The Squaxin Island Tribe of Washington is opening its own cigarette factory on Saturday, becoming the first tribe in the state to do so.

The tribe will manufacture and market its own brand. Cartons of the cigarettes will be sold initially at stores on the reservation for half the price of other brands, but the tribe hopes to sell them to other Indian and non-Indian retailers.

The 25,000-square-foot factory will employ 15 to 20 people initially, and will produce up to 100,000 10-pack cartons a month.

Get the Story:
Squaxin Island tribe takes aim at budget smokers (The Seattle Times 3/29)
Squaxin Tribe to roll their own smokes (AP 3/29)
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