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  • ‘Generational Ban Not Enough to Level Up U.K.’

    ‘Generational Ban Not Enough to Level Up U.K.’

    Photo: Rawf8

    Although Britain’s generational tobacco ban will eventually increase “healthy life expectancy” (HLE) by 2.5 years, it will not be enough to let the government meet the targets of its “leveling up” agenda, according to new research.

    Local government secretary Michael Gove’s 2022 leveling up white paper pledged to narrow the difference in HLE between England’s most prosperous and most deprived local authorities by 2030 and to boost overall HLE by five years by 2035.

    HLE measures the number of years lived in at least reasonable health. In the U.K., it has risen more slowly than life expectancy in recent decades, meaning people are typically spending more years in poor health, with obvious implications for healthcare and social care budgets.

    The researchers, drawn from Bayes Business School, Heriot-Watt University and LCP, analyzed the likelihood of the 2035 target being met. They published their paper, “The Great Health Challenge: Levelling Up the UK,” in The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance: Issues and Practice.

    “It is clear that drastic smoking cessation intervention is necessary to increase healthy life expectancy across the population and to narrow pernicious health inequalities,” said lead author Les Mayhew, professor of statistics at Bayes Business School, in a statement. “The rolling ban proposed in the government’s current legislation is a good first step, but further research could strengthen the case for an outright ban.”

    The analysis confirmed that people who have never smoked typically enjoy an additional six years of HLE. Earlier research has shown that smoking kills around 78,000 people in England each year and leads to around 500,000 hospital admissions.

    Recent research by the International Longevity Centre concluded that smoking cuts U.K. economic output by £19.1 billion ($24.29 billion) due to shorter working lives. Welfare and healthcare costs would boost that figure significantly.

    “Our paper confirms that a smoking ban on those born in 2009 or later is one of the best ways to improve the health of people living in more deprived areas of the U.K.,” said Andrew Cairns, professor of actuarial mathematics at Heriot-Watt University. “The findings vividly illustrate the transformative impact of this measure on the health landscape.”

  • Wholesaler Indicted in Fraud Scheme

    Wholesaler Indicted in Fraud Scheme

    Credit: Postmodern Studio

    A federal grand jury has indicted the owner of a licensed tobacco wholesale business in Connecticut in connection with a tax fraud scheme.

    A 10-count indictment by a New Haven grand jury charged Khawar M. Khokar, 35, with one count of conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years; eight counts of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years; and one count of engaging in an illegal monetary transaction, an offense which carries a maximum 10-year term, according to Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.

    The indictment was returned on May 15. Khokhar appeared Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford, pleaded not guilty, and was released on a $100,000 bond, Avery said, according to media reports.

    According to the indictment and statements made in court, Khokhar operated Smokin’ Wholesale LLC, a Connecticut-licensed tobacco wholesale business that acquired smokeless tobacco and other tobacco products from out-of-state distributors, including businesses in Pennsylvania and Illinois, and sold the products to retail merchants in Connecticut.

    For roughly two years beginning around May 2017, Khokhar and Smokin’ Wholesale purchased about $2 million in tobacco products from the distributors, but failed to report accurately to the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services the value of the products imported into the state, and failed to pay to the state the associated tobacco taxes owed.

    Through this scheme, Khokhar and others caused Connecticut to suffer a tax loss around $1 million, Avery said.

  • New Group to Support Pipe Tobacco, Cigars

    New Group to Support Pipe Tobacco, Cigars

    The Tobacco Products Association (TPA) announced its official launch on May 17. The TPA is a new organization “committed to uniting, promoting, and advancing its members” in all facets of the cigar and pipe tobacco sector.

    “The TPA aims to serve the broad spectrum of the tobacco community, including cigar brands, manufacturers, retailers, pipe carvers, pipe tobacconists, and related accessories companies, with a strong focus on education, advocacy, and innovation,” media reports state. “This unique blend of cigar and pipe brands was born from a collaborative idea at the Chicagoland Pipe Collectors Club, and the TPA is set to champion the unique values and needs of both the cigar and pipe aficionado communities.”

