Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Parody Or Marketing Device?

I actually remember going to my grandparents store in Idaho (the only one in the small friendly town) and being told to pick a few treats out. It literally was the kid in a candy store analogy brought to life. Now, I didn't go crazy. I've always been a bit finicky. But, I always thought candy cigarettes were funny. They had a taste of their own and were what I consider "parody" candy.

Several countries in the world actually made candy cigarettes illegal during the early 1990's. Necco and World Candies actually fought a bill in Congress in 1990 that would have banned the product in the U.S. The claims were made that the items looked so similar to the real thing that they urged children to smoke later in their lives. The items even have a little red at the end.

I might be in the minority here but I don't think the candy made me want to smoke. It's not one of my vices although several friends and one of my parents have and/or do currently inhale. I remember trying to act like it was real and of course this was in the late 70's and early 80's when smoking wasn't as frowned upon. I'd hold it in my fingers and put the end in my mouth. The thing didn't last more than a few seconds. Usually the first one would be played with but they'd end up in my mouth in seconds. I think that if candy cigarettes lead children to smoking that it also leads them to eating their Marlboros and Salem Lights. I also think that if people are so freaked out about candy cigarettes... why aren't they upset about licorice pipes. (I actually bought that one in a store near Olivia's recital.) But don't they lead people to smoking pipes? Is there a pipe smoking crisis? It's like saying that the eating of bananas or Big Stick ice cream treats promotes and trains young women for oral sex. Never heard of a study or a ban on those.


Lily said...

Let's blame the makers of wax lips, it's their fault woman are plumping their lips full of collagen today! ;)

Bar L. said...

Good one Lilly!

I LOVED CANDY CIGARETTES! You could kind of do this thing where if you inhaled and exhaled this powedery substance would look like real smoke. I loved the way they tasted and felt. I adored them.

Anyhow, thanks for the memory Martin! (I admit, I had a fit when my son bot some candy bubblegum cigs off the ice-cream truck a few years ago).

Teri said...

I loved those as a kid as well. Do you remember the bubble gum cigarettes? The gum ones has a powdery inside that if you blew on them it would appear that you were actually smoking. Anyway, I hate cigarettes with a passion as an adult, so the marketing scam didn't work on me :)

BeckEye said...

All of my friends and I were two-pack a day candy cigarette girls. Then we'd pop pills (Smarties) and wash them down with those wax juice vials. It was like Valley of the Dolls in my elementary school. Those were the days.

LoraLoo said...

LOL Beckeye. Those WERE the days! I loved those candy cigarettes too, but they also ended up in my mouth in a matter of seconds.

I am not sure how I feel about the candy now. Isn't that like saying Judas Priest makes teenagers kill?

Lucy Stern said...

I remember those candy cigarettes as a kid. I think I actually had some. I have to say that I don't like the message that they send. I didn't allow my kids to have them.