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Between citywide smoking bans and skyrocketing cigarette taxes, fewer people are puffing tobacco. In an effort to outsmart these measures, smoking manufacturers are seeking new ways to hook consumers on nicotine.

For smokers who can no longer light up in public (and are too civilized to use chaw at bars), R.J. Reynolds is introducing a line of smokeless tobacco products. Maybe you'd enjoy the "Camel Orb," a tobacco pellet, or the "Camel Stick," a twisted tobacco-y toothpick. Finally, there's the "Camel Strip," a dissolving tobacco film. The products will be available in a variety of flavors and contain anywhere from around one-half to three times the nicotine delivered by a cigarette.

Consumer advocacy groups -- who worry someone will try to eat this stuff -- say the products are clearly marketed to children, who could easily confuse them with candy. A spokesperson for R.J. Reynolds noted that the smokeless line features child-resistant packaging.

But seriously, if you're willing to suck on a smoky Listerine-style strip made of nicotine, you may just want to boil up some tobacco gravy, get a straw, and call it a day.

If you think this marketing tactic is devious, your jaw will drop at what tobacco companies used to pull. Click to see old smoking ads that claim cigarettes are healthy, harmless, and otherwise good for you.

See the Ads


All ads from Stanford School of Medicine's' collection "Not a Cough in a Carload," which is currently on exhibit at the New York Public Library.