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The International Tobacco Growers’ Association will hold its annual meeting Nov. 18-20, 2020.
Speakers include President Abiel M. Kalima Banda, Chief Executive Antonio Abrunhosa, tobacco industry expert Ivan Genov and Shane MacGuill, head of tobacco research at Euromonitor International.
The gathering will take place virtually and registration will be available shortly here.
22nd Century Group has been granted a new U.S. patent related to the reduction of nicotine in the tobacco plant. The new technology provides 22nd Century with a rapid pathway to introduce very low nicotine traits into virtually any variety of tobacco, including bright, burley, oriental, and cigar tobacco varieties.
“We are very pleased to receive this patent which reflects the ingenuity and expertise of our talented scientific team,” said James A. Mish, chief executive officer of 22nd Century Group in a statement. “This new technology allows us to reduce nicotine in any tobacco variety.
“Importantly, this breakthrough further demonstrates that the FDA’s comprehensive plan for tobacco and nicotine regulation to limit the nicotine content of all cigarettes sold in the United States is technically feasible and at the same time refutes the claim from Big Tobacco that such low nicotine levels cannot be achieved in multiple tobacco varieties,” he added.
“I am proud of the significant R&D gains we continue to make as we work to achieve our mission to reduce the harm caused by smoking and seek to significantly disrupt the $100 billion U.S. and the $800 billion global tobacco industries with our proprietary reduced nicotine tobacco products.”
The new patent and allowed claims, published as U.S. Patent No. 10,669,552 and entitled “Up-regulation of auxin response factor NbTF7 to decrease nicotine in a plant,” cover methods of manipulating plant metabolism and alkaloid levels by controlling transcription factor NbTF7, which regulates the nicotinic alkaloid biosynthetic pathway. The patent enables the company’s use of next-generation gene modification technologies that afford greater flexibility for genetic control over nicotine levels in virtually any variety of the tobacco plant.
22nd Century is preparing for the launch of VLN, its proprietary reduced nicotine content tobacco cigarettes containing 95 percent less nicotine than conventional counterparts. Pending the FDA’s authorization of the company’s Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP) application, VLN would be the first and only combustible cigarette to receive a MRTP designation, according to 22nd Century.
The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) has called for a ban on all flavorings for e-liquids available for purchase in Ireland, reports the Irish Medical Times. The group says its goal is to protect children from the device that simulates tobacco smoking.
The RCPI Policy Group on Tobacco wants to prohibit all liquid flavorings, apart from tobacco flavor. The group is also calling for increased regulation and future taxation on e-cigarettes.
A review into e-cigarette use by Ireland’s Health Research Board found that e-cigarettes were associated with adolescents starting to smoke tobacco cigarettes, which could potentially lead to serious harm.
“These findings have important public health ramifications and do not support recommending e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool,” said Des Cox, chair of the RCPI Policy Group on Tobacco.
The board recommended that people use nicotine replacement therapies and/or medications prescribed by their general practitioner instead of e-cigarettes when trying to quit smoking.
Pyxus International has appointed Robert George, Carl Hausmann, Cynthia Moehring and Richard Topping to its board of directors effective Oct. 12, 2020. These individuals join previously announced board members Holly Kim, Patrick Fallonand Pieter Sikkel.
“The addition of the new members to Pyxus’ board of directors is a key milestone in its transformation strategy,” said Sikkel, who also serves as president and CEO of Pyxus, in a statement. “We believe this mix of directors brings proven financial and operational track records and diverse perspectives that will contribute to Pyxus’ future success, and we look forward to working with this group of proven leaders to accelerate the company’s growth.”
George brings extensive financial and operational experience in public, private and private equity-backed diversified industrial businesses. Most recently, he served as executive vice president, chief financial officer and corporate development for Esterline Technologies. Prior to joining Esterline, George held various leadership positions with Zurn Industries and Elgin Electronics. He is a member of the board of directors of Advanced Integration Technology.
