Tag: Featured

Stories featured at the top of tobaccoreporter.com

  • PMI Appoints New Sustainability Officer

    PMI Appoints New Sustainability Officer

    Photo: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

    Philip Morris International (PMI) has appointed Jennifer Motles as chief sustainability officer effective Nov. 1, 2020. Motles will succeed the current chief sustainability officer, Huub Savelkouls, who will retire after almost three decades.

    Motles will report to the company’s chief financial officer, Emmanuel Babeau, as it is increasingly recognized—by both companies and investors—that fully integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) drivers into business strategy can significantly enhance both the sustainability agendas and financial performance.

    “Integrating sustainability and financial strategies is further recognition of our commitment to unsmoking our planet and transforming our company,” said PMI’s CEO Andre Calantzopoulos in a statement. “It is a logical next step for us, following our statement of purpose adopted by our board and the introduction of integrated reporting earlier this year.”

    Motles joined PMI in 2015 when she helped craft PMI’s sustainability strategy, ensuring it was intrinsically linked to the adoption of the company’s vision of delivering a smoke-free future. Since then, she has helped advance PMI’s transformation, honing the company’s sustainability and ESG performance with a strong focus on shareholder and stakeholder engagement.

    “This move outlines that ESG is core to PMI’s performance and success and further demonstrates PMI’s leadership in sustainability and corporate purpose,” said Babeau. “Jennifer, with her broad range of international experience and her proven track record in the domain, is the ideal candidate to lead our company’s ambitious sustainability agenda.”

    “It is our firm belief that sustainability and business performance do not follow separate paths and narratives. They are fully interrelated and mutually reinforcing and should be organized and presented to all stakeholders in an integrated way,” continued Babeau.

    Motles began her career working for the Chilean Office of Drugs and Crime Prevention and Prosecution. She gained international experience working for organizations such as UNCITRAL, UNODC’s Terrorism Prevention Branch and the UNCTAD/WTO’s International Trade Center. Prior to joining PMI, Motles worked for the government of Israel, representing the country as its human rights and humanitarian affairs officer at the United Nations and other international organizations.

    She holds a doctor of law degree from Universidad de Chile—Escuela de Derecho and an LLM degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law as well as specialized diplomas in women’s human rights, behavioral economics, sustainability, sustainable finance and political affairs from IHEID, Harvard Business School, the Harvard School of Public Health and Stanford University.

  • Poll: Irish ‘Understand’ Black Market Purchases

    Poll: Irish ‘Understand’ Black Market Purchases

    Photo: Tobacco Reporter archive

    An overwhelming majority of adults in Ireland think that purchasing cigarettes and tobacco from the black market or other countries is “understandable” given the high cost of tobacco sold legally domestically. 

    According to a survey conducted by iReach for the smokers’ group Forest Ireland, 70 percent of adults agree that it is “somewhat understandable” (40 percent) or “very understandable” (30 percent) that smokers might choose not to buy cigarettes and tobacco from legitimate retailers in Ireland. 

    That view was supported by 85 percent of smokers and two-thirds (67 percent) of non-smokers. Only one in five (20 percent) of all adults found it not understandable. 

    The survey, which was conducted Sept. 24-30, also found that 65 percent of adults think the current level of tobacco duty—almost 80 percent on an average pack of cigarettes in Ireland—is either too high (22 percent), a little high (11 percent) or about right (32 percent).

    Only one in four (25 percent) think tobacco duty is too low (21 percent) or a little low (4 percent). 

    Forest Ireland is urging the government to reject calls to increase the tax on tobacco. In its submission ahead of next week’s Budget, the group called on Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe to “give smokers a break.”

    “A further tax hike will encourage even more smokers to buy tobacco abroad or on the black market because there is very little stigma associated with such transactions,” said Forest Ireland spokesman John Mallon.

     

  • Imperial Strengthens Executive Committee

    Imperial Strengthens Executive Committee

    Photo: Jakub Jirsák | Dreamstime

    Imperial Brands has continued to show resilience in adapting to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, according to CEO Stefan Bomhard.

    “In my first three months as CEO I have focused on reviewing our strategy, engaging with employees, and visiting as many of our key markets as possible,” he said in a trading update. “I have been struck by the energy and passion of my colleagues, which increases my confidence in our ability to deliver a stronger performance in the years ahead.”

    Bomhard also announced the addition of several external hires to its executive committee.

    Murray McGowan has been appointed group strategy and transformation director. Murray has a background in strategy gleaned from his time at McKinsey, Whitbread, The Restaurant Group and Yum! brands.

    Alison Clarke has been appointed chief people and culture officer. Alison was previously chief human resource officer at Inchcape, with responsibility for all aspects of people and culture strategies.

    Javier Huerta has been appointed group manufacturing and supply chain director and will succeed Walter Prinz when he retires. Javier is currently executive vice president supply chain for foods and refreshment at Unilever and will join Imperial in the coming weeks.

    The company is currently searching for a new chief financial officer, following Oliver Tant’s decision to retire.

     

  • JT Completes Head Office Relocation

    JT Completes Head Office Relocation

    Photo: Taco Tuinstra

    Japan Tobacco (JT) has completed the relocation of its head office to the Kamiyacho Trust Tower from the JT Building.

    JT will occupy five floors from the 26th floor upward, with JT’s general reception located on the 30th floor, the company wrote in a press release.

  • Japan Tobacco Launches More Compact Ploom Tech

    Japan Tobacco Launches More Compact Ploom Tech

    Japan Tobacco (JT) will launch “Ploom Tech+ with” a new, more compact device from the Ploom Tech+ series.

