The Quintessential Beedi of the Poor Man

The Quintessential Beedi of the Poor Man, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A beedi ( /ˈbiːdiː/; from Hindi: बीड़ी; also spelled bidi[1] or biri[2]) is a thin, South Asian[3] cigarette filled with tobacco flake and wrapped in a tendu leaf tied with a string at one end.
The word comes from beeda, Marwari for a leaf wrapped in betel nuts, herbs, and condiments.[4]
A traditional method of tobacco use throughout South Asia and parts of the Middle East,[5] today beedies are popular[2] and inexpensive[6] in India. There, beedi consumption outpaces that of conventional cigarettes[2] although these tobacco-filled leaves deliver more nicotine,[7] carbon monoxide[8] and tar[8] and carry a greater risk of oral cancers.[3]
Beedies accounted for 48% of Indian tobacco consumption in 2008.[2]
Like all tobacco use, beedis increase the risk of certain kinds of cancers, heart disease and lung disease.[8]

Indian tobacco cultivation began in the late 17th century,[9] and beedies were first created when tobacco workers took left over tobacco and rolled it in leaves.[9]
The commercial Indian beedi industry saw rapid growth during the 1930s[10] probably driven by an expansion of tobacco cultivation at the time[11] but also helped by Gandhi's support of Indian industry and Indian products.[12] Perhaps due to this, educated classes in India grew to prefer beedies over cigarettes[9] although this is no longer the case.[13] Muslim leaders, calling cigarettes foreign products, have also endorsed beedies over cigarettes at times.[14]
By the middle of the 20th century beedi manufacture had grown into a highly competitive industry.[9] This stage of commercial production—at the height of the beedi's popularity[citation needed]—saw the creation of many new beedi brands[9] as well as beedi factories employing upwards of one hundred, primarily male,[10] beedi rollers.[10]
Factory-based beedi production declined as a result of increased regulation during the 1940s, '50s and '60s[11] and beedi-making became a cottage industry with a home-based women workforce predominantly employed only in the beedi rolling.[11] In contrast, males continue to be employed in all aspects of beedi production.[11]
[edit]Use

Unlike cigarettes, beedies must be puffed frequently to keep them lit, and doing so requires effort.[15]
[edit]Poor man's cigarette
Beedi smoking tends to be associated with a lower social standing,[13] and these inexpensive–2-8 rupees (USD $0.05 -0.18) for a pack[6]. Those with a high social standing who do smoke beedies often do so out of the public eye.[13]
[edit]Beedies in the United States
In the United States, beedies are treated like conventional cigarettes. They are taxed at the same rates,[5] are required to have a tax stamp and must carry the Surgeon General's warning.[5] 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.[5] 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.[16]
[edit]Flavored beedies
Some beedies are flavored.[15] Both the US and Canada have banned flavored cigarettes.[17]
[edit]Manufacture

Over 3 million Indians are employed in the manufacture of beedies,[18] a cottage industry that is typically done by women in their homes.[19]
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.[20] Studies have shown that cotinine levels in the bodily fluids of beedi workers are elevated even among those who do not use tobacco.[20]
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.[5]
[edit]Tendu leaves
Tendu (Diospyros melanoxylon) leaves make excellent wrappers, and the success of the beedi is due, in part, to this leaf.[9] The leaves are in abundance shortly after the tobacco crop is cured and so are ready to be used in beedi manufacture.[9] 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.[15]
[edit]Beedis v. Cigarettes
India is the largest producer of beedi. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are the major beedi manufacturing hubs in India.