Minnesota old-timey "soda shop" forced to stop selling candy cigarettes

There are MANY worse things in the hands of kids today that are FAR more detrimental to their development, health, and behavior than some phony gummy cigarrettes.

Let's teach our kids that cigarettes are like candy, shall we?

It's our RIGHT to let them think cigarettes are cool. Fvckin' liberals trying to ruin our country again!

Originally Posted by NFRs2000nyc

There are MANY worse things in the hands of kids today that are FAR more detrimental to their development, health, and behavior than some phony gummy cigarrettes.

What should we ban ?

People are so stupid!

Post up some pics of your kids sucking on candy cigarettes.

Originally Posted by rohde88

What should we ban ?

Im not looking to ban anything. Banning is a substitute for parenting....and a poor one at that.

Originally Posted by ThEnder

I'm surprised. You are for nearly zero restrictions on guns but you support a ban on candy cigarettes?

Originally Posted by bimmerfan08

I'm surprised by JJ's response too. For someone who is so open to personal freedom and liberties.

I figured you guys would be surprised. Training kids to smoke is not "freedom or liberty" to me.

Target marketing a deadly, addictive poison towards children is completely different than water or cap guns. For the record, I don't 100% agree with toy guns either. I think some of them are fine and depending on HOW kids play with them matters. Playing "cowboy" or super soakers is completely different than "I'm GOING TO KILL YOU! Bang bang! You're DEAD!!!" is not child play that I approve of or will allow around me or my kids. Would you support the sale of toys called "Serial killer" or an action figure "hero" of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. How about an "easy bake oven" type toy called "Meth Lab!"?


PS: I'm pro choice too AND support the legalization of weed (mind blown)

Originally Posted by NFRs2000nyc

Once again, libtards flushing our rights away one at a time. Candy cigs lead to smoking, rock candy leads to crack, and nerf guns lead to AR15s.

Rock candy...now that is a hard habit to break!

Sent from my LG-E739 using Bimmer App

Originally Posted by JonJon

I figured you guys would be surprised. Training kids to smoke is not "freedom or liberty" to me.

Target marketing a deadly, addictive poison towards children is completely different than water or cap guns. For the record, I don't 100% agree with toy guns either. I think some of them are fine and depending on HOW kids play with them matters. Playing "cowboy" or super soakers is completely different than "I'm GOING TO KILL YOU! Bang bang! You're DEAD!!!" is not child play that I approve of or will allow around me or my kids. Would you support the sale of toys called "Serial killer" or an action figure "hero" of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. How about an "easy bake oven" type toy called "Meth Lab!"?


PS: I'm pro choice too AND support the legalization of weed (mind blown)

Thats your problem right there. You cannot have this argument then get defensive when someone "to me's" their feelings on guns or airport security. For some, losing that little bit of freedom is worth it. Target marketing has always been here. Sugar kills more kids than cigs, but yet it's all good. Bubble gum is legal. AR15s are legal. A shopkeep has the right to sell whatever legal substance he wants and it is YOUR responsibility as the parent to buy/not buy them whatever you see fit, not the governments. Just like those idiots that cried Joe Camel was teaching kids to smoke, Ronald Mcdonald was teaching kids to eat crap by giving them toys, all the while, the parental responsibility was basically reduced to zero. I hate alcohol. You know what business I am in. I see people become disgusting, dangerous, etc. If I was in power, I would make public intoxication a federal offense with a 15 year term...but thats ME. I can't stand it. I hate people that get drunk. I don't drink at all. However, I am not going to take the right of a shopkeep to sell it.

Originally Posted by NFRs2000nyc

Thats your problem right there. You cannot have this argument then get defensive when someone "to me's" their feelings on guns or airport security.

Of course I can... I'm a voter. I can certainly form my own opinions, consult with my represenatives, assist with lobby, exposure and pushing legislation I feel strongly about. Of course I can also argue, debate and get defensive all I want. Do you live in the same country as me?

Originally Posted by NFRs2000nyc

Target marketing has always been here. Sugar kills more kids than cigs, but yet it's all good. Bubble gum is legal. AR15s are legal. A shopkeep has the right to sell whatever legal substance he wants and it is YOUR responsibility as the parent to buy/not buy them whatever you see fit, not the governments. Just like those idiots that cried Joe Camel was teaching kids to smoke, Ronald Mcdonald was teaching kids to eat crap by giving them toys, all the while, the parental responsibility was basically reduced to zero. I hate alcohol. You know what business I am in. I see people become disgusting, dangerous, etc. If I was in power, I would make public intoxication a federal offense with a 15 year term...but thats ME. I can't stand it. I hate people that get drunk. I don't drink at all. However, I am not going to take the right of a shopkeep to sell it.

AR15's, cigarettes and alcohol are illegal for those under age (18 or 21).
Marketing these items to kids under the age of 4 is just wrong.

Food we consume (LEGAL for all ages) is of course the parents responsibility to oversee. You are comparing sugar to guns for a 3 year old? Really?



Joe Camel was teaching kids to smoke... hence why you haven't see a cigarette commercial on TV in decades. Imagine a Marlboro commercial being played at 1pm on the Sprout channel in between Barney and Spongebob. Marketing a cig commercial at a primetime TV hour, on a childrens channel during cartoons is the same thing as marketing candy cigs as a candy for kids.

Instead of banning them, why can't the government and media direct people to stop creating a demand for these products? Products are created because there is demand. Same reason there's complete garbage on tv. Because idiots want it.
Lead America in the right direction and they will stop demanding these things. Then they will go away on their own. Without bans.

