Talk of the 1990s brings back Phantom sweet cigarettes, which built a distinct identity among children. It was a candy, but it looked exactly like a cigarette, and that resemblance kept it surrounded by controversy. Sold in a red-and-white box, Phantom candy became a way for children to look cool, held between the fingers in imitation of adults.
The candy's biggest selling point was that it looked like a real cigarette, and its packaging matched a real cigarette box. Its pack carried a masked mascot inspired by the popular 1930s comics character Phantom. For children of the 90s, holding it between the fingers and copying adults became a style statement. That trend of children treating it as cool, however, raised concern among parents and health experts.
Study link and bans in at least 13 countries
The candy then faced strong opposition, with the charge that it promoted the smoking habit among children. Researchers at the University of Rochester in America studied the issue and found that adults who had consumed candy cigarettes as children were more likely to smoke than those who had never consumed them. Treating children's attraction to it as a danger, at least 13 countries, including Canada, Brazil, Turkey and New Zealand, banned candy cigarettes.
Up to 80 percent sugar, still sold online
On health grounds too, these candies proved very harmful. A spokesperson for the Pune-based Harnik General Foods factory that makes them said in an interview that the candies contain 75 to 80 percent sugar alone, with the rest made up of glucose and gelatin. Very high intake of sugar and glucose increases the risk in children of obesity, tooth decay, weakened immunity and serious diseases like diabetes, experts warn.
Although their availability in general shops has fallen, they can still be found on several online platforms today. Experts say that consuming such unhealthy products in the name of golden childhood memories is not good for health, and people who are conscious about health and nutrition now advise keeping a distance from such old and harmful habits.
