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  • Cigar Brand Wrap-Up

    Cigar Brand Wrap-Up

    Put on by The Premium Cigar Association, the PCA 2025 Trade Show is one of the biggest events of the year in the cigar industry, with more than 250 manufacturers of premium cigars, tobacco, and accessories showing their goods for thousands of attendees. The show opens today (April 11) in New Orleans and promises to be four days of action as manufacturers offer deals to retailers for the coming year, with many companies announcing new lines. Below is a (partial) list of the cigar brand updates that have been announced this week.

    AJ Fernandez to Release New World Decenio at PCA25 | PCA

    Byron 175th Anniversary to Debut at PCA 2025 | halfwheel

    Caldwell Releasing New The King is Dead Escape Plan at PCA 2025 | halfwheel

    Caldwell Bringing Long Live the King Mad Mofo Habano to PCA 2025 | halfwheel

    Camacho Limited Edition 2025 Slated for June | halfwheel

    New Cigars For PCA From E.P. Carrillo | Cigar Aficionado

    Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Collaborates With La Gloria Cubana | Cigar Aficionado

    Ceniza Fina Announces Connecticut Line | halfwheel

    Crowned Heads Launching Broadway Line | Cigar Aficionado

    Deadwood Dominicana Shipping Next Week | halfwheel

    Diesel Launching Limited Edition Backyard Barbecue Series Pullk | halfwheel

    Diesel Whiskey Row Founder’s Collection Raceking Shipping in May | halfwheel

    Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Unveils 2025 Releases Ahead of 10-Year Milestone | PCA

    El Rey del Mundo Introduces Appointment Line | Cigar Aficionado

    Emilio Cigars Limited Edition Static Releasing at PCA25 | PCA

    Espinosa Re-Upping 601 La Bomba Warhead 1 and Warhead 6 Releases | halfwheel

    Espinosa Cigars Expands Knuckle Sandwich Line with All-Nicaraguan Puro | PCA

    Fratello Cigars Launches Puro Collection | Cigar Aficionado

    Foundation Cigar Company Expands The Wise Man with New Lanceros | PCA

    J.C. Newman Dives Into History Books for New Sarzedas Line | halfwheel

    La Flor Dominicana Making Changes To Original Blend | Cigar Aficionado

    Luciano Cigars Crafts Limited Edition Maria Lucia for PCA 2025 | halfwheel

    Gold & Bullet Cigars And Accessories From The OpusX Society | Cigar Aficionado

    Perdomo Cigars Announces Upcoming Perdomo Legacy Release | PCA

    A Romeo y Julieta Made Just For The Kentucky Derby | Cigar Aficionado

    Room101 Celebrates a Decade of Johnny Tobacconaut with Limited Edition Release | halfwheel

  • Two New Webinars for Tobacco Researchers

    Two New Webinars for Tobacco Researchers

    CORESTA announced two new webinars for researchers in the tobacco industry.

    “Techniques for Successful Applied Tobacco Field Research” will be held April 15 at 1 p.m. CET. In its description, CORESTA said, “Tobacco research spans multiple disciplines, each requiring specialized knowledge and protocols. Effective field research in tobacco production shares common principles and practices that ensure reliable and accurate results. This webinar will provide a comprehensive overview of the essential research methodologies for conducting field-based studies in tobacco production.”

    The second webinar is “Tobacco Genetic Resources: The Foundation for a Global Tobacco Industry.” It is described as, “Tobacco genetic resources are the single most important component of the global tobacco industry. This webinar will share insight relative to the North Carolina State University germplasm collection and will present historical flue-cured tobacco variety performance data to highlight the tangible, positive outcome that has helped to sustain leaf production since the 1950s.”

  • Punjab to Get Strict With Public Smoking Ban 

    Punjab to Get Strict With Public Smoking Ban 

    Pakistan’s Prohibition of Smoking Ordinance 2002 outlawed smoking in public, but the law was rarely enforced. The Punjab provincial government is looking to change that, however, ordering strict enforcement across the province, including in Rawalpindi. According to reports, the enforcement will be mostly centered around educational institutions, but will also include government offices, hospitals, shopping malls, and public transport. The Express Tribune reported that violators could face fines ranging from Rs1,000 to Rs100,000 ($3.60 to $360) depending on the severity of the offense.

