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  • Dutch Propose Raising Nicotine Purchasing Age to 21

    Dutch Propose Raising Nicotine Purchasing Age to 21

    The minimum age for purchasing cigarettes, vapes, and other nicotine products in the Netherlands could increase from 18 to 21, according to a new proposal published by the Ministry of Health on Wednesday (March 12). The Cabinet is also considering the introduction of higher fines for those caught selling vapes illegally and would include measures to reduce the number of places where vapes can be purchased and to require them to be sold in plain packaging.

    According to NL Times, the announcement comes as the Netherlands has seen an increase in the number of young people vaping in recent years. In 2023, almost a quarter of young people between 12 and 16 years old had tried vaping. “The presence of nicotine makes vapes highly addictive. This is not surprising: nicotine is the most addictive drug in existence after heroin and crack,” the ministry said, citing a report from health institute RIVM.

    According to the proposal, the €1,300 first-offense fine for selling vapes online would be increased substantially. Although flavored products are banned and it is illegal to sell tobacco products online, the market is flourishing.

    Vincent Karremans , the Dutch State Secretary for Youth, Prevention and Sport, announced the proposal as part of a larger plan to achieve a smoke-free and nicotine-free generation by 2040. He said the government will increase resources for law enforcement to crack down on the illegal vape trade and will launch a communication campaign in 2025 to educate parents about the dangers of vaping. Karremans wants to earmark €3 million for this purpose.

  • Cresco Labs Shows Record Cash Flow in FY24

    Cresco Labs Shows Record Cash Flow in FY24

    Cresco Labs Inc. today (March 13) released its financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and FY24. For the year, Cresco Labs reported:

    • Revenue of $724 million, record operating cash flow of $132 million, and free cash flowof $114 million.
    • Gross profit of $364 million. Adjusted gross profit of $374 million; and an adjusted gross margin of 52% of revenue, a 270 bps improvement year-over-year.
    • SG&A of $221 million. Reduced Adjusted SG&A by 12% year-over-year to $212 million, or 29% of revenue.
    • Net loss of $60 million which includes one-time, non-cash charges of $66 million, related to the company’s expected benefits from its updated 280E position, as initially described in the second quarter of 2024.
    • Adjusted EBITDA1 of $200 million, up 15% year-over-year; and Adjusted EBITDA margin1 of 28%, a nearly 510 bps improvement year-over-year.

    “In 2024, the team executed with discipline—streamlining operations, prioritizing profitability, and generating record free cash flow,” said Charlie Bachtell, Cresco Labs CEO and co-founder. “With $132 million in operating cash flow, a leading brand position in our core markets, and retail productivity that outperforms the industry, our foundation is stronger than ever. In 2025, we’re extending our focus to strategically deploy capital to create growth and maximize returns for the years ahead. It’s a straightforward approach: execute at the highest level, generate cash, reinvest in high-ROI opportunities, and repeat.

    “Kentucky is our first of these new market expansions—a strategic addition backed by clear regulations. As one of only two Tier 3 cultivators, we have up to 25,000 square feet of canopy, representing more than 20% of the state’s total allocation. This allows us to scale efficiently, serve patients quickly, and reinvest in our operations—just as we have in Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Congratulations to the Cresco team on a phenomenal 2024 and Let’s Go in 2025!”

  • Study: Menthol Cigarettes Linked to Higher Death Risk

    Study: Menthol Cigarettes Linked to Higher Death Risk

    A study recently published in Tobacco Control journal says menthol cigarette smokers had a higher risk of dying from any health cause compared to non-menthol cigarette smokers, in what the researchers claim is the largest and most comprehensive study of its kind.

    The report said, among former smokers, those who smoked menthol cigarettes showed:

    • 12% higher risk of death from all causes
    • 16% higher risk from cardiovascular diseases
    • 13% higher risk from coronary artery disease
    •  43% higher risk from other heart diseases

    “Mortality risks were shown to be especially high for individuals who quit smoking or smoked 40 or more menthol cigarettes per day,” the study said. “In addition, Black Americans who currently smoke menthol cigarettes face an 88% elevated risk of mortality from some heart diseases compared to those smoking non-menthol cigarettes.”

    While smoking rates have declined overall, the study said menthol cigarettes continue to rise in popularity with Blacks, women, and youth. “Menthol cigarettes represented 36% of the market among major manufacturers in 2022—the highest percentage since reporting began in 1963.” The popularity of menthol extends beyond cigarettes, with vape and flavored nicotine pouches also available.

    For the report, researchers followed nearly a million people from the Cancer Prevention Study II, tracking their health over six years. Of the participants, 73,486 smoked menthol cigarettes and 281,680 smoked non-menthol cigarettes. In that time, 4,071 menthol smokers and 20,738 non-menthol smokers died.

  • North Dakota Rejects Tobacco Tax Increase

    North Dakota Rejects Tobacco Tax Increase

    Representatives in the North Dakota House rejected a bill Wednesday (March 12) that would raise taxes on nicotine products with the funds earmarked for a tobacco distribution fund. Senate Bill 2281 would have raised taxes on cigarettes by 25 cents a pack and levied higher taxes on vapes, chewing tobacco, and other nicotine products.

    The bill had passed in the Senate, but this week the House Finance and Taxation Committee took a closer look at the idea and said in some cases tobacco goods could be taxed twice and create larger black market sales.

