Category: Featured

IEA Publishes its Annual Nanny State Index

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The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has published its Nanny State Index, an annual evaluation ranking Europe’s worst places to eat, drink, smoke and vape.
The IEA’s home country, the U.K., ranks No. 11 on the list. While the U.K. has the most restrictive tobacco regulation in Europe, it has some of the most liberal policies on e-cigarettes.
Turkiye is listed as the most restrictive place in Europe to eat, smoke, drink and vape, and Germany is the most liberal in these aspects.
“With the U.K. introducing some of the world’s most nannying policies on food, it’s no surprise to see it rising up the league table against stiff competition,” said report author Christopher Snowdon, who heads the department of lifestyle economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs. “The U.K. scores poorly in every category except e-cigarettes, where it is the best in show.
“Scotland and Wales drag down the overall score by having minimum pricing for alcohol, and the U.K. as a whole is the worst place in Europe to be a smoker.
“With alcohol taxes rising sharply this year and more food regulation to come, things will only get worse,” Snowdon said.
June 2, 2023
Retailers Seek Clarity on Vapor Products

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U.S. retail associations have asked the Food and Drug Administration to provide them with list of e-cigarettes and vape products that are legal to market, reports NACS.
In October 2021, NACS and five other retail associations sent a letter to the FDA asking the agency to publish the names of vapor products for which it has taken action. In their letters to FDA, the associations expressed the critical nature of this list for their retail members who need to know which products are legal to sell and which are not.
The FDA formally responded in January 2022, stating that it understands the retail groups request for specific names of products and that the agency is working to update the list with final actions taken on individual products, including those that received MDOs.
“Given the large number of products involved, sharing this information requires additional time and resources so that the Agency does not disclose confidential commercial information (CCI) about products that are not yet marketed,” stated the agency.
In a more recent letter to the FDA, the associations said they “can appreciate the immense task of reviewing millions of applications. However, there remains widespread confusion in the marketplace as to which products can remain on shelves and which need to be removed.”
“While Director Zeller encouraged retailers to contact manufacturers with any questions about products in their inventory, this is not an adequate or fair solution. It places the burden on retailers to verify the marketing status of ENDS and vape products with the manufacturers. Many of our members are small operators who do not have the resources or bandwidth to contact the manufacturers,” wrote the associations.
“Moreover, manufacturers providing a list does not guarantee accuracy or give the assurance that a verified list from the Agency would give. These retailers stand to face enforcement if they are out of compliance with the law and the only way to ensure they can comply is if they have a verified list from the agency.”
June 2, 2023
Funding for Tobacco Surveillance Center

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have awarded funding for a new Center for Rapid Surveillance of Tobacco (CRST). Through rapid surveillance and reporting of information, CRST will enhance the Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) and the research community’s ability to understand, document and quantify changes in the tobacco product marketplace and tobacco use patterns.
Research results from the CRST are expected to generate findings and data that are directly relevant in informing the FDA’s regulation of the manufacture, distribution and marketing of tobacco products to protect public health. In particular, the CRST will support more time-sensitive data collection, analysis and reporting—making potentially actionable information available before more traditional data collection methods.
“Given the rapidly evolving tobacco landscape, it’s critical that we have nimble surveillance tools that can keep pace to best protect public health,” said Brian King, director of the FDA’s CTP. “This new center is another important addition to our surveillance toolbox to help identify emerging issues and to inform timely action.”
The CRST is supported through the Tobacco Regulatory Science Program, an interagency partnership between the NIH and CTP to foster tobacco regulatory research. After undergoing a competitive funding announcement, the CRST is being administered through a cooperative agreement under award number U01CA278695. The work is led by Rutgers Center of Excellence in Rapid Surveillance of Tobacco with substantial involvement from a large collaborative network that triangulates multiple data sources, federal scientific staff at CDC, NIH and CTP as well as external advisors with relevant expertise.
June 1, 2023
Altria Completes Acquisition of Njoy

