Squaxin tribe pursues new outlets for cigarette business

Tribe plans to raise production from 50,000 cartons monthly

By Lynda V. Mapes | The Seattle Times • Published May 15, 2007

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Venture was a first

Nestled in a crook of Puget Sound in Mason County, the Squaxin Island tribe became the first tribe on the West Coast in April 2005 to manufacture its own tobacco products. Today, the tribe's Skookum Creek Tobacco Co. makes two brands of cigarettes, Complete and Premis, as well as selling loose pouch tobacco and a line of cigars made in the Dominican Republic and marketed as Island Blendz.

By making its own smokes on the reservation, the tribe can sell them on its tribal land without charging state tax. That allows competitive pricing: At the tribe's Kamilche Trading Post mini-mart, a carton of Completes goes for $20.49, and Premis for $18.99. Compare that with the $42.43 price here for a carton of Marlboros.

That's made the Complete and Premis brands the store's top two sellers. When the tribe starts selling off the reservation, it will have to start paying state cigarette taxes - and raise the carton price - but managers say they will be able to undercut the prices charged by major tobacco companies.

"We're not greedy," Whitener said. "They will be much more willing to try our product."

Today the tribe's tobacco sales pay for a day care program, serving about 100 children, and per-capita payments to tribal elders of $240 per month.

"Cigarette smoking isn't good for you, but it doesn't mean we don't believe it's people's choice; people have a right to do this," Whitener said. "It's no different than the state of Washington using tobacco for revenue generation.

"It's not like we are putting Care Bears on the packages or putting them in Happy Meals."

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