New Tobacco Product Poses Health Hazards for Infants & Children

R.J. Reynolds new product “Camel Orbs” poses health risks to infants and children according to a new study published online April 19, 2010 in the journal Pediatrics. Orbs are dissolvable nicotine products, flavored with cinnamon or mint, that are made to look like candy. Gregory Connolly, lead author of the study and director of the Tobacco Control Research Program at Harvard School of Public Health, said, “"This product is called a 'tobacco' product, but in the eyes of a 4-year-old, the pellets look more like candy than a regular cigarette. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug and to make it look like a piece of candy is recklessly playing with the health of children."

Ingestion of tobacco products by infants and children is a major reason for calls to poison control centers nationwide. In 2007, 6,724 tobacco-related poisoning cases were reported among children five years of age and under. Small children can experience nausea and vomiting from as little as 1 mg of nicotine.

David Zauche
Senior Program Officer
Partnership for Prevention