October 26, 2011   Tobacco companies are now targeting kids with a sweet incentive. New candy-flavored tobacco products are hitting the shelves of area convenience stores and 16-year-old Marisa Santoyo-Solorio says it’s catching the attention of her peers.
“You’d be surprised at how many kids use it,” she says.
According to the Collier County Health Department, in 2010, nearly 18% of the county’s youth ages 11-17 have tried flavored tobacco. In Charlotte County, the health department reports that in 2010, 13% of high school students have tried smokeless tobacco.
“These are the starter producers for 90% of youth that start smoking,” says Jennifer Smith of the Collier County Health Department.

For More Information:
http://www.abc-7.com/story/15875456/2011/10/25/flavored-tobacco-targeting-younger-generations