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Altria Group has completed its acquisition of Njoy Holdings. The tobacco giant has also updated its guidance for 2023 full-year adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) in connection with the transaction.
“The completion of this transaction is a transformative step in our goal of ‘Moving Beyond Smoking,’” said Billy Gifford, Altria’s CEO. “We are pleased to have received antitrust clearance, and we are now fully focused on responsibly accelerating U.S. adult smoker and adult vaper adoption of Njoy Ace, currently the only pod-based e-vapor product to receive marketing authorization from the FDA.
“Our updated 2023 full-year EPS guidance range includes planned investments behind the U.S. commercialization of Njoy Ace and reflects our goal to deliver strong shareholder returns while making progress toward our vision.”
“We are excited to combine our resources with Njoy’s talented team to benefit adult tobacco consumers across the country,” said Shannon Leistra, the new president and CEO of Njoy.
As a result of the transaction, Altria expects to deliver 2023 full-year adjusted diluted EPS in a range of $4.89 to $5.03, representing a growth rate of 1 percent to 4 percent from an adjusted diluted EPS base of $4.84 in 2022.
“Our 2023 full-year adjusted diluted EPS guidance range includes planned investments in support of the company’s vision, such as (i) continued smoke-free product research, development and regulatory preparation expenses, (ii) enhancement of the company’s digital consumer engagement system and (iii) marketplace activities in support of the company’s smoke-free products, including planned investments behind the U.S. commercialization of Ace,” Altria wrote in a press note.
Altria’s updated guidance range also includes estimated amortization charges of approximately $50 million for the remainder of 2023 related to intangible assets acquired in the transaction.
June 1, 2023
Individual Stick Warnings Coming

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Canada will soon require that health warnings be printed directly on individual cigarettes—becoming the first country in the world to take this approach, according to the Government of Canada.
The new Tobacco Products Appearance, Packaging and Labeling Regulations will be part of the government of Canada’s continued efforts to help adults who smoke to quit, to protect youth and nontobacco users from nicotine addiction and to further reduce the appeal of tobacco. Labeling the tipping paper of individual cigarettes, little cigars, tubes and other tobacco products will make it virtually impossible to avoid health warnings altogether. In addition, the regulations will support Canada’s Tobacco Strategy and its target of reaching less than 5 percent tobacco use by 2035, according to a government press release.
These regulations will come into force on Aug. 1, 2023, and will be implemented through a phased approach that will see most measures on the Canadian market within the year. Retailers will carry tobacco product packages that feature the new health-related messages by the end of April 2024. King-size cigarettes will be the first to feature the individual health warnings and will be sold by retailers in Canada by the end of July 2024 followed by regular size cigarettes, little cigars with tipping paper, and tubes by the end of April 2025.
Other measures include strengthening and updating health-related messages on tobacco product packages; extending the requirement for health-related messaging to all tobacco product packages; and implementing the periodic rotation of message.
The new regulations will be published in the June 7, 2023, edition of the Canada Gazette—Part II. In the interim, copies of the full regulations are available upon request by contacting pregs@hc-sc.gc.ca.
June 1, 2023
Mckinney Appoints Fearon

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McKinney Regulatory Science Advisors has appointed Ian Fearon as its new chief scientific officer.
Fearon brings over 15 years of experience in the field of tobacco harm reduction, with a specific focus on clinical and behavioral studies of these products. His deep understanding of regulatory submissions in the United States and Europe will enable McKinney Regulatory Science Advisors to provide unparalleled support and guidance to clients navigating the complex regulatory landscape.
Prior to joining McKinney Regulatory Science Advisors, Fearon held key leadership positions at renowned organizations in the industry. As the senior director of clinical and regulatory affairs EMEA at Juul Labs, he played a vital role in advancing the scientific understanding of tobacco and nicotine products and supporting the Juul premarket tobacco product application submission.
Fearon also served as the director of tobacco research at Celerion, where he contributed significantly to the development of clinical evidence to support regulatory filings. Furthermore, his tenure as principal scientist and head of clinical research at BAT solidified his reputation as a thought leader in this space, according to McKinney Regulatory Science Advisors. Fearon has published more than 60 papers, including more than 20 on tobacco/nicotine product assessment, which have generated more than 3,200 citations.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ian as our chief scientific officer,” said Willie McKinney, CEO of McKinney Regulatory Science Advisors. “His extensive experience and deep knowledge of tobacco and nicotine science and worldwide regulations make him an invaluable asset to our team. With Ian’s guidance, we will continue to provide exceptional scientific and regulatory consulting services to our clients, facilitating their success in bringing innovative consumer products to market.”
As the chief scientific officer, Fearon will oversee the company’s scientific operations, lead strategic initiatives and drive innovation in the regulatory science domain.
June 1, 2023
European Elections Could Affect Vaping

