Native Cigarettes Canada companies make up a growing segment of the national tobacco market, and some smokers find them appealing for their taste profiles and cultural significance. At Cig Cartel, we offer a selection of native smokes, and you can enjoy these time-honoured products while helping to support your local First Nations community.

Smokers in Canada have long been allowed to purchase a certain number of cigarettes without paying federal sales or provincial excise taxes, thanks to a legal loophole in the Tobacco Tax Act. But the exemption for First Nations tobacco producers has hardly been enforced, and smuggling of reserve-made cigarettes has become a big business. The industry is worth an estimated $2 billion annually, critics say. And while many of the manufacturers claim to be attempting to comply with tax laws, they have resisted government attempts to tighten the rules, arguing that their products are either sent “as gifts” or bore the proper stamps showing they were paid duty.

Understanding the Cultural Significance of Native Cigarettes in Canada

Moreover, some argue that the cigarette trade is helping to revitalize the Mohawk nation, providing a source of income and new jobs in an area where many people live with poverty and unemployment. And they point out that the federal and provincial governments are more interested in the lost revenue than in stifling the industry, which has created a host of new mansions and nice cars on reserves where many still have to make do with cardboard boxes.