Trick or Treat: Camel Strips

"'The consumer should be aware of the information available about the potential risks of each tobacco product. There are none that are safe and there are none that are without risks,' said RJ Reynolds rep David Howard." - This quote is pulled from an article in Brandweek written specifically about the emerging products, Camel Orbs, Camel Sticks and our product of the day today - Camel Strips.

This slick, attractive package contains 20 dissolvable "Fresh" strips of tobacco. The product comes with instructions on how to open it and "How to Enjoy." Strips are placed on the tongue or folded up and placed between the lip and gum of the user. The Strip is then left to fully dissolve, lasting about 3 minutes. Strips are just bigger than a quarter, and look very similar to Listerine breath mint strips, but they won't leave your breath smelling too sweet.

Like the other dissolvable tobacco products, the Strips packing must carry a warning for it's users. "WARNING: THIS PRODUCT MAY CAUSE MOUTH CANCER" is displayed on the thin side of each pack.

As mentioned earlier this week, products like this one, and other OTPs, are not taxed equally to cigarettes. This, along with their flashy packaging and sweet flavors mimicking popular candies and gums kids love, send the wrong message to our youth. The health risks posed by these products are not ones we'd wish on any of our own children. There are efforts we can take to protect them from these products such as closing the tax loophole. Make sure your kids see this as the trick it is and not a new kind of treat.

For today, I'll leave you with this quote from U.S. Tobacco. "Cherry Skoal is for somebody who likes the taste of candy, if you know what I'm saying." That quote comes from a Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids fact sheet on tobacco and kids.

For more information on these products and youth, you can also check out the press release from Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids released in 2008 .