Author: Marissa Dean

Stingfree Launched in Sweden

Photo: Sting Free
Sting Free modern oral nicotine pouches have been launched in Sweden.
The Stingfree technology reduces the burning sensation and irritation on the gums, which is typical of regular snus and oral nicotine products, according to a press release. Several e-commerce distributors and stores are now selling the first product in an upcoming series of tobacco-free nicotine pouches with different flavors and strengths.
Several studies have shown that many snus users suffer damage to and changes to the gums, especially where the pouches are in direct contact with the gums. The U.S./EU patented Stingfree technology aims to counteract this and the associated burning/irritating sensation by having an impermeable barrier on the gum side of the pouch. A high percentage of snus users dislike when nicotine pouches and snus stings/burns and irritates the gums. This has been established by Sting Free AB in a comprehensive survey in 2022, with responses from over 1,000 Swedish snus users (of which almost 40 percent were women). Of the respondents, 67 percent of the women considered that the burning/stinging sensation, regardless of when it stings, is unpleasant as did 53 percent of the men. Almost 50 percent of the respondents had had oral health problems pointed out by their dentists linked to their use of snus/nicotine pouches.
A recent survey of U.S. females investigated why the use of smokeless tobacco products like nicotine pouches and snus is so much lower among women compared to men. A main factor concluded from the responses was the burning sensation and oral irritation caused by these products, with comments such as “irritation,” “burn,” “hurts my gums,” etc. Other factors were “negative stereotypes about smokeless users,” “deadly misconceptions” that smokeless products are more dangerous than e-cigarettes and smoking and the unfamiliar mode of delivery.
Sting Free AB’s vision is that the Stingfree technology will become a new industry standard for nicotine pouches and traditional smokeless tobacco products like snus and that customers in the future will be asked the question, “Regular or sting-free?” when they buy such products. The company also hopes that the technology will contribute to more smokers opting out of smoking in favor of significantly less dangerous nicotine pouches.
April 14, 2023
Survey: Americans Support Harm Reduction

Image: Maren Winter | Adobe Stock
Two out of three Americans support tobacco harm reduction over blanket prohibition as the better policy approach to tobacco regulation, according to a survey released by Altria.
The survey also shows that 82 percent think it is important for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to focus on making smoke-free tobacco products available to adult smokers to help them switch from cigarettes.
“There is clear, overwhelming support for the FDA embracing harm reduction for the 30 million American adults who smoke. That means providing adult smokers who are unable or unwilling to quit with wider access to smoke-free alternatives and providing them the information and support to help them switch,” said Paige Magness, senior vice president of regulatory affairs at Altria Client Services. “Pursuing harm reduction is one of the most powerful steps the FDA can take to deliver on its mission to reduce tobacco-related death and disease in the U.S. It is our hope that the FDA will listen to these voices as it sets out its policy agenda for the coming years.”
The survey also shows that 90 percent agree that the FDA has a responsibility to accurately inform adult tobacco consumers about the risks associated with different tobacco products, and 88 percent agree that the FDA has a responsibility to address the widespread misperception that nicotine causes cancer.
Most adults also agree that policies that ban tobacco products will lead to illicit markets for tobacco products, endangering public health, youth and communities of color.
“Most Americans understand that prohibition-based policies don’t work and that it’s much better for public health to keep tobacco products legal and regulated,” said Magness. “Harm reduction is the better path forward. With harm reduction, regulators provide adult smokers with information, choice and support to expand the off-ramp from smoking—while also continuing to drive down underage use.”
The survey results also underscore the clear expectations that adults have for physicians to help adult smokers who want to switch, according to Altria. Seventy-nine percent agree that if certain tobacco products have been scientifically shown to be less risky than cigarettes, physicians have a responsibility to communicate this information to their patients who are adult tobacco consumers and have not successfully quit smoking by using traditional cessation therapies.
In addition to general population adults, the survey asked primary care physicians about their views on tobacco harm reduction. Of those surveyed, 89 percent support tobacco harm reduction as a public health concept and 85 percent believe it is important for the FDA to focus on making smoke-free tobacco products available to adult smokers to help them switch from cigarettes to less harmful alternatives.
Policy professionals were also surveyed and overwhelmingly believe that harm reduction is a better approach for the FDA to focus on than prohibition (78 percent), that tobacco products should remain legal so they can be properly regulated (77 percent) and that the FDA has a responsibility to accurately inform adult tobacco consumers about the different levels of risk associated with tobacco products (96 percent).
April 14, 2023
Estonia to Increase Excise on Tobacco

