Category: News This Week

  • Study: Rise in Vaping Among Never-Smokers

    Study: Rise in Vaping Among Never-Smokers

    A new study of trends in e-cigarette use from 2014 to 2018 claims that vapor use is on the rise for 18- to 29-year-olds who have never smoked combustible cigarettes. The study from the American Cancer Society, published Monday in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, assessed trends based on age group and cigarette smoking histories.

    “Urgent efforts are needed to address the potential rise in primary nicotine initiation with e-cigarettes among younger adults,” Priti Bandi, principal scientist, risk factors surveillance research for the American Cancer Society, said in a press release. “It is also important to aid the transition of e-cigarette users—particularly among younger adults—to non-use of all tobacco or nicotine products given that the long-term consequences of e-cigarette use are mostly unknown.”

    Researchers examined data from the National Health Institute to pinpoint trends in younger (18-29 years), middle-aged (30-49 years), and older (50 years and older) populations, with cigarette smoking histories classified as current smokers, recent quitters (those who stopped smoking less than one year ago), near-term quitters (who quit between one and eight years ago), and never smokers.

    E-cigarette use increased across the board among younger adults, with never smokers and near-term quitters seeing the most significant increases (1.3 percent–3.3 percent and 9.1 percent–19.2 percent, respectively). Middle-aged and older adults only saw notable increases in prevalence among near-term quitters, with e-cigarette use in middle-aged near-quitters jumping from 5.8 percent to 14.4 percent and older near-quitters climbing from 6.3 percent to 9.5 percent.

  • Netherlands Mandates Plain Packaging

    Netherlands Mandates Plain Packaging

    Cigarettes sold in the Netherlands must now have plain packaging consisting only of the brand name, the type of cigarette (in a specific font) and health warnings.
     
    Current stock can continue being sold for a year, but any new products must have plain packaging.
     
    The Dutch government has indicated that this is to help curb underage smoking, noting that the measure has worked in other countries, such as Belgium, France, Great Britain and Norway.

  • TPB Takes Stake in Hemp Cigarettes

    TPB Takes Stake in Hemp Cigarettes

    Photo: Wild Hempettes

    Turning Point Brands (TPB) has acquired a 20 percent stake in Wild Hempettes, a leading manufacturer of hemp cigarettes under the WildHemp and Hempettes brands, with options to increase its stake to a 100 percent ownership position based on certain milestones.

    As part of the transaction, the Wild Hempettes joint venture was spun off from Crown Distributing and formed as a vehicle for TPB to be the exclusive distributor of Hempettes to U.S. brick-and-mortar retailers under a profit-sharing arrangement.

    Wild Hemp was an early entrant into the hemp CBD smoking market with its Hempettes branded cigarette, the leading 20-count pack hemp smoking product in the U.S. The product is currently available in three popular styles: original, sweet and pineapple blaze. An additional menthol SKU will be added to the brand lineup by the end of 2020.

    “The combination of our Hempettes product along with TPB’s distribution presence in over 210,000 outlets in North America provides tremendous growth potential,” said Zain Meghani, Wild Hempettes CEO in a statement.

  • Non-Tobacco Nicotine Pouch Debuts in U.S.

    Non-Tobacco Nicotine Pouch Debuts in U.S.

    Photo: 20NE Labs

    The 2ONE Labs’ tobacco-free nicotine (TFN) white portion pouch is now available on the U.S. market.

    The product uses patented TFN nontobacco nicotine from Next Generation Labs and is the first 100 percent nontobacco-derived nicotine portion pouch available to consumers, according to 20NE Labs.

    2ONE products are immediately available to distributors, wholesalers and retailers in nine flavors: very berry, eucalyptus rush, glacier mint, chocolate dream, ginger mint, strawberry lemonade, citrus chill, mocha java and pineapple mango. Products are available in 3 mg and 6 mg strengths.

    2ONE cans contain 21 all-herbal TFN infused nicotine pouches meant for consumers aged 21 and over.

  • IQOS Rollout Slowed by Covid-19 Pandemic

    IQOS Rollout Slowed by Covid-19 Pandemic

    Bonnie Herzog

    Tobacco and vapor product analyst Bonnie Herzog of Goldman Sachs cites the Covid-19 pandemic as the main reason Philip Morris International (PMI) and Altria have slowed down the national launch of IQOS.