Originally Posted by JonJon

Of course I can... I'm a voter. I can certainly form my own opinions, consult with my represenatives, assist with lobby, exposure and pushing legislation I feel strongly about. Of course I can also argue, debate and get defensive all I want. Do you live in the same country as me?


AR15's, cigarettes and alcohol are illegal for those under age (18 or 21).
Marketing these items to kids under the age of 4 is just wrong.

Food we consume (LEGAL for all ages) is of course the parents responsibility to oversee. You are comparing sugar to guns for a 3 year old? Really?



Joe Camel was teaching kids to smoke... hence why you haven't see a cigarette commercial on TV in decades. Imagine a Marlboro commercial being played at 1pm on the Sprout channel in between Barney and Spongebob. Marketing a cig commercial at a primetime TV hour, on a childrens channel during cartoons is the same thing as marketing candy cigs as a candy for kids.

1) You are right, and I said that very thing...guns, cigs, and booze are all REGULATED. Gum is not, thus, you cannot tell anyone that they can't sell it. It is a food product, and should not be regulated just like snickers and rock candy.

2) You do see beer commercials during afternoon tv. So what? Is your kid jonesing for a 6 pack? Is your kid trying to be Mr. The most Interesting Man in the world? Your argument doesn't hold a drop of water. Those commercials are gone, but teen smoking is up...it seems odd to me that someone like you, who clearly understands the consequences of banning things, doesn't see the fact that this simply isn't right. Use your own kid as an example. Big league chew and these smokey gums are readily available, yet your kid hates cigs, will tell people they are bad, and wont smoke themselves...seems like you did your part, and thats all that's needed...why the need for the ban? Do you support banning tobacco products altogether? Seems like you should, since if you want to bank kiddie smokes, it only makes sense to ban the adult ones as well.

You are right about the first part though...you have the right to vote accordingly, but that wasn't my point. My point was that your logic makes no sense to me (it doesn't have to, just for debate's sake.)

Originally Posted by JonJon

I figured you guys would be surprised. Training kids to smoke is not "freedom or liberty" to me.

Target marketing a deadly, addictive poison towards children is completely different than water or cap guns. For the record, I don't 100% agree with toy guns either. I think some of them are fine and depending on HOW kids play with them matters. Playing "cowboy" or super soakers is completely different than "I'm GOING TO KILL YOU! Bang bang! You're DEAD!!!" is not child play that I approve of or will allow around me or my kids. Would you support the sale of toys called "Serial killer" or an action figure "hero" of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. How about an "easy bake oven" type toy called "Meth Lab!"?


PS: I'm pro choice too AND support the legalization of weed (mind blown)

Are the candy cigs made by real cig companies?

Or are you implying that the candy company is doing target marketing on behalf of other companies that make other products that the candy company has $0 vested interest in?

Originally Posted by JonJon

I figured you guys would be surprised. Training kids to smoke is not "freedom or liberty" to me.

Target marketing a deadly, addictive poison towards children is completely different than water or cap guns. For the record, I don't 100% agree with toy guns either. I think some of them are fine and depending on HOW kids play with them matters. Playing "cowboy" or super soakers is completely different than "I'm GOING TO KILL YOU! Bang bang! You're DEAD!!!" is not child play that I approve of or will allow around me or my kids. Would you support the sale of toys called "Serial killer" or an action figure "hero" of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. How about an "easy bake oven" type toy called "Meth Lab!"?


PS: I'm pro choice too AND support the legalization of weed (mind blown)

This makes solid sense. Honestly I've never seen a candy cigarette so I don't have much to go on. While I'm generally against blanket bans, your argument is pretty convincing.

Toy guns are particularly interesting, I think you really hit the nail on the head. It's not really the object that matters most of the time, but the context in which it is marketed and used.

PS, not surprised but agreed on both other positions.

Originally Posted by ThEnder

This makes solid sense. Honestly I've never seen a candy cigarette so I don't have much to go on. While I'm generally against blanket bans, your argument is pretty convincing.

Toy guns are particularly interesting, I think you really hit the nail on the head. It's not really the object that matters most of the time, but the context in which it is marketed and used.

PS, not surprised but agreed on both other positions.

Exactly. Context.

I have no problem with these being sold, but to market them DIRECTLY to children is my beef. They are a gimmack, party favor, etc that many adults might want to use... Think 50's theme party or something.

What's portrayed in this picture and putting them on store shelves next to kids toys and stuff is COMPLETELY different




Seriously... it's 2013 in a couple days... people still smoke? Don't you know by now how visually and olfactorily disgusting you are to everyone around you?

frankly I don't see the difference between selling toy guns and selling candy cigarettes. Neither imply doing any wrong.

Originally Posted by I*do*Werke

You dont actually "smoke" candy cigarettes. You bite, chew, and swallow them

I guess you've never had one as a kid. You literally blow through them and create a little puff of smoke.

I would like to see the statistics that says kids who chew this gum are more likely smoke. I would also like to see how many of those kids have parents or older influences that smoke. Its for parents to teach/control not the goverment.

This is a step in loosing more liberties. While im not a smoker and against it in general it is peoples choice to do so. Same as drinking and owning guns. What makes anyone think they have the right to enforce their views on anyone else.

Originally Posted by DylloS

I guess you've never had one as a kid. You literally blow through them and create a little puff of smoke.

We're talking about different things then. Candy cigarettes are just that, candy. You eat them. I've had those prank cigarettes before that have powder in them and look like the real thing. A friend and I walked around the mall when we were 12 blowing them just to see people's reactions.