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Category: News This Week

  • Cannatrol Opens Denver Office

    Cannatrol Opens Denver Office

    Cannatrol, a Vermont-based company that supports commercial cannabis cultivation by streamlining and controlling the drying, curing, and post-harvest processes, announced the opening of its new Colorado hub in the Denver Tech Center. This office will serve as a strategic base for the company’s western operations and upcoming distribution hub for its postharvest systems, sales of which have demonstrated strong, steady growth since inception in 2021.

    The company also announced the hirings of Michael Lucchino as executive vice president of sales and Kameron Simpson as product manager.

  • Top U.S. Tobacco Producer Bracing for Tariff Impact

    Top U.S. Tobacco Producer Bracing for Tariff Impact

    North Carolina, the United States’ leader in tobacco production, could face economic fallout from the Trump administration’s recent tariff increases, which have set off a spiraling trade war, Katherine Zehnder wrote for The Carolina Journal. North Carolina exported $533 million in tobacco last year, producing 260.1 million pounds annually, accounting for 60% of U.S. tobacco production.

    “I know tobacco growers are busy planting their crops now to honor the 2025 contracts they have in place with China,” Steve Troxler, commissioner of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said. “In the meantime, we continue to monitor these trade negotiations very closely, waiting to see what the outcome will be because it is a very fluid situation. Going back to the last trade negotiations that were initiated, the president was very good about helping farmers who had adverse effects. In fact, he was the first president in a very long time who included tobacco.”

    North Carolina has 822 tobacco farms, generating a revenue of $557 million and adding $197 million to the state’s GDP, according to Regulatory Smoke: The Economic Impacts of Proposed FDA Tobacco Regulations, a report from the John Locke Foundation. Tobacco manufacturers in the state generate $36 billion in output and contribute $31 billion to the state’s GDP, employing approximately 5,000 workers and paying them $370 million in wages. The tobacco wholesale sector brings in $15.3 billion in revenue, adds $9 billion to the GDP, and supports around 4,500 jobs.

    “Historically, tobacco exports have been a vital part of North Carolina’s agricultural strength, with countries like China, Japan, and the European Union serving as major buyers of our tobacco,” said Kelly Lester, policy analyst for the Center for Food, Power and Life at the John Locke Foundation. “When tariffs were imposed during the last trade war, China dramatically reduced its tobacco imports from the US, dealing a blow to farmers here at home. A repeat of that scenario could once again destabilize the market, lower prices, and put immense financial pressure on growers who are already navigating inflation, labor shortages, and tightening regulations.”

    The imposed tariffs could result in a significant downturn in these numbers. International markets, such as China, could also see a substantial downturn in exports due to increased tariffs, which would have a trickle-down effect on the state’s economy and agriculture sector. Last month, China announced plans to impose a 10% tariff on North Carolina exports, which include fruits and vegetables. In addition, China’s tariff on US goods was recently increased from 34% to 84%. 

    “It was pretty predictable that China was going to have a big impact, and they have, and they’re going to attack tobacco pretty hard because they know that that’s part of the soft underbelly in the agriculture sector,” State Rep. Jimmy Dixon, said. “I do not expect it to be permanent; I think that China will come to the negotiating table sooner rather than later, but the temporary reaction will be very tough and difficult and probably be a little bit depressing to our tobacco farmers. I’m telling people I’m personal friends with to hang on; it’s going to be a bumpy ride, but a short bumpy ride.”

  • Study: Smoking, Vaping, Marijuana All Affect Airways Differently

    Study: Smoking, Vaping, Marijuana All Affect Airways Differently

    According to new research by UC Davis, cigarette smoke has a greater impact on airway health than marijuana smoke or vaping. Medical Xpress said researchers found that tobacco smoke, in particular, increased inflammation and oxidative stress. Their paper was published in Respiratory Research.

    “We didn’t measure the chemicals that come out of cigarettes or marijuana, we measured the responses of the airway epithelial cells, as well as some systemic responses,” said pulmonologist Nicholas Kenyon, director of the UC Davis Asthma Network and co-senior author on the study. “The metabolites tell us quite a bit about oxidative stress and inflammation.”

    The study recruited 254 participants, with 132 using a tobacco or marijuana product, sometimes both. The researchers collected exhaled breath condensate, which is the fog people see when they breathe on a mirror.