    The provincial government directed all public institutions, especially those under the School Education Department, to appoint focal persons and trainers for tobacco control enforcement.

    “Our top priority is to protect students from tobacco use,” Commission Coordinator Syed Nazrat Ali said. “Tobacco consumption leads to throat cancer, heart disease, and lung disorders, causing over 160,000 deaths annually.” 

    “It is now mandatory for cigarette retailers to display warning notices. Selling cigarettes within 50 meters of educational institutions is strictly prohibited.” He added that designated officers have the authority to impose fines, shut down shops, and confiscate goods in case of non-compliance.

  • Geekvape Wins Red Dot Design Award

    Geekvape Wins Red Dot Design Award

    Geekvape announced that its Wenax M Starter Kit was honored with the 2025 Red Dot Design Award, recognized globally as a symbol of design excellence.

    The company said the product “stood out to the jury for its innovative modular design, sustainable materials, and user-centric features. This open POD e-cigarette redefines portable vaping with a unique combination of a 400mAh rod and a 2500mAh battery compartment, which can be used independently or together. The battery compartment not only charges the rod up to five times but also functions as a power bank for mobile devices, adding remarkable practicality for users on the go.”

    The Red Dot Design Award dates back to 2005, celebrating products that exemplify innovation, quality, and outstanding design. Each year, an expert panel of jurors evaluates thousands of submissions from around the world based on criteria such as functionality, aesthetics, sustainability, and innovation.

  • Australia: Smoking Costs Increasing Burden on Low-Income Households 

    Australia: Smoking Costs Increasing Burden on Low-Income Households 

    Disadvantaged households have higher rates of smoking, putting pressure on their household budgets, University of Queensland researchers have found. Professor Coral Gartner from UQ’s School of Public Health said reducing smoking among households in lower-income areas was important because of the enormous health and financial toll.

    “The increasing price of tobacco has assisted many households in all income groups to quit smoking,’’ Gartner said. “But for those who haven’t quit, tobacco smoking is a growing source of financial strain.

    Researchers studied household tobacco expenditure by socioeconomic status from 2006 to 2022, a period that included substantial tobacco tax increases (2010-2020). Overall average annual household tobacco expenditure decreased to A$972.70 ($603), reflecting a decrease in the number of people purchasing tobacco because of higher prices. In households that purchased tobacco, however, spending increased by A$1,092.20 to A$4,931.70 ($677 to $3,058).

    For people who continued to smoke, the increased financial burden of tobacco products meant less spending on other items such as health, food, insurance, and education.

    “Australia is a world leader in tobacco taxation and has implemented tax policy in line with levels recommended by the World Health Organization,’’ Gartner said. “However, our findings underscore the need for comprehensive policy approaches to reduce tobacco smoking in Australia through both price and non-price-related measures.”

  • Driscoll Named Interim Head of ATF

    Driscoll Named Interim Head of ATF

    Yesterday (April 9), Dan Driscoll was named interim head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms by the Trump administration, replacing new FBI director Kash Patel. Driscoll is expected to simultaneously run the ATF and continue with his current role as Secretary of the Army. This will be the first time the embattled agency has been placed under the Defense Department.

    According to The Guardian, Trump’s aides view the ATF and its mission with skepticism and have discussed gutting the ATF or merging it with the Drug Enforcement Administration, “another small and underfunded agency that has previously been part of the Justice Department.”

    “Patel has been running the FBI and the ATF for months, but it had proved to be overly burdensome, and Driscoll was selected to replace Patel as the interim head, as he was one of the few Senate-confirmed appointees available,” The Guardian wrote. “The decision to have the army secretary run the ATF could be the precursor to such a move or at least to dramatically reduce its size and scope. In recent weeks, ATF agents have been diverted to help with enforcing Trump’s immigration agenda.”

  • Former Tory Contender to Work for BAT

    Former Tory Contender to Work for BAT

    The Guardian reported today (April 10) that Penny Mordaunt, the former U.K. Conservative leadership contender who served in cabinet roles from defense secretary to leader of the House of Commons, has taken a job advising British American Tobacco’s (BAT) “transformation advisory group” on harm-reduction.

    Mordaunt’s new job was revealed by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, which said she should not lobby the government for two years after leaving office or advise on any public contracts.

