The Flavor Trap: How Tobacco Companies Are Luring Kids with Candy-Flavored E-Cigarettes and Cigars

A 2009 federal law, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, prohibited the sale of cigarettes with characterizing flavors other than menthol or tobacco, including candy and fruit flavors. However, this prohibition did not apply to other tobacco products. In recent years, tobacco companies have significantly stepped up the introduction and marketing of flavored noncigarette tobacco products, especially electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and cigars.

This report documents the widespread availability of these flavored other tobacco products and the scientific evidence demonstrating that flavors play a critical role in the popularity of these products among youth. These flavored products are undermining the nation’s overall efforts to reduce youth tobacco use and putting a new generation of kids at risk of nicotine addiction and the serious health harms that result from tobacco use.

Publication Date: 3/2017 (32 pages)

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