Spearmint or fruit-flavored cancer?
March 25th, 2003 5:00 pm

Tobacco companies are taking marketing to the next level of disgusting. Dogged by anti-smoking campaigns, the companies are apparently telling kids to get a buzz from gum that’s intended to curb nicotine cravings.

According to an internal document, this “new reverse process will create an incubative tobacco market designed to hatch cravings over time, thereby enhancing our potential long-term market position.” (March 2003, Memo from Herschel Moon, Assistant Vice President)

Moon apparently sent the memo to his staff on the same day a department secretary was fired. Reports allege this disgruntled ex-employee has since circulated the document. Details (and a copy of the memo if I can find it) to come.

Posted in Random Funnies by James
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Taranis
March 25th, 2003 5:10 pm

I sit here incredulous. How can these people sleep at night?

When does this kind of thing become a crime? If I shoved lump cancer into a kid’s lung, I’d be arrested, but these companies continue on like capitalist heroes.

The time is coming.

Jetteva
March 26th, 2003 8:48 am

I’d wish I could say I were surprized by this behavior, but I’m not. The tobacco companies are trying to find new ways to hook kids into smoking. You have too when your most loyal customers are dying.

But encouraging kids to chew that gum to start their nicotine habits, and providing an easier way for them to hide it from their parents… that’s an all time low.

Taranis
March 27th, 2003 9:53 am

It makes me wonder then, is banning tobacco the way to get rid of this problem, or should it be a ban on nicotine. In other words, make the drug nicotine a controlled substance.

Actually, I’d rather they just start selling nicotine gum and patches and ban cigarettes. At least that way, the users only affect themselves and not the innocents around them. It’s the same reason, smokers are taken to task but people who use chew and dip and snuff get very little resistance.

Cosbysweater
March 27th, 2003 11:02 am

Well, someone better ban it soon. Reveries reports that even restaurants are experimenting with ways to give people a nicotine fix. Now, kids can get a nice nicotine spiced fois gras and then enjoy some after dinner Nicorette.