There has been an explosion of emerging tobacco products and marketing strategies targeting urban communities. Many of the products are flavored or mentholated cigarettes, blunt wraps and cigars. Upstart tobacco companies have bombarded communities with newer and cheaper products. In marketing emerging products, the industry has incorporate new themes such as Hip-Hop culture into their marketing strategies.

In addition, other companies are targeting communities with products that promote tobacco and marijuana use. These products include flavored tobacco products with marijuana names and Chronic Candy. According to the candy distributors, the product targets “Blunt/Cigar customers” and is endorsed by hip-hop artists. It is well known among youth that hip-hop artists use tobacco products to smoke marijuana.

Methods: Emerging tobacco products, tobacco and drug promoting products and marketing materials such as advertisements and promotional items were collected from stores, print media and events. Collected items were scanned for use in this presentation

Results: While monitoring communities for emerging products, an advocate discovered the sale of marijuana flavored candy called Chronic Candy and flavored tobacco products with marijuana names in gas stations. The advocate developed an alert to educate fellow advocates about the product. The alert initiated legislative action on local and state levels. Last year, state level elected officials in six states introduced legislation banning the sale of Chronic Candy.

Conclusions: Tobacco use prevention advocates, substance abuse prevention advocates and policy makers should work together to counter the marketing and sale of tobacco products with marijuana names and tobacco and drug promoting products.