Category: News This Week

‘States Shortchange Tobacco Prevention’
Photo: Tobacco Reporter archive
Most U.S states continue to shortchange programs to prevent kids from using tobacco products and help tobacco users quit despite over $1.1 billion in legal settlement payments from Juul, according to a new report.
Maine is the only state to fully fund tobacco prevention and cessation programs at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended levels. Eight other states provide at least 50 percent of the CDC’s recommended funding, and 31 states and the District of Columbia are spending less than a quarter of the CDC’s recommendation.
The report, Broken Promises to Our Children: A State-by-State Look at the 1998 Tobacco Settlement, was released by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights and Truth Initiative. These organizations have issued annual reports since the November 1998 Master Settlement Agreement.
This year, states have additional revenues that could be dedicated to tobacco prevention programs because of more than $1.1 billion in recent legal settlements with Juul for its deceptive marketing practices and its role in the youth e-cigarette epidemic.
Key findings of the report include:
Even without counting the Juul settlement funds, the states this year (fiscal year 2024) will collect $25.9 billion from the tobacco settlements and tobacco taxes. But they will spend just 2.8 percent—$728.6 million—on tobacco prevention and cessation programs, down from $733.1 million in fiscal year 2023. This funding amounts to less than a quarter (22 percent) of the total funding recommended by the CDC.
The amount states are spending on tobacco prevention pales in comparison to the $8.6 billion a year tobacco companies spend to market cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products in the United States. This means tobacco companies spend nearly $12 to market their products for every $1 the states spend to fight tobacco use.
“We know what works to win the fight against tobacco, and states have plenty of resources from tobacco settlements and taxes to invest in programs that can accelerate progress. Unfortunately, most states are falling short in funding these lifesaving programs,” said Yolonda C. Richardson, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, in a statement. “The tobacco industry continues to do everything it can to target our kids, Black communities and other vulnerable communities, especially with flavored products like menthol cigarettes and flavored e-cigarettes. We know their playbook, and policymakers should be using every tool available to protect our kids and help those already addicted.”
January 11, 2024
Clearing the Smoke

Image: Tobacco Reporter archive
What can the next-generation nicotine industry expect in 2024?
By Paul Hardman
The U.K. government’s proposal for a “smoke-free” generation and changing consumer opinions toward nicotine products are causing a shift in consumer habits. The year 2023 shone a spotlight on e-cigarette compliance, with a potential ban on disposable vapes on the horizon. So, how will this year’s events impact the manufacturing of nicotine products, and what trends and regulations are we likely to see going into 2024?
Nicotine Pouches
Nicotine pouches represent an extraordinary opportunity to support tobacco harm reduction in adult smokers. Sweden, the world’s most advanced nicotine pouch market, is on the brink of being smoke-free, with less than 5 percent of its population smoking.
However, in the U.K., there is a regulatory gap that allows those under 18 to purchase nicotine pouches legally. In addition, there are concerns that nicotine pouch manufacturers could fall into the same traps as some disposable e-cigarette companies, by creating products that appeal to youth.
If youth use becomes an issue, the easiest move for regulators is to categorize nicotine pouches in the same way as oral tobacco products like snus—rendering them illegal. An alternative response might be to categorize these products as nicotine-replacement therapies and place them under medical product regulations, which would restrict their access.
To keep these products available to adult smokers who wish to quit, manufacturers can act as if regulation is already in place: generate data, devise safety frameworks and ensure the quality of products entering the market. Importantly, manufacturers should present and market their products in responsible ways, including avoiding bright colors, not imitating other consumer goods (e.g., soft drinks) and refraining from using any type of cartoon/video game characters.
Non-Heated Technologies
We have yet to witness a vape product approved via the U.K. Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) pathway, which enables nicotine products to be marketed as smoking cessation nicotine-replacement tools and prescribed by healthcare professionals. However, non-heated vape technology might facilitate MAA approval by addressing the core problem of delivered dose uniformity (DDU).
One example of a non-heated vape technology involves ultrasound sonication, which enables the atomization of e-liquids to create an aerosol, similar to technology used in medical nebulizers. The droplet size and dosage can be predefined according to the dimensions of the mesh, ensuring uniformity in the vapor, thus improving DDU. As we go into 2024, we will likely see more manufacturers exploring this approach. In parallel, e-liquids will be developed specifically for this technology.
Product Development
Nicotine product manufacturers have been moving toward a quality-by-design (QbD) development process, and we will see this continue in 2024. There are no specific guidelines or requirements for the stability testing of nicotine products other than the scientific justification for shelf life. Employing a QbD approach demonstrates a higher level of due diligence, which could produce safer, higher quality nicotine-delivery systems.
In addition, manufacturers are starting to implement extractables and leachables studies during the development process in anticipation of the new guidelines being set out by the European Committee for Standardization. Once these guidelines are published, we can expect to see a more standardized approach throughout the industry.
Paul Hardman is a managing consultant at Broughton, an independent life sciences contract research organization offering analytical testing services integrated with scientific consultancy and global regulatory support.

