Flavour GONE!

May 29, 2009 Update:

On May 26, 2009 Federal Health Minister Aglukkaq introduced an amendment to the Tobacco Act the prevent the addition of flavours and additives that appeal to children and youth.  If passed, this amendment would exclude menthol, but would include preventing the addition of flavours and additives to products such as little cigars (cigarillos), cigarettes and blunt wraps.  This amendment also requires that cigarillos be in packages of 20 or more.  A big change for the Act is that tobacco advertisements will be banned in print publications if passed. 

We still need to work together to make sure the government includes chew tobacco in this amendment.  

What can you do?

Visit www.flavourgone.ca and sign the online petition to show your support.

Join the Flavour...Gone! Campaign Facebook group for updates and information and to show your support.

Contact a politician by phone, e-mail or mail to let legislators know you support a ban and want them to include oral/chew tobacco in the amendment.  Find out your MP information here.

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Currently the Youth Action Alliances of The Central West Youth Coalition are in the planning stages of their Flavour...Gone! campaign.  Updates will be posted with new and upcoming events will be happening.  Here is some information about Flavour...Gone! and hot eh Tobacco Industry uses flavoured products to marget towards youth.

It's interesting that the tobacco industry is currently selling cigarillos and spit tobacco, which can cause cancer, in so many flavours like strawberry, orange, peach, pina colada, wild berry, chocolate, mint and cotton candy...and even more interesting they're marketing them to youth! Flavoured tobacco comes in flashy packaging and has almost no warning labels. The tobacco industry understands that cigarettes are a hard sell to the next generation, because we know all the risks...Cancer, heart disease, stroke, bad breath, asthma, cataracts and poor health. What the next generation don't realize is that these new novelty products are just as deadly as cigarettes!!

 Chewing Tobacco

Spit/Chew tobacco comes in two main forms; chew tobacco (like plug and twist) is in a leafy form that is rolled into a wad and chewed and Snuff (like the Swedish Snus)is finely ground, moist tobacco, which is usually placed in the bottom lip and gum. Moist snuff is by far the most popular form of chewing tobacco. The most popular brand of moist tobacco is Skoal and Copenhagen which sell their products in flavours like peach, cherry, wild berry, mint, green apple and wintergreen. Although these flavours make them sound harmless these products contain over 3000 chemicals, at least 28 of which are known carcinogens. One "pinch" or "dip" of chewing tobacco between your gum for 30 minutes can release the same amount of nicotine as smoking three to four cigarettes! Chewing tobacco can cause cancer of the mouth and throat, leukoplakia (hairy tongue), mouth sores, bad breath, permanent gum recession and excessive drooling. Cancer of the mouth and throat are the most common and often result in death or disfiguring operations.

• Tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) are believed to play a significant role as causes of cancer in people who use tobacco products.
• Chewing tobacco contains over 3,000 chemicals including about 28 known carcinogens including Cyanide, arsenic, benzene, lead and cadium.
• Chew causes the arteries and blood vessels to narrow causing slow reaction times and dizziness.

 

 Cigarillos

Cigarillos, which mean "cigarette" in Spanish, are small filtered or unfiltered cigars which are about the same size as a cigarette, sometimes smaller. They are sold individually in plastic tubes or so called "kiddy packs" of 4-8 and come in many candy and alcoholic flavours. Popular brands are Prime Times, Colts and Swisher Sweets. Cigarillos contain nicotine and many of the same chemicals as cigarettes. The worst part is cigarillos carry all the same (if not more!) risks as cigarettes. Why are they not under the same regulations as cigarettes? One small but meaningful difference, while cigarettes are wrapped in paper, cigarillos and other "little cigars" are wrapped in tobacco. Therefore they are not subject to the same warning labels or packaging size requirements as cigarettes.

 

 

• In recent years, candy-flavoured cigarillos and other novelty tobacco products have become a significant threat to Canadian youth. Health Canada data released at the end of May shows that sales of cigarillos have grown by over 300% per year between 2001 and 2006, from fewer than 50,000 units to over 80 million.
• If cigarillos are sold individually they do not require warning labels, health messages or toxic constituent labels. 
• Cigarillos are a kiddy product. They are more frequently smoked by teenagers than by adult Canadians. (15% of 15-19 year-olds have smoked a cigarillo in the past 30 days compared with 3% of Canadians over 25).
• Research on cigarillos emissions conducted by Health Canada shows that cigarillos deliver higher levels of toxicants and nitrosamines (one of the most potent carcinogens in tobacco) than cigarettes.

Why are so many youth trying cigarillos?

1. They are affordable (Prices range from $1.50 per individual to $2 for some packs of 4)
2. They are so darn cute, discreet and attractive (They are small, colourful and can be confused as lip gloss or markers)
3. Because of the packaging, they don't seem as dangerous as cigarettes (Where are the health warnings? Zilch on individual tubes)
4. And last but not least - the Flavours added give cigarillos a "try-me" appeal.

Updated: 04/22/2009 -