Suva trader found selling cigarette-like candy to children

The Consumer Council of Fiji is calling for an immediate stop to the sale of candy products mimicking the appearance of cigarette rolls.

This comes after the Council found a trader in Suva retailing cigarette-like candy to children.

Council’s CEO Seema Shandil says cigarette-like candies desensitize children to the dangers of smoking, thus instilling in their minds that it is a normal activity done by adults which is not harmful, and depicts the act of being cool.

She says additionally, candy look-alike products allow children to respond to tobacco marketing and advertising long before they are old enough to smoke a cigarette.

Shandil stresses the sale of such a product is a direct breach of Tobacco Control Act 2010.

The Council’s investigation noted that the candy is being sold for $1 per packet consisting of five white candy sticks with coloured tips resembling a cigarette filter. The Council says the package also fails to disclose the manufacturer’s details, has misleading and false labels claiming to be healthy and secure for consumers.

Shandil says while the Council is working closely with the Tobacco Control Unit to ensure such products are not present in our market, parents are also urged to carefully examine product labels as a guide to nutrient contents.

We will be speaking to the Tobacco Control Unit later today.