Who Remembers Candy Cigarettes And Why Can't We Get Them Anymore?

Let's take a second to remember candy cigarettes, shall we? Whether you agree with them now or not more or less everyone had them.

We'd have a long puff and blow out all of that invisible and imaginary smoke (we were kids after all). Then slowly but surely we'd nibble away at the 'cigarette' and routinely tap the ash from the end.

We wouldn't fear for our health, there were no worries about addiction and, let's face it - they were much cheaper than the real thing.

Not forgetting that our relatives didn't bat an eye lid but imagine their reaction to us smoking the real deal, that's not even worth thinking about.

But we haven't seen a candy or chocolate cigarette for ages - many people don't agree with them, saying that they encourage smoking.

PA

Others would argue that just like playing with guns didn't make us murderers, smoking fake cigarettes didn't turn us into chain smokers. We can't speak to everyone though.

The idea of a confectionary product that normalised the idea of smoking was always going to be pretty controversial wasn't it?

According to Action on Smoking and Health, their understanding is that the sale of candy cigarettes in the UK is illegal.

PA

But it seems some are managing to bypass that by advertising them as 'white candy sticks', like the ones in the Spider-Man packaging - oh the memories.

With there being no mention of 'cigarettes' in the description they're good to go it would seem - sneaky beggars.

We thought everyone may have forgotten about these little gems (joking, I didn't even like them) but it seems folk are one step ahead because people have been reminiscing on Twitter.

One said: "Who remembers those fake candy cigarettes, i used to think i was the shit when i had them". One word - untouchable.

Twitter

Another added: "Smoked candy cigarettes #AgeYourselfIn3Words"

A third said: "Not sure I can relate to ppl who didn't grow up with candy cigarettes 90s were WILD" oh yes they were.

On the other side of the argument, Hazel Cheeseman, Director of Policy at ASH, told LADbible: "Children are brilliant at make believe and role play. It's part of how they learn to be adults.

"Playing with candy cigarettes makes smoking seem a normal part of life rather than a lethal addiction. A cigarette should be seen as neither a toy nor a treat."

Topics: Cigarettes, Community, UK, Smoking

Rebecca Shepherd

I'm Becky - a journalist at LADbible. I graduated with a First Class BA in Journalism before going on to cover criminal court cases, medical tribunals and breaking news for the national media - which inevitably and eventually became as glum as it sounds. Can often be found rocking a bag for life - which I made a 'thing' way before Rihanna. You can contact me at [email protected]

@RJShepherd94