A History of Hand-Rolled Cigarettes

Hand-rolled cigarettes (also known as RYO, roll-your-own, MYO, roll-ups, rolls) gained significant place at world’s tobacco market. In the XIX century, they gave rise to such tobacco products like common cigarettes with a filter. However hand-rolled cigarettes have not disappeared from our life like papyrus scrolls. Instead rolled cigs retained their original image, updated and even continue to increase the number of their supporters. Nowadays hand-rolled smokes represent a luxurious way of tobacco use, requiring from smoker certain time, attention, calm environment and a certain consistency.

History of cigarettes goes back to Spain XVII century, more precisely in the city of Seville. At the time, it was a significant port city, from where, in fact, tobacco began its triumphal march in the Old World. Urban poor adapted twist of tobacco wastes and scraps of paper called "papiletti." Much later, during the Crimean War (1854-1856), soldiers of opposing armies engaged in military operations, have gained from each other a forced habit of "quick smokes." Returning from the war former soldiers could not do without hand-rolled cigarettes.

While tobacco factories already became equipped with machines for rolling cigarettes, machine-rolled cigarettes appeared in the shops, hand-rolling was cheaper and more familiar to smokers for a rather long time. The last wave of global interest in cigarettes can be attributed to the 60th years. Those times had a certain halo of romance, the spirit of freedom, denial of traditional values.

RYO cigarettes are worthy and recognized alternative to common cigarettes sold in packs. Many smokers are absolutely convinced that there is nothing like a cigarette made by you own from a good quality halfzwar, like Drum Original Tobacco.

So what actually makes so many people to prefer hand-rolled cigarettes? In all likelihood, it is the opportunity to make a cigarette with own hands from preferred tobacco. People who smoke hand-rolled cigarettes are young, between 20 and 40 years, most of them are men. They are people who know precisely what they want, confident. A cigarette rolled by hand provides them inner freedom and natural feelings, provides not just excellent smoking, but many other valuable experiences.

Published: Friday, January 04, 2013