The new trend of flavored cigarettes have appealing names - Winter Warm Toffee, Twista Chill and Kauai Kolada - and are advertised on the pages of glossy magazines such as Rolling Stone, Glamour and Elle.
Government officials are aiming to ban the flavored component so attractive to young smokers.
At least one tobacco company, Reynolds American Inc., has already stopped advertising them.
Another, Altria, doesn't make candy- or fruit-flavored cigarettes and supports a ban.
"These are designed to attract younger smokers," said Michael Bopp of the American Cancer Society. "We don't want to see a product introduced that will give back the gains we've made in this state in reducing teenage smoking." A
survey released last week by Buffalo's Roswell Park Cancer Institute found that 20 percent of smokers 17 to 19 smoked flavored cigarettes in the past month, compared with just 6 percent of smokers over 25.
Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Reynolds American does not target minors in its marketing but decided to stop advertising flavored versions of its Camel brands (Mandarin Mint and Dark Mint) after meeting with Sen. Charles Fuschillo, a sponsor of New York's bill.
The brands will still be sold, however, just not advertised.
Winston-Salem company spokesman Fred McConnell said the company opposes legislation to ban flavored cigarettes because it would also ban conventional cigarettes.
"Ingredients like cocoa, sugar, licorice and menthol have been used in cigarettes for 100 years," he said.