Image: Tobacco Reporter archive
Estonia’s incoming government plans to increase the excise duty on tobacco and alcohol products, but the rate has not yet been released, according to The Baltic Times.
“The coalition partners have agreed upon a slow yearly growth, and a proposal by the finance minister is expected regarding concrete rates,” said Merlyn Sade, head of communications at the Social Democratic Party.
Mart Vorklaev, the Reform Party’s finance minister designate, said that it has been agreed upon that the taxation of health-related risk-taking behavior would continue and that an increase needs to be avoided in cross-border trade.
“It should also be a part of the tax package that’s planned to be brought into the Riigikogu during the spring session,” Vorklaev said. “We will try to adhere to the principle that tax changes be known six months before they enter into effect, and we’ll also monitor our neighboring states’ tax rates to prevent cross-border trade.”
“The difference in excise duties with Latvia is small at present,” said Sven Sulga, Distillery Moe OU sales manager. “If Latvia doesn’t increase its duty rate, people might not go to Latvia [to buy alcohol] in the first year, but they will start doing it after that. Looking at all the incoming taxes, however, I think people will go to Latvia out of spite.”
“It would definitely be interesting to know how the state plans to avoid, in the case of products subject to high excise duties, a future scenario where the same goods can be obtained at a cheaper price from our neighboring countries and the Estonian taxpayer decides to take their money there instead,” said Kristina Mustonen, CEO of Maxima Estonia. “I am of the opinion that the increase in excise duty rates will boost alcohol tourism once more, and trade near the border will gain impetus for the benefit of our neighboring state’s budget.”
April 14, 2023
Juul Labs to Pay $462 Million to Six US States

Image: lyudmilka_n | Adobe Stock
Juul Labs has agreed to pay $462 million to settle claims by six U.S. states, including New York and California, that it unlawfully marketed its products to minors.
With the deal, Juul has now settled with 45 states for more than $1 billion. The company did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement, which also included Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Mexico as well as the District of Columbia.
Juul announced on Dec. 6 it has secured an investment to cover the cost of the settlement. The company has been in talks with two early investors to fund a bailout that would cover legal liabilities.
The states had accused Juul of falsely marketing its e-cigarettes as less addictive than cigarettes and targeted minors with glamorous advertising campaigns, according to Reuters.
“Juul’s lies led to a nationwide public health crisis and put addictive products in the hands of minors who thought they were doing something harmless,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said at a news conference.
The company said that use of its products by people under age 18 had fallen by 95 percent since the fall of 2019, when it changed its marketing practices as part of a “company-wide reset.”
In September, Juul Labs agreed to pay nearly $440 million to settle a two-year investigation by 33 U.S. states into the marketing of its vaping products.
Juul’s e-cigarettes were briefly banned in the U.S. in late June after the Food and Drug Administration concluded that the company had failed to show that the sale of its products would be appropriate for public health. But following an appeal, the health regulator put the ban on hold and agreed to an additional review of Juul’s marketing application.
In October, Juul published the details of its MDO appeal. In late September, Juul shareholder Altria Group exercised the option to be released from its noncompete deal with the e-cigarette maker.
Last month, Altria Group exchanged its entire investment in Juul Labs for a nonexclusive, irrevocable global license to certain of Juul’s heated-tobacco intellectual property.
April 13, 2023
Smoking Down Among Danish Youth

Image: Tobacco Reporter archive
Cigarette consumption among Danish youth has declined, but the use of nicotine products has increased, reports The Local Denmark.
Snus, nicotine pouches and vaping devices have become more popular with youth in Denmark, with 35.1 percent of 15-year-olds to 29-year-olds using these products daily or regularly, up from 26.3 percent in 2020.
Cigarette use fell to 19 percent from 20.1 percent while smoke-free nicotine product use increased to 12.9 percent from 9.1 percent, according to a study by Denmark’s National Institute of Public Health and the University of Southern Denmark on behalf of the Danish Health Authority.
“We also found that it is especially newer products, such as vaping devices and smoke-free nicotine products, that seem to be especially popular among very young people,” said Nanna Jarlstrup, one of the report’s researchers. “That is naturally concerning.”
“We are also unfortunately seeing use of some of the illegal products increasing. That is, for example, the new disposable vapes, Puff Bars,” Jarlstrup said.
“It’s not legal to sell them in Denmark, but we can see young people have access to them because they use them,” she said.
The number of people aged 15 to 17 who smoke has increased despite fewer people aged 18 to 24 smoking cigarettes daily or occasionally compared to 2020.
Denmark has banned smoking during school and further education hours and removed cigarettes from displays in stores as well as increased the price of a pack of cigarettes to help decrease smoking.
April 13, 2023
Imperial On Track to Meet Full-Year Guidance

