Halloween Treat - Those Smoking Candy Cigarettes

As much as smoking isn't good for us , we had packs of cigarettes thrown into our trick or treat bags. Not the real kind, as everyone knows, but the bubble gum kind. These were the best thing to get. You could pretend you were an adult with a pack of Camels as you made believe smoked and then chewed on the chalky bubble gum. (be honest seen through adult eyes it was like eating a stick of chalk). Nowadays parents flip out if candy cigarettes are even seen ten feet from their children.

Candy cigarettes have been around since the 1800’s. Back then they were just chocolate sticks wrapped in paper. Sometime in the 20ieth Century they were then made of gum or a chalky white candy. They even mimicked the brands with Camel and Salems printed on their packages. Surprisingly enough their sales have been banned in Finland, Ireland, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain because officials feel that eating them may lead to underage smoking. To be honest most American parents nowadays frown on them as well.(my mom and I loved them yet we never became smokers. So that whole eating candy cigarettes leading to a lifetime of smoking is just a fable) Yet they are tasty, especially when you stick a whole pack of the bubble gum ones in your mouth (talk about a mega bubble afterwards).

If anyone has memories of candy cigarettes on Halloween, write to me here at Foodie Pantry. I'd love to hear what you have to say.