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  • Washington Lawmakers Take Another Shot at Banning Flavors

    Washington Lawmakers Take Another Shot at Banning Flavors

    Efforts to ban flavored tobacco products in the state of Washington were revived Monday (April 7), as a bill to do so got a House committee hearing after the effort was previously assumed dead. Lawmakers rolled out twin bills aimed at nearly every product that contains tobacco or nicotine.

    House Bill 2068 and its Senate counterpart, SB 5803, call for a statewide ban on the sale of all flavored tobacco and nicotine products (e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco, hookah, cigars, menthols, nicotine pouches, and menthol cigarettes). They also call for an extra $2 in tax on every pack of cigarettes. If passed, Washington would leap into the top tier of states with the highest cigarette taxes, going from $3.025 per pack to $5.025. The tax would be tied to inflation and adjusted every three years to keep pace with rising costs. Other tobacco and vapor products, including alternative nicotine options like nicotine pouches, would also see steep tax hikes, up to 95% of the product’s taxable sales price.

    “These products don’t contribute to the social well-being of our communities,” said Rep. Kristine Reeves, the bill’s main sponsor. “They definitely don’t contribute to the health and well-being of our children. And I would love for you to join me in helping find a path forward to make sure that the next generation is not getting hooked on tobacco.”

    Reeves pushed similar restrictions in another bill this session which failed to move forward.

  • Miami Cigar Launches New Brand: Outcast Cigars

    Miami Cigar Launches New Brand: Outcast Cigars

    Miami Cigar & Co. announced the launch of a new brand, Outcast Cigars, which will debut at this year’s PCA25 trade show. It said, “the brand is built for those who defy the norm, embrace boldness, and live on their own terms.”

    Outcast Cigars will feature a rare Brazilian Cubra wrapper, a hybrid of Cuban-seed Corojo—often called Brazilian Habano—paired with a spicy Ecuadorian Sumatra binder and premium Dominican filler. “The resulting cigar is a complex, smooth, and unforgettable smoke with notes of cedar, hay, and chocolate,” the company said.

    “We created this cigar for those who defy the norm and embrace the journey less traveled,” said Jason Wood, vice president of sales and marketing for Miami Cigar. “Outcast Cigars forges its own path—bold, unapologetic, and destined for greatness. Outcast Cigars isn’t just a smoke; it’s a statement.”

    Presale begins at PCA 2025 with shipping slated for June 2025. Outcast Cigars will be available in four sizes (Robusto 5×50, Corona Gorda 6×47, Toro 5.5×54, and Gran Toro 6×58), each packaged in sleek 10-count boxes.

  • ALP Announces Two Online Partners for Pouches

    ALP Announces Two Online Partners for Pouches

    ALP Supply Co. LLC announced yesterday that it entered into a one-year agreement to use Nicokick and Northerner as its preferred online distribution partners in the U.S. for its nicotine pouches. ALP is a new venture jointly owned by Turning Point Brands and Tucker Carlson Network (TCN), while Nicokick and Northerner are both owned by Haypp Group.

    “As the leading online retailer for nicotine pouches, we’ve seen firsthand which products resonate with adult consumers,” said Sarah Krysalka, Senior Director of Commercial Partnerships and External Affairs at Haypp Group. “Based on our consumer research, we know ALP is set to be a huge success, and we’re proud to be ALP’s preferred online partner. This partnership not only expands ALP’s reach but also strengthens our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of adult consumers by providing a range of modern nicotine alternatives to traditional tobacco products.”

    One of the newest brands on the market, ALP nicotine pouches come in three strengths—3mg, 6mg, and 9mg—and four flavors, Chilled Mint, Mountain Wintergreen, Refreshing Chill, and Tropical Fruit. A limited introductory price will be available in both online stores.

    “The ALP movement is already proving unstoppable in the industry. Now, with our preferred online partnership with Nicokick and Northerner, even more adult consumers will have access to the best nicotine pouch in the market,” ALP co-founder Tucker Carlson said. “Shipped directly to doors, this partnership makes it easy for our fans. Nicokick’s loyalty program also offers our most enthusiastic customers more rewards.”

  • Rob Maneson Named CCO of Casa 1910

    Rob Maneson Named CCO of Casa 1910

    Yesterday (April 7), Casa 1910 announced the hiring of cigar industry veteran Rob Maneson to be its new global chief commercial officer.

    “Rob’s deep industry experience and strategic mindset will be instrumental in taking Casa 1910 to new heights,” said Serge Bollag, co-founder of Casa 1910, in a press release. “We are excited to have him on board as we continue to expand and share our passion for premium cigars with the world.”

    Most recently, Maneson was the president of the Americas for League of Fat Bastards Cigars, and previously was with Imperial Brands, serving as the head of the company’s two retail arms, Casa de Montecristo and later JR Cigar.

    “I’m thrilled to be joining Casa 1910, a brand that is redefining what it means to be a premium cigar company with deep Mexican heritage,” said Maneson. “The company’s commitment to craftsmanship and innovation aligns perfectly with my passion for building brands and growing businesses in the premium cigar space. I look forward to working with the team to expand Casa 1910’s reach worldwide.”

