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New cigarette flavors include mint, chocolate and citrus - youth market targeted

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Category: Smoking News

Article 16 Nov 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

New research from the Harvard School of Public Health finds that

cigarette makers are targeting young smokers with candy and liqueur-

flavored new brands that mask the harsh and toxic properties found in

tobacco smoke, and in one case, embedding a hidden flavor pellet

within the filter. Despite assurances from cigarette makers that they

no longer target the youth market, the researchers found that new

brands are being marketed to young smokers and racial/ethnic groups

using colorful and stylish packaging and exploiting adolescents'

attraction to candy flavors. The study appears in the

November/December issue of the journal, Health Affairs.

 

The researchers sifted through a database of more than 7 million

internal tobacco industry documents spanning more than 30 years for

information on alternative flavors and flavor technology used in the

development of products targeting new and younger smokers. Carrie

Carpenter, lead author of the study and a research analyst at HSPH

stated, " Flavored cigarettes can promote youth smoking initiation and

help young occasional smokers to become daily smokers by reducing or

masking the natural harshness and taste of tobacco smoke and

increasing the acceptability of a toxic product. " A 1993 internal

document stated, " Growing interest in new flavor sensations (i.e.

soft drinks, snack foods) among younger adult consumers may indicate

new opportunities for enhanced-flavor tobacco products that could

leverage [a brand's] current strength among younger adult smokers. "

 

Internal research by the tobacco industry showed manufacturers that

they could capitalize on youths' attraction to candy flavors. They

used innovative product technology, such as a flavor pellet imbedded

in one company's cigarette filters, to deliver fruit and liqueur

flavors. Some of the flavored cigarettes the companies have developed

include; Mandarin Mint, Mocha Taboo, Mintrigue, Kauai Kolada,

Margarita Mixer and others. Fruit and candy flavors were also added

to smokeless tobacco products, cigars and cigarette rolling papers.

 

Gregory Connolly, senior author of the study and a professor of the

practice of public health at HSPH noted, " Tobacco companies are using

candy-like flavors and high tech delivery devices to turn a blowtorch

into a flavored popsicle, misleading millions of youngsters to try a

deadly product. Adding candy flavors to a toxic product (cigarettes)

isn't any different than adding sugar to contaminated meat a century

ago. The only difference is that today one is regulated by the FDA

and the other is not. "

 

Dr. Cheryl Healton, president and CEO of the American Legacy

Foundation, a funder of the study, commented, " The public should

recognize these products for what they are - a tool to lure younger

smokers to their brands, and then potentially to a lifetime of

tobacco addiction. "

 

The study; " New Cigarette Brands with Flavors That Appeal to Youth:

Tobacco Marketing Strategies; Health Affairs, November/December 2005,

Volume 24, number 6, was funded by the American Legacy Foundation and

the National Cancer Institute.

 

Harvard School of Public Health is dedicated to advancing the

public's health through learning, discovery, and communication. More

than 300 faculty members are engaged in teaching and training the 900-

plus student body in a broad spectrum of disciplines crucial to the

health and well being of individuals and populations around the

world. Programs and projects range from the molecular biology of AIDS

vaccines to the epidemiology of cancer; from risk analysis to

violence prevention; from maternal and children's health to quality

of care measurement; from health care management to international

health and human rights. For more information on the school visit:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu.

 

Kevin C. Myron

kmyron

Harvard School of Public Health

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu

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