Hausmann brings more than 35 years of experience in the agribusiness and food industries. He retired in June 2012 as managing director of global government and corporate affairs of Bunge Limited, having spent a decade serving in executive roles with Bunge affiliates in North America and Europe. Prior to joining Bunge, Hausmann served as chair and CEO of Cereol and held various leadership positions with Continental Grain Co. in Europe, South America, Africa and the United States. Following his retirement from Bunge, Hausmann served as a member of the board of directors of Pyxus International’s predecessor, Alliance One International, from June 2013 to August 2018.
Moehring is the founder and executive chair of the Business Integrity Leadership Initiative at the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business. She brings more than 25 years of experience as a strategic senior executive, including 20 years at Walmart where she served as senior vice president, U.S. chief ethics and compliance officer and senior vice president, global chief ethics officer, among other leadership positions. She has broad experience in many areas, including enterprise risk management, effective global governance practices, mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, diversity and inclusion and sustainability.
Topping has four decades of experience in the tobacco industry. He has held a variety of global leadership positions throughout the supply chain, working with both tobacco leaf merchants and cigarette manufacturers. He most recently worked with Japan Tobacco International and its predecessor companies and served as vice president of global leaf sourcing prior to retiring in June 2018. Topping has wide-ranging global expertise, from both the merchant and cigarette manufacturer perspective, in leaf sourcing and procurement strategies, logistics, operations and sales throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa.
John T. Casteen III, a director of Altria Group since 2010, will retire from service on Altria’s board of directors following the completion of his current term.
Casteen will not stand for re-election to the board of directors at Altria’s 2021 annual meeting of shareholders, which is presently anticipated to be held on May 20, 2021.
“Altria has benefited from John’s significant contributions over the past ten years,” said Tom Farrell, Altria’s independent board chairman in a statement. “We thank him for his distinguished service and wish him the very best.”
Casteen is a member of the audit, compensation and talent development and innovation committees. He became president emeritus of the University of Virginia in August 2010 after having served as president of the university since 1990.
Previously, Casteen served as secretary of education for the Commonwealth of Virginia from 1982 to 1985 and president of the University of Connecticut from 1985 to 1990. He is a director of Strategic Education. He also serves as a director of the Leifur Eiriksson Foundation, the Institute for Shipboard Education (Semester at Sea) and Echo360.
In the run up to the revision of the European Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), scheduled for 2021, the European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (ETHRA) have launched a major survey to examine nicotine use in Europe.
Among other questions, the poll asks adult consumers about their views on possible regulatory changes. How would users react to increased taxes, flavor bans or to the legalization of snus? Is there a need for greater access to product information? Would lifting the container restriction on e-liquids have any impact? What is missing for people who want to quit smoking?
Available in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish, the questionnaire will be open until Dec. 31, 2020.
In addition to evaluating the TPD, the European Commission is preparing proposals to amend its Tobacco Excise Directive to harmonize definitions and tax treatment of new products, including vapor, in 2021.
The European Parliament will debate the proposed TPD changes in May 2021.
The ETHRA offers tobacco harm reduction advocates in Europe a platform for exchanging information and sharing experiences.
Imperial Tobacco has sold its EFKA filter tube factory in Trossingen, Germany, to F + C Papiervertriebsgesellschaft for an undisclosed amount.
The buyer is part of Mignot & De Block, a Dutch group known in Germany mainly through its subsidiary, Gizeh Raucherbedarf.
Imperial Tobacco discontinued filter tube production in Trossingen in the first half of 2020 in the wake of declining production quantities and the loss of trademark agreements.
The EFKA brand, patents and other trademark rights remain property of Imperial Tobacco.
“EFKA has been an integral part of Trossingen for more than 108 years,” said Helmut Rutschke, managing director of EFKA. “To have to halt our production here is still very painful personally, particularly with regard to the employees affected. On the other hand, we are pleased to be able to hand the location over to a buyer that wants to continue production—and, with it, an important part of Trossingen’s economic tradition. We wish all parties involved every success.”
