We've all heard of a person being green with envy, but how about green with lust?

Well, move over, red and pink, because according to Mars Snackfood US, the company that manufactures M&Ms, green is the new romantic hue this Valentine's Day. Mars is milking the rumor that the green ones do the trick to get your significant other in the mood, marketing all-green bags for the holiday.

Although the slogan on the bags is "Green, the new color of love," the bag does little to hide its inspiration from the long-standing urban myth that the little green candies are useful for sparking a night of love-making

The M&Ms' Web site, www.mms.com/us, features the Ms. Green character using her sex appeal at its finest, saying in a seductive voice, "Hey baby, I don't know what it is about the green ones, but they just seem to do the trick whenever I want to flirt ... and let me tell you, it gets them every time."

Danielle Gallagher (junior-supply chain and information systems) said she's heard of the rumor that green M&Ms make people horny.

"I think it's a good conversation starter and the makers of M&Ms probably figured that and used it as a marketing ploy," she said. "I don't think it's necessarily true, but with the power of suggestion, it's probably something cute to give to your significant other to suggest something."

Sex sells, said Jennifer Hong (freshman-biology), who had never heard of the rumor.

"I think it's probably a bunch of bull to make more sales," she said.

Hong added that Ms. Green's appearance is a little too promiscuous for the M&M brand.

"They're supposed to be fun little characters playing with Santa," she said. "Not sexy objects."

For others who have not heard of this strangely erotic rumor that green M&M's make people horny, look at the evidence at hand. Mars uses a sexy, femme-fatale character as the green M&M "spokescandy." If you go down to CVS, you can see the marketing and mackin' campaign for yourself -- bags of green M&Ms being sold for Valentine's Day.

So is it true what they say about the green ones?

The story behind why this candy is considered the next love potion No. 9 is a long one. According to Ms. Green's online character, the color has been draped in innuendo for thousands of years.

A timeline on the Web site pinpoints the green phenomenon as far back as 55 AD, when green artichokes were the Greeks' aphrodisiac of choice.

In 1200 AD, medieval rulers banned green avocados, considering them a threat to chastity, and in 1650 AD, legend had it that any decent love potion would be made with green mint.

This brings us to the year 2008 AD.

Green is again heralded as the color of love and lust, but some students have already been introduced to the ancient idea.

Patrick Negrey (sophomore-classic and ancient Mediterranean studies) heard about the rumor surrounding the sensual hue years ago.

"Chocolate releases pheromones as an aphrodisiac, so I guess I believe it's true," he said. "The only thing that differentiates the green M&M from the other characters is she has eyelashes, but maybe if they put a bra on her and some hair, I'd find her sexy. Skittles are more my sexual fantasy, though."

Ms. Green's style drew the admiration of another student, Dave Shanks (junior-health policy and administration). He said he's a fan of the seductive sweet.

"She's as sexy as an M&M could be," he said. "She's got a good look going for her."

Shanks said he heard about the green M&M rumor back in high school.

"We learned in psych how different colors stimulate different responses," he said. "I never personally experienced it or tested it out though."

Whatever your sexual fantasy is, if you're looking to get some nookie on today's holiest of Hallmark holidays, run down to the closest convenience store and grab yourself a bag of those all-green M&Ms before they're sold out. You may not know just what it is about those green ones, but maybe you'll get lucky and find out. Bom-chicka-wow-wow.