Attorney Generals try to snuff out Indian cigarettes

The Attorneys General of Iowa and 48 other states are trying to snuff out the importation of a special cigarette primarily manufactured in India. Bob Brammer, a spokesman for Iowa’s Attorney General, says the cigarettes target kids.The cigarettes have a higher tar level than regular cigarettes and are flavored like chocolate, strawberry, orange and vanilla. The cigarettes are a brand called “bidi”. Brammer says they want federal officials to block the importation of the cigarettes. Brammer says the Bidi’s are available in some Iowa smoke shops, but he doesn’t believe they are widely available yet.Brammer says sting operations in other states have shown the cigarrettes are sold to kids over the Internet without the sellers checking the age of the kids.