Gateway Gum: Mojito Mint

Orbit has introduced a mojito-flavored gum, which a consumer watchdog group fears will be a gateway gum for kids. One chew of mojito gum and little Timmy will be climbing out of his bedroom window to drink overpriced rum cocktails in no time:

"It's something I'd call mildly reprehensible, and it'll almost certainly lead to others going further," said a spokesman for the Marin Institute, the watchdog group. "It's sad they need to name it like an alcoholic beverage to sell it."

Naturally, a spokesman for the agency that created the ads begs to differ, pointing out that every damn thing–from jellybeans to Slurpees–is already pina colada flavored, so mojito is hardly worse. Also,"We're aiming for [an audience in their] early 20s," he said. "This was never a teen brand."

The real reason for mojito-flavored gum?:

Breath-freshening Orbit is running out of names for mint-based flavors. The current stable includes bubblemint, winter mint, peppermint, spearmint, cinnamint, sweet mint, citrus mint, raspberry mint—and now mint mojito—which perhaps has a better ring to it than "lime-sugar-and-rum mint."

Read Jacob's take on a slightly more risque candy, marijuana lollipops.