  • Spain Gets First-Ever Juan Lopez Cigar

    Spain Gets First-Ever Juan Lopez Cigar

    For the first time in Cuba’s Regional Edition program, a Juan Lopez cigar is being exclusively made for Spain. The Juan Lopez Cincuenta y Cuatro, which translates to the number 54 in Spanish, refers to the cigar’s relatively thick ring gauge, measuring 4 3/4 inches by 54 ring gauge.

    The cigars have a suggested retail price of €22 each or €220 per box of 10, and only 50,000 boxes are being produced. According to Spain’s official Habanos distributor, Tabacalera S.L.U., these are medium-to-full-bodied cigars.

    “Once a much larger brand, the now small Cuban Juan Lopez line consists of only a few regular-production sizes, and only sees new releases through limited editions, anniversary humidors or Regional Editions such as this,” Gregory Mottola wrote for Cigar Aficionado. “One of the cigar’s defining details is its band. The Cincuenta y Cuatro does not have the traditional Juan Lopez band found on the core line, but is adorned with a customized variation made just for this release. The central motif is different, emphasizing the name of the cigar. And two gold medals have been added to each side, one depicting the original Juan Lopez design and the other, an embossment of the Palace of the Captains General, a Colonial Baroque building located in Old Havana.”

  • Tobacco Bootleggers, Police Becoming More Creative

    Tobacco Bootleggers, Police Becoming More Creative

    Tobacco bootleggers are becoming more inventive in their methods of storing and transporting goods, and thus, police and enforcement officials are adapting in the ways they catch them. The seizure of illegal tobacco products in Hull, England, doubled last year, according to the city council, with more than 2.4 million counterfeit cigarettes confiscated, along with 45,731 illegal vapes, and 25,841 tobacco pouches.

    Detection dogs have uncovered illicit tobacco in numerous sophisticated hiding places, including a compartment inside a concrete drain, a delivery chute from an upstairs flat, a false mirror, and a floor safe with a hidden hydraulic lift, the council said.

    Rachel Stephenson, head of public protection at the council, said seizures ranged from small traders to “major distributors in the city.” One raid found thousands of counterfeit products hidden inside an industrial bin.

    “Our team and our partners demonstrate over and over again that they stay a step ahead of those trading illegal tobacco and vapes,” Stephenson said.

  • Young Asians Moving from Cigarettes to Vape

    Young Asians Moving from Cigarettes to Vape

    Young people in Southeast Asia are moving from smoking cigarettes to vaping and heated tobacco products (HTPs) instead, a survey of consumer research and data analytics from Milieu Insight said. It surveyed more than 18,000 legal-age adults across Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia, studying their consumption trends, flavor preferences, purchase channels, reasons for use, and future adoption.

    “The study shows some key factors influencing this trend,” said Gerald Ang, Milieu Insight’s chief operating officer. “One key factor is the variety of flavor, with fruit and menthol flavor dominating consumer choice in alternative nicotine products.

    “E-cigarettes and heated tobacco products being ‘cheaper’ is also an important reason for using alternative nicotine products.”

    Even though Singapore has banned the use of alternative nicotine products, they are still prevalent among people aged 21 to 29, the survey found, with 7.8% in that age group use vapes and HTPs, while 5.7% smoke cigarettes. The study also found that in Singapore, 43% bought these products from online shopping and messaging platforms, 29% bought the alternative nicotine products from friends and family, and 19% bought them on social media platforms.

    Ang said the study shows that e-cigarette and HTP use in the region is expected to grow, as a sizeable portion of smokers indicated that they were likely to use alternative nicotine products in the next six months.

    In Vietnam, which has also banned these alternative nicotine products, 9.2% of people in the 25 to 34 age bracket are vaping. And in Malaysia, 14.8% of young people between 20 and 29 are using e-cigarettes and HTPs.

  • Arizona Retailers Claim They Were Duped by Altria Rep

    Arizona Retailers Claim They Were Duped by Altria Rep

    Several Arizona e-cigarette retailers claim they were duped into signing a petition to ban flavored vapes in the state by a representative of Altria. Casey Chanda, the manager of a liquor store, told The Arizona Republic that a representative for the tobacco giant showed up at his shop offering a list of flavored vapes that would be banned under a bill being proposed in the state Legislature. Chanda said he was told he had to sign something to receive the list.

    The next day, Chanda said he saw his store was officially registered on the Legislature’s website as being in support of a bill that would allow only the 34 vape devices currently authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to be sold. Those 34 products are all made by either Altria, R.J. Reynolds, or Japan Tobacco International, The Arizona Republic reported.

    Chanda said he “flipped out” and called his Marlboro rep.

    “I said, ‘Why the f— would I want to stop selling the vapes?’” he said. “‘Do you know how much money I make?’”

