Pappas et al. find that counterfeit cigarettes can have as much as seven times the lead of authentic brands, and close to three times as much thallium, a toxic heavy metal.[14] Other sources report finding insect eggs, dead flies, mold, and human feces in counterfeit cigarettes.[15] During prohibition of alcohol in the United States during the 1920s, increased enforcement did not manage to significantly decrease the prevalence of bootlegging because the profit margins… [read post]