    In its analysis, the committee said, “British American Tobacco has a significant interest in government policy and regulation and has resources focused on influencing government decisions – for example lobbying for a reduction in taxes for cigarettes, legislation on vaping and the prevention of counterfeit goods.”

    The committee said there were only limited risks associated with Mordaunt’s access to information that could help BAT given the change of government and the amount of time that had passed.

    However, it added: “Whilst you said you will not lobby, there is a risk your former role as a cabinet minister will be seen to offer British American Tobacco unfair access to and influence within government. Therefore, the committee’s advice is that you should have no direct engagement with government on behalf of the company, as to do so would raise significant risks under the government’s rules.”

    When asked about Mordaunt’s role, BAT chief corporate officer Kingsley Wheaton said, “BAT has launched a manifesto for change … it is founded on the very best tobacco harm reduction [THR] thinking and science. To accelerate that ambition, we understand alternative viewpoints that challenge our thinking will maximize success. This THR advisory board is designed to do just that.”

  • E.P. Carrillo Rebrands to Casa Carrillo

    E.P. Carrillo Rebrands to Casa Carrillo

    In 2009, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo and his family opened the EPC Cigar Co., which was later changed to E.P. Carrillo. The company announced today (April 10) that it will now be called Casa Carrillo, which is also the name of its main factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic.

    The company said this is a rebrand, “a move that unites its U.S. headquarters, factory, and global presence under one name that reflects both its heritage and its vision for the future.”

    The company is a two-time Cigar of the Year winner by Cigar Aficionado that makes brands such as Pledge, Inch, and Encore.

  • Mixed Reactions as Malawi’s Tobacco Season Opens 

    Mixed Reactions as Malawi’s Tobacco Season Opens 

    The 2025 tobacco marketing season officially opened in Malawi’s capital of Lilongwe Wednesday (April 9), with leaf fetching between $1 and $3.20 per kg. While some farmers described the opening prices as “not so bad,” most farmers said they felt robbed, given the current high cost of living and the expenses that tobacco farming demands.

    “The offered prices are lower than what we expected,” one farmer told Xinhua in an interview, as other farmers nodded in agreement. “Everything has gone up following our currency’s devaluation, so we expected the leaf to fetch more than what we have witnessed today.”

    However, Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale said during the opening that the tobacco marketing season has started “on a good note,” considering that the first batch of tobacco to be sold is typically of low quality.

    “The tobacco that has fetched these prices is the bottom leaf, ones close to the ground, and it is mostly disregarded in sales,” said Kawale. “If the lower leaf is fetching that much, we are hopeful that the actual leaf of good quality that is yet to be sold will fetch even more.”

    President Lazarus Chakwera presided over the opening and said, “The bottom leaf may not be the best, but I’m encouraged to see that the prices have gone up, in some cases, by more than 55 cents above the minimum price. That’s a good start.”

    Malawi is expected to increase tobacco production by 30.8% to 174 million kg this year, according to the Tobacco Commission.

  • Taiwan Checks ID Checkers 

    Taiwan Checks ID Checkers 

    An undercover survey in Taiwan showed that 26.9% of tobacco retailers did not check ID cards for buyers in school uniforms, the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) said. From May to November last year, the Consumers’ Foundation conducted its annual inspection by sending 20-year-old volunteers in high-school uniforms to buy cigarettes at 854 retailers across the nation.

    Officials said that 38.6% of betel nut vendors, 26.9% of general stores, 23.4% of franchised supermarkets and hypermarkets, and 21.5% of franchised convenience stores failed to check buyer ID. From 2023, noncompliance decreased 4.6% for betel nut vendors, 5.7% for general stores, and 1.4% for franchised convenience stores, but increased 4.3% for supermarket and hypermarket franchises, they said.

    The nation’s retailers were insufficiently vigilant in ensuring that clerks know and follow the law, foundation secretary-general Chen Ya-ping said. Although the noncompliance figures were down, 15% of the clerks interviewed reported not knowing that the smoking age had been raised to 20 years. High turnover in venues and inadequate employee training appeared to be the main cause of the failure to check IDs, she added.

    Last year, retailers were fined a combined NT$1.15 million ($34,846) for 134 tobacco buyer ID citations, HPA Deputy Director-General Chia Shu-li said.