Star Defends Dissolvable, Smokeless Products

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 04/28/2010

Star Scientific said yesterday it had "observed the publication of a study on accidental ingestion of tobacco products by children … and the subsequent media campaign with mounting disbelief". In a statement by chairman president and COO, Paul L. Perito, issued by PRNewswire, Perito said the study, published on April 19 in the online edition of the journal Pediatrics, had purported to "assess the potential toxicity of novel smokeless tobacco products". "Data from the 2006-2008 annual reports of the American Association of Poison Control Centers were selectively examined and reported by the authors," said Perito. "The study included, for example, the statement that "smokeless tobacco products were the second most common tobacco product ingested by children, after cigarettes". "While technically correct, it also is true that among 13,705 reports of accidental ingestion of tobacco products among children under six years of age, 13 per cent (1,768) were for smokeless tobacco, while 87 per cent (10,740) reported ingestion of cigarettes, cigars and tips." "There were no reports of accidental ingestion of dissolvable smokeless tobacco products in the period 2006-2008." "During the same three-year period, reports of accidental exposure to nicotine replacement pharmaceutical products totaled 3,046, and 1,574, or 52 per cent of those reports, were for babies and children under the age of six." "On the other hand, in 2008 alone, there were 97,192 reports of accidental ingestion of cough and cold preparations, 47,108 of those, or 64 per cent, were among babies and children under six years of age." "It is important to look at a range of data on 'unintentional child poisonings' before forming conclusions." "Our company manufactured and marketed the first dissolvable smokeless tobacco products, Ariva® and Stonewall®, beginning in late 2001. These products have been on the market for almost nine years - which hardly makes them 'novel' - and in that time, we have not encountered one case of nicotine 'poisoning' of a child." "Ariva® and Stonewall® are blister-packaged for exactly this reason - to prevent to the extent possible access to our products by toddlers and children." "Here are some additional facts to consider:" "Our products are labeled for use only by adult tobacco users - we wrote it that way." "Our products are stocked only with other tobacco products in stores - it's the law." "Our products do not look like any candy - we designed it that way." "Our product packaging does not look like a candy package - we chose it carefully." "Our products do not taste like candy - no nicotine-containing product can." "Our products do not appeal to non-smokers - we checked." "Our product has never been associated with child poisoning - we asked." Perito went on to say that the average Ariva® purchaser was middle-aged, had been smoking for more than 10 years and was concerned about the health effects of continued cigarette smoking. "Over 40 per cent of American smokers are looking for an alternative to lighting up," he said. "These are facts worth remembering." Enditem