    “From there, the team used mass spectrometry to analyze the oxylipin content in the collected condensate,” wrote Medical Xpress. “Oxylipins are lipid-based signaling molecules often associated with inflammation and oxidative stress. The researchers found these metabolites were significantly upregulated in tobacco smokers, meaning they increased in activity. The oxylipin responses were less dramatic in participants who vaped tobacco products. For marijuana smokers, the oxylipin profiles were much closer (but not identical) to non-users.”

    These findings diverge from earlier cell culture studies, which showed that both tobacco and marijuana smoke generate significant oxidative stress and inflammation. The current study is the first of its kind with humans.

    “Cigarettes upregulate these inflammatory fatty acids, but we didn’t see that nearly as much with marijuana and marijuana products,” said Kenyon. “When we look at the signatures from the marijuana smokers, they look closer to non-users and non-smokers than the tobacco smokers, and that was a surprise to us.”

  • VOOPOO Launches Marketing Campaign Around New Vape Technology

    VOOPOO Launches Marketing Campaign Around New Vape Technology

    VOOPOO launched its Test The Limits campaign around its iCOSM CODE 2.0 technology. This technology is featured in its ARGUS Top Fill Cartridge V2, which the company says “seamlessly integrates Liquid-Seal Shield, Mega-Core, and Golden Cotton, offering a redefined vaping experience.”

    VOOPOO claims these elements introduce three pioneering innovations to the industry that translate to 30 days of cleanliness, consistent flow and steady smoothness, and 100 mL endurance without compromising flavor or performance.

    The campaign runs until September 30, and encourages participants to share experiences with the device on social media, where people can win daily prizes, monthly challenges, and ultimately grand prizes that include a Unitree Go2, iPhone 17 PRO, and a $1,000 Amazon Gift Card.

  • Thailand Tobacco Raids Uncover Major Smuggling Network

    Thailand Tobacco Raids Uncover Major Smuggling Network

    Thailand’s Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) conducted four simultaneous raids in central Phuket, cracking down on an illegal cigarette smuggling network. Three people were arrested for violating the Customs Act, and cigarettes worth an estimated 4 million baht ($120,000) of lost tax revenue were seized. The network reportedly included several influential figures, including a politician who is a candidate for the local council, though the report did not disclose the politician’s name.

    Investigations revealed the cigarettes were smuggled into Phuket by sea, primarily using tour boats, and then distributed locally by a network. Some of the contraband was also distributed through a private logistics company and was also being sold online.

    Ronnarong Thipsiri, deputy director-general of DOPA said the raids were prompted by tips from residents about the illegal sale and transportation of untaxed cigarettes.

  • Taiwan: 25% of Cigarettes Become Litter

    Taiwan: 25% of Cigarettes Become Litter

    About 25% of the cigarettes sold in Taiwan are improperly discarded, according to Environmental Management Administration Director-General Yen Hsu-ming, resulting in about 9 billion butts on the streets that could fall into gutters and flow into the ocean.

    The government is looking to combat the environmental issue in numerous ways, including education, fining litterers, monitoring popular smoking points such as convenience stores, distributing 1,800 cigarette snuffers across the city, and launching a clean-up event named “Team Planet,” where 50,000 volunteers picked up litter from the streets.  

    Minister of Environment Peng Chi-ming attended the event in Taipei’s Ximending shopping area, saying that maintaining clean streets, keeping cigarette butts of the ground, and preventing dengue fever are the three goals for this year to echo Earth Day.

  • Thailand to Pay Informants 

    Thailand to Pay Informants 

    The Thai government has introduced a controversial but potentially effective policy targeting e-cigarette users and sellers. Under this scheme, anyone reporting illegal vaping activities via the Thang Rath mobile app is eligible to receive 60% of the fines collected.

    Informants could earn as much as B3,000 ($90) from a single successful report, a compelling incentive to help enforce this law.

  • AMCON Posts 2Q Losses

    AMCON Posts 2Q Losses

    AMCON Distributing Company, an Omaha, Nebraska-based convenience and foodservice distributor, announced fully diluted loss per share of $2.58 on a net loss available to common shareholders of $1.6 million for its second fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2025. The wholesale distribution segment reported revenues of $607.6 million and operating income of $2.8 million.