    The TPA listed its inaugural board of directors and added that the group will play a pivotal role in guiding the association’s direction and shaping its future initiatives.

    The board members include Ismael Olivan, BAMF Cigars; Ron Pecorini, founder of the Great Cigar & Pipe Show Podcast; Dr. Oscar Rodriguez, GTO Cigars; Fouad Kashouty, Hiram & Solomon Cigars; and Ken Dorrbecker, owner of KJD Cigars.

    The TPA, in collaboration with SOTL Global Movement and Tobacconist University, will offer its members educational courses, certifications, and webinars to enhance their knowledge and skills.

    “These partnerships provide substantial benefits, including access to comprehensive educational programs that elevate members’ expertise in tobacco products, leading to recognized certifications that enhance professional credibility,” the report states. “This collaboration also expands networking opportunities through a global community of tobacco enthusiasts and professionals, fostering stronger industry connections.”

  • Panama Vape Ban Ruled Unconstitutional

    Panama Vape Ban Ruled Unconstitutional

    The Supreme Court of Justice in Panama has ruled unanimously that Panama’s ban on the sale of all vaping products is unconstitutional.

    According to several media reports, the ruling, announced last week, was in response to a lawsuit brought by the Asociación por la Reducción de Daños del Tabaquismo de Panamá (ARDT Panama), a vaping consumer advocacy group.

    The court found that Law 315 violated parliamentary procedures spelled out in Article 170 of the Panamanian constitution, according to Panama America.

    Law 315 prohibited the sale and import of all vaping and heated tobacco products, with or without nicotine. It also banned online sales, prohibited vaping in any place where smoking is not allowed, and gave customs authorities the right to inspect, detain, and seize shipments into the Central American country.

    The law passed the National Assembly in 2021, and was given assent by Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo nearly a year later, on June 30, 2022. Panama had previously prohibited vape sales under a 2014 health ministry decree.

    The ARDT Panama lawsuit challenged the vaping ban on the basis that it violated the constitutional right to health (depriving people who smoke of a lower-risk substitute). Also, it alleged that the National Assembly violated technical parliamentary rules in passing the law.

    According to El Capital Financiero, the legal challenge was also supported by the Association of Smokers and Families for a Smoke-Free Panama and the Medicinal Cannabis Association of Panama.

    It’s unclear if the high court also weighed in on the health-based challenge.

  • Trust in Industry-Funded Science Growing: Study

    Trust in Industry-Funded Science Growing: Study

    Photo: BAT

    Public trust in tobacco industry-funded scientific research is growing, according to a new study co-authored by researchers in the Tobacco Control Research Group at the University of Bath, University of Colorado and University of Bristol.

    The researchers aimed to understand the extent to which the public trusts Philip Morris International’s involvement in science. They asked 1,580 U.K. residents were asked to rate their level of trust in: PMI, the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (recently rebranded as Global Action to End Smoking), or Cancer Research UK (CRUK), on a scale from 1 (no trust) to 7 (complete trust). CRUK was selected as a control group as a highly trusted scientific organization, wholly independent from the tobacco industry.

    Overall trust in PMI was 4.66, compared to 5.79 out of 7 in CRUK. Overall trust for the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World was 5.04. After participants were informed that FSFW is funded by the tobacco industry, the overall trust rating dropped to 4.77.

    “This work is important because tobacco companies use their involvement in science as ‘proof’ that they are credible research organizations,” said lead author Tess Legg in a statement. “They also funnel research funds through third-party companies and historically this has involved attempts to obscure their involvement in the resulting science.”

    The study’s authors warn against acceptance of tobacco industry funding and dissemination of scientific findings

    “As it stands, FSFW still has an immense amount of money from PMI at its disposal and so the risk of it continuing to further the industry’s interests is high,” Legg said. “Our findings suggest that more needs to be done by the tobacco control and public health communities to help the U.K. public understand how underhand the tobacco industry’s attempts to rebrand really are, and to stop scientific front groups from muddying the water by lending the industry an air of credibility.”

