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  • Meerapfel Cigar Raises $75K for Charity

    Meerapfel Cigar Raises $75K for Charity

    The Meerapfel family—owners of Meerapfel Cigar—raised a total of $75,000 at three private charity events last week, donating proceeds to Latet, an Israeli nonprofit organization that provides aid to those living in poverty and starvation.

    Hosted at a New York restaurant and two private residences in Miami, a single box of 25 Meerapfel Création de Coeur cigars, which were created especially for charitable functions, was auctioned at each event. The high-end belicoso-shaped cigars measurd 5 1/4 inches by 52 ring gauge and were covered in the rare Cameroon wrapper the Meerapfel family is famous for.  

    “It brings joy to our hearts knowing that these cigars will significantly improve the life of thousands of children who are fighting starvation and extreme poverty,” company vice president Reinhard Pohorec said. “We not only believe but are reassured that by sharing our passion, opening our hearts and our resources, we can make a real difference in the lives of others. We are moved by the generosity and warmth of the noble donors.”

  • Report: Dutch Flavor Ban is Working

    Report: Dutch Flavor Ban is Working

    According to its first evaluation, the Dutch health institute RIVM says The Netherlands’ ban on flavored e-cigarettes and vapes has been successful with one out of five vapers quitting.

    The RIVM surveyed more than 500 adolescents and young adults and more than 450 adults about their vaping. About 40% said that they have reduced their use of e-cigarettes due to the ban that took effect last year. About 22% said they stopped vaping altogether. According to the report, daily use of vapes decreased from 29 to 18%, weekly use dropped from 30 to 14%, and monthly use from 42 to 16%.

    Most consumers, according to the RIVM, who stopped vaping did not look for substitutes, such as buying flavors via the illegal market or switching to more harmful products. Those who did opt for illegal flavors mainly sourced them from physical stores in Germany.

  • Cuban Tobacco Crops Continue to be Down

    Cuban Tobacco Crops Continue to be Down

    According to a report from Agencia Cubana de Noticias, Cuban farmers have only planted 10,378 hectares of tobacco through February, close to the revised target of 10,500 hectares set in September 2024, but well below the initial goal of 14,771 hectares.

    Cuba’s tobacco production has still not recovered since Hurricane Ian hit in 2022. In the fall of 2021, Tabacuba said that it planned to plant more than 16,000 hectares in Pinar del Río and harvest 17,600 tons. The 2023-2024 crop was originally targeted at nearly 13,000 hectares but was reduced to 10,200 hectares.

    “Since Hurricane Ian ravaged Pinar del Río, Cuba’s main growing region has been rebuilding,” Charlie Minato wrote for Halfwheel. “It was estimated that 90% of the curing barns in the province were damaged, something that remains an issue today. Osvaldo Santana Vera of Tabacuba, the state-owned company in charge of tobacco production, told ACN that he was hoping for more wood deliveries, which would allow for more curing barns and could increase the size of the crop. In addition, heavy rains in September 2024 led to the destruction of 10,000 seed beds and pushed back some of the planting until earlier this month.”

  • Study Warns Flavored Nicotine May Be More Addictive

    Study Warns Flavored Nicotine May Be More Addictive

    Certain nicotine flavors could be more addictive than others, according to researchers from the Yale School of Medicine, who found that rats preferred the combination of flavorings and nicotine to just the flavorings or unflavored nicotine on their own. The study suggests that sweeteners play a greater role in nicotine preference for females, while flavors are more influential for males.

    Published in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research, the effects of the sweeteners sucrose and saccharin, as well as the commonly used flavor additive cinnamaldehyde (the principal chemical of cinnamon) in nicotine were tested on rats. Female rats showed the highest nicotine preference when combined with sucrose, while males preferred nicotine combined with cinnamon. They also found menthol flavoring increases oral nicotine intake in male rats but not in females.

    The study says that although flavors do not significantly impact nicotine absorption, they significantly influence user satisfaction and increase the likelihood that people will continue using nicotine products.

  • Last-Second Petition Filed to Stop Flavor Ban in Denver

    Last-Second Petition Filed to Stop Flavor Ban in Denver

    One day before a flavored tobacco ban is set to go into effect in Denver, vape and tobacco store owners have filed a petition with more than 17,000 signatures asking to delay the ban so voters can decide on it in November’s election. Less than 9,500 signatures are required to get a question on the ballot.

    “It asks if the ban should be upheld and we are saying no, it should not be,” Phil Guerin, Owner of Myxed Up Creations and president of the Smoke-Free Alliance Colorado said about the potential ballot question. “Let’s let the voters decide. I feel like city council has made a lot of bad decisions when it comes to the economy and just the future of our city. We’re here to stand up for our city and stand up for what we believe in.”

    Vape store owners and manufacturers argued that city council members rushed the ban on flavored tobacco purchases as last year ended, and that the city will miss out on $13 million in annual revenue if the ban is upheld.

    According to KDVR’s Gabrielle Franklin, those against the ban would face major opposition, though, as “the City Council’s near-unanimous decision and signature into law by Denver Mayor Mike Johnston to end the sale of flavored tobacco reflect the will of our community, with over 100 organizations endorsing the measure and nearly two-thirds of Denver voters indicating their support.”

  • Nearly $250K in Illegal Nicotine Products Seized in U.K.

    Nearly $250K in Illegal Nicotine Products Seized in U.K.

    Thousands of illegal nicotine products were seized in South West, England, last week as Trading Standards South West (TSSW) and police officers raided 50 locations over five days across the region. Part of Operation CeCe, officials seized 127,371 cigarettes, 65.94kg (2,326 oz) of hand-rolling tobacco, 4,490 vapes, and 2.5kg (88 oz) of shisha, all illegal, with a total value of £186,000 ($241,800).

