pressured by pesticide firms to allow unfettered marketing."28 In these countries, government agencies and pesticide companies rarely provide information to growers about the dangers of pesticides. As a result, farmers in developing countries are often unaware of the hazards and of the need to use protective equipment. Such gear is rarely available due to its high cost, and even when available is seldom used in hot climates. In poor rural areas in many developing countries, it is common to see farmers wearing short pants and short-sleeved shirts while mixing and applying pesticides.
|
Quote:
|
To ensure an endless supply of inexpensive cigarettes and cigars and high profits for tobacco companies, millions of pounds of toxic chemicals are being used on millions of acres of land around the world--land that in most cases could be used to grow food. Viewed in a global context, tobacco not only endangers the lives of smokers, it threatens the health and well-being of millions of tobacco farmers and workers in countries around the world. Concerned U.S. citizens should rightly question the sustainability and the sanity of the tobacco industry, at home and abroad.
|
Alarming as the last paragraph above may seem, that's only for US and Western companies mutlinationals that subscribe to regulations and more often than not. The higher risk comes from local monopoly brands who may or may not subscribe to the same quality/process/international standards.
Source:
http://www.panna.org/files/tobacco.dv.html