Chop-chop (tobacco)
Chop-chop, also known as loose tobacco, is an Australian term for untaxed, cheap, illegal tobacco, such as that which is home grown. Chop-chop avoids heavy excise and taxation levies and can be much cheaper than the legal product. The chop-chop industry is illegal and unregulated.
Health concerns
Chop-chop is sometimes viewed as being more healthy than normal, branded tobacco. However, research has suggested that it can contain contaminants such as twigs and pulp from raw cotton, hay, cabbage leaves, grass clippings and chloride products. One writer has suggested that mould and fungi are also commonly found in chop-chop samples.
Another claim is that smoking chop-chop has the potential to cause greater illness, than branded tobacco and possible fatality in those who use it. This is claimed, largely, to the dense volume of fungal contamination that is usually found in samples of chop-chop. These fungi can cause toxic responses in the lungs, liver, kidneys and skin. The illnesses may range from allergic reactions, chronic bronchitis and asthma to lung cancer or legionnaire’s disease.
