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NIDA News: Who Gets Fooled by Flavors?
8 Comments 
Image Courtesy of Eszter Hargittai
SBB has learned that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (known by most people as the “FDA”) has banned cigarettes with flavors that make them taste like fruit, candy, or clove. Which reminds me…real candy and fruit are soooo much better …but this ban does raise some questions–so, in case you were wondering:
Who is smoking flavored cigarettes? Studies show that 17-year-olds who smoke are three times more likely to use flavored cigarettes as smokers over 25. In fact, some people think cigarette companies add the flavors as a way to get teens to try smoking. The FDA says young people are twice as likely to report seeing advertising for these flavored products, so the cigarette companies are obviously putting the ads in places that are popular with teens. (Hmmm, pretty sneaky).
Why ban the flavored cigarettes? 3,600 young people start smoking each day, and almost all adult smokers (90 percent) started smoking as teenagers. If the idea of flavors encourages kids to smoke, many of them will keep smoking and face a lifelong battle with nicotine addiction (hardly worth it).
Do the flavors make the cigarettes any safer? No way! They are just as toxic as ever. In fact, the flavors might hide some of the bad taste of cigarettes, so in a way they are more dangerous.
How will they enforce this ban? The FDA encourages people to report continuing sales of flavored cigarettes through a special tobacco hotline (1-877-CTP-1373) and Web site
. You can learn more about the risks of flavored tobacco products at www.fda.gov. Might even make a great report for health or science class!
What does SBB think about flavored cigarettes? The companies that make these flavored cigarettes think they are pretty smart, trying to make money off of teens who think “candy, fruit and clove” sound like fun. However, smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. More deaths are caused each year by tobacco use than by all deaths from HIV, illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides and murders combined. *
So don’t be “tricked” into smoking by the lure of flavored cigarettes.
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*Flavored Tobacco Product Fact Sheet
No brand is acceptable.
It’s not just cigarettes that are flavoured, here in Canada they’re banning wine or rum dipped cigarillios because of th flavour. There’s also sheesha bars but you have to be legal to enter them. The new fad of e-cigarettes, which come with flavoured liquid nicotene and no smoke at all seem pretty dangerous
smoking is jus plain bad DON’T DO IT
this is very useful
Like jj said!!! DON’T DO IT!!! ITS NOT WORTH IT.
that this is vary helpful mite make tenz stop taking tabsco or smoking or doing pot
This i important for all teens to know about. The FDA is absolutely right and this is completely messed up.
Im glad they put a ban on it.
DO NOT DO DRUGS!!!! they will mess up your life. you will have no one! And if you do do drugs then PLEASE QUIT!!!!!