  • PMTA Filed for Njoy ACE 2.0 With Age Check

    PMTA Filed for Njoy ACE 2.0 With Age Check

    Njoy, a subsidiary of Altria, submitted a supplemental premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the commercialization and marketing of its ACE 2.0 device.

    The new device includes access restriction technology designed to prevent underage use. This is achieved through Bluetooth connectivity, which authenticates the user before unlocking the device. The company has also re-submitted PMTAs for blueberry- and watermelon-flavored pod products, which are exclusively compatible with the Njoy ACE 2.0 device.

    “Altria’s Vision is to responsibly lead the transition of adult smokers to a smoke-free future. We’re excited to build on our existing FDA-authorized products,” said Njoy President and CEO Shannon Leistra in a statement. “Njoy ACE 2.0 includes critical technology features to prevent underage access to flavored Njoy products while also responsibly providing flavored options for adult smokers and vapers.”

    The Njoy ACE is the only pod-based vaping product currently with marketing authorization from the FDA. In the first quarter of 2024, Njoy announced it had broadened distribution to over 80,000 stores and expects to expand to approximately 100,000 stores by year-end.

    Njoy also continued the roll-out of the brand’s first retail trade program, which is designed to help achieve optimal retail visibility and product fixture space.

    “Given the widespread illicit flavored e-vapor marketplace, this product offers the FDA a sound solution for balancing the known risk to youth with an opportunity to offer adults legal, regulated choices,” said Paige Magness, senior vice president of regulatory affairs of Altria Client Services. “We hope the FDA prioritizes the review and authorization of this application given its interest in device access restriction technologies to reduce youth access.”

    The Njoy had previously received marketing denial orders for its blueberry (2.4% and 5% nicotine strengths) and watermelon (2.4% and 5% nicotine strengths) pods.

    Njoy believes its latest applications sufficiently address the FDA’s concerns regarding underage use by incorporating device age and identity-based access restriction and demonstrating that these restrictions are effective at preventing underage access in virtually all cases. Currently, the FDA has not authorized the marketing of any non-tobacco-flavored vaping product.

  • Cigar Group to Reach Out at Party Gatherings

    Cigar Group to Reach Out at Party Gatherings

    The Premium Cigar Association (PCA), in collaboration with the Cigar Association of America (CAA) and Drew Estate Cigars, will be holding outreach events in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 16, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. during the Republican National Convention, and in Chicago, Illinois, on August 20, 2024, also from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. during the Democratic National Convention.

    “This will be an exciting time for the Milwaukee area, and our small businesses are ready to greet convention attendees during this special event and throughout convention week. We look forward to partnering with the PCA, CAA, and Drew Estate to unite people,” said Paul Groh, owner of Metro Cigars and PCA Executive Board member.

    The upcoming events will take place at PCA member locations: Metro Cigars Germantown in Wisconsin and Up Down Cigar in Chicago. These events will gather elected officials, candidates, and political figures from all over the country. Each event aims to bring together more than 100 people for social discussions on important issues, all while enjoying premium cigars.

    “It is important that the premium cigar industry has a presence at these key political events, and it is exciting to host an event for both parties at PCA member locations to showcase the essence of specialty tobacco retailing,” says Joshua Habursky, interim executive director/head of Government Affairs for the PCA.

  • Executive Appointments at Ispire

    Executive Appointments at Ispire

    Photo: Ink Drop

    Ispire Technology has appointed Jim McCormick chief financial officer. The company also announced the appointments of John Patterson as senior vice president of international nicotine; Dennis Lider as senior vice president of cannabis product sales; and David Hessler as senior vice president of operations.

    McCormick has more than three decades of diverse leadership experience to his new role. He started his career in public accounting with KPMG Peat Marwick in 1989, transitioning to consumer goods with Mid-America Pepsi-Cola and later joining BAT’s associate company Brown & Williamson Tobacco in 1992. At BAT, he held various international general management and CFO positions across Europe, South America, Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Northern Africa.

