Cigarette prices in Turkiye increased by TRY3 ($0.9) on May 8, sparking lively discussion among smokers on social media, according to Xinhua.
The cheapest cigarette brands registered with the Monopoly Dealers’ Solidarity Association now cost TRY53 per pack, while the most expensive one is priced at TRY75 liras per pack, according to association president Erol Dundar.
“Though a three lira increase per pack might appear to be a small amount, it is not so for smokers,” said Yagmur Sivri, a resident of Istanbul, who smokes one and a half packs of cigarettes a day and spends about TRY2,500 on smoking each month.
“Considering that millions of people in Turkiye live on a minimum wage of 17,002 liras, the latest price hikes put a very large burden on their budgets,” she said.
The price hike aggravates Turkiye’s already rapidly increasing costs of living. The country’s inflation hit 69.8 percent in April.
Growers of shisha tobacco in Zimbabwe sold more than a third of their crop within four days, reports The Herald, citing figures from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB).
The farmers pocketed $660,000, earning an average price of $3.62 per kilogram. Out of 2,385 bales presented, 162 bales, or 6.79 percent, were rejected by buyers. The current average price is 15 percent higher than the 2023 season average.
Nonetheless, the figures make shisha tobacco less profitable for growers than flue-cured tobacco, according to Zimbabwe Tobacco Growers Association Chairman George Seremwe, although he acknowledges that producing shisha leaf is less capital intensive.
While shisha is a type of flue-cured tobacco, it is derived from imported seeds and produced using different agronomic practices. To obtain the desired low nicotine levels, the tobacco fields are planted much more densely than is typical with cigarette tobaccos, ensuring fierce competition among the plants for nutrients.
Cavendish Lloyd is the only shisha leaf merchant registered and licensed with the TIMB. Tobacco Reporter profiled the company in its May 2022 print edition (see “Great Expectations”).
Many smokers fail to understand the comparative risks presented by vapes and traditional cigarettes, according to a new Ipsos survey among 27,000 smokers in 28 countries carried out on behalf of We Are Innovation.
Currently, 74 percent of smokers worldwide mistakenly believe that vaping is either as harmful or more harmful than smoking combustible cigarettes. This misinformation challenges public health messaging about vaping as a safer alternative to traditional smoking methods.
The survey identified countries including Brazil, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Kazakhstan as having the highest proportion of smokers (over 80 percent) incorrectly perceiving vaping as equally or more harmful than smoking tobacco. On the other hand, countries such as Italy, the Czech Republic, France and the United Kingdom exhibited a more accurate understanding, although even in these nations, over half of smokers still hold false beliefs regarding the risks of vaping versus smoking.
“The consequences are grave,” said We Are Innovation CEO Federico N. Fernandez in a statement. “If smokers are under the incorrect assumption that vaping is no better than smoking, they are far less likely to explore potentially lifesaving products as a means to quit harmful combustibles. Misinformation is stifling innovation and obstructing smokers’ ability to escape the clutches of cigarettes.”
Vaping has surpassed smoking among adolescents in Europe, according to a new report by the World Health Organization.
The global health body found that among 15-year-olds, 32 percent had used an e-cigarette and 20 percent consumed vaping products in the past 30 days.
“The widespread use of harmful substances among children in many countries across the European region—and beyond—is a serious public health threat,” said Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe. “Considering that the brain continues to develop well into a person’s mid-20s, adolescents need to be protected from the effects of toxic and dangerous products. Unfortunately, children today are constantly exposed to targeted online marketing of harmful products.”
Historically, there has been a difference between boys and girls, with more boys smoking than girls. With e-cigarettes, girls reach the same level of use by 15 as boys and even outpace them after 15.
While acknowledging that some health authorities view e-cigarettes as a positive alternative to smoking for adults, the WHO expressed concern about aggressive targeting by manufacturers of a younger market, which has contributed to a particularly sharp rise in consumption between the ages of 13 and 15, according to the organization.
The WHO report calls for e-cigarettes to be incorporated into smoke-free policies, with similar measures to restrict marketing, reduce toxicity, remove flavors and increase taxation.
The health body has already called for e-cigarettes to be made available only to those who are trying to quit smoking, where other proven cessation strategies have been exhausted. It has also called for e-cigarettes to be regulated like medicines rather than being sold as consumer products.
Reynolds American Inc. (RAI) has been recognized with a 2024 SEAL Business Sustainability Award in the environmental initiative award category for its WaterHub project under construction at the Reynolds Operations Center in Tobaccoville, North Carolina, USA.
The SEAL Business Sustainability Awards honor leadership, innovation and commitment to sustainable business practices.
The Environmental Initiative Award evaluated applicants on impact metrics, innovation and uniqueness of the initiative, sharing of insights and best practices along with investment of organizational leadership capital.
Reynolds’ award-winning initiative, the WaterHub, is an advanced water recycling facility and product of a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, and one of few water recycling projects of its scale. Once construction is complete, the WaterHub is expected to reclaim more than 60 million gallons of water per year, equivalent to the annual water supply of approximately 550 average U.S. households.
“We are proud of all the efforts being made across the Reynolds American organization to preserve and make efficient use of the precious natural resources we rely on to run our business,” said RAI Executive Vice President of Operations Bernd Meyer in a statement. “This SEAL recognition is a testament to our sustainability progress and the expected positive impact of the WaterHub, our advanced water recycling facility at our largest manufacturing facility, in collaboration with NextEra Energy Resources.”
Filtrona has launched a series of new filters for heated-tobacco products (HTP), the Boreas range.
