Herbal Cigarettes and other tobacco substitutes

[Kerry Reid]

Hello,

I am a freelance arts journalist in Chicago who is currently working on a piece for Performink, the local theater trade pub, about the city's ban on smoking in public spaces, Theaters will not be granted an exemption for onstage smoking.

My question is for the props pros out there -- how good are the herbal cigarettes (which apparently are allowable under the new law) that are available? I've heard some people complain that they tend to smell like pot, which of course could change the nature of a scene that involves cigarettes. I'd love to hear from anyone who has had to work around laws similar to the Chicago ban in order to maintain the illusion of smoking without violating the law.

Thanks in advance. Please email me at New Member Link: mailto:kerryreid@comcast.net [nonactive]. My deadline is June 11.
Best,
Kerry Reid

[avkid]

In every state that has smoking bans non-profit organizations are exempt.

[smejs]

In every state that has smoking bans non-profit organizations are exempt.

Apparently not true - there's currently a lawsuit going on in Colorado with several nonprofit theatres that has not been able to reverse the legislation.  Currently no smoking anywhere public here - including theatres.

This was discussed earlier in this thread

Erin

[smejs]

By the way, I saw that touring production of Sweet Charity - in Denver - that they talked about in the NY article.  I didn't see any "cloud of powder" come out, I just figured they hadn't lit it up per the new rules.  My boyfriend was on the local crew and at the time the show folks said it was the first they'd come across a no-smoking rule.

Erin

[avkid]

tinyurl of above NY Times article:
http://tinyurl.com/2fensg

[avkid]

Copy and paste the link into the text box at http://tinyurl.com/ it then generates a link which you copy and paste into whatever form you are using.
You can also use a text link:
url=http://smnetwork.org] SM Network[/url
if you just add a [ before the first url and a ] after the second url this is the result:
SM Network

[wtcsrstaph4life]

ok... I can understand not allowing regular cigarettes or cigars, but not allowing a substitute... that is ridiculous

[smsam]

I have to say I hate nothing more than using herbal ciggs! They are FOUL and they have such a strong smell that everyone can immediately tell your not smoking real ones.

x

[babens]

I did a production of Cabaret a few years back where most of the dancers were smoking herbal cigarettes (more because they didn't want their voice teachers to know that they knew how to, and regularly did, smoke).  After the first half of our first ten out of twelve the whole theatre smelled like we were working in a barn that had not been aired out for several years.  The director quickly ordered all of the herbal cigarettes to the trash and our props crew made a cigarette run during dinner break.

[SMSamone]

I know this is late in the thread, but I worked at the Goodman this past spring.  We used one herbal cigarette per show.  This was posted on numerous signs throughout the lobby.  I knew of no other legal hurdles at the time.

There are two main brands that I have used, Dream & Ecstasy.  My actor prefered Dream (said they were less harsh), but only Ecstasy was available.  Both smell terrible.  But if the ventilation is good, the audience won't notice for long.

While preparing for this tour, I discovered New York State passed a law prohibiting the import of herbal cigarettes.  Since then, I've traveled out to Hoboken, NJ to purchase them.  For this particular production, the Goodman purchased a carton of Ecstasy cigs online.

[jmc]

Our legislation simply prohibates the smoking of any substance. Being that Tobacco which is counted as a herb, along with wacky weed & other substitute puff 'n stuff!

[Thomas A. Kelly]

Try wha are called "PUFFS".... they are fake cigs that emit "puffs" when smoked (blown on) that look incredibly realistic on stage... herbal cigs are like smoking old socks.. thy stinketh!

TAK

[Anne]

If you go to www.iwantoneofthose.com, they have an ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE which smokes. But they're very expensive. Still cool, though.

[avkid]

That's pretty slick, but $50 is kind of steep.
http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/gamucci-micro-electronic-cigarette/index.html

[zayit shachor]

Yuck, the website says they taste like cigarettes via a "flavored cartridge".  And they cost 50 pounds, which is more like $90.