Image: Tobacco Reporter archive
Imperial Brands is on track to deliver full-year results in line with expectations and the company’s guidance of low-single-digit constant currency net revenue growth. Over the next three years, the company continues to expect operating profit growth to accelerate to a mid-single-digit CAGR at constant currency.
The company has seen a robust tobacco pricing and stable aggregate market share across its top 5 combustible markets against a strong comparator.
Product launches across vapor, heated tobacco and modern oral have driven next-generation product net revenue growth.
First-half group adjusted operating profit is expected to be at a similar level to last year on a constant currency basis. Tobacco and next-generation product (NGP) adjusted operating profit has been impacted by the planned increase in NGP investment, the impact of the company’s exit from Russia and the continued unwind of Covid-19. Growth in distribution adjusted operating profit has helped to mitigate these headwinds.
Imperial is on track to meet full-year expectations and its guidance of growing revenue and operating profit. The company completed £523 million ($654.82 million) of the fiscal year 2023 £1 billion share buyback as part of an ongoing program of capital returns.
The interim results for the six months ended March 31, 2023, will be announced on May 16, 2023.
April 13, 2023
Beco Launches Two Products in Germany

Image: BusinessWire
BecoVape has launched two new products in Germany: Beco Beak600 and Beco Mate, according to BusinessWire.
Beco Beak600 has an ergonomic mouthpiece design that follows the curve of the mouth and is specifically designed to provide a stable one-hand grip. Beco Mate is said to offer a new alternative for cigarette users.
“We are very excited to introduce these two new products in Germany,” said Beco’s CEO. “We have worked hard to develop products that are not only innovative but also practical and useful for our customers. The specialized heating system and airflow design direct the airflow to deliver smooth inhales. Beco made 10,000 designs to find the perfect fit of the mouthpiece and combine it with a compact design.”
The brand plans to expand its product line. However, the issue of how to become more environmentally friendly is top of mind for the brand. To address this issue, Beco has developed a recycling program.
April 13, 2023
Film Selectively Obscures Tobacco Ads

Image: onephoto | Adobe Stock
Sangbo Corp., an optical film manufacturer, has developed a film that selectively prevents convenience store cigarette ads from being seen from the outside, according to Korea Bizwire.
The film allows people to view the inside of convenience stores from outside while selectively hiding cigarette ads. Stores in Korea have been required to use opaque sheets on their windows since July 2021 to prevent cigarette ads from being seen from the outside. Opaque sheets have been criticized, however, because crimes committed inside stores cannot be seen from the outside, leaving workers at risk.
April 12, 2023
Malawi Tobacco Auction Floors Open

Photo: Taco Tuinstra
President Lazarus Chakwera is set to preside over the official opening of Malawi’s tobacco marketing season at Lilongwe Auction Floors today. He will announce the minimum prices for the leaf as well, reports Nyasa Times.
The opening of the tobacco market brings hope for foreign currency availability. Malawi has been struggling with a shortage of foreign currency this year, in part due to comparatively low tobacco export volumes in 2022.
The Tobacco Commission stated that about 20,000 bales have been presented to market, and 2,600 are expected to be sold on opening day.
Production is expected to increase from 85 million kg last year to 126 million kg this year.
Auction floors at Chinkhoma, Limbe and Mzuzu are set to open on April 13, April 17 and May 2, respectively.
April 12, 2023
Serbia Introduces Fines for Underage Vape Sales

Image: Miljan Živković | Adobe Stock
Merchants caught selling e-cigarettes or other tobacco products to minors in Serbia risk a fine of RSD50,000 ($469), following a recent amendment to the Law on Consumer Protection, reports EurActive.
The revision fills a void in an area that was previously unregulated. According to Serbia’s Internal and Foreign Trade Ministry, the law did not define e-cigarettes or ban their underage sales.
The ministry believes electronic nicotine-delivery systems present a significant health problem, encouraging nicotine addiction and exposing users to carcinogenic substances. They also increase the likelihood that individuals will start using other tobacco products, such as cigarettes, according to the ministry.
“The conclusion of all conducted research is that by consuming an electronic cigarette, with or without nicotine filling, not only water vapor is sent into the air but also a number of chemicals. The harmful effects of these products reflect on the health of individuals and intensively spread to all components of the environment,” it stated.
The changed law prohibits the sale, service and gifting of electronic cigarettes with or without nicotine as well as other products intended for smoking, snorting, sucking, chewing or inhaling vapor to persons under 18. It also bans persons under 18 from selling such products.
April 12, 2023