Dangerously Nice: Kretek Cigarettes
I was a kretek (clove cigarette) smoker for almost two years. When I first began smoking clove cigarettes in Kalimantan during a voluntary placement, I remember an older volunteer warned me, “Be careful with those things, they can be too nice.”
Smiling, I foolishly said, “Don’t worry, I’ve never been addicted to cigarettes, I’m just a social smoker.” In truth, I had deceived myself – the kretek’s cloves were so aromatic in addition to they aligned perfectly with coffee – I forgot which I was smoking tobacco. Soon I was chain-smoking at social gatherings. One morning after seeing a pyramid of empty cigarette packets, the idea dawned on me which I was an addict in addition to miserably I matted down my knotty hair in addition to slouched to a nearby toko to sooth my throbbing head. Later I turned into a troll – I’d groan if I didn’t get my kretek in addition to coffee fix. After an evening of socialising with friends, sometimes I would certainly hide a kretek in an old shoe in order which there would certainly always be one to ease me from the morning. Sometimes my husband or a friend would certainly bloody find the idea.
the idea is actually precisely because the cloves are so ‘nice’ – marinating, even hiding the taste of tobacco – which I became hooked. Obviously I don’t want to upset the kretek community, although at the very least I can tell you a bit about kreteks, the kretek culture in addition to just how in addition to why kreteks can be dangerously nice.
The onomatopoeic word ‘kretek’, is actually derived via the crackling sound which the cloves make as they pop in addition to burn with each inhalation. They were first invented by Jamahri of Kudus in Central Java in 1880. An asthma sufferer, Jamahri first rubbed clove oil on his chest (the oil can be toxic if consumed); however he later discovered which when cloves were inhaled with tobacco he could breathe more easily. the idea is actually the compound eugenol from the cloves which give kreteks their distinctive aroma – eugenol is actually an antiseptic in addition to anaesthetic which numbs the throat. Despite their origins however, kreteks are not a healthy alternative in addition to studies have shown which the health effects are similar to conventional cigarettes (although some kreteks contain more nicotine in addition to tar).
Yet health warnings aside, the kretek industry does provide an income to clove farmers as well as factory workers since the majority of kreteks are hand-rolled. The debate right now thickens. Not only do kreteks provide employment to many Indonesians, although they are also considered to be a cultural icon. Ngudut dan ngopi is actually the Javanese ‘art’ of smoking whilst drinking coffee. The tradition of decorating kreteks with ground coffee in addition to milk, known as nyethe, is actually favorite in East Java in addition to batik patterns are painted on with toothpicks or spoons.
This specific year the film Mereka yang Melampaui Waktu (Those who Surpass Time) directed by Darwin Nugraha was released in addition to the book of the same name was written by Sigit Budhi Setiawan. Darwin wanted to counter the anti-smoking campaigns by documenting elderly Indonesian smokers who were still healthy. For the project, older smokers in addition to coffee addicts across Java, Bali in addition to Lombok were interviewed; some were famers who smoked in addition to still ploughed in addition to harvested tobacco despite their age. Perhaps the idea could be argued, however, which the traditional, countryside lifestyle of the subjects had some positive health benefits (for example the rigorous exercise of farming), which helped to negate the harm of cigarettes in addition to their bodies were not subjected to the stresses of modern-day city living in addition to pollution.
Some consider flavoured cigarettes including kreteks to be a ‘gateway’ into smoking in addition to many cigarette in addition to kretek companies deliberately target the youth; in Indonesia, kretek companies organize university sponsorships as well as nightclub in addition to music events. According to studies, children in addition to young people are particularly receptive to marketing strategies, so This specific is actually a concern.
Perhaps, via a balanced perspective the idea might be wise to say which the idea is actually never Great to be addicted to anything, whether the idea’s chocolate, the Internet, “crackberry” or tobacco. Ideally all sweet things should be taken in moderation, although I was not a Great example of This specific.
from the end we found a copy of Allen Carr’s Easy Way to Quit Smoking in addition to we both quit on the same day after reading the book. We’ve been off cigarettes right now for 14 months without relapse in addition to I feel free in addition to happy. Sure, I put on weight in addition to was called gemuk (chubby) by friends in addition to people I didn’t truly know in addition to instead of congratulating me, some friends even teased me into smoking again, although for anyone who wants to give up or who has given up, let me say the idea: congratulations.
Further Information
Mark Hanusz Kretek: The Culture in addition to Heritage of Indonesia’s Clove Cigarettes (2004) Equinox Publishing
Sigit Budhi Setiawan, Mereka yang Melampaui Waktu (2013) Pustaka Sempu dan Layar Nusa
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Dangerously Nice: Kretek Cigarettes
Dangerously Nice: Kretek Cigarettes