On July 18, 2007, the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee postponed a vote on the bill - which would for the first time allow

July 21, 2007 - on July 18, 2007, the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee postponed a vote on the bill - which would for the first time allow the Food and Drug Administration to regulate cigarettes and other tobacco products - until next week. A version of the FDA legislation released in February 2007 included cloves in a list of artificial or natural flavors such as strawberry, chocolate and cocoa that would be banned from cigarettes, largely because they had been used to appeal to children. In the latest version of the bill, released last week, cloves joined menthol as the only additives specifically allowed in tobacco. The main beneficiary of the change seems to be Philip Morris which recently introduced a Marlboro kretek (a Marlboro cigarette made of a mixture of tobacco and clove)in Indonesia.( Philip Morris International (PMI) back in March of 2005 purchased an Indonesian company PT HM Sampoerna.) Indonesia is the main consumer of clove and uses nearly 50% of the world's production. The clove is not used for cooking but for smoking. Cigarettes flavored with clove (kretek) are etremely popular and nearly every male in Indonesia enjoys them. (Also, in Brazil there is a demand for kreteks.) The main ingredient in oil of clove is eugenol. It acts as a local anesthetic and produces a tingling sensation. Some claim eugenol also produces a mildly euphoric "high", though hard evidence on this effect is inconclusive. The main ingredient in peppermint oil is menthol. Menthol provides a cooling sensation when inhaled as a result of its ability trigger cold-receptors without altering the temperature. For More Information on Mentholated Cigarettes. PM just might want to see how sales of Marlboro kretek would sell in the U.S. after looking at sales of menthol that have continued to climb (See Newsbrief from June 10, 2007.) while sales of other cigarettes continue to fall. (TobaccoWatch.org)