    “If a tax policy was bad last month, it’s still bad today,” Rep. Ty Dressler said. “Senate Bill 2281 implements a large tax increase and a regressive one at that. Most of the impact falls on those that can afford it the least. It may harm retailers, increase black market trade, and weaken economic growth.”

  • RLX to Release Financials Tomorrow

    RLX to Release Financials Tomorrow

    RLX Technology Inc. announced it will release its fourth quarter and FY24 unaudited financial results on Friday, March 14, 2025. The e-vapor company will host an earnings conference call at 8 a.m. EST. Participants should dial in 10 minutes early and request to be connected to “RLX Technology Inc.” using the following dial-in information:

    Dial-In Details:

    • United States (toll free): +1-888-317-6003
    • International: +1-412-317-6061
    • Hong Kong, China (toll free): +800-963-976
    • Hong Kong, China: +852-5808-1995
    • Mainland China: 400-120-6115

    Participant Code: 7971219

    A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company’s investor relations website at https://ir.relxtech.com. A replay of the call will be accessible until March 21, 2025. To access the replay, dial the following numbers:

    • United States: +1-877-344-7529
    • International: +1-412-317-0088

    Replay Access Code: 5229492

  • Kentucky Retailer License Bill Passes House

    Kentucky Retailer License Bill Passes House

    With Wednesday’s House vote of 82-11 on S.B. 100, Kentucky moved a step closer to forcing retailers who sell nicotine to have a license. The House made some changes to the bill that the Senate approved in February —that the Senate will have to vote on — but kept the licensing requirements laid out by Sen. Jimmy Higdon in place.

    Under the bill, Kentucky would license all retailers who sell tobacco and vape products, giving the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control inspection and enforcement powers over them, similar to those it exercises over alcohol retailers. It would also fine retailers who sell nicotine products to minors and give half the money collected in fines to a youth prevention program.

  • BAT Gives Notice of Annual Meeting 

    BAT Gives Notice of Annual Meeting 

    BAT announced that it has published its Notice of Annual General Meeting 2025 on its website ahead of the meeting on April 16. The following documents are being mailed and made available to its shareholders today (March 13):

    1)    Annual Report and Form 20-F 2024 (including the Strategic Report 2024) www.bat.com/annualreport

    2)    Combined Performance and Sustainability Summary 2024 www.bat.com/annualreport

    3)    AGM Notice 2025 www.bat.com/AGM

    4)    Proxy Form 

    5)    Proxy Form – South Africa 

    6)    Voting Instruction Form – South Africa

    Click here for details on document submissions and local compliance.

  • La Galera’s Year of the Snake Coming to U.S.

    La Galera’s Year of the Snake Coming to U.S.

    Released earlier this year in Asia, La Galera announced that its limited-edition Year of the Snake cigar will be available in the United States April 2.

    “The cigars are made by Jochy Blanco at his Tabacalera Palma factory in the Dominican Republic,” Gregory Mottola writes for Cigar Aficionado. “Blanco also grew all the Dominican tobacco in the blend. La Galera Year of the Snake measures 7 inches by 47 ring gauge—a standard Churchill size—and is composed of a Mexican San Andrés wrapper, Dominican Olor binder and filler blend of all-Dominican leaf: Criollo ’98, Olor, Piloto Cubano and the hard-to-grow Pelo de Oro varietal. According to Blanco, it’s a full-bodied blend.”

    Each mahogany box is decorated with stamped leather made to resemble snakeskin and comes with a two-finger leather cigar case. La Galera did not indicate what portion of the 2,025 produced boxes will be allocated to the U.S. market, where it will have a suggested retail price of $430 per 10-count box.

  • Report: 200 Influencers Illegally Promoted Nicotine in France

    Report: 200 Influencers Illegally Promoted Nicotine in France

    More than 200 social media influencers have illegally promoted nicotine products from tobacco companies to millions of people in the last five years, according to a report from the French Alliance Against Tobacco (ACT). Promoting tobacco products in France was outlawed in 1991 and expanded in 2016. In 2023, a new French law specified that online influencers cannot directly or indirectly promote nicotine products.

    The ACT report, however, found that such content had been promoted by 229 French-speaking influencers who participated in competitions, events, and partnerships with nicotine companies, reaching 24 million people since 2019. Most of the influencers had between 1,000 to 20,000 followers, allowing the companies to “promote their products in a subtle and indirect way,” the report said.

    An example cited in the report said Imperial Brands invited 52 influencers to festive events to promote a product containing nicotine.

    “It is unacceptable that the tobacco industry continues to circumvent the law to promote its products on social media, with complete impunity,” Marion Catellin, the director of ACT, said. “Their goal is not to create a ‘smoke-free world,’ but to attract young people and make them addicted to nicotine.”

  • NewCo Funding Clean Water in Kenya

    NewCo Funding Clean Water in Kenya

    NewCo announced a new initiative where it donates $300 to provide clean and safe water to Masaai communities in rural Kenya for every container of African-origin tobacco it sells.

    “As we celebrate 20 years of proudly serving our suppliers and customers, we want to give back to the communities that make our work possible,” NewCo owner Rainer Busch said. “Over 40% of Kenya’s rural population lacks access to clean drinking water, forcing families – especially women and children – to walk long distances daily just to fetch water. Many rely on contaminated sources, leading to severe health risks like cholera and dysentery.

    “With your support, we can fund sustainable water solutions; improving health, reducing hardship, and empowering entire communities.”

    NewCo is also accepting donations for the cause, with Busch saying, “Any amount, big or small, can accelerate our impact.”