    In March, Philip Morris USA closed its Atlanta, Georgia, and Richmond, Virginia, IQOS stores temporarily, paused its IQOS inperson marketing efforts and delayed the launch of IQOS in Charlotte, North Carolina, due to Covid-19 concerns. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted modified-risk tobacco product (MRTP) status to IQOS in July, sales of IQOS have not been strong during the pandemic.

    “It has been more of a slow rollout and that has a lot to do with the fact that the technology that has been approved in the U.S. is older technology of IQOS,” said Herzog. “Philip Morris has applied to get approval of 3.0, but that’s still pending. We’re optimistic, assuming they can get approval from the FDA for that.” Herzog projects that by 2025, IQOS could account for as much as 12.2 percent of Altria’s volumes.”

  • Puff Bar Owner Sues Over Fake Products

    Puff Bar Owner Sues Over Fake Products

    Photo: DS Technology Licensing

    DS Technology Licensing, the owner of registered trademarks associated with the Puff Bar vapor device, and Puff Inc., an authorized U.S. distributor, has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against over 20 Chinese and American companies accused of distributing counterfeit vaping devices.

    The defendants include international manufacturer and distributor CACUQ, U.S. distributors, e-commerce companies, and brick-and-mortar retail stores. Plaintiffs are represented by the law firm of Gallinger Law.

    The lawsuit addresses both counterfeit Puff Bar vapor devices as well as knockoff products identified as Puff Smart, Puff Mini, Puff Stig and Airis Puff and seeks $50 million in restitutionary damages and $25 million in punitive damages.

    “Defendants in the lawsuit have infringed on the famous Puff and Puff Bar marks by introducing competing devices which use the stylized “Puff” associated with Puff Bar Vapor Devices as well as by openly selling fake or counterfeit Puff Bar vapor devices,” DS Technology Licensing wrote in a statement.

    “Defendants are believed to be only a small number of the violators, as the anti-counterfeit verification system at puffbar.com has identified thousands of retail stores at which consumers bought devices which failed the check.”

    DS Technology Licensing promised award to those with information that leads to the seizure of counterfeit goods.

  • EU Opposes Danish Flavor Ban

    EU Opposes Danish Flavor Ban

    Photo: Sharon Ang from Pixabay

    The European Commission has opposed a ban on vaping flavors put forward by the Danish government, according to the U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA).

    “It is a victory both for vaping and common sense,” said UKVIA Director John Dunne said in a statement.

    John Dunne, director of the UKVIA
    John Dunne

    Denmark wants to introduce a flavor ban on both nicotine and non-nicotine containing e-liquids, where only tobacco and menthol flavors will be permitted. According to the Danish Vapers Association (DADAFO), the proposed ban would have affected between 85 percent and 90 percent of adult vapers in Denmark with the potential of driving up to 70,000 Danish ex-smokers back to cigarettes. The move would have also forced 90 percent of vape shops to close, DADAFO said.

    “Flavors play a hugely important role in encouraging smokers to switch to vaping, a much less harmful product,” said Dunne. “Crucially, vape flavors provide choices for ex-smokers to ensure they do not relapse.”

    “The effect of banning flavored liquids on deterring adult vapers from using vape products to help them quit or reduce their smoking was acknowledged by Public Health England earlier this year in its annual vaping evidence review. The review also stated that a ban could also push current adult vapers towards illicit products.”

    According to the European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates, the Danish Ministry of Health sent a notification of this to the European Commission on April 17 with a standstill period of three months during which the Commission had to comment whether it believes that the Danish government can legally amend the existing laws as proposed.

  • Taat Releases Pack Designs

    Taat Releases Pack Designs

    Photo: Taat Lifestyle & Wellness

    Taat Lifestyle & Wellness has released provisional new pack designs for its Beyond Tobacco cigarettes.

    Key elements include greater dominance of colors commonly associated with certain varieties of combustible products (e.g., green for menthol), centered placement of text and graphic elements for a more “balanced” appearance, and prominence of elements that define Taat’s brand to include “Beyond Tobacco.”

