Tastes Great, More Cancer!

Skoal is updating it's chewing tobacco with great new flavors for a more cancerlicious experience.

I once had a boss that chewed tobacco. In the office. He tried to hide it, keeping his cup in an inconspicuous place on his desk. Dead silence would come over our office, until you could hear "that" sound of plegm coming out. It was quite an experience, to say the very least.

So, now the kid brother of big tobacco is getting a little bit of a facelift. Mint and wintergreen flavored in a "guaranteed fresh until" stamp will be key new features. There will be 20 compact pouches so that dippers can chew "discreetly." The makers are placing their bets with a big print campaign, revamped website, adult sampling programs, direct mail, eye-catching point-of-sale materials and pre-packed promotional displays.

Obviously the target is toward smokers who are looking to get there tobacco fix in a society that is increasing narrower for smokers. So, will it work? Will smokers start to say, "hey, let me put that stuff in my mouth and add to my cancer prix fixe menu?