The article itself was so bad, but the Director of their smoker's hotline's comments reached the limit of my acceptability. I just had to comment-
"I was never as impressed with the Commonwealths youth as I was yesterday during their 200 fold participation at the annual Kick Butts Day at the statehouse. They came from The84, a compilation of youth from 36 high schools across the state that represent the 84% of youth who choose not to smoke or use tobacco products. They sent a resounding message that they know they are being targeted by big tobacco manufacturers who are marketing new tobacco products that are cheaper than cigarettes and are packaged in highly attractive and flavorful varieties. Have you heard of Snus- tobacco pouches that cause tooth loss and gum disease and come in flavors like frost and mellow? One pouch contains as much nicotine as 3-4 cigarettes. Have you heard of Orbs or Arriva dissolvable tobacco in forms that look like Tic Tac candies? Eating a pack could kill a small child. Well these products are in stores everywhere in the Commonwealth and if they are not in your neighborhoods now they are coming soon. One of our legislators had a loud and clear message to the public to warn against use of these products: first they hook you, then they harm you, then they kill you. Every year over 7,000 kids in Massachusetts become daily smokers. With the arrival of these new nicotine products that are more accessible than cigarettes we are in danger of increasing the number of our youth that will go on to battle nicotine addiction through out the rest of their lives. It is our responsibility as adults to protect our children from these harms. Ann Marie Rakovic, Director, MA Smoker's Helpline, 1-800-trytostop (1-800-879-8678)"
As the director of MA Smokers Helpline, You should be able to apply facts as opposed to anti-tobacco rhetoric, you are doing a disservice to you profession and to the people you supposedly try to help.
One portion, not pouch, of snus from Camel snus contains about 8mg of nicotine which is approximately equivalent to the amount of nicotine in a single cigarette. Yes, the amount of nicotine inhaled and absorbed from a cigarette is approximately 1 to 2 mg which would be equivalent to 3 or 4 cigarettes to equal the amount of nicotine in snus, but do you have a study that shows that all the nicotine from that portion of snus is absorbed?
Can you quote a study that shows snus causes tooth loss and gum disease or did you pull that information from thin air also. Did you know that sugar causes gum disease and tooth loss also or caffeinated sodas, or a wealth of other products that we consume today?
Its not all about the children and no matter what you do or say, kids will be kids and they will find a way to endanger themselves as we all do, one way or another. You are talking about the other new products that are non-smoking tobacco products and all quite a bit safer than smoking. More than likely the whole group of them are no more unhealthy than the caffeine and processed sugar products that everyone is so accustomed to.
Rather than trying to demonize products that have nothing to do with smoking, why dont you concentrate on the stores that allow the kids to buy these products in the first place? Adults have a right to make adult decisions, that was the principle this country was founded on.
"Correction to my prior post: With the arrival of these new tobacco products that are more accessible than cigarettes we are in danger of increasing the number of our youth that will go on to battle addictions through out the rest of their lives, since youth who use tobacco are more likely to use other drugs including ......... and crack/........"
Your first post was disgraceful, the correction reached the obscene. You cant possibly believe that snus, Orbs, and Arriva lead to using ......... and crack/.......? How about ...... and aids also, what has this country come
