Appearance Of New Tobacco Product Concerns Some

A major tobacco company decided to test-market a new product in Charlotte, but some say the look might appeal to children.
R.J. Reynolds, producer of Camel cigarettes recently started its second phase of testing on dissolvable tobacco products -- sticks, strips and small pills called “orbs” that give nicotine jolts. The company chose Charlotte and Denver to see if the products will catch on.
“It is worrisome that Charlotte is a test market,” said Sarah Moore, the teen tobacco prevention coordinator for the Mecklenburg County Health Department.
Moore said the packaging and design of the new products, which is very similar to gum or mints, could make children more likely to try and get hooked on nicotine.
“Dissolvable tobaccos are made to look like (gum or mint products),” Moore said.
R.J. Reynolds said the products contain anywhere from half a milligram of tobacco to 3 milligrams of tobacco.

Camel cigarettes can be of more types: Camel FF cigarettes or Camel Blue cigarettes.
The average smoker consumes about 4 milligrams per cigarette.
An R.J. Reynolds spokesman said the company chose Charlotte because it has enough tobacco users.
The company said anyone who refers to dissolvable tobacco as candy or mints is perpetuating false and misleading information and that the products are age restricted with health warnings in child resistant packaging.
But Moore said the packaging doesn't warn people about one ingredient: a flavoring called coumarine. The FDA banned it from food products because it has been linked to liver damage.
That's why Moore visits schools like Butler High School in Matthews, where students sign a no tobacco pledge. Channel 9 asked them about this latest offering from the tobacco company.
“The fact that it looks like gum or candy may make it more appealing to children,” said senior Stephen Amoah.
“It honestly looks like Altoids or the Listerine packs,” said senior Cierra Burdick.
They said they know the risks, and Moore said every parent should make sure their children do, as well.
“Be nosy,” Moore said. “Find out what’s going on and educate them about the dangers.”
R.J. Reynolds insisted that benefits of this new type of tobacco include no secondhand smoke for others to inhale, no spitting and no cigarette butts to discard.