Licorice is a herb that people have used for thousands of years to treat a variety of ailments. Although licorice does have medicinal effects, scientific research only supports some of its uses, and it may not be safe for everyone. Due to its sweet flavor, licorice is also popular as a sweetener in candies, and manufacturers sometimes use it to mask the flavor of medications. Some licorice candy does not contain any part of the licorice plant but uses anise oil as a flavoring instead because it tastes and smells similar to licorice.