The scent is sweet, like strawberries, chocolate and vanilla. And they're drawing youngsters to smoking even better than Joe Camel, the cartoon character featured in an ad campaign.
Teens say they're cute, trendy, less bitter and more natural than domestic smokes.
Federal health officials and anti-smoking activists say many youngsters don't realize that unfiltered bidis are even more dangerous than regular cigarettes. It's like smoking five or ten cigarettes per bidi. But the flavors appeal to teen smokers who may not like the taste or smell of regular cigarettes. Also, bidis don't tend to stay lighted, so smokers need to constantly puff on them, all the while inhaling more unfiltered smoke.