History of Candy Cigarettes

 Candy cigarettes were introduced in the late 19th century. They are made of chalky sugar, bubblegum, or chocolate, wrapped in paper, and packaged and branded to resemble cigarettes. Some products contain powdered sugar hidden in the wrapper, allowing the user to blow into the cigarette and produce a cloud of sugar that imitates smoke from the other end.

Candy cigarettes' existence on the market has long been controversial because research has shown that they prime children to take up smoking real (tobacco) cigarettes. Candy cigarettes can also serve as a way to market cigarettes to children, as many candy cigarettes have branding nearly identical to cigarette brands. Because of this, the selling of candy cigarettes has been banned in several countries, though they continue to be manufactured and consumed in many parts of the world. However, many manufacturers now describe their products as candy sticks, bubble gum, or simply candy.

Promotion of smoking

Tobacco companies and candy cigarette manufacturers have historically cooperated to make candy cigarettes. Tobacco companies have allowed candy cigarette companies to use their branding; Brown & Williamson has gone as far as to send copies of its labels to candy cigarette companies. After the 1964 Surgeon General's report on smoking and health criticized candy cigarettes for "trying to lure youngsters into the smoking habit", tobacco companies began to distance themselves from candy cigarettes, although trademark infringement lawsuits against candy cigarette manufacturers have been rare.

A 1990 study found that sixth graders who ate candy cigarettes were twice as likely to smoke cigarettes as those who did not eat candy cigarettes. A 2007 study surveyed 25,887 adults and found that "[c]andy cigarette consumption was reported by 88% of both current and former smokers and 78% of never smokers", a statistically significant difference that the authors suggested indicates a connection between candy cigarette consumption as a child and smoking as an adult.

In the United States, it was reported erroneously in 2010 that the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act bans candy cigarettes. However, the law bans any form of added flavoring in tobacco cigarettes other than menthol. It does not regulate the candy industry. Popeye Cigarettes, marketed using the Popeye character, were sold for a while and had red tips (to look like a lit cigarette) before being renamed candy sticks and being manufactured without the red tip. Most candy cigarettes continue to be manufactured in the United States, with the largest maker of candy cigarettes, World Confections Inc., based in New Jersey.

Sales laws

Argentina            Legal     

Armenia               Banned               

Australia              Banned               

Austria                 Legal      

Bahrain                  Banned              

Brazil                      Banned              

Canada                  Partial--Federal law prohibits candy cigarette branding that resembles real cigarette branding and vice versa.

Chile                       Banned              

Denmark               Legal   

Finland                  Banned              

Georgia                                 Banned              

Germany                Legal  

Iceland                  Banned              

Ireland                   Banned              

Israel                      Banned              

Japan                     Legal    

Kuwait                   Banned              

Latvia                     Banned on 31 July 2005

Lithuania                Banned             

Moldova                Banned             

Netherlands         Banned             

New Zealand       Partial--There are restrictions on advertising and display. They cannot be displayed within a meter of tobacco products.

Norway                  Banned             

Oman                     Banned              

Philippines             Partial--Strictly enforced, discouraged use

Poland                   Legal    

Portugal                  Banned            

Romania                 Banned            

Qatar                        Banned            

Saudi Arabia            Banned          

Slovenia                    Banned          

South Africa            Banned in terms of section 4(3) of the Tobacco Products Control Act, 1993

South Korea            Banned          

Spain                        Banned            

Sweden                                  Banned            

Switzerland             Legal

Thailand                    Banned          

Turkey                      Banned           

United Arab Emirates     Banned               

United Kingdom       Partial           Product still available labeled as 'candy sticks' to remove association with smoking

United States         Partial            Candy cannot be labeled as cigarettes.

Sub-national

New South Wales     Banned since 1999

North Dakota             ? Enacted a ban on candy cigarettes from 1953 until 1967

Nunavut                      Banned all products that resemble cigarettes

Tennessee                  Banned       

Locality                Law

St. Paul, Minnesota, Banned since April 2009

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy_cigarette