    Patterson has more than 25 years of extensive experience in the tobacco and next-generation nicotine categories, spanning both U.S. domestic and international markets, notably in the U.K. and the EU. Beginning his career at Altria, Patterson has since held pivotal roles across Europe for Philip Morris International, NJOY and most recently Juul Labs, where he served as senior director and country manager for the United Kingdom.

    With more than 20 years of CPG sales leadership experience, Lider boasts over a decade of executive leadership in revenue management. Since 2019, he has held senior-level positions with publicly traded cannabis companies, overseeing wholesale, retail and distribution sales functions. Lider brings a wealth of experience in international market expansions, corporate business development, global sales management and channel diversification.

    Hessler, senior vice president of operations, began his career in California’s shipping industry after graduating from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. He went to Moscow in 1992, where he spent two decades in the global cigarette industry with PMI and JTI. Hessler led At JTI’s global supply chain organization’s customer service department in Geneva, managing operations across 190 markets with over 5,000 SKUs.

    “We’re thrilled to announce this significant talent upgrade at Ispire as we gear up for rapid expansion both domestically and internationally,” said Ispire Co-CEO Michael Wang in a statement.

  • Social Media Use Linked to Youth Vaping

    Social Media Use Linked to Youth Vaping

    Photo: Alessandro Biascioli

    In a recent study published in Thorax, researchers found associations between the use of social media platforms and the risk of combustible cigarette smoking and vaping among youth.

    The study,  is based on a survey of almost 11,000 young British people ages 10 to 25 who were tracked from 2015 through 2021.

    Overall, 8.5 percent said they currently smoked, 2.5 percent said they vaped and about 1 percent did both,

    How much time they spent on TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms tracked well with their odds of smoking or vaping, the study found.

    Just 2 percent of people who reported no social media use engaged in cigarette smoking, but that rose to 17 percent among those who said they were on social media seven-plus hours per day.

    Similarly, less than 1 percent of those who avoided social media vaped compared to 2.5 percent of those who used it seven or more hours daily.

    Graham Wheeler, honorary senior lecturer in the Imperial Clinical Trials Unit at Imperial College London and statistics director for Statistical Innovation in Specialty and Primary Care at GSK, said the results of this large study are similar to the findings of other research into the association of social media use and smoking habits.

    “However, the researchers didn’t record the social media platforms used or how the users interacted with friends on these platforms. For example, are stronger associations seen amongst users of TikTok or Instagram compared to Whatsapp?” Wheeler was quoted as saying by HealthDay.

    “Social media use is self-reported so may not be an accurate record of actual use.

    “The researchers also assessed how the interaction of social media use and variables such as age, household income and sex were associated with cigarette and e-cigarette use. However, they did not report the interaction of social media use with parental use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes, which is one of the strongest variables associated with children’s smoking habits. We don’t know if this trend of higher odds of being a smoker increasing with social media usage changes when comparing children of parents who are smokers and children of parents who are not smokers.

    “This survey reports responses given at a single point in time rather than following nonsmokers over time to see if the likelihood of them taking up cigarette smoking or e-cigarette use is associated with increasing levels of social media use.”

  • Tobacco Earnings Jump

    Tobacco Earnings Jump

    Photo: Taco Tuinstra

    Malawi earned $81.2 million from tobacco sales in the four weeks that ended May 10—83.3 percent more than in the same period last year, reports Xinhua.

    The Tobacco Commission estimates that tobacco growers will bring 140 million kg to market this year, representing a 17 percent increase over last year’s production of around 125 million kilograms. The regulator said that 30 million kilograms have been sold since the markets opened in April, a 47.5 percent increase over the same period last year.

    “The seasonal average price has also increased by 28 percent to an average of 2.7 dollars per kilogram, compared to 2.11 dollars per kilogram last year,” the commission said.

    Tobacco exports accounted for $389 million dollars of Malawi’s $1.1 billion exports in 2023, according to the country’s National Statistics Office.