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Elections in several European countries could affect support of reduced-risk nicotine products like e-cigarettes, according to Tamarind Intelligence Policy Radar research.
Governments in Europe are the most likely to officially support reduced-risk products.
According to Tamarind Intelligence, forthcoming elections in Finland, Spain, Ireland and the Czech Republic as well as elections for the European Parliament could be significant in determining the future of the products.
“Our analysis of official attitudes toward e-cigarettes and other tobacco harm reduction products shows some clear global trends,” said Tamarind Intelligence Editorial Director Barnaby Page. “For example, European countries tend to have more favorable attitudes while Asian countries tend to be much more polarized.
“However, the laws in this area can change very rapidly—sometimes because government itself changes or at other times because issues such as underage vaping or the environmental impact of disposable vapes come into the spotlight.”
Researchers expect worldwide regulation of reduced-risk products to become stricter, especially in upper-middle-income and high-income countries. Flavored products are expected to receive the most attention with countries proposing bans on the products.
June 1, 2023
FDA Cracks Down on Illegal Disposables

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued warning letters to 30 retailers, including one distributor, for illegally selling unauthorized tobacco products. The unauthorized products were various types of Puff and Hyde brand disposable e-cigarettes, which were two of the most commonly reported brands used by youth e-cigarette users in 2022. The Puff products include Puff Bar.
“Protecting our nation’s youth from tobacco products—including disposable e-cigarettes—is a top priority for the FDA,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf. “We’re committed to holding all players in the supply chain—not just manufacturers but also retailers and distributors—accountable to the law.”
According to the FDA, the warning letters are part of a nationwide blitz to crack down on the sale of unauthorized e-cigarettes that are popular with youth—specifically Puff and Hyde products. The blitz included investigations of hundreds of retailers and distributors across the country. All products cited in the warning letters are disposable e-cigarettes, which are the most commonly used e-cigarette product type among youth. Puff Bar and Hyde were the first and third most popular brands used by youth who reported using e-cigarettes, according to the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey. Among youth e-cigarette users, about 20 percent reported usually using Puff Bar or Hyde brand products in 2022.
“Since becoming director of CTP [Center for Tobacco Products], I’ve been crystal clear that FDA will not stand by while retailers and distributors seek to profit off illegally selling products that are well known to appeal to youth,” said Brian King, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. “Retailers and distributors play a key role in keeping unauthorized tobacco products off the shelves, and if they fail to do so, we’re committed to taking appropriate action.”
To date, the FDA has authorized 23 tobacco-flavored e-cigarette products and devices. These are the only e-cigarette products that currently may be lawfully sold in the U.S. The distribution or sale of unlawfully marketed products is subject to enforcement action.
June 1, 2023
KT&G Appoints Junior Board

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KT&G has appointed members for the third term of its Sangsang Junior Board.
The Sangsang Junior Board is a collaborative body for improving corporate culture, aiming to facilitate communication between young members and management.
To help meet this objective, the board appointed KT&G CEO Baek Bok-in as an honorary member.
For the third term of the Sangsang Junior Board, KT&G selected eight individuals through an internal recruitment process. The selected members will serve for 10 months.
In this third term, the board plans to drive corporate culture innovation to help KT&G achieve its vision of becoming a “global top-tier” leader. Furthermore, the board will promote vision alignment and implement improvements in working methods through meetings with management.
“Improving corporate culture and innovating work methods from a fresh perspective will be the fundamental competitiveness for realizing our ‘global top-tier’ vision,” said Baek Bok-in. “Together with the third term of the Sangsang Junior Board, we will strive to establish a corporate culture where all members are respected and work passionately toward creating a company where everyone wants to work.”
May 31, 2023
Swisher Pledges $1 Million in Philanthropy

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Swisher, a family-owned company headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, USA, pledged $1 million in donations in 2023, reports GlobeNewswire.
With a refreshed strategy led by Marisa Brighton, Swisher’s senior director of community engagement, the 162-year-old company is placing a renewed emphasis on supporting community causes that tie directly to its core values and shared priorities with employees.
Swisher’s philanthropic efforts will focus on four key areas, including supporting the nation’s heroes and families, community health and well-being, community revitalization, and higher education through strategic partnerships and programs.
“Swisher has long been recognized for its dedication to community service and philanthropy in Jacksonville and beyond,” stated Brighton. “We are reigniting our legacy by forging deeper connections and cultivating enduring partnerships that enhance the quality of life for our community.”
This revitalized focus on community engagement aligns closely with the vision of Swisher President and CEO Neil Kiely.
“As a family-owned company, we carry a profound sense of responsibility to make meaningful investments in the communities where we live and operate,” said Kiely. “Marisa shares this passion and is already establishing key partnerships with esteemed and trustworthy community service providers.”
Swisher commits to investing a minimum of $1 million in community causes and philanthropic initiatives throughout 2023, with a primary focus on Jacksonville.
This investment will be channeled through partnerships with local and national organizations that align with Swisher’s core values and strategic focus areas.
May 31, 2023