Bend’s newest store, Powell’s Sweet Shoppe on Wall Street, is a delight for kids and grownups alike: a treat for the eyes and the spirit. Yet it hits a sour note with the inclusion of candy cigarettes on its shelves.
The owner, Matt McCall, told me that although he is a franchisee, the decision to sell cigarettes was a personal one. “People like them for the nostalgia,” he claimed.
Is he unfamiliar with research showing the correlation between candy cigarettes and the creation of smokers? (“Candy Cigarettes May Encourage Future Smoking.” Science Digest. June 2007.) Doesn’t he understand the complicity of the tobacco companies in using this candy to develop new customers? (“Tobacco Industry Saw Benefit in Promoting Candy Cigarettes.” University of Rochester Medical Center Report. August 2000.) Is it possible to be unaware that smoking causes emphysema, heart disease, and lung cancer? And not to know that smoking is the number one preventable cause of death? Or doesn’t it matter? Maybe our kids are important only as small sources of revenue, period.
I told Mr. McCall that I didn’t think parents would appreciate his reckless marketing of “nostalgic” poison to their children. “That’s your opinion,” he said.
If it is your opinion, too, please join me in urging him to remove the cigarettes from his store: Please, sir, won’t you be a responsible merchant and help to safeguard the children in your community? After all, even Wal-Mart refuses to sell candy cigarettes.
Toni Weir, Bend
This article appears in Dec 18-24, 2008.
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Toni, Matt owns his own business and has the right to do/sell whatever he wants, as long as itâ ™s legal. Stop placing your insecurities and fear of parenting on someone else. Itâ ™s YOUR responsibility to raise your children, not Matt’s. If thereâ ™s something out there in the world that you dont want your child exposed to, you need to sit with them and explain to them whatâ ™s right and wrong. It is not Matt’s responsibility to shelter your children. Its America lady, everybody’s got a right, stop trying to control others; itâ ™s not your place.
I agree with Douglas. Sounds just like another parent who wishes to blame everyone else for any child rearing issues instead of taking responsibility as a parent herself. That’s why we have so many issues today. Nobody wants to step up and take responsibility for their own actions. It’s too easy to point fingers…
Or maybe. . .just sell something else. While Matt may have the right to sell whatever he wants, why not just discontinue a candy gateway drug. Some parents may not know or be aware that it could be a problem. With all of the other great candy out there, it seems like a small thing to do.
In the US, the number of deaths due to obesity now rivals tobacco related deaths. How come you aren’t this upset about candy in general? Just curious…
I gotta admit I was an addict. I couldnt get enough of those candy cigs. Those were the good old days. A nickel a pack. I tried them all. I used to bring them to school and munch on them at recess and after lunch. Powell’s here I come!
Matt has the right to sell them. I haven’t seen those in years. I have already purchased a ton of them for presents and will continue to buy them in the future. Who says he shouldn’t carry something that not only sells, but sells WELL? Oh and no I am not a smoker… obviously they don’t brainwash “everyone” who comes into contact with them.
Nice… It’s good to have the anti-science crowd show up. Bundled securities not only sold but they sold WELL. MMM, I used to buy shares in them and flip ’em. It never hurt me. Why would anyone suggest that those securities are bad when it is legal to do so. It’s all about the bank baby!
Basic Queries: Would NOT selling candy cigarettes create total business failure for Powell’s Sweet Shoppe? Is doing the “right thing” wrong just because it might cost a few pennies of profit? Is profit/money the only gawd?
In this economy… yes. Money is the only “gawd” as you so “creatively” put it.
Parent’s have to be accountable for their children’s actions! Teach your child what’s right and what’s wrong and the CANDY cigarettes won’t be blamed for their smoking habits. Toni, you said yourself in the first paragraph, they are CANDY cigarettes.
“candy gateway drug” After I picked myself up off the floor from laughing so hard I realized this: Well, we have now officially entered the days of I-refuse-to-take-any-responsibilty-for-my-own-parenting. I have never spoken with a smoker who has admitted to Candy Cigarettes being the introduction to smoking. What was their first introduction? REAL cigarettes, friends, parties, peer pressure, etc. Not the candy man down the street…
All of you please teach and talk to your kids and let us who are nostalgic enjoy our candy cigs.
This reminds me of the push to get public smoking banned because it was a bad example for kids.
I don’t smoke, I have asthma; but I don’t want to see behaviors being legislated based on the above mentioned. If powells wants to sell candy cigerettes and you don’t support that then don’t shop there. I loved them when I was little…not a smoker. I had parents who educated me and did not leave it up to a diverse society to be responsible for any behaviors I might pick up. Is that really where you want to live?
