Beedi
Encyclopedia
A beedi is a thin, South Asian cigarette
filled with tobacco
flake and wrapped in a tendu leaf tied with a string at one end.
The word comes from beeda, Marwar
i for a leaf wrapped in betel nuts, herbs, and condiments.
A traditional method of tobacco use throughout South Asia
and parts of the Middle East
, today beedies are popular and inexpensive in India
. There, beedi consumption outpaces that of conventional cigarettes although these tobacco-filled leaves deliver more nicotine
, carbon monoxide
and tar
and carry a greater risk of oral cancers.
Beedies accounted for 48% of Indian tobacco consumption in 2008.
Like all tobacco use, beedis increase the risk of certain kinds of cancer
s, heart disease
and lung disease.
n tobacco cultivation began in the late 17th century, and beedies were first created when tobacco workers took left over tobacco and rolled it in leaves.
The commercial Indian beedi industry saw rapid growth during the 1930s probably driven by an expansion of tobacco cultivation at the time but also helped by Gandhi's support of Indian industry and Indian products. Perhaps due to this, educated classes in India grew to prefer beedies over cigarettes although this is no longer the case. Muslim
leaders, calling cigarettes foreign products, have also endorsed beedies over cigarettes at times.
By the middle of the 20th century beedi manufacture had grown into a highly competitive industry. This stage of commercial production—at the height of the beedi's popularity—saw the creation of many new beedi brand
s as well as beedi factories employing upwards of one hundred, primarily male, beedi rollers.
Factory-based beedi production declined as a result of increased regulation during the 1940s, '50s and '60s and beedi-making became a cottage industry with a home-based women workforce predominantly employed only in the beedi rolling. In contrast, males continue to be employed in all aspects of beedi production.
, beedies are treated like conventional cigarettes. They are taxed at the same rates, are required to have a tax stamp and must carry the Surgeon General's warning. A study done in San Francisco showed that about 4 in 10 packs of beedies did not contain the required warning label and 7 in 10 did not carry the tax stamp, however. 2006 statistics on beedi usage shows that 2.9% of high school students in the United States take part in beedi smoking compared to 1.4% of adults 18–24 years old.
Workers roll an average of 500-1000 beedies per day, handling 225-450 grams of tobacco flake, and inhaling tobacco dust and other volatile components present in the work environment. Studies have shown that cotinine
levels in the bodily fluids of beedi workers are elevated even among those who do not use tobacco.
It is estimated that 325,000 children work rolling beedies despite beedi manufacture being classified by the India Child Labor Prohibition and Regulation Act as hazardous work.
leaves make excellent wrappers, and the success of the beedi is due, in part, to this leaf. The leaves are in abundance shortly after the tobacco crop is cured and so are ready to be used in beedi manufacture. Collected in the summer and made into bundles, the leaves are dried in the sun for 3 to 6 days before being used as wrappers.
Cigarette
A cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well...
filled with tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
flake and wrapped in a tendu leaf tied with a string at one end.
The word comes from beeda, Marwar
Marwar
Marwar is a region of southwestern Rajasthan state in western India. It lies partly in the Thar Desert. In Rajasthani dialect "wad" means a particular area. The word Marwar is derived from Sanskrit word 'Maruwat'. English translation of the word is 'The region of desert'., The Imperial Gazetteer...
i for a leaf wrapped in betel nuts, herbs, and condiments.
A traditional method of tobacco use throughout South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
and parts of the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, today beedies are popular and inexpensive in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. There, beedi consumption outpaces that of conventional cigarettes although these tobacco-filled leaves deliver more nicotine
Nicotine
Nicotine is an alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants that constitutes approximately 0.6–3.0% of the dry weight of tobacco, with biosynthesis taking place in the roots and accumulation occurring in the leaves...
, carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide , also called carbonous oxide, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly lighter than air. It is highly toxic to humans and animals in higher quantities, although it is also produced in normal animal metabolism in low quantities, and is thought to have some normal...
and tar
Tar (tobacco residue)
Tar is the common name for the resinous partially combusted and healed particulate matter produced by the burning of tobacco and other plant material in the act of smoking. Tar is purportedly the most destructive component in habitual tobacco smoking, accumulating in the smoker's lungs over time...
and carry a greater risk of oral cancers.
Beedies accounted for 48% of Indian tobacco consumption in 2008.
Like all tobacco use, beedis increase the risk of certain kinds of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
s, heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
and lung disease.
History of the beedi
IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n tobacco cultivation began in the late 17th century, and beedies were first created when tobacco workers took left over tobacco and rolled it in leaves.
The commercial Indian beedi industry saw rapid growth during the 1930s probably driven by an expansion of tobacco cultivation at the time but also helped by Gandhi's support of Indian industry and Indian products. Perhaps due to this, educated classes in India grew to prefer beedies over cigarettes although this is no longer the case. Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
leaders, calling cigarettes foreign products, have also endorsed beedies over cigarettes at times.
By the middle of the 20th century beedi manufacture had grown into a highly competitive industry. This stage of commercial production—at the height of the beedi's popularity—saw the creation of many new beedi brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
s as well as beedi factories employing upwards of one hundred, primarily male, beedi rollers.
Factory-based beedi production declined as a result of increased regulation during the 1940s, '50s and '60s and beedi-making became a cottage industry with a home-based women workforce predominantly employed only in the beedi rolling. In contrast, males continue to be employed in all aspects of beedi production.
Use
Unlike cigarettes, beedies must be puffed frequently to keep them lit, and doing so requires effort.Poor man's cigarette
Beedi smoking tends to be associated with a lower social standing, and these inexpensive—2-8 rupees (USD $0.05 -0.18) for a packX. People with a high social standing who do smoke beedies often do so out of the public eye.Beedies in the United States
In the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, beedies are treated like conventional cigarettes. They are taxed at the same rates, are required to have a tax stamp and must carry the Surgeon General's warning. A study done in San Francisco showed that about 4 in 10 packs of beedies did not contain the required warning label and 7 in 10 did not carry the tax stamp, however. 2006 statistics on beedi usage shows that 2.9% of high school students in the United States take part in beedi smoking compared to 1.4% of adults 18–24 years old.
Flavored beedies
Some beedies are flavored. Both the US and Canada have banned flavored cigarettes.Manufacture
Over 3 million Indians are employed in the manufacture of beedies, a cottage industry that is typically done by women in their homes.Workers roll an average of 500-1000 beedies per day, handling 225-450 grams of tobacco flake, and inhaling tobacco dust and other volatile components present in the work environment. Studies have shown that cotinine
Cotinine
Cotinine is an alkaloid found in tobacco and is also a metabolite of nicotine. The word "cotinine" is an anagram of "nicotine". Cotinine is used as a biomarker for exposure to tobacco smoke and has also been sold as an antidepressant under the brand name Scotine.Similarly to nicotine, cotinine...
levels in the bodily fluids of beedi workers are elevated even among those who do not use tobacco.
It is estimated that 325,000 children work rolling beedies despite beedi manufacture being classified by the India Child Labor Prohibition and Regulation Act as hazardous work.
Tendu leaves
Tendu (Diospyros melanoxylon)Diospyros melanoxylon
Coromandel Ebony or East Indian Ebony is a species of flowering tree in the family Ebenaceae that is native to India and Sri Lanka....
leaves make excellent wrappers, and the success of the beedi is due, in part, to this leaf. The leaves are in abundance shortly after the tobacco crop is cured and so are ready to be used in beedi manufacture. Collected in the summer and made into bundles, the leaves are dried in the sun for 3 to 6 days before being used as wrappers.
Beedi v. Cigarettes
India is a largest producer of beedi. Due to cheap labour Andra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are the major beedi manufacturing hubs in India.External links
- Action Plan for Beedi Women Workers The International Labor Office Beedi
- Beedi-making tutorial