    “Packaging and trade dress are arguably the backbone of any consumer packaged good [CPG] when it comes to building preference and brand loyalty,” said Taat CEO Setti Coscarella, in a press note.

    “While I am entirely confident that Beyond Tobacco will make its mark among current legal-aged smokers of tobacco cigarettes on its merits as an actual product, cultivating long-term loyalty and preference through a visibly recognizable trade dress to include packaging is a fundamental component of the success of any CPG product.”

    Consumer feedback regarding this provisional design will be factored into the final iteration of the product. Taat plans to launch Beyond Tobacco cigarettes in the United States in the fourth quarter of 2020.

     

     

  • States Ranked on Vapor Regulations

    States Ranked on Vapor Regulations

    The Consumer Choice Center (CCC) has published an index ranking each U.S. state on the consumer-friendliness of its vapor regulations.

    Rankings are assigned based on a legislative actions, including restrictions, taxation, and online sales prohibitions.

    According to the index, California is the “worst state for vaping.” New York, California, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are also among the least consumer-friendly states. Virginia, Colorado, Texas and Maryland each received “A” scores.

    “The worst states … are far behind all the other states because of flavor bans, exorbitant taxation on vaping products, and restrictions on online sales,” said David Clement, North American affairs manager and deputy director at the CCC. “Our research indicates these states go above and beyond to deter adult smokers from switching to vaping, which could vastly improve and prolong their lives.”

    “What lawmakers should note is that a number of states are providing a positive framework of regulation for vaping that boosts consumer choice while contributing to public health by encouraging smoking cessation,” said Yaël Ossowski, who is also North American affairs manager and deputy director at the CCC.

    “Excessive flavor bans, taxes, and prohibitions on online commerce grow the black-market sector and harm consumers who want less harmful alternatives to smoking. If states want to innovate in 2020 and provide adult smokers with an alternative that is less harmful, they should look to reform their state laws to better accommodate this new technology that is helping millions.”

    The report shows that 25 states allow flavored vaping products with no additional taxes and no shipping restrictions. Twenty states have previous flavor bans, some taxes and a few shipping restrictions. There are five states that have partial flavor bans, high taxes and shipping restrictions.

    The center stated that the focus is on state regulation of vaping, “as it plays a big part in their availability to adult consumers who want to switch away from combustible tobacco.”

    The weighted scoring system analyzes additional flavor restrictions, taxes and the ability to sell vaping products online. Regulations are assessed on stringency in addition to Food and Drug Administration regulations.

    States that received between 0 and 10 points received an “F” grade, between 11 and 20 points is “C” and states with points between 21 and 30 received an “A” grade.

  • Swisher Consolidates Smokeless Portfolio

    Swisher Consolidates Smokeless Portfolio

    Swisher has consolidated its broad smokeless tobacco portfolio under Fat Lip Brands. With a mix of classic brands and modern-day favorites in moist snuff, chewing tobacco and dry snuff, the creation of Fat Lip Brands is part of Swisher’s efforts to align its businesses and brands to better serve its wholesale and retail customers as well as its adult consumers. Through this alignment, Fat Lip Brands will enhance its focus within the smokeless category and allow for more effective allocation of resources and customer service efforts, according to the company.

    Fat Lip Brands is well positioned among Swisher’s five strategic businesses that also include Swisher Sweets Cigar Co. (large and little/filtered cigars), Drew Estate (premium cigars), Hempire (hemp accessories) and Rogue Holdings (modern oral nicotine). Each business provides focused category expertise and product knowledge under a renewed purpose for the broader company. Through Swisher’s strategic businesses, trade partners will have access to the growth strategies and product innovations that drive expanded success.

    Based in Wheeling, West Virginia, USA, Fat Lip Brands brings a 141-year tradition in smokeless tobacco together under a one portfolio covering all customers’ needs in the moist snuff, chew and dry snuff categories. “With classic brands like Mail Pouch, Chattanooga Chew, Bowie, Navy and Railroad Mills offered alongside everyday best sellers like Kayak, Creek and Starr, Fat Lip Brands serves the modern lifestyle of adult consumers while staying grounded in a tradition of quality and affordability,” Swisher wrote in a press note.