Soldiers in the most rural, dangerous parts of Afghanistan have been recently banned from buying cigarettes and dip from the locals. (see article http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=64432&archive=true )

If you have a moral obligation to not support the contacts in getting tobacco products, you'll wanna drop out here. That's fair

Apparently a couple soldiers were made very sick when cigs they'd been buying these last few years suddenly started coming up laced with heroine and cyanide. I am horrified that our guys have this additional issue on top of everything else they go thru out there. I'm going to mail "my" guys some smokes, but there are quite a few more than I can support with this.

One of the soliers from the Korengal thread emailed me this..

 I wonder if there is anyone on anysoldier that works at one of the tobacco companies. I know they do lots of promotional paclks of smokes and cans of dip and stuff. If there were" anyone with the connections that could score us some of the promo packs/cans it would be AWESOME for the boys here.

Soooo, anyone work or know the tobacco companies? Anyone in North or South Carolina or Virginia live nearby a plant who might have overrun or misprints or whatever? Anyone want to help start making phone calls?

Strange kinda project maybe, but morale is morale and i think it's important to them. Thanks, Shelly

 

 

 

Edited cause a couple people have asked where they could send what's on hand... you could send to anyone with Korengal in the address search. there are other contacts in Afghanistan effected but I'm not sure which.

Still hoping we can find some corporate support on this too? Any ideas? I sent an email to marlboro.

Okay, I am one of the ones who does not send tobacco products.  They are so expensive that they would take too much of our allotment for other things that we do send, and I am not sure that I could sleep if I spent that much on tobacco anyway in place of other things that are requested.  That said, I don't have any bad feelings against those who do send them, and thought that maybe some of the tobacco stores could do what one Junkie had an experience with.  When she went in to buy some smokeless tobacco, and told where it was going, they gave her a lot of "expired" containers.

Gran

I work with a woman whose husband works for a tobacco company in a marketing capacity.  I have asked her in the past if her husband could get his company to donate and she said they are forbidden by law to do so.  We are in TX, I don't know if that is a state law or what.  I will print out the article and ask her to take it to her husband and see if there is anything they can do.

My dad was a smoker for 32 years and died at 53 of a heart attack, in part I am sure to his 2 pack a day addicition to cigarettes.  I rarely send dip or cigars to soldiers.  But one soldier said on a posting once 'When bullets are flying around you, you don't worry too much about dying from cigarettes.'  Add nicotine withdrawals to what they already go through over there and I am ready to go buy them a CASE of cigarettes!

I'll see what I can do with my co-worker again...

Lilly,

My guess is that it would have something to do with the loss of the tax that the state would lose if they were given away because such a large percentage of the sales price is state tax which is claimed to go to the cost of health care for smokers.

Gran

 I think the restrictions on the " free sample" has more to do with the tobacco getting into the hands of underage folks.  My husband and I were recently at an event where they were giving out samples, and in order to get them, you had to fill out a half-page form AND show a valid photo ID.  It took almost 15 minutes to get one free can!

The laws are getting stricter everyday--it used to be where they passed these items out by the truckload to anyone who walked by.  With all the successful lawsuits against the tobacco industry, and the focus on underage tobacco use, I'm sure they are just doing all they can to cover themselves, which would include not passing out products in an uncontrolled manner.

Lilli, maybe your co-worker would let you fill out a form and check your ID and you'd be set! 

Oh Lily that would be great! I know these guys have to be 18 to enlist so that's makes em all legal. A couple junkies have filled me in on those taxes on cigs in TX. Holy Cow!

I googled some manufacurers phone numbers. However I can't usually get this kind of calling done during the workweek. Maybe someone can tackle a few? I was also thinking of the stores expired and the plants who make em but I haven't had a chance to look any of them up yet. Here's some numbers tho if anyone wants to go in...

Camel 800-334-8157

Kool 800-811-6961

Winston 800-862-2226

Salem 800-433-4000

Pall Mall 866-756-9287

Thanks for the assist all!

 

Hi Shelly, Lilly, and all you other great 'junkies'     I doubt there is anyone out there that dislikes tobacco products any more than me, my Dad got lung cancer, and my brother currently has throat cancer, both I'm sure from years of smoking, I even quit a good job back in the 'old days' before smoking in the workplace was banned in Oregon because I am allergic.   BUT if it helps these kids a little to get thru what they endure, I will send it.  

 The tobacco companies in the past haven't even replied to requests, I have received outdated dip/chew from a store manager I personally know, and on a cpl occasions some 'extra' from the sample guys.  (like 21/2 cases).   I don't like to send it all at once or note it on custom forms because it is such a target for theft, so have been putting it in here/there.  I have 60 cans left and will try to get some out before I have to leave early tomorrow to go help out my brother with some things in CA. 

I have some gift cards to a store that sells all kinds of stuff and was planning on socks, now I'm wondering if I should use it for tobacco products?   Sometimes it drives me crazy they need so many things and I'm always torn about which is best.

I had made out a nice check to send to AS as a donation, then the raffle came along, and so many still need plate carriers, ghillie suits, etc etc., haven't decided which would be best!   Oh to be a millonaire!!!  I'm so dreading my credit card bill this month again!

Anita

One of my contacts at a remote base in Afghanistan sent me an email a couple of weeks ago asking for tobacco products in the next support box. He said alot of the guys have the habit (chew or ciggarets) and they're now forbidden to purchase the local product after they 'lost some guys' (his words) because it was poisoned. Gah!!!

 I too have a big aversion to anything to do with tobacco but I figure hey, support is support. It's all about sending what they need to get thru it. So my last box to him had a variety of smokes & chew (marked 'snacks' on the customs form - I'm no dummy!.)

That's something I've been concerned about ever since I knew they could purchase from the locals.   It would be pretty easy to put many bad things in them.  Another reason to send them some, because if they get desperate they will buy that stuff anyway I'm thinking.

Anita

Anita...

I agree with you. I've wondered if the local tobacco was mixed with any other substances. I've sent cigars but never cigarettes. I have some coupons for Marlboros that I will use. Also, I've sent cinnamon toothpicks. I have some friends who are ex-smokers and they used them to wean themselves off of cigarettes.

Jen

Dear Shelly.  My son is in Iraq.  I found www.ryociagrette.com and they have Grizzly straight cut at a bargain rate.  My son dips and says that it is as hard to get there as it is anywhere else.  I was told by the company that the taxes were not a problem through mail orders but I'm not sure and I will probably wind up with a tax bill from Texas at filing time.  I really don't care I will pay it if I have to.  The cost for that brand at this time is 9.99 per 5 roll pack.  I understand that to be a good price.   Any way good luck with your quest.   Imnotdoneeither-Marganet