kretek
Meaning of kretek: A kretek is a clove-flavored cigarette that combines tobacco with ground cloves and other additives during manufacturing.
Definition of kretek
A kretek is a type of cigarette made from a mixture of tobacco, ground cloves, and other flavoring additives. The name comes from the crackling sound produced when the cloves burn, a distinctive feature of these cigarettes compared with cigarettes made from tobacco alone.
Kretek smoke contains many of the same harmful combustion products found in conventional cigarette smoke, along with compounds released from the burning cloves, and kretek use carries health risks similar to those associated with other forms of smoked tobacco. Kretek cigarettes are widely manufactured and consumed in Indonesia and are also available in some other countries.
Because kretek products contain tobacco, they are generally regulated in a manner similar to other tobacco products in jurisdictions where they are sold.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
The patient's smoking history included regular kretek use in addition to conventional cigarettes.
Good to know
Kretek smoke exposes users to combustion byproducts similar to those in conventional cigarette smoke, so kretek use is generally associated with health risks comparable to other smoked tobacco products despite its distinct flavoring.