Tobacco was brought to Europe 500 years ago by Columbus. In other parts of the world it has been known much longer.Tobacco has been used as a medical plant, as well as for rituals and pleasure - and the tobacco plant has been viewed as both the work of the Devil and as God's gift to man.Over centuries tobacco has played a central part in European culture across class barriers, generation gaps and borders. Tobacco has also left its hallmarks on the development of trade, craft and industry.

Atlantic Dominion has built a business on providing convenience to the masses. As part of its distribution arm, the company supplies more than 15,000 products -- including beverages, groceries, snacks, tobacco, and general merchandise -- to retailers across the US. It also services vending machines, providing fixture installation, product ordering, CO� gas and dry ice services, and repair. Customers include convenience stores, supermarkets, drugstores, tobacco merchants, and US military bases. Originally a seller of handmade cigars, Atlantic Dominion was founded by Leroy Davis in 1875. The company remains family owned and is led by Robin Ray, the founder's great-granddaughter.

Century Distributors is a full-line supplier of tobacco products and grocery items that caters to some 3,000 customers, including supermarkets, news stands, bookstores, office supply stores, convenience stores, and liquor stores throughout Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, DC. Its products include frozen foods, health and beauty, foodservice, and tobacco, among others. The company boasts a more than 100,000-sq. ft. distribution warehouse. Other services Century offers include inventory control, manufacturer programs, and merchandising support. The mid-sized company is owned by Sheldon Sadugor and managed by his three children.

Reynolds American Inc., through its subsidiaries, manufactures cigarettes and other tobacco products in the United States. It offers cigarettes under the CAMEL, KOOL, PALL MALL, DORAL, WINSTON, SALEM, MISTY, and CAPRI brands, as well as under the DUNHILL, STATE EXPRESS 555, and NATURAL AMERICAN SPIRIT brands. The company also manufactures other tobacco products, including little cigars under the WINCHESTER and CAPTAIN BLACK brands; roll-your-own tobacco under the BUGLER brand; and moist snuff under the GRIZZLY and KODIAK brands. In addition, Reynolds American offers loose leaf chewing tobacco, dry snuff, and plug and twist tobacco products. It sells its products primarily through distributors, wholesalers, and other direct customers, including retail chains, as well as distributes cigarettes to public warehouses. The company was founded in 1875 and is headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

British American Tobacco Malaysia, or BAT Malaysia, likes to see things go up in smoke. The company, a subsidiary of global giant British American Tobacco, is the #1 Malaysian cigarette company. It makes, imports, and sells cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco under the names Benson & Hedges, Dunhill, Kent, and Pall Mall, among others. BAT Malaysia has a leaf-processing plant, a factory, and about 10 sales offices. The company also houses the quality lab for all of British American Tobacco's Asian operations (Hong Kong, Japan, China, and Vietnam). It was formed in 1999 by the merger of Rothmans of Pall Mall (Malaysia) and Malaysian Tobacco Company.

Vector Group’s tobacco subsidiaries have a proud history of charting an independent course in the tobacco industry, dating from Liggett’s founding in 1873. In 1996, Liggett became the first tobacco company to settle certain smoking-related litigation. A year later, we led Liggett into its landmark announcement that smoking is addictive and causes cancer and other health ailments. To this day, Liggett – the fifth largest cigarette manufacturer in the U.S. – remains the only major tobacco company to carry “Smoking Is Addictive” warning labels on its cigarette packs and to list ingredients on its cartons. Liggett has a strong collection of discount cigarette brands, which includes Eve, Grand Prix, Pyramid and Liggett Select.Our Vector Tobacco subsidiary is focused on developing reduced risk cigarette products.Vector Group is also involved in the real estate business through its New Valley subsidiary. New Valley owns a 50% ownership interest in Douglas Elliman Realty LLC, which operates the largest residential real estate brokerage company in the New York metropolitan area. New Valley also holds investments in several significant real estate projects in California and New York.

Lorillard, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes in the United States. The company offers 44 different product offerings under the Newport, Kent, True, Maverick, Old Gold, and Max brands. It sells its products primarily to wholesale distributors, who in turn service the retail outlets, chain store organizations, and government agencies, including the U.S. Armed Forces. The company was founded in 1760 and is based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Lorillard, Inc. (NYSE:LO) operates independently of Loews Corp. as of June 10, 2008.

Judging by its logo Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company sells what may be the closest thing to a peace pipe. Packs of its Natural American Spirit additive-free cigarettes, adorned with an American Indian smoking the ceremonial pipe, are sold in Canada, Europe, Japan, and the US. The tobacco-product manufacturer sells as many as 10 types of the branded cigarettes, including the imported Dunhill brand. Though the company sells additive-free smokes, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company doesn't claim they are any safer to use than the typical cigarette. Founded in 1982, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings (now Reynolds American) bought the company in 2002 for $340 million. President and CEO Nicholas Bumbacco joined in 2009.

British American Tobacco Japan (BATJ) is busy catering to the will of the Japanese people while attempting to temper the regulatory decisions of the Japanese government. Having been tasked with providing smoking materials and accessories to the country's approximately 32 million smokers, BATJ also has its hand in helping to persuade or dissuade the government on taxation and regulations concerning the marketing and consumption of tobacco products. The more than 20-year-old subsidiary of British American Tobacco has 13 regional offices about Japan.

HM Sampoerna is one of the leading tobacco companies in Indonesia. We are the maker of some of the most well-known kretek (clove) cigarette brands such as Sampoerna Hijau, Sampoerna A Mild, and the legendary “King of Kretek” Dji Sam Soe. In fact, on May 18, 2005, when our company was acquired by Philip Morris International, we became part of one of the world’s largest tobacco companies. Today HM Sampoerna distributes Marlboro, the world’s best-selling cigarette brand, in Indonesia.Since our company was established in 1913, by our founder Liem Seeng Tee, our aim has been to offer the best smoking experience to adult smokers in Indonesia. We do this by continually seeking out what our consumers want, and delivering the best products to match their expectations. We are proud of our reputation for quality, innovation and excellence.

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