One thing I thought was really swank back in the 1970’s was candy cigarettes.
Try to find them at them 7-11 nowadays.
In this politically correct and increasingly militant non-smoking culture the US has become these confectionaries are no longer acceptable. While I do not ascribe to being PC, I am not exactly a fan of smoking… save for the special occasion cigar…and after 36 years that tally would be below 10 cigars.
Skimming Wikipedia…Candy cigarettes were introduced in the early 19th century and have usually been made out of a chalky sugar, chocolate or bubble gum. Some varieties even smoked when consumed (my guess is via dust or some chemical reaction to moisture). There is a theory that candy cigarettes encourage children to take up real cigarettes. Candy Cigarettes have been banned in a number of countries, including Canada, United Kingdom, Finland, Norway, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. It has been considered being banned in the US in the 1960’s and 1990’s but my guess is social mores have been as effective as any law could have been.
Why did I like them? Sure they were sugary sweet and I liked that chalky sugary candy aspect. I also know for a fact I was emulating my dad, who at high height was a 3 pack a day guy… back in the days where you could smoke at work and not have to be huddled around an ashtray at the entrance of a building or bench in the parking lot.
So I would puff away on my candy cigarettes while my dad puffed away on his tobacco ones. I would twist the pack into the sleeve of my t-shirt just like my dad would…talk about a perfect way to portage cigarettes of any ilk.
Maybe some people are affected by candy cigarettes. I am not so sure about how serious it might be. I think there are more important factors that might push someone into that habit / addiction. I never could stand the reality of cigarettes so it was never an issue. I just wanted to emulate my dad, who I looked up to and thought was pretty cool… not be a smoker.
