Candy cigarette facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Candy sticks, Candy stix |
|---|---|
| Type | Confectionery |
| Main ingredients | Sugar |
| Variations | Candy, bubble gum, chocolate |
Candy cigarettes are a type of candy that looks like real cigarettes. They were first made in the late 1800s. These candies are usually made from chalky sugar, bubblegum, or chocolate. They are wrapped in paper and designed to look just like cigarettes.
Some candy cigarettes even have powdered sugar inside their wrapper. This lets you blow into the candy and make a cloud of sugar. It looks like smoke coming out of the other end.
Contents
Why Candy Cigarettes Are Talked About
Candy cigarettes have caused a lot of discussion for a long time. Many people worry that these candies make smoking seem normal to kids. They believe it might encourage children to start smoking later in life.
How They Look Like Real Cigarettes
Candy cigarettes can also be a way to advertise real cigarettes to kids. This is because many candy cigarettes have packaging that looks almost exactly like real cigarette brands. Because of these concerns, selling candy cigarettes has been banned in several countries. However, they are still made and sold in many parts of the world.
Today, many companies that make these candies call them candy sticks or bubble gum. They simply use the name candy instead of "candy cigarettes."
What Tobacco Companies Did
In the past, tobacco companies and candy cigarette makers worked together. Tobacco companies even let candy companies use their brand names and designs. For example, a company called Brown and Williamson sent copies of its cigarette labels to candy makers.
After a big report in 1964 talked about the dangers of smoking, tobacco companies started to step back. This report said that candy cigarettes were "trying to lure youngsters into the smoking habit." Even so, tobacco companies rarely sued candy makers for using their brand names.
What Studies Show
Studies have looked into whether candy cigarettes affect smoking habits. A study in 1990 found that sixth graders who ate candy cigarettes were twice as likely to smoke real cigarettes. This was compared to kids who did not eat them.
Another study in 2007 surveyed many adults. It found that 88% of people who smoked or used to smoke had eaten candy cigarettes as children. Only 78% of people who never smoked had eaten them. This difference suggests a link between eating candy cigarettes as a child and smoking as an adult.
Rules in America
In America, there was a misunderstanding in 2010. People thought a new law banned candy cigarettes. But this law actually banned added flavors in tobacco cigarettes, except for menthol. It did not control the candy industry.
For a while, "Popeye Cigarettes" were sold. They used the Popeye character and had red tips to look like a lit cigarette. Later, they were renamed "candy sticks" and made without the red tip. Most candy cigarettes are still made in the United States. The biggest maker, World Confections Inc, is based in New Jersey.
Where Candy Cigarettes Are Banned
Many countries and places have rules about candy cigarettes. The main reason for these rules is to protect children. They want to make sure kids are not encouraged to smoke.
Countries with Bans
Candy cigarettes are banned in many countries around the world. This includes places like Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Finland, Ireland, Kuwait, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
In Canada, federal law stops candy cigarette brands from looking like real cigarette brands. It also stops real cigarette brands from looking like candy.
Bans in Other Places
Some parts of countries also have their own bans. For example, New South Wales in Australia banned them in 1999. Nunavut in Canada banned all products that look like cigarettes. The state of Tennessee in the U.S. has also banned them.
Some cities have also made their own rules. St. Paul, Minnesota banned candy cigarettes in April 2009.