January 11, 2024
Supermarkets Dodging Ban With Tobacco Shops

Dutch supermarkets are opening specialist tobacco shops next to their food retail stores in anticipation of a tobacco sales ban set to come into force on July 1, reports Dutch News.
Beginning in July, the Netherlands will prohibit supermarkets from selling cigarettes and rolling tobacco, but tobacconist shops can be opened without a license.
TabakNee, an anti-tobacco group, is pushing for the introduction of licenses to sell tobacco.
“There was a lot of demand,” said Rolf Hoogkamer, a Jumbo franchise owner who opened a specialist store next to his shop. “It is often older people who live in the flats near here and can’t walk far. They can now easily still pick up [their cigarettes] and that is a good thing.”
“There is a 7.5 percent profit margin on each packet,” said Hoogkamer. The total tobacco product market reached €4.4 billion ($4.8 billion) in 2020, €2.4 billion of which came from supermarkets.
“Some 7 percent of our turnover comes from tobacco, so you are talking about €700 million a year,” Jumbo chief executive Ton van Veen said.
The outgoing government has raised taxes, bringing the price of a 20-pack of cigarettes to €10, banned advertising and introduced plain packaging. Tobacco sales will be restricted to specialist stores only by 2032.
The government agreed to leave the issue of tobacco shop licensing to the next administration.
January 10, 2024
PCA Previews 2024 Cigar Industry

The U.S. premium cigar industry will face both challenges and opportunities in 2024, according to the Premium Cigar Association (PCA).
In a commentary published on its website, the trade group details the issues it expects to impact its business this year.
With congressional gridlock and narrow partisan margins in the U.S. Congress, the PCA expects few pieces of legislation to be signed into law in 2024. As a result, government action is likely to be more regulatory than legislative.
In both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, active legislation remains a threat to the premium cigar and pipe industry that would result in massive federal tax increases. Standalone legislation exists in the form of the Tobacco Tax Equity Act and the Care for Moms Act that use tobacco tax revenue to pay for new maternal health programs.
The White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs is conducting meetings and a review of the Tobacco Product Standard for Characterizing Flavors in Cigars, which would prohibit characterizing flavors (other than tobacco) in all cigars.
In November 2023, the PCA raised several objections to the product standard and asked the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to remit the rule back to the Food and Drug Administration for further analysis. The Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) has since delayed the release of the final rule, which was expected in December 2023. Although the FDA is working toward completing the final rule in 2024, the PCA believes it could prove politically challenging to release a final rule that would deprive millions of adult consumers of their preferred product choice before the election.
The FDA is also proposing new requirements for tobacco product manufacturers regarding their products’ manufacture, design, packing and storage. The PCA participated in many public forums and submitted written comments opposing the proposed rule, including its applicability to premium cigar factories. The rule is expected to be sent to the OMB in 2024 for regulatory review.
In 2022, the Biden administration announced plans to develop a proposed product standard that would establish a maximum nicotine level to reduce the addictiveness of cigarettes and certain other combustible tobacco products. The agency has not moved on releasing a proposed rule, and the main question for the PCA is whether this rule will apply to premium cigars, cigars more generally or pipe tobacco.
In September 2023, the Department of Justice, which represents the FDA, informed the court of its decision to appeal the decision rendered by Judge Amit Mehta in Cigar Association of America et al. v. United States Food and Drug Administration et al., which vacated the deeming rule as it applies to premium cigars. The decision is being appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit before a three-panel group of judges. The case is expected to be argued in 2024. At present, the vacatur of the deeming rule for premium cigars stands during the appeals process. However, the appeals court may be asked to block the ruling while it considers the arguments.
January 10, 2024
Nicotine Among Fastest Growing Technologies