“We are delighted to lead a well-positioned production location with highly qualified employees into a new future, even beyond the production of filter tubes,” said Christian Hinz, CEO of the Mignot & De Block Group Germany. “Our investment in the site is long-term and growth-oriented.”
A total of 121 employees were affected by the halt of production at EFKA in Trossingen. Imperial Tobacco presented them with a variety of support offers and an extensive social plan.
Philter Labs launched its Phreedom filtration device that allows users to inhale and exhale into the same mouthpiece, eliminating up to 97 percent of secondhand vapor and smell.
The filter is designed to work with 80 percent of the existing cartridges on the market, and it attaches to all 510 cannabis and CBD cartridges.
“The Phreedom represents a massive step toward a vaping culture free of exhaled vapor, pollutants and best of all, its associated shame,” said Philter Labs’ chief technology officer and inventor, John Grimm, in a statement.
“We wanted to provide a product that respects a person’s right to vape. The Phreedom is exactly that, with seamless integration for the majority of vape cartridges on the market and an enhanced experience focused on protecting people’s health, the health of the environment and the quality of the consumer experience.”
The Phreedom uses Philter’s patented Zero-5 technology to help eliminate secondhand vapor.
Philter offers other filtration devices, but the Phreedom is the first to allow users to inhale and exhale through the device.
Philter Labs was profiled in Tobacco Reporter‘s September issue.
British American Tobacco may expand production of nicotine pouches at its factory in Pecs, Hungary, reports the Budapest Business Journal, citing the state news wire MTI. The move would make the Pecs tobacco factory the biggest producer of pouches in the BAT group.
Under the plan, Pecs’ cigarette manufacturing operations would be moved to other factories within the group.
Part of a proposed restructuring of production in Pecs, the measure is expected to impact headcount, but details are still being negotiated with the Workersʼ Council and the union.
Increasing production of nicotine pouches, which contain no tobacco, fits well with BATʼs strategy to offer consumers a broader selection of potentially less harmful products.
BAT completed a HUF7.5 billion ($24.61 million) nicotine pouch plant at Pecs a year ago, raising headcount at the site by 100. Next year, production volume at the plant is expected to increase by a factor of 3.5.
In 2019, BAT’s Pecs factory reported net revenue of HUF151.2 billion. The company employs more than 900 people in Hungary.
Next Generation Labs has entered an exclusive manufacturing arrangement with Dholakia Tobacco to produce synthetic non-tobacco nicotine moist white portion products for the modern oral nicotine (MON) pouch market.
Combining Next Generation Labs TFN synthetic nicotine technology with Dholokia’s expertise in the manufacturing of herbal non-tobacco smokeless portion pouch products, this new partnership offers new opportunities for alternatives to nicotine portion pouches containing tobacco-derived nicotine.
Under the terms of the agreement, Next Generation Labs and Dholakia are offering private-label development and manufacturing services to companies seeking to bring to market white portion pouch products that incorporate TFN tobacco-free synthetic nicotine in non-tobacco white portion pouch brands around the world.
“While many portion pouch brands claim to use tobacco-free nicotine, they are in fact exclusively using tobacco-derived nicotine, and are labeled and marketed with claims such as ‘tobacco-leaf free,’ ‘tobacco-dust free’ or ‘free of tobacco residuals’,” Next Generation Labs wrote in a press release.
“Almost all of these products continue to use nicotine extracted from the tobacco plant, and as such, they are not tobacco-free nicotine products,” the company wrote. “The TFN-based portion pouches made by Next Generation Labs and Dholakia can legitimately make the claim to be the only 100 percent tobacco-free nicotine pouches available to adult consumers today.”
As the global market for synthetic nicotine grows, Next Generation Labs and Dholakia anticipate significant market growth opportunities for TFN-based tobacco-free smokeless nicotine products.