Many convenient stores carry flavored little cigars, chewing tobacco and loose tobacco for use in water pipes. What most consumers don’t know is how harmful these candies can be. The American Cancer Society is taking serious action to prevent the sale of these candy cigarillos in efforts to preserve the health of both children and adults.
The cigarillo products, sold in flavors like blueberry, chocolate, gummy bear, pink berry, and wine are packaged in bright, shiny packages to target young consumers according to NY Daily News. Furthermore, they are made affordable for this target audience, selling for as little as 99 cents and circumvent stiff cigarette taxes aimed at discouraging youth from smoking.
Despite their flashy “fun” appearance and cheap prices, what these candy and fruit-flavored cigarillos don’t advertise is that they are cancerous, according to the American Cancer Society. The organization says they are just as deadly as cigarettes, and for this reason is pushing to make New York the first state to legislate a comprehensive restriction on the sale of candy- and fruit-flavored cigarillos, chewing tobacco and tobacco. Its proposal would ban them from convenience stores, restricting sales to tobacco shops.
“If New York acts, it would be the first state in the nation, and turbocharge efforts nationally,” said Blair Horner, vice president of advocacy at the American Cancer Society and Cancer Action Network of New York and New Jersey according to The Washington Post.
Many anti-smoking advocates who dissuade the use of tobacco in younger people support the American Cancer Society and encourage New York to enact the restrictions. Smokers’ rights groups, such as the NYC CLASH group, disagree. “This is an adult product, like you have flavored liquors,” said Audrey Silk, founder of the group. “The flavoring is an excuse to exploit the emotional driven ‘for the children’ (argument). Adults should be allowed to smoke flavored tobacco. There are already laws that exist that restrict sales to minors.”
Others involved in the debate, such as James Calvin, president of the New York Association of Convenience Stores, argue that if youth can’t buy them in regulated convenient stores, they will find other, uncontrolled sources like underground trading, the Internet, mail, or Indian tribes.
No matter who is arguing what side, New York is faced with the choice to lead here. Russ Haven of the New York Public Interest Research Group commented on the matter,“They are not selling broccoli and spinach flavored products. These are marketed for kids.” Now New York must decide whether or not they will act on the endangerment of these kids, one way or another.