Candy Flavored Cigarettes?

According to a new study from the Stanford School of Medicine, tobacco companies pumped up the advertising and lowered the price of menthol cigarettes in stores near California high schools with larger populations of African-American students.

That cigarette companies use predatory marketing strategies doesn’t surprise me at all. What I find shocking is a piece of news I missed at the time: A federal law passed in 2008 banned 13 candy flavorings in cigarettes. Candy flavorings in cigarettes. (So egregious, makes me embarrassed to be of the same species that dreamed it up.)

The 2008 ban, however, allowed the continued use of menthol flavoring. (I can just imagine the negotiating between the tobacco lobby and legislators: we’ll give up bubble gum and fruit punch, if we can keep peppermint.) Menthol makes the smoke from tobacco smoother and less harsh; even non- menthol cigarettes often have low levels of the additive.

Presently, the FDA is gathering information on whether to ban menthol as a flavoring agent in cigarettes.

Although cigarette makers deny using race or ethnicity to target consumers, the lead researcher for the study said the data shows a “predatory” marketing pattern geared to luring young African Americans into becoming smokers.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

aj E.

10:10AM PDT on May 24, 2012

like they're not addictive enough.

send a green star

John B.

10:01AM PDT on May 24, 2012

Thanks for the article Melissa.

KS G.

6:08AM PDT on May 2, 2012

Thanks for the article.

6:07AM PDT on May 2, 2012

Samantha S.

2:01PM PDT on Apr 16, 2012

& they say they dont advertise to children...

Dale O.

6:20PM PDT on Apr 15, 2012

Yes, I also remember candied cigarettes when young.

No real surprise that youth are a target when adults have been kicking the habit at a greater rate equals less profits and the addiction has to be fed from a new source -- youth!

Target the young provides addiction earlier, longer and possibly for the shortened life time to keep those profits coming.

For so many years tobacco companies did all they could to debunk research showing that smoking caused horrific health problems and death. Nothing new here, corporate greed cares not for damage to lives and health they cause, just keep those profits coming. They would set up cigarette dispensing in the schools if they could legally get away with it!

Cinnamon sticks as mentioned in another comment are also good to simmer in a saucepan with water and create a lovely aroma--better than filling the home with those chemical artificial scents!

Ebba S.

5:56PM PDT on Apr 15, 2012

I think that being so outraged by the targeting of African Americans is ridiculous; cigarette companies target ALL minorities. In fact the most targeted minority group are gay people. Gay men are twice as likely to smoke as the average person, and the lesbian community is three times as likely.

Be outraged that they target kids, but at the same time, remember that it's a personal choice, and parents play a bigger role than advertising. You don't want your kids to smoke? Don't smoke.

Krysti S.

9:47PM PDT on Mar 13, 2012

candy flavored cigarettes are evil and a secret ploy to et kids to smoke to replace smokers who have died from smoking take a stand now

Akay B.

10:04AM PDT on Mar 11, 2012

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Mark P.

12:52PM PST on Mar 10, 2012

Why does it shock anyone that big companies would try to find more clients as effectively as possible. It's such a ridiculous double-standard that says that these companies are allowed to sell their products, yet gasps in shock when they dare to try to maximize profits. That's the nature of business. Either forbid their products or don't. Anything else is just lying to yourself.