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Lomboy leaves (Black Plums), an alternative cigarette for Filipinos

Lomboy Leaves 

The high inflation rates in the Philippines have aggravated the economic life of Filipinos even further. Prices of basic products like rice, canned goods, sugar, coffee, milk, and other basic necessities have increased significantly.

Aside from the aforementioned, prices of cigarettes, liquor, and other products deemed unnecessary are also increasing.

In this blog post, we'll discuss how do Filipino smokers cope with the soaring prices of nonessential products like cigarettes.

Despite the scary graphics on the label of cigarettes, Filipino smokers are undaunted. In an attempt to reduce smoking-related diseases, the Philippine government obliged cigarette manufacturers to put horrible graphics on the labels, but to no avail.

Millions of Filipinos still hook on cigarette smoking and they are getting younger. 

Increasing the prices of cigarettes has pushed cigarette smokers to look for an alternative. They have found an alternative to cigarettes: 

Dried Lomboy Leaves 

Alternative to commercial cigarettes

This alternative to commercial cigarettes is very affordable to Filipino smokers. Priced for just less than a US dollar, the dried, rolled Lomboy leaves surely gives satisfaction to Filipino smokers without hurting their wallets. 

To Filipino cigarette smokers, their P50 pesos or one (1) dollar will go a long way. With this amount, they can already have a bundle of dried, rolled Lomboy leaves with each bundle containing 30-50 sticks.

Cheaper Cigarettes

When compared to commercial cigarettes, Lomboy is cheaper. Filipino smokers, both younger and adults have shifted to Lomboy as an alternative to commercial cigarettes because of the price difference.

To some Filipino smokers, another reason for the shift to Lomboy cigarette smoking is the dreaded smoking-related diseases such as lung cancer caused by commercial cigarette smoking. 

Source of income

Selling Lomboy cigarettes has been a big help to augment a Filipino family's meager income.

Thousands of poor Filipino families depend on the selling of Lomboy cigarettes, particularly in the countryside where job opportunities are limited.

Lomboy cigarettes are available in micro-stores (sari-sari stores) in the country. They are also available in the markets that are sold in bundles. 

The Philippine government has exhausted all available means to reduce the number of Filipino smokers and also to help these smokers get respiratory diseases brought about by constant smoking.





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