If I’m following the parental responsibility thread, it goes something like this: if we keep candy cigarettes on the shelves than we will get more parental responsibility? Because, studies have shown that candy cigarettes DO lead to a favorable view of smoking and there was parental responsibility before. Or is this just some of that good ‘ol fashioned, societal tough love for the kids out there who weren’t fortunate enough to be born into a family that has this mythical parental responsibility. And if their parents don’t teach ’em well than let them go buy a pack – who cares. We want our nostalgia right. . . that’s what’s important, oh yeah and gawd, I mean money.
It was a slippery slope argument when people suggested that restricting smoking in govenment buildings would lead to restricting smoking in grocery stores to restricting smoking in restaurants to restricting smoking in taverns to restricting smoking in open air spaces to restricting smoking in your own home to restricting selling Candy cigarettes in your own store. Not such a slippery slope argument any longer.
I used to walk to the Riverside Market (ca 1974) and buy candy cigarettes. I seem to recall you could blow through them and the sugar would puff out like smoke. Cool. I thought that the nannies had banned the sale/manufacture of these things. I’m heading down to Powell’s to buy a bunch for my kids’ Christmas stockings.
Good god people lighten up. There are plenty of other more important things to worry about. You folks bitching about these things are probably the same people who don’t worry about your children modeling your drinking. Ever think about that? The crappy tasting candy is just that, candy. But your kids watch you have a few drinks and might just decide that what mommy does is okay for me, too.
While we are at it, we should probably ban gummy bears since that is clearly a gateway candy to teach your children that they should become a hunter and kill animals and eat them.
I love all of this anti-science shit and the strolls down memory lane. Forget the facts. Just keep talking about those good ‘ol days before anybody really knew anything about cause and effect. Just lighten up – knowledge is a heavy burden – it requires action.
Man this is bringing me back to the days when my buddy and I would go buy that candy heroin at the corner store, tie a rubber band around our arms and pretend to shoot up. But of course we’d then just eat the sugary syringe…man those were the days. I would call up my buddy to head to this Powells place with me, but he’s been hard to find ever since he started doing real heroin. Obviously he had very bad parents.
What happens when Powell’s and countless other candy shops through out the world drop the candy cig’s?? Soon the candy cig’s manufacturer’s because of their poor product choices will they be forced between choosing bankruptcy or a TARP bail out?
All this because we did not follow the science that was so clear.
Sugar-coated candy patches, anyone?
I love how this person claims anyone who doesn’t agree with her is part of the “anti-science” crowd.
You are aware that Science Magazine, while sometimes an interesting read, is not a scientific resource, correct? The articles in there are just that–articles. They aren’t legitimate case studies, they aren’t peer reviewed.
You aren’t providing scientific evidence as to why they shouldn’t be sold. Personally I think anyone claiming that candy cigarettes lead kids to smoke is insulting the intellect of children.
You are aware that there are plenty of studies that do substantiate the interesting read of Science Magazine. You should try looking on the internet – there are plenty of legitimate case studies to support the theory that candy cigarettes do lead to a favorable view of smoking. If you look hard enough, maybe five minutes, you’ll find that cigarette companies even collaborated with candy cigarette manufacturers to engender brand loyalty. In fact, entire countries have banned their sale. But, why look any further than your personal notion. You’re obviously a scientist yourself.
Gadfly do you have a job or something to keep you busy, or is it just commenting on letters to the editor, and then commenting on other peoples comments? Live a little, there’s a whole world out there. You’ve been commenting on this article for 6 days!!!
So, if an entire country does something, that makes it okay? (This per the Gadfly) – Therefore, because Saudi Arabia treats women as second class citizens, the Gadfly must think that is a swell idea, right? After all, an ENTIRE country does it.
I love a good, logical argument. Where’s my candy?
Wait, should I comment? I have been on for 6 whole days! Hey Joe Camel, if you keep parsing the argument you’ll run the thread completely away from the discussion – nice try.
what the cig’s are the BEST! It brings us back to our childhood days. I am from New York City, was hoping for a trip back into memeory lane…Thanks!!!!!xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxox
I confess I haven’t been to Powell’s yet, but I’ve heard that candy cigs are back. While it’s true they’re probably the number one inappropriate genre of candy (right up there with a candy gun with the lollipop as the barrel), it’s also tough to get rid of something the people want. (Just look at REAL tobacco–it’s been around LONG before the candy version.) I think a simple compromise is to put ’em up on a shelf that the little ones can’t see/reach–and only the “big kids” have access to.