Outstanding News Report On Smokeless Products

KMSP Fox 9 in Minneapolis-St. Paul recently aired an excellent news report on new smokeless tobacco products, including dissolvable Camel Orbs, Sticks and Strips and Camel snus (Click on the image above to see the video).

The station focused on a new Minnesota law that puts all tobacco products behind the counter and out of the reach of children. Kelly Valen, a 43-year-old smoker who blames her addiction on easy cigarette availability, is excited about the law but sadly oblivious to what the rest of the story delivers: information about vastly safer smokeless alternatives.

Discussing types of “tobacco you may not even heard of yet,” the station turned to Mike Sheldon of Clearway Minnesota as an authority on “more innovative and new tobacco products.” He presents an informative display of orbs, sticks, strips and snus, saying “they’re smokeless and spitless, and that’s trying to take away the social stigma of smokeless tobacco products of the past” -- an accurate description of the advantages of these new cigarette substitutes.

KMSP says that while these products aren’t for sale yet in Minnesota, the dissolvables are available in test market cities Indianapolis, Portland, Oregon and Cincinnati. (Actually, they’re available in Columbus, not Cincinnati.) Camel snus is sold nationwide.

It is important for smokers to learn about safer, satisfying, spitless smokeless products, but FDA regulations severely restrict what manufacturers can tell smokers about these innovative new products. Clearway Minnesota and KMSP have contributed to public health with this informative new feature.