KT&G to introduce cigarettes containing Mapacho leaves

Tobacco company KT&G will release their Africa Mapacho cigarettes, which contain Mapacho, believed to be the first used tobacco leaf.

Africa Mapacho is a modern tobacco that seeks to give the experience of smoking the leaf used by the Mayans 1,300 years ago. The cigarettes have a soft aftertaste.

To represent Mapacho’s history, the cigarette package’s background is blue, one of the Mayans’ favorite colors, and there are decorations of a magician and the Sun to represent Mayan culture. “The Mayan civilization is this product’s theme and the regular cigarette with 5 milligrams of tar has the special quality of giving ample and pleasant smoking satisfaction to the smoker,” Kim Gi-soo of KT&G said. “We expect to hear positive responses mainly from users who want distinctive and new experiences from smoking.”

Africa Mapacho contains 5 milligrams of tar and 0.4 milligrams of nicotine, and is priced at 4,500 won a pack.