We must stop the launch of dissolvable tobacco products..

December 9, 2008 - The holiday season is almost upon us. Our minds start to be more concerned with looking forward to being with friends and family and making this Christmas the happiness for our kids and if so, grandchildren. Meanwhile behind the scenes, R.J.Reynolds Tobacco is planning to test market three Camel brand dissolvable tobacco products in mid-to-late January 2009 in three trial markets. No smoke, no spitting, nothing to dispose of and no one will ever know - just experience true pleasure. Just like they did for Camel SNUS you can be sure Reynolds of Joe Camel fame will heavily promote these products (a company rep indicated that print ads, direct marketing, sampling (at bars and nightclubs) and point-of-purchase promotions will be used).

The Camel Dissolvables Products: Sticks (twisted) can be placed in the mouth like a toothpick or broken into a pieces that are placed between the upper lip and gum, where they dissolve after 10 minutes; Orbs, which is a pellet (like placing a candy in your mouth) that lasts about 15 minutes and film Strips for the tongue, which dissolve after about 3 minutes. Flavors - Strips will come in fresh mint flavor and Sticks in Mellow; Orbs will be available in both flavors. Camel Dissolvables deliver between 0.6 to 3.1 milligrams of nicotine, while cigarette smokers typically inhale about 1 mg per cigarette.

Once the sales start it will already be too late. Kids are going to think this is the coolest stuff; they can use it at any time, no one will ever know and it will derive pleasure and make coping with life-stresses easier. You can't reason with your child to stop because you'll never know until it's too late. They'll rationalize "Everyone does it" - "No one will know" - "Who's going to find out?".
Teenagers are infamous for being on the cutting edge of current fads and trends. The reason why teens are on the lookout for something new and different is almost a given: they are working on their identity. Your teen wants to identify with something that makes him/her feel good about him/her self - the silent killer tobacco.

Only problem after using this stuff for a few times - our kids our future leaders soon will be addicted to nicotine for their whole life. So the child you've tried so hard to make the very best becomes a nicotine addict never able to reach his/her full potential. There are many adverse effects that occur with nicotine but one of the major ones is that it interferes with the adolescent brain development.

Tobacco harm reduction proponents think these products are a good option not considering our primary focus - our kids. For example, Bill Godshall, the executive director of SmokeFree Pennsylvania., "I'm pleased that Reynolds is being aggressive in accelerating the switch to smokeless tobacco and getting more products that are likely to appeal to tobacco users." (Reynolds moves to be on top when smoke clears by By Richard Craver, Winston-Salem Journal, 10/8/2008)

Now is the time to step forward and STOP the release of these products.

Companion news brief: STOP - the Proliferation of Flavored Tobacco Products..