(Salt Lake City) - Halloween is coming, and while parents
are closely watching their children’s sugar intake, they should be watching for
something even more dangerous year-round: smokeless tobacco products
masquerading as candy.
New product packaging designs and a host of candy-like
flavors—like chocolate, grape, and peach—make it easy to mistake smokeless
tobacco products for gum, mints, and candy.
“Attractive packaging and added flavors are marketing
tactics used to gloss over tobacco’s harmful effects and make it more
appealing,” said Amy Oliver, Marketing Manager for the Utah Department of
Health (UDOH) Tobacco Prevention and Control Program (TPCP). “These products
are designed to recruit new users from our local youth.”
Preliminary results from a survey conducted at youth events
indicate teens have a positive view of smokeless tobacco products based on how
they’re packaged. Results show 73% of respondents aged 18 and younger did not
believe the packages contained tobacco and 40 percent said they would consume
them.
“Education is key to helping youth stay tobacco-free,” said
Oliver. “The best way to protect your children is to help them make good
choices by avoiding all tobacco products.”
Smokeless tobacco contains more nicotine than cigarettes and
poses a serious risk for cancer and other health problems. Quitting tobacco
products can bring both immediate and lifelong benefits, like a better sense of
taste and smell, better lung function, and a lower risk of cancer.
For information on quitting, call the Utah Tobacco Quit Line
at 1.800.QUIT.NOW or visit Utah QuitNet
at www.UtahQuitNet.com.
Media Contact:
Amy Oliver
Tobacco Prevention and Control Program
(o) 801-538-6917 (c) 801-783-9067
