Around these parts there’s a long, proud, and ongoing history of making the stuff. A local state park keeps an example still on display in the woods, a high-class regional magazine had a classy article detailing (not _too_ much detail though) about local continuation of the art, and if you know the long-term country locals well enough they can see to it you get what you need. I may not buy it, but that’s only because of an unhealthy fear of breaking the law and sufficient local demand leading some makers to jump thru the high & prolific hoops needed to make theirs legal.
Exactly my point. As the cost of being "legal" (from either supply or demand side) increases, the number of lawbreakers increases.
It's not worth your while to try to undercut legal cigarettes to save a few cents of taxes. It may not even be profitable.
But when state/city/county taxes amount to $6-7 per pack, the profit motive becomes clear.