    The store is one of nearly 40 liquor and convenience stores that signed “for” Senate Bill 1603 on the Legislature’s “Request to Speak” system, which allows people to add their names and affiliations to support or oppose a bill. The system helps lawmakers decide how to vote on bills.

    Including Chanda, four of five store owners or managers of liquor and convenience stores contacted by The Arizona Republic said they did not intentionally sign up to support the bill.

    Mike Takrouri, owner of Party Stop Market said his Altria rep said the bill would stop the sale of menthol cigarettes. “Then I found it was not about the menthol cigarettes, it was about the vapes,” he said. “I feel like they were not honest from the beginning.” He said he asked the rep to take his name off the Legislature’s site because he’s not in support of the bill, but as of April 7, it was still there.

    Phil Butler, general manager of Chandler Oil One said that during a recent meeting with his Altria rep about the bill, “the way they presented it to me was not right.”

    “I don’t support it,” he said. “When I signed up for it, I wasn’t given all the information on it.

    “It’s Big Tobacco trying to use the legal system to go after these smaller companies, because they’re taking their profits,” he said, adding that his store profits about $2,500 per month on the flavored vape devices, which outsell “Big Tobacco’s” vape products and have a better margin.

    The Arizona Republic said Altria did not respond to requests for comment from the newspaper about these incidents.

  • Zimbabwe Growers Warned Against Illegal Tobacco Seeds 

    Zimbabwe Growers Warned Against Illegal Tobacco Seeds 

    Researchers have warned against illegal tobacco seed imports, which could destroy Zimbabwe’s viable tobacco sector, which was recently earmarked to grow to a $5 billion industry. In a recent notice, Kutsaga Research said the institution had received numerous reports of illegal imports and sales of uncertified flue-cured tobacco seed varieties.

    “This includes some unprescribed old fertile lines and varieties and also landraces purportedly sold as Kutsaga hybrids,” Kutsaga officials said. “Unfortunately, growers who have cultivated these varieties have suffered huge economic losses due to their inherently low or poor agronomic attributes which result in crop and leaf that falls short of market standards for flue-cured tobacco.”

    An illegal variety is that which has not been prescribed and approved by the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) on the recommendation of the Tobacco Research Board (TRB) for commercial production in Zimbabwe. Kutsaga Research said its unique tobacco attributes were safeguarded by proven and widely adapted locally bred genetics as well as tested and approved foreign varieties.

    Kutsaga said its rigorous industry-wide testing protocols (including agronomic, chemical, smoke quality) guarantee the sought-after quality of all tobacco varieties bred locally or imported in Zimbabwe.

    A farmer from Gutu, Masvingo, is counting his losses after unknowingly buying cigar wrapper type seed from unauthorized and unscrupulous sources, thinking it was flue cured, only to realize the mistake at reaping. The same unfortunate circumstances extended to farmers in Gokwe South and Karoi, who planted varieties that did not align with any recognized tobacco strains.

    Kutsaga Research has warned that growers and merchants will inadvertently suffer financial losses through yield penalties, increased cost in pests and disease control and low value leaf crop (or filler styles).

    “The net effect is that, at the household level, this compromises family income and food security, and at national level, it results in low foreign currency receipts and this goes against the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan and its tenets towards a $5 billion-dollar revenue from the crop,” the institution said.

  • USN&WR Runs Down Last Week’s Federal Cuts

    USN&WR Runs Down Last Week’s Federal Cuts

    Today, U.S. News and World Report is running down the major anti-smoking efforts that have been shut down or paused by the U.S. government, most notably the CDC’s popular “Tips From Former Smokers” ad campaign. The program, which began in 2012, features real people who suffered health damage from smoking.

    “We estimate the Tips campaign generated nearly 2.1 million additional calls to 1-800-QUIT-NOW during 2012-2023,” researchers wrote. The CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health, which led work on smoking cessation and research into youth tobacco use, was also cut. Now, with the CDC’s tobacco office staff cut, the campaign may go off the air, a former employee said.

    Former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden, now president of the global health organization Resolve to Save Lives, called the decision a “gift to Big Tobacco.” He told NBC News that, “the only winner here is the tobacco industry and cancer cells.”

    Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made major cuts to tobacco control offices at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dozens of workers were let go, including Brian King, the FDA’s top tobacco regulator.

    In 2023, the CDC gave more than $84 million to state health departments to run quitlines and help smokers quit. Thirteen states may lose at least 30% of their funding, and five states — Connecticut, New Jersey, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia — rely on the CDC for at least 75% of their quitline support, NBC News said.

    Other losses include research projects on tobacco use and the National Youth Tobacco Survey, which tracks smoking and vaping trends among teens. This survey first identified a spike in youth vaping in 2018.

    Kevin Caron, another fired CDC employee, helped trace the deadly 2019 vaping outbreak to vitamin E acetate in fake THC vapes. He said at least five major research projects may end “unless people just independently decide in their free time that they’re going to try to work on them.”

    Despite the cuts, HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said tobacco efforts would continue and that the move was part of a larger plan to “streamline operations, enhance responsiveness to the American people, and ultimately improve the nation’s health as part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative.”