Big tobacco still targeting kids...

(Posted 9.17.04)

he 1998 legal settlement between the states and the tobacco companies prohibited the tobacco companies from taking “any action, directly or indirectly, to target youth… in the advertising, promotion or marketing of tobacco products.” The settlement was supposed to restrict tobacco marketing. However, since the settlement, the tobacco companies have increased their marketing expenditures by 66 percent to a record $11.45 billion a year, or $31.4 million a day, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Much of this marketing is still targeted at kids.

One of the tobacco industry’s most outrageous new tactics is the introduction of candy-flavored cigarettes and other sweet-flavored tobacco products:

R.J. Reynolds – the same company that once marketed cigarettes to kids with a cartoon character, Joe Camel – has launched a series of flavored cigarettes, including a pineapple and coconut-flavored cigarette called “Kauai Kolada” and a citrus-flavored cigarette called “Twista Lime.”
Brown & Williamson has introduced flavored versions of its Kool cigarettes with names like “Caribbean Chill,” “Midnight Berry,” “Mocha Taboo” and “Mintrigue.”
The U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company is marketing its products with flavors including berry blend, mint, wintergreen, apple blend, vanilla and cherry.
Brown & Williamson has also been promoting its Kool cigarettes with hip-hop music themes and images that have particular appeal to African-American youth.

There are several ongoing efforts to stop the tobacco companies from continuing to target our children. Several state attorneys general have sued tobacco companies for violating the state settlement’s prohibition on targeting kids. In addition, the federal government is pursuing a lawsuit against the tobacco companies that, among other things, seeks to stop tobacco marketing to kids, and Congress is considering legislation to grant the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authority over tobacco products, including the authority to ban flavored cigarettes and crack down on other forms of tobacco marketing and sales to kids.

Candy cigarettes have been made atleast since I was a kid in the '70s. They were basically sticks of chalk with red painted at the end. Then in the '80s they came out with the gum cigarettes that came wrapped in paper (when you blew on them candy dust (smoke) came out).

I don't know the companies that made them, but it would be interesting although unsurprising if they were owned by some part of the tabacco industry.

Originally posted by Jonna
Candy cigarettes have been made atleast since I was a kid in the '70s. They were basically sticks of chalk with red painted at the end. Then in the '80s they came out with the gum cigarettes that came wrapped in paper (when you blew on them candy dust (smoke) came out).

I don't know the companies that made them, but it would be interesting although unsurprising if they were owned by some part of the tabacco industry.

I used to eat the candy cigarettes too but I don't think these are candy cigarettes, rather real cigarettes with a flavor added to them.

I've seen vanilla flavored cigarettes before.

They're real tobacco products with "candy like" flavorings that will appeal to kids.
It's obviously a ploy by big tobacco to get more future consumers(kids) hooked on their product.
Most people get addicted to smokeing at a young age. The tobacco companies know this and try to use it to their advantage with their marketing techniques.

No, the packages are very similar. I don't think they make candy cigarettes anymore but they do have the shredded bubblegum (I think it's called "Big Chew") in packages that look like chewing tobacco packages.
I got the candy cigarettes too when I was a kid too and the bubblegum cigars.
I quit smokeing last year. I've been quit 6 months. Do you ever wonder if those candy cigarettes helped contribute to so many of us being adult smokers?

Wow Jonna, good find!

I remember the candy ones when I was a kid...the whole idea being you "looked cool"...which says a lot right there...

They tasted horrible though, so the chalk quickly lost it's appeal, hehe....

As for this new twist on an old tactic, shame...shame....shame....

I like the candy cigars, they are made from Bazzooka gum!

i heard about these on the news a while back. The anchor woman was talking about how they made these flavors to attract young kids. What about "Sour Grape" and other fruity named drinks of alcohol? i think it comes down to cigarettes trying to pass themselves as 'not so bad' where alcohol has always been more of a 'don't drink this stuff' kind of message

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
Well, in as much as the candy cigarettes are clearly marked "candy cigarettes," I can easily tell the difference.

It was a retorical joke. Lighten up.

Actually I noticed the fruit flavorings thing becoming a trend with a lot of consumable goods. Take pop for instance... Originally we have Mountain Dew. Kinda a lime flavored pepsi. Now we have Code Red (Cherry), Live Wire (Orange), and my favorite Pitch Black(Grape). Makes me wonder if there will be different Sprites, or will 7-up beat them to the punch(no pun intended).

I will honestly admit that Camel Cremas, though quite expensive; go quite nicely with coffee or cappuchino. The fruit flavors are a bit wierd to me. I doubt they are using this to push towards kids, but rather the target is likely the folks who are 'freshly' legal to smoke them as many would seem to go quite nicely with drinks found at many smart bars(another creeping trend). (18-25)

i'm with crysstaafur on this. i am in that age range and have actually considered picking up a pack of these before i go to the bar, but instead decided to stick to the occasionaly cigar. i'm not a smoker btw. to me these cigarettes seem less dangerous and more 'fun' than regular cigarettes. personally i feel they are aimed directly at my age group.