Image: Olivier Le Moal
Nicotine products featured in the IFI Claims Top 10 Fastest Growing Technologies—a ranking reflecting five-year growth rates of patent application classifications.
Electronic smoking devices rose 35.8 percent over the past five years, and conventional cigarettes increased 23.2 percent during the same period. The growth rates put them in the same league as autonomous vehicles, which topped the ranking with a 38.3 percent growth rate.
IFI Claims describes its index as “a window into which technologies are attracting R&D attention right now and which companies stand to benefit in the future from patent protection in those spaces.”
According to the firm, patent activity provides valuable insight into companies’ R&D activity for researchers, analysts and investors. “Often, the true value of a company lies with its intellectual properties, so examining patent assets is a key tool in gauging the intangible assets of publicly traded companies,” the company wrote in press note.
“It speaks to productivity, technological efficiency and IP strategy and frequently reveals technology trends and the competitive landscape within various industries.”
January 10, 2024
Glo Hyper Pro Launched

Image: BAT
BAT has launched a new version of its Glo heating device. Glo is an alternative to smoking that doesn’t involve burning, producing fewer and lower levels of toxicants than conventional cigarettes.
The Glo Hyper Pro device is lightweight, fits easily in consumers’ pockets and comes with improvements in performance, according to the company. With this new device, one charge takes approximately 90 minutes and lasts all day. Once charged, consumers can expect to use the device for 20 sessions in total.
“We’re proud that today, over 8.8 million adult consumers now use Glo,” said Kingsley Wheaton, chief strategy and growth officer at BAT, in a statement. “This latest version is our most advanced yet, with a much improved user experience. We continue to listen to consumers and enhance our products so that they find Glo a satisfying alternative to continuing to smoke. Ultimately, BAT aims to support smokers to switch to these reduced-risk products in order to deliver benefits for consumers, society and our stakeholders.”
The wider Glo range is sold in over 20 markets around the world. The Glo Hyper Pro device has been launched in Japan, Italy and Poland, with further global market rollouts planned during 2024.
January 10, 2024
Warning Against Thirdhand Smoke
Ashley Merianos
(Image: Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand)
Smoking residues present a health risk long after the cigarette has been extinguished, according to new research published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology.
As part of a study on thirdhand smoke, which is the presence of toxic tobacco byproducts that remain on surfaces such as furniture, decor, walls and floors, scientists tested the surfaces in smoking households where children reside.
According to lead author Ashley Merianos, they found nicotine on surfaces in all of the children’s homes and detected the presence of a tobacco-specific carcinogen (NNK) in nearly half of the homes, she says.
The study reported that the NNK levels on surfaces and in vacuumed dust were similar, which Merianos says indicates that surfaces and dust can be similar reservoirs and sources of thirdhand smoke exposure for children.
“This is critically important and concerning since NNK is considered the most potent carcinogen for tobacco-induced cancers,” said Merianos, an associate professor in UC’s School of Human Services, in a statement.
Additional findings include:
Children living in lower income households had higher levels of NNK and nicotine found on home surfaces.
Children living in homes that did not ban indoor smoking had higher levels of NNK and nicotine found on surfaces.
Merianos says that NNK and nicotine were still detected in homes with voluntary indoor smoking bans, which highlights the persistence of thirdhand smoke pollutants on surfaces in children’s homes.
“This research highlights that home smoking bans do not fully protect children and their families from the dangers of tobacco,” she adds.
January 10, 2024
Tanzania Tobacco Crop Size Up

