UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549

                                    Form 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of  1934


     Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):   August 15, 1996


                          Gum Tech International, Inc.
               ---------------------------------------------------
              (Exact name of registrant as specified in it charter)


         Utah                        0-27646                  87-0482806
- ----------------------------      ------------           ---------------------
(State or other jurisdiction      (Commission              (I.R.S. Employer
     of incorporation)             File Number)          Identification Number)


                            4205 North Seventh Avenue
                                    Suite 300
                             Phoenix, AZ 85013-3080
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

        Registrant's telephone number, including area code (602) 277-0606


                                 Not applicable
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


<PAGE>


ITEM 5.  Other Events

     Effective August 21, 1996, Gerald Kern joined Gum Tech International,  Inc.
in the  capacities  of  President  and Chief  Executive  Officer of the Company,
pursuant to a 16 month employment  agreement  ("Agreement"),  which calls for an
annual salary of $150,000,  options to purchase 50,000 shares of common stock at
$6.00 per share and a one year employment  extension (through December 31, 1998)
at the option of the Company.

     From 1983 to 1994,  Mr. Kern was President and Chief  Operating  Officer of
Meditech  Pharmaceuticals,  Inc., a manufacturer of proprietary  drugs. Prior to
serving  at  Meditech,  Mr.  Kern was the  Executive  Vice  President  and Chief
Operating  Officer  of Max  Factor  from 1977 to 1980,  then the  world's  fifth
largest cosmetics  company.  In addition,  Mr. Kern was a division President and
corporate Vice President for International Playtex from 1967 to 1977.

     Richard Ratcliff and John Epert,  formerly the Chief Executive  Officer and
President of the Company, respectively,  have resigned their positions. Messers.
Ratcliff  and Epert will remain with the  Company as Senior Vice  President  and
Executive  Vice  President,  respectively,  and will also remain on the Board of
Directors as the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, respectively.

ITEM 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

         (c) Exhibits:

             10.19  Employment Agreement dated August 14, 1996 between the
Registrant and Gerald Kern.



                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                       GUM TECH INTERNATIONAL, INC.
                                        (Registrant)

                                       By: /s/ Richard A. Ratcliff
                                          -------------------------------------
                                          Richard A. Ratcliff, Chairman of
                                          the Board
Dated: August 26, 1996
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3451}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "GUMTECH INTERNATIONAL INC \\UT\\", "cik": "0001006195", "assigned-sic": "2060", "irs-number": "870482806", "state-of-incorporation": "UT", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-27646", "film-number": "96620588"}, "business-address": {"street1": "4205 NORTH 7TH AVE", "street2": "SUITE 300", "city": "PHOENIX", "state": "AZ", "zip": "85013-3080", "phone": "6022770606"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "4205 NORTH 7TH AVE", "street2": "PO BOX 36195", "city": "PHOENIX", "state": "AZ", "zip": "85067-6195"}}
UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549

                                    Form 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of  1934

     Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):   August 15, 1996

                          Gum Tech International, Inc.
               ---------------------------------------------------
              (Exact name of registrant as specified in it charter)

         Utah                        0-27646                  87-0482806
- ----------------------------      ------------           ---------------------
(State or other jurisdiction      (Commission              (I.R.S. Employer
     of incorporation)             File Number)          Identification Number)

                            4205 North Seventh Avenue
                                    Suite 300
                             Phoenix, AZ 85013-3080
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

        Registrant's telephone number, including area code (602) 277-0606

                                 Not applicable
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
ITEM 5.  Other Events

     Effective August 21, 1996, Gerald Kern joined Gum Tech International,  Inc.
in the  capacities  of  President  and Chief  Executive  Officer of the Company,
pursuant to a 16 month employment  agreement  ("Agreement"),  which calls for an
annual salary of $150,000,  options to purchase 50,000 shares of common stock at
$6.00 per share and a one year employment  extension (through December 31, 1998)
at the option of the Company.

     From 1983 to 1994,  Mr. Kern was President and Chief  Operating  Officer of
Meditech  Pharmaceuticals,  Inc., a manufacturer of proprietary  drugs. Prior to
serving  at  Meditech,  Mr.  Kern was the  Executive  Vice  President  and Chief
Operating  Officer  of Max  Factor  from 1977 to 1980,  then the  world's  fifth
largest cosmetics  company.  In addition,  Mr. Kern was a division President and
corporate Vice President for International Playtex from 1967 to 1977.

     Richard Ratcliff and John Epert,  formerly the Chief Executive  Officer and
President of the Company, respectively,  have resigned their positions. Messers.
Ratcliff  and Epert will remain with the  Company as Senior Vice  President  and
Executive  Vice  President,  respectively,  and will also remain on the Board of
Directors as the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, respectively.

ITEM 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

         (c) Exhibits:

             10.19  Employment Agreement dated August 14, 1996 between the
Registrant and Gerald Kern.

                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                       GUM TECH INTERNATIONAL, INC.
                                        (Registrant)

                                       By: /s/ Richard A. Ratcliff
                                          -------------------------------------
                                          Richard A. Ratcliff, Chairman of
                                          the Board
Dated: August 26, 1996