The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is currently conducting an investigation into the potential public health impact of a newly developed cigarette alternative referred to as dissolvable tobacco products.

While the tobacco industry claims that the dissolvable tobacco products are designed to cut down on litter and reduce second hand smoke, many parents and health experts alike are worried that children could possibly mistake the new dissolvable tobacco products for candy.

If this scenario were to occur, the primary concern is that it could potentially lead to a child developing a nicotine addiction or possibly even experiencing a nicotine overdose, which could result in a life threatening situation.

What is Dissolvable Tobacco?

Dissolvable tobacco is a form of smokeless tobacco intended to dissolve in the mouth similar to a breath mint. The product contains nicotine, just as with cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco. The R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. introduced several forms of dissolvable tobacco, including Camel Sticks, Camel Strips and Camel Orbs, in 2009. The company most likely introduced dissolvable tobacco as a way of allowing smokers to continue using tobacco products in public, in light of the fact that smoking is now banned in many restaurants and bars in accordance with state laws.

Star Scientific, another tobacco company, produces two dissolvable tobacco products of its own. It’s likely that other tobacco product manufacturers will also introduce dissolvable tobacco products as cigarette smoking continues to become less socially acceptable in the United States.

Unlike nicotine alternatives such as nicotine gum and the nicotine patch, dissolvable tobacco is not intended as a smoking cessation aid.

“A Threat to Children”

According to Dan Jacobsen, a practitioner at Great Neck, New York’s Jewish Health System Center for Tobacco Control, dissolvable tobacco is both “deceptive” and “definitely a threat to children.” Jacobsen, who was once a smoker himself, said that the neither the products nor their packaging would necessarily indicate danger to children, who certainly won’t realize that it’s addictive or harmful when examining it.

In general, the medical community agrees with Jacobsen. In 2010, the medical journal Pediatrics published a report in which the authors noted that dissolvable tobacco may appeal to children due to its candy-like appearance. According to the report, Camel Orbs closely resemble small hard candy products such as Tic Tacs, and come in flavors such as cinnamon and mint.

The Dangers of Nicotine to Children: Addiction and Overdose

According to Jacobsen, a single milligram of nicotine can result in vomiting and nausea when ingested by a child. For some perspective, the dissolvable tobacco products manufactured by Camel contain anywhere from 0.6 mg to 3.1 mg of nicotine, so it’s easy to see how even a single “lozenge” could cause a strong, dangerous reaction in a young child. A nicotine overdose can be deadly in both children and adults.

Jacobsen is also concerned about how dissolvable tobacco products could make it difficult for parents to observe and discourage nicotine use in older children. Since the products so closely resemble candy and can be completely concealed in the mouth, parents would have little way of knowing whether their children are using the products or not.

The Long-Term Effects of Dissolvable Tobacco

Dissolvable tobacco products are still very new, meaning that scientists have been unable to determine their long-term health effects aside from nicotine addiction. Still, early studies have detected carcinogenic chemicals in the products, similar to those found in cigarettes and chewing tobacco.

David Katz, director of Yale University School of Medicine’s Prevention Research Center, said that dissolvable tobacco products should be considered no safer than cigarettes or chewing tobacco until proven otherwise.

Although smokeless tobacco products such as dissolvable tobacco and chewing tobacco don’t affect the lungs in the way cigarettes do, they do increase the user’s risk of developing oral cancer by 80%, according to a study conducted in 2008.

Marketing Precautions are in Order

The R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. clearly feels that it’s already done enough to prevent kids from trying dissolvable tobacco. In a 2010 statement, the company made the following claims:

• The packaging is child-resistant.

• The packaging contains warnings, just as with cigarettes.

• The products are illegal to sell to those under the age of 18.

Jacobsen finds these arguments outrageous since the same precautions have done little to prevent teens from using cigarettes. Further, the child-proof packaging would be useless once it has been opened by an adult, and very young children would be unlikely to read or even understand the printed warnings. According to Jacobsen, R.J. Reynolds should make the following changes to dissolvable tobacco immediately:

• Eliminate the “slick imagery” found on the packaging and replace it with clearer visual health warnings.

• Restrict the flavorings to menthol and actual tobacco flavors, doing away with candy-like flavors such as cherry and chocolate.

Dissolvable Tobacco: The Bottom Line

Dissolvable tobacco products, which contain addictive nicotine in addition to chemicals known to cause cancer, are a new form of smokeless tobacco similar to chewing tobacco. Experts are concerned that dissolvable tobacco products may appeal to children because they look and taste similar to candy.

If you’re the parent of a child or teenager, it’s important to provide them with education regarding the dangers of nicotine and tobacco. As new tobacco products are released to the market, additional education will be required.