Photo: Taco Tuinstra
Tanzania’s tobacco crop increased to 122.86 million kg in the 2023-2024 growing season, reports Daily News, citing a statement from Agriculture Minister Hussein Bashe. As of December 2022, Tanzania had earned $316 million from tobacco exports. The country aims to sell $400 million this season.
Bashe expressed confidence that Tanzania would produce 200 million kg in 2024-2025
Tanzania’s recent production figures make it Africa’s second-largest producer after Zimbabwe, which harvested nearly 300 million kg in the 2022-2023 season. Other prominent African tobacco producers are Malawi 121 million kg), Mozambique (65.8 million kg), Zambia (44 million kg) and Uganda (13 million kg).
Bashe applauded Tanzania’s farmers’ associations and tobacco companies, stating that for the first time more than 50 percent of tobacco has been bought and sold abroad by local companies.
“It was not an easy journey,” he said. “I thank all the Tobacco Board workers; we dreamed, we did it, keep pushing. We will become Africa’s No 1 producer.”
January 9, 2024
E-cigs More Effective Than NRTs: Study

Image: Vladyslav
Nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective quit-smoking products than conventional nicotine-replacement therapies (NRTs), reports University of Massachusetts Amherst, citing the latest Cochrane review.
The review found high certainty evidence that e-cigarettes lead to better chances of quitting smoking than using patches, gums, lozenges or other traditional NRTs.
“In England, quite different from the rest of the world, e-cigarettes have been embraced by public health agencies as a tool to help people reduce the harm from smoking,” said Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, assistant professor of health policy and promotion in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
“Most of the adults in the U.S. who smoke want to quit, but many find it really difficult to do so,” said Hartmann-Boyce, who conducted research at the University of Oxford in England before joining the University of Massachusetts Amherst earlier this year and is the senior author of the review and a Cochrane editor. “We need a range of evidence-based options for people to use to quit smoking, as some people will try many different ways of quitting before finding one that works for them.”
The review included 88 studies and more than 27,235 participants, with most of the studies taking place in the U.S., the U.K. or Italy.
“We have very clear evidence that, though not risk-free, nicotine e-cigarettes are substantially less harmful than smoking,” Hartmann-Boyce said. “Some people who haven’t had success in the past with other quit aids have found e-cigarettes have helped them.”
For every 100 people using nicotine e-cigarettes to quit smoking, eight to 10 are expected to successfully quit compared to six of 100 people using traditional NRTs and four of 100 trying to quit without support or with only behavioral support, according to the review.
“Not everything is either entirely harmful or beneficial,” Hartmann-Boyce said. “Different things can have different impacts on different populations. Evidence shows that nicotine e-cigarettes can help people quit smoking and that people who don’t smoke shouldn’t use e-cigarettes.”
Hartmann-Boyce compared tobacco smoking versus e-cigarette use to the treatment for substance use disorders involving opioids. “We’re not going to prescribe methadone to people who aren’t addicted to opioids,” she said. “But for people addicted to opioids, we recognize that methadone is a helpful thing.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved any e-cigarettes as medications to help adults quit smoking. “While certain e-cigarettes may help adult smokers transition completely away from, or significantly reduce their use of, more harmful combusted cigarettes, the law’s public health standard balances that potential with the known and substantial risk with regard to youth appeal, uptake and use of these highly addictive products,” said Robert Califf, FDA commissioner.
January 9, 2024
Former BAT Russia Subsidiary Renamed

Image: Patcharida
BAT’s former Russian subsidiary in St. Petersburg has been renamed ITMS following the change in ownership, reports AB News.
Last year, BAT announced problems with its Russian business and its intention to leave the Russian market following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Russian and Belarusian businesses of BAT were acquired by a consortium led by BAT Russia’s management team.
January 9, 2024