    “Members of [the] public need to be aware of [the] serious criminal association that these products have to criminal gangs,” said Ben Hayes, the regional illegal tobacco and vape lead at TSSW. “I urge anyone with concerns about sales of illegal tobacco and vaping products, including their underage sales, to report them to Trading Standards South West.”

  • Copenhagen Inspections Reveal Widespread Sale of Illicit Products

    Copenhagen Inspections Reveal Widespread Sale of Illicit Products

    Authorities in Denmark said they found illegal tobacco, nicotine, and vape items for sale in 21 out of 22 convenience stores in Copenhagen during a recent round of inspections (called “control visits”) with items reportedly hidden behind paneling, among parcels, behind shelves, and in used chocolate boxes. The products found during the raids are banned because they do not comply with Danish sales laws or because duty had not been paid on them, the Health Ministry said.

    “It makes me angry that so many convenience stores are breaking the law and selling illegal nicotine products. It’s completely unacceptable,” Health Minister Sophie Løhde said. “They are gambling with the health of children and young people when they sell illegal vapes or e-cigarettes that taste like candy but are filled with high amounts of nicotine and can also contain narcotic substances. This has to be stopped.”

    Eighteen of the violators have been fined by at least one authority, while two stores were banned from selling food, according to the ministry.

    “The large-scale operation by authorities in Copenhagen kiosks has revealed massive problems and rule-breaking,” Tax Minister Rasmus Stoklund said. “This is completely unfair on the rest of us. It must be stopped, and we need to crack down hard on people who break the rules.” 

  • Report Outlines the Mozambique Tobacco Industry

    Report Outlines the Mozambique Tobacco Industry

    ResearchAndMarkets.com has released a report on the tobacco industry in Mozambique, including information on production, manufacture and retail, key trends and issues, notable players, trade, and regulations. “Tobacco Industry in Mozambique” also provides information on major influencing factors such as the security situation, economic environment health, environmental issues, and illegal trading. The report includes company profiles of three players including British American Tobacco, Mozambique Leaf Tobacco, and Afro Tobacco Company.

    For marketing trends, it reports on:

    • An increase in tobacco sales revenues
    • Growth in tobacco exports
    • The concession system provides smallholder farmers with a market to sell their tobacco
    • The introduction of seal stamps on tobacco products, to reduce illicit cigarettes
    • The potential for increased tobacco production
  • PM Switzerland Partners to Enhance Visual Merchandising

    PM Switzerland Partners to Enhance Visual Merchandising

    Philip Morris Switzerland, the Swiss affiliate of Philip Morris International, has partnered with LEAFIO AI to enhance its visual merchandising through the implementation of the LEAFIO Shelf Efficiency solution. The collaboration aims to optimize planogram creation, ensuring improved product placement efficiency, and a seamless shopping experience for retailers and consumers alike.

    “At LEAFIO AI, we are committed to empowering CPG manufacturers with cutting-edge technology,” said Andrew Max, CCO of LEAFIO AI. “Our advanced data-driven solutions improve shelf layouts based on deep analytics and worldwide experience; it will support Philip Morris Switzerland’s diverse retail footprint and enhance operational efficiency by reducing manual efforts and enabling quicker decision-making.”

    According to LEAFIO, the company is going to help Philip Morris Switzerland:

    • Streamline planogram creation and optimization to enhance product placement strategies
    • Automate and standardize visual merchandising for improved consistency across

    retail locations

    • Leverage data-driven insights to ensure data-backed decisions that maximize shelf

    performance

    • Enhance collaboration between manufacturers and retail partners by aligning

    planograms with sales and demand trends

  • Study: E-Cigs Have No Significant Impact on Lung Function

    Study: E-Cigs Have No Significant Impact on Lung Function

    A newly published critical umbrella review in Tobacco Use Insights found that there were no statistically significant changes in respiratory function for e-cigarette (EC) users. Conducted by researchers from the Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR), the study highlights the absence of significant short- or medium-term respiratory changes associated with e-cigarette use, regardless of usage patterns.

    Led by Giusy Rita Maria La Rosa, Riccardo Polosa, and Renée O’Leary, the review analyzed 12 systematic reviews on e-cigarette effects, categorizing users into three groups: dual users (who smoke and vape), exclusive users (former smokers who switched to vaping), and naïve users (those who have never smoked but use e-cigarettes).

    “Studies on the latest products on the market have shown reductions in chemical emissions,” said O’Leary. “Across all user categories, there were no statistically significant changes in respiratory function. The five systematic reviews in our analysis concluded that there is no definitive evidence of harm or benefit regardless of the pattern of EC use”

    “Current data do not show significant respiratory variations associated with e-cigarette use in the short or medium term,” La Rosa added. “However, due to the lack of adequate longitudinal studies, no definitive conclusions can be drawn.”

    The researchers said their results, which vary from many others around the industry, can be explained by considering several important factors: acute studies provide data on short-term exposure to e-cigarettes and cannot be used to assess long-term effects; studies do not always account for participants’ smoking history; and individuals with low-frequency e-cigarette use are often grouped together with those who use e-cigarettes more frequently.

    Regarding the quality of the included studies, only five out of 12 reviews were rated as having high or moderate confidence in their findings. Reporting issues were common.

     “The study highlights the importance of distinguishing between different vaping behaviors in future research, as well as addressing methodological weaknesses and biases observed in many previous studies on the topic,” Polosa said. “But it allows us to state once again that vaping cannot be associated to significant changes in respiratory function.”