FDA Urged to Halt Sales of Dissolvable Tobacco Products

Dissolvable-tobacco products like Camel Orbs, Sticks, and Strips pose a potentially fatal overdose risk to children and should be banned from sale until more safety research is conducted, according to Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.).

The Hill reported April 24 that Lautenberg requested that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) take action against the dissolvable products, which contain ground tobacco and flavorings like mint and cinnamon.

“When a tobacco product that looks like candy is potentially deadly to children, government needs to act,” said Lautenberg, citing a recent study in the journal Pediatrics finding that a 4-year-old who ate a few handfuls of Camel Orbs could face severe nicotine poisoning. “These tobacco candies could hook a new generation of teenagers. We need to consider clearing them from store shelves until the effect on young children and teenagers is better understood.”

The FDA is currently studying the products but Lautenberg said he was concerned that a child could be hurt before the research is completed. R.J. Reynolds is currently test-marketing the dissolvable Camel products in Indiana, Ohio, and Oregon.