Beginning from the End:

Death incidentally is a cigarette brand name, launched in 1991 by BJ Cunningham by establishing The Enlightened Tobacco Co. The packet was of black color displaying skull and cross of bones in white color in black background with the Government health warning at bottom of it. The marketing slogan was the brand truly depicted health warning. There are no chemicals added with a remark Mr. Marlboro needs to explain why he has added saltpeter to react with the smoke. The real reason is saltpeter helps burning fast. Death brand of cigarette does not contain saltpeter and thus the smoker gets full cigarette and is not paying to go to ashtray.

True to Chemical Free Environment:

To further support his chemical free philosophy; initially it was planned printing black skull and cross of bones in black color and logo in white. This involved use of chemical ink, to remain away from chemical ink; it was decided to use water mark printing and the skull and bones cross was printed in grey color with white background. The other step was taken of printing on a carton, containing Death cigarettes, which was made from hemp paper as a sign of purity.

Truth of Low Content Tar & Nicotine:

The so called low tar content cigarettes were manufactured with waste tobacco, cut into smaller pieces, colored and addition of nicotine, tar, color and flavor, which did not comprise of pure stuff. At purity count and non use of chemicals in the Death cigarettes and carton also, made death cigarettes to en cash the purity prominently and boldly, which was lacking with the competitors. 

Well thought Promotion:

The promotional material, were black posters having white skull and cross bones and a plastic tombstone with catchy inscriptions “Let us be nail in your coffin” and “Too bad you’re gonna die”. Besides the Death cigarettes the Company marketed Black Leather Jackets, long and short heavy cotton tea shirts, leather pouches. Now they are very difficult to find.

Cunningham had been promoting its cigarettes through Hotels, Restaurants tobacco shops and Show Rooms, where High Gentry visited to buy their merchandise. He had a difficult time, because all major cigarette manufacturers took it badly and warned not to supply fast selling cigarette brand to a wholesalers, who stocked Death cigarettes. 

The Survival Mode:

He later on attempted a Tax arbitrage scheme from Luxembourg, wherein the customer in UK got their supply as a mail order supply and saved from paying heavy taxation in UK. A petition was instituted by the UK Customs & Excise Department and European Court of justice decided in favor of Department on their contention that a customer has to personally go to Luxembourg to buy instead of receiving supplies through mail order.

The verdict of the court marked the end of the business activities of Enlightened Tobacco Company.

This ruling effectively put an end to the Enlightened Tobacco Company. After 1995 it was virtually impossible for a person to buy Death Cigarette. The company opted for liquidation in the light of practical difficulties.