The Industry Sells Flavor with a Side of Addiction

The tobacco industry doesn’t just sell nicotine. It sells addiction, illness, and death — wrapped in flavors like bubblegum, mango, and menthol. But these flavors aren’t harmless. They trick young people into trying highly-addictive products and make it harder to quit once they’re hooked.

Big Tobacco spent decades perfecting this trap. Tobacco companies researched how flavors mask the burn of nicotine. They studied what tastes appeal most to teens. Then they loaded up vapes, pouches, chew, and menthol cigarettes with sweet, cooling flavors and pushed them into communities.

Let’s call this what it is: a calculated plan to hook new users and replace the ones they’ve lost.

Tobacco's Tasteless Playbook Who Gets Targeted See Where the Action is Happening

Big Tobacco’s Tasteless Playbook

Once, Big Tobacco used doctors and celebrities to sell cigarettes. Now, they use flavors, social media ads and influencers and slick vape designs aimed at young people. 

Menthol ads still push the lie that the cooling effect makes smoking safer. E-cigarettes flood social media feeds with colorful designs and candy names. These aren’t just marketing tactics — they’re traps. 

Big Tobacco’s tactics have evolved but the goal hasn’t: hook people early, keep them addicted, and profit from their pain. 

Who Gets Targeted

Big Tobacco doesn’t market randomly. They pick who they target — and hit them hard.

  • Black communities: For decades, tobacco companies pushed menthol cigarettes with discounts, ads, and sponsorships. Today, nearly 90% of Black people who smoke use menthol.
  • Hispanic communities: Tobacco companies have placed Spanish ads in Hispanic neighborhoods, donated to scholarship programs for Hispanic and Latino communities, and used cigarette brand names like Rio and Dorado to make it seem like these products are part of Hispanic culture. In Colorado, 20% of Hispanic people who smoke choose menthol products.
  • LGB+ communities: Tobacco companies placed ads in LGB+ magazines, gave out free merchandise, and sponsored Pride events. As a result, 27% of LGB*+ adults use menthol cigarettes compared to 17% of heterosexual adults.
    *Due to limitation in our surveillance systems these data only reflect tobacco use rates among Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual individuals. We are committed to serving and advancing health equity for all LBGTQ+ individuals.
  • Young people: The industry relies on teens to replace adult smokers. They design flavors, devices, and ads to pull in kids and keep them coming back.

Flavors increase addiction and make quitting harder, harming the same groups the industry has targeted for decades. Taking these products off the shelves protects the people Big Tobacco exploits the most. Taking these products off the shelves protects the people Big Tobacco exploits the most.

See Where Action is Happening

Many cities and counties across Colorado have passed bans on flavored products. These policies are some of the strongest tools for protecting kids, stopping the industry’s reach, and reducing addiction in communities. 

Explore the map to see where your community stands — and how others are making a change.