All sorts of unusual things have been found in fake or counterfeit cigarettes, including plastic, sand and even rats' droppings. In many cases the fake cigarettes are also found to be much stronger than genuine cigarettes.
The contents of all cigarettes is harmful, with one half of long-term smokers dying of smoking-related illnesses. However, with illegal tobacco, you can never be sure what you are smoking.
We read this in an article from the British Medical Journal (2008) called 'Why combating tobacco smuggling is a priority'.
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