    AMCON, with its subsidiaries Team Sledd and Henry’s Foods, is a leading distributor of consumer products, including tobacco, nicotine, beverages, candy, and groceries. It serves Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

    “The convenience retailing sector which we serve continues to experience a challenging operating environment with consumer behavior and discretionary spending lagging,” said Christopher H. Atayan, AMCON’s Chairman and CEO. “At the same time, the cost structures for convenience distributors have been impacted by the cumulative impact of inflation over a multi-year period. These inflationary pressures have resulted in higher operating expenses in areas such as product costs, labor and employee benefits, equipment, and insurance, and in additional consolidation across our entire industry.”

  • Federal Judge Allows Zyn Lawsuit to Progress

    Federal Judge Allows Zyn Lawsuit to Progress

    A federal judge in Florida allowed key claims to move forward in two consumer class action lawsuits against Philip Morris and its subsidiary, Swedish Match, over allegations that their Zyn nicotine pouches cause ongoing health issues and are deceptively marketed, especially to young people.

    In March, U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas partially granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss, tossing a single claim of fraudulent concealment for lacking sufficient detail and a clear connection between the alleged misrepresentation and the plaintiffs’ injuries. However, the claims were reportedly dismissed without prejudice, giving the plaintiffs an opportunity to amend their complaints. The court upheld the bulk of the plaintiffs’ claims, including those for design defects, failure to warn, and negligence. The judge also rejected Philip Morris’ efforts to dismiss the lawsuits for lack of jurisdiction, finding that the companies’ business activities in Florida, including marketing and selling Zyn, provided sufficient basis for the federal court to hear the case.

    Plaintiffs in the Zyn lawsuits allege Philip Morris and Swedish Match falsely maintain Zyn is a smokeless nicotine replacement therapy from cigarettes or e-cigarettes, despite the nicotine concentration levels in Zyn exceeding the levels found in nicotine replacement therapies. Philip Morris said it is reviewing the ruling and intends to “vigorously defend” itself against the remaining claims.

  • German Study Finds Smokers Unmotivated to Quit

    German Study Finds Smokers Unmotivated to Quit

    A German Study on Tobacco Use (DEBRA) reported that around 30% of the population smoked cigarettes in 2024. The study focused on the habits and thoughts of nearly 1,200 adults who smoked daily and found that 51.2% of people who smoked were not motivated to stop smoking, 29.1% reported an intention to quit in the following year, and the remainder had some desire to quit but had not decided when to try.

    Lack of motivation was highest among people who 65 and older (64.4%) and lowest among those aged 19 to 34 years (38.9%). People with lower socioeconomic status who smoked had less motivation to quit than those with a higher socioeconomic status. In the sample of people who smoke, the barriers to quitting smoking included enjoyment of smoking (50.1%), difficulty in changing habits (41.4%), and lack of discipline (31.2%), with key differences among age groups. Only 27.3% of people who smoke perceived E-cigs/HTPs to have lower health risks relative to cigarettes, versus 84.7% of smoke-free product (SFP) users.

    “The best way to reduce the health risks of smoking is to quit smoking altogether. However, focusing solely on cessation does not acknowledge the real challenges that people who smoke (barriers to quitting) face when trying to quit,” the study concluded. “The survey results, specifically on the lack of motivation to quit, suggest that current tobacco control measures are not effectively motivating the majority of people who smoke in Germany to quit. This study demonstrated that half of the people who smoke surveyed are not motivated to quit, and only 5% plan to quit in the next month. Older segments of the study population (aged 50+) and those in lower-income brackets are even less motivated to quit, with smoking enjoyment being the biggest barrier to quitting, affecting more than 60% of people who smoke and do not want to quit.

    “Lack of motivation to quit smoking and barriers to quitting manifest in different ways, implying that differentiated approaches are required to help people who smoke successfully move away from smoking cigarettes. They should have access to accurate information on the role of combustion-generated toxicants as the primary cause of smoking-related diseases and the relative risks of SFPs compared with continuing to smoke. Sustainably reducing smoking prevalence in Germany will require an integrated strategy that complements the existing tobacco control and prevention measures with tools based on the principles of tobacco harm reduction.”