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Who Gets Fooled by Flavors?

Sara Bellum

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 website. 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.


*Flavored Tobacco Product Fact Sheet

Comments

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!!!!!

Why Do People Even Smoke? It's Not Like They Are Cooler. They Actually Stink More!XD

JUS LIK SMILEY SAID DONTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!DO IT THE FDA IS RIGHT I HATE FLAVERD CIGERETS AND MY BROTHER SAID SMOKIN CAN MAK U FART!LOL!!

SMOKIN CAN MAKE U GIT UR LUNGS BLACK AND IT, CAN MAK U DIE AN MES UR LIF UP YO!

DONT DO DRUGS

my peer counsling teacher is teaching about tobacco and how its really bad 4 you......"DONT DO IT"

I OWN EVEN THINK THAT BADDDD!!! BUT TABACCO IS REAL BAD 2 SMOKE . . ITS NOT CUTE 2 SMOKE AT ALL BUT WEED DONT DO DOO NOTHING BUT KILL YOUR BRAIN SELLS THATS iit ya knw GOT 2 BE SMART LIKE MEEE TRUST DEALL I LIVES FOR MYSELF AND NOBODY CAN TELL NOTHIN 2 MAKE ME THINK BAD OR DO SUMTHINN BADD . ...

people that do drugs are dumb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

dont do drugs please or your going to look like a monkey

you rock

someone who offers drugs to you is not your friend

smoking is not good for people it can kills us it make us look bad and stupid

plz don't do drugs they well mess up your life.u will have no one with u,u will have no friends that care about u plz don't do it :) :(

that this is very helpful mite make tenz stop taking tabsco or smoking or doing pot

drugs are bad whoever is using them is just plain stupid they dont think yeah u guys heard what i siad so if you want to continue being called that then continue doing that stuf f if you dont then quit dont qiut later qiut NOW and mean IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Smoking is the worst thing ever! I'm a victim to secondhand smoke! but thank god i'm not dead!

DONT DO DRUGSS, IT EASIER TOO START THEN TO QUIT !

DON'T DO DRUGS! (:

Look guys straight up you do drugs you die you don't you live your life to the fullest and there will be nothing standing in your way and life is the best

Look guys straight up you do drugs you die you don't you live your life to the fullest and there will be nothing standing in your way and life is the best DUDE AM SERIOUS lol

Look guys just don't do it like JJ said please don't do drugs you get free money AM SERIOUS lol anways don't do drugs peace out

Druqs are the worst thinq yu can ever qet involved withi n your life.
They ruined your insides and your life .
Why are yu addicted ?
Well no one understaands the neqatives bout' obacco,..

Even "one puff" can kill you

crack kills !! so does tobbaco! dont use drugs!!

I find it to be absolutely absurd that “flavored cigarettes” are being outlawed, when tanning beds are can still be easily accessed by young teenagers. Yes, tanning beds those of which that issue harmful, class one carcinogenic, UV rays. So it is morally correct to outlaw something that is by law (was by law) allowed to be purchased by adults, however young people can access something just as harmful with little opposition? Is that fair? I agree cigarettes are not good for a person’s health and I don’t encourage the use of them, however I do support the need for fairness in the policy making process. I think that if measures such as this targeted at helping young people are to be taken, that they should be taken further to limit more access to known carcinogens.

DONT EVER DO DRUGS !!! :(

DONT DO DRUGS!!!! THEY REALLY DO KILL MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE EACH YEAR!!!! DONT RUEN YOUR LIFE ON SOMETHING SO DUMB THAT YOU WILL REGRET WHEN YOU ARE IN THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE YOU HAVE A METICAL PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!

We all love ourselves but I don't get how people smoke each and everyday when all they're doing is trying to kill themselves, ending up in the hospital, getting cancer.

DON'T DO DRUGS STEP AWAY PLEASE! That's all I had To say

DRUGS ARE A WASTE OF TIME, ITS JUST TAKING YOU TO A WORST FURURE, IF YOU DO DRUGS I SUGGEST YOU TO STOP.

yup, like everyone said, DO NOT DO DRUGS! it's stupid and can get you killed easily. anyway, what's the point? it doesn't make u healthier, it doesn't make u stronger, it only makes u feel "high" for several measly seconds and then, u want to take more (and get unhealthier)! it's really dumb. once, i saw a man smoking. i think he was pretty young but i was rushing past trying to breathe the least. while i was passing, he said, "I know, srry." i'm pretty sure he knew it was bad for him, but he couldn't stop. i just wish 4 everyone who does drugs to kno the consequences and somehow force themselves to stop. that's all, and DONT DO DRUGS! especially young ppl cause ur still growing.

don't doo drugs and stay in skool thats y if u dont u r healthy and smart!! lol (:

hello!!!,

m brother does drugs and has been to rehab 4 times!he started in January which at that time he is 17 what should i do!!??? and..........i say dont do drugs!! [deleted offensive reference, per g/l]

@kaybabe--yeah, it's pretty common for people to need more than one shot at treatment and recovery once they're addicted to drugs. You are good to support your brother--continue to tell him you care about him and you're there for him. Here's a hotline that can direct him to nearby treatment places, if he needs one: 1-800-662-HELP or 1-800-662-9832 (Español)

wow yall re fcrazy if u do dgrugs!! y thats a waste of time!!! :(

ok srry for ma spellin!!! : (

Dont doo druggs!!! :((
Live a :) life
:))

That's really tricky moral ground - but they clearly appeal more to younger people so should probably be taken off the shelves...

Thank you for this beautiful article ..
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the word of the day, AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency bad. Terrible, but the snuff is another drug that kills the organism and not only himself but of those around you. This is nothing new going. The post is useful and not cancer because we do good
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