The new range includes Boreas SideFlow, a patent-pending filter with a simplified design, and Boreas CoolBridge, which combines the company’s ECO Paper Bridge cooling segment with mono acetate and its Finewall Tube to create a balanced retention and cooling mechanism.
“As more of our customers move into the rapidly growing HTP market, the launch of our Boreas range of HTP filters is timely and exciting for consumers and the wider industry alike,” said Filtrona Global Director of Innovation and ESG Hugo Azinheira in a statement. “We are thrilled to support our customers with a dedicated range of HTP filters that bear the hallmark of our innovative and unique designs.”
Azinheira said HTP customers would benefit from Filtrona’s considerable expertise. “Our industry knowledge helps companies to catch emerging trends, adapt to changes and build strong brands,” he said.
“For any of our customers that are looking to enter the HTP segment, collaborating with our team of experts can significantly speed up the product development and commercialization processes, giving them a crucial edge in the market.”
Flonq, a leading vaping system manufacturer, has released its latest innovations, the Flonq Ultra and Flonq Max Pro. The two devices, with advanced features and stylish designs, “promise to upgrade the vaping experience,” according to a press release.
Ultra and Max Pro feature an LED display for real-time monitoring of battery and liquid consumption. Both products also have a “boost” mode for enhanced performance that delivers “impressive vapor production and flavor intensity.”
Despite the large 18ml e-liquid capacity, which provides up to 20.000 puffs, both devices maintain a compact and ergonomic design.
“Unlike many vaping brands that simply enlarge their devices when increasing e-liquid tank capacity, we prioritize convenience and comfort for users,” states Marlen Nazarov, Flonq’s founder and CEO. “Our goal is to provide vapers with a combination of performance and style, offering a truly premium vaping experience.”
Flonq continues to offer refined flavors and memorable designs across its product range, according to the release. “We craft our devices, featuring minimalistic and sophisticated design”, explains Vladimir Parygin, the company’s head of Design. “At the same time, we ensure that each device possesses its own personality.”
While both devices feature powerful dual mesh coils, each utilizes a different coil type. In Max Pro, the coils are positioned one above the other, while in Ultra, both mesh coils form a single cylinder, created by right and left sections. This coil difference impacts the flavor experience. Max Pro offers intense and bold flavors, while Ultra delivers refined and firm flavors.
“Another significant aspect that sets us apart from our competitors is the time and effort we dedicate to creating unique designs. We don’t rely on established configurations in the vaping market, and provide compelling storytelling and inspiration behind each device,” stated Nazarov.
The Flonq Max Pro is inspired by the urban environment: big city life, cars, and modern architecture. The device boasts a glossy texture across its entire body and is offered in a variety of vibrant colors. Max Pro appeals to those who appreciate unconventional aesthetics.
For Flonq Ultra, the design team drew inspiration from a maritime theme, luxury boats and yachts. “The device embodies elegance and is crafted from soft-touch matte material,” the release states.
“While often overlooked, we consider every detail in our vapes: from the texture of the materials and portability to the shape of the mouthpieces, ensuring both visual appeal and functionality, of course,” stated Parygin.
Premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) registry bills in the United States are harmfully limiting options for people seeking to quit cigarettes, according to critics.
The bills, which restrict sales to products that have either been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration under the PMTA pathway or are undergoing that process, have been spreading rapidly around the nation, according to Filter.
Alabama, Louisiana and Oklahoma already have PMTA registry bills in force while laws in Kentucky, Utah and Wisconsin are set to take effect in 2025.
To date, the FDA has authorized only a handful of e-cigarettes, all of which are owned by tobacco companies. The remaining vapes on the market are sold unauthorized and often imported from China. Limited FDA enforcement has prompted many states to step in with registry bills.
Tobacco harm reduction advocates have long condemned the PMTA process as excessively onerous. They point out that it’s easier to bring new cigarettes to market than it is to gain authorization for safer vapes that can replace them.
Tobacco companies are supporting PMTA registry bills in what critics say is a bid to dominate the market at the expense of people who smoke.
“Most legislators do not understand that PMTA registries aim to ban the sale of the vast majority of vaping products used by adults in their state,” said Greg Conley, director of legislative and external affairs for the American Vapor Manufacturers trade organization. “They think they are fighting Chinese scofflaws, but really they are making life worse for their own voters.”
Ling Chengxing, former head of China’s State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, has been arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes and abusing power, reports China Daily, citing a May 7 statement by the Supreme People’s Procuratorate.
Among other transgressions, Ling reportedly accepted banquets, sought benefits for relatives in employment and school admissions and secured benefits for others in the cadres selection and appointment.
Ling also accepted gifts, sought special treatment in transportation and medical care for his relatives and used his position to benefit others in business operations, employee hiring and job promotions.
In return, he accepted large amounts of property, according to the allegations.
Originally from Jiangxi province, Ling joined the Communist Party of China in 1977 and began working in 1980. He held positions, including executive vice governor of the province.
Ling was the head of China Tobacco from May 2013 until his retirement in July 2018. He was placed under investigation in October 2023.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee will hold a public meeting on June 26, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time at the FDA White Oak Campus in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Among other topics, the committee will discuss the renewal of a risk modification order submitted by Swedish Match USA for several loose snus and portioned snus products sold under the General brand name.
Reynolds American Inc. (RAI) has been recognized with a 2024 SEAL Business Sustainability Award in the environmental initiative award category for its WaterHub project under construction at the Reynolds Operations Center in Tobaccoville, North Carolina, USA.