    The new device will be available at the Club JT online shop along with Ploom shops and select tobacco retail stores located in Tokyo from Nov. 2, 2020, and at convenience stores in Tokyo from Nov. 3, 2020.

    Ploom Tech+ with offers better portability and increased convenience. The device also has upgraded features, such as faster charging and a display to indicate the batter and capsule usage levels as well as an instant activation feature.

    “We are delighted to announce the launch of ‘Ploom Tech+ with,’” said Toru Takahashi, vice president of the marketing group product and brand division for reduced-risk products, in a statement. “The portable size enables the device to blend right in to each consumer’s lifestyle without stress, expanding the opportunities for consumers to explore and experience T-vapor.”

  • Researcher Gets $1.3 Million to Study Menthol

    Researcher Gets $1.3 Million to Study Menthol

    Amy Cohn (Photo: University of Oklahoma)

    The U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products have granted Amy Cohn, a researcher at the Stephenson Cancer Center at OU Medicine, $1.3 million to study menthol.

    Cohn will investigate the link between menthol and young adults’ smoking habits. According to Cohn, young adults who started smoking with menthol cigarettes expressed a more positive experience than those who started smoking with nonmenthol cigarettes.

    “Menthol cigarettes are disproportionately used by several at-risk populations, including African Americans, young people, Hispanics and women,” Cohn said in a press statement.

    “There are a lot of hypotheses that a ban on menthol would reduce the public health impact of cigarette smoking, which we know is a very strong risk factor for cancer and other diseases. Our research will help the FDA make decisions in its regulatory efforts.”

  • Study: Rise in Vaping Among Never-Smokers

    Study: Rise in Vaping Among Never-Smokers

    A new study of trends in e-cigarette use from 2014 to 2018 claims that vapor use is on the rise for 18- to 29-year-olds who have never smoked combustible cigarettes. The study from the American Cancer Society, published Monday in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, assessed trends based on age group and cigarette smoking histories.

    “Urgent efforts are needed to address the potential rise in primary nicotine initiation with e-cigarettes among younger adults,” Priti Bandi, principal scientist, risk factors surveillance research for the American Cancer Society, said in a press release. “It is also important to aid the transition of e-cigarette users—particularly among younger adults—to non-use of all tobacco or nicotine products given that the long-term consequences of e-cigarette use are mostly unknown.”

    Researchers examined data from the National Health Institute to pinpoint trends in younger (18-29 years), middle-aged (30-49 years), and older (50 years and older) populations, with cigarette smoking histories classified as current smokers, recent quitters (those who stopped smoking less than one year ago), near-term quitters (who quit between one and eight years ago), and never smokers.

    E-cigarette use increased across the board among younger adults, with never smokers and near-term quitters seeing the most significant increases (1.3 percent–3.3 percent and 9.1 percent–19.2 percent, respectively). Middle-aged and older adults only saw notable increases in prevalence among near-term quitters, with e-cigarette use in middle-aged near-quitters jumping from 5.8 percent to 14.4 percent and older near-quitters climbing from 6.3 percent to 9.5 percent.

  • Netherlands Mandates Plain Packaging

    Netherlands Mandates Plain Packaging

    Cigarettes sold in the Netherlands must now have plain packaging consisting only of the brand name, the type of cigarette (in a specific font) and health warnings.
     
    Current stock can continue being sold for a year, but any new products must have plain packaging.
     
    The Dutch government has indicated that this is to help curb underage smoking, noting that the measure has worked in other countries, such as Belgium, France, Great Britain and Norway.

  • TPB Takes Stake in Hemp Cigarettes

    TPB Takes Stake in Hemp Cigarettes

    Photo: Wild Hempettes

    Turning Point Brands (TPB) has acquired a 20 percent stake in Wild Hempettes, a leading manufacturer of hemp cigarettes under the WildHemp and Hempettes brands, with options to increase its stake to a 100 percent ownership position based on certain milestones.

    As part of the transaction, the Wild Hempettes joint venture was spun off from Crown Distributing and formed as a vehicle for TPB to be the exclusive distributor of Hempettes to U.S. brick-and-mortar retailers under a profit-sharing arrangement.

    Wild Hemp was an early entrant into the hemp CBD smoking market with its Hempettes branded cigarette, the leading 20-count pack hemp smoking product in the U.S. The product is currently available in three popular styles: original, sweet and pineapple blaze. An additional menthol SKU will be added to the brand lineup by the end of 2020.

    “The combination of our Hempettes product along with TPB’s distribution presence in over 210,000 outlets in North America provides tremendous growth potential,” said Zain Meghani, Wild Hempettes CEO in a statement.

  • Non-Tobacco Nicotine Pouch Debuts in U.S.

    Non-Tobacco Nicotine Pouch Debuts in U.S.

    Photo: 20NE Labs

    The 2ONE Labs’ tobacco-free nicotine (TFN) white portion pouch is now available on the U.S. market.

    The product uses patented TFN nontobacco nicotine from Next Generation Labs and is the first 100 percent nontobacco-derived nicotine portion pouch available to consumers, according to 20NE Labs.

    2ONE products are immediately available to distributors, wholesalers and retailers in nine flavors: very berry, eucalyptus rush, glacier mint, chocolate dream, ginger mint, strawberry lemonade, citrus chill, mocha java and pineapple mango. Products are available in 3 mg and 6 mg strengths.

    2ONE cans contain 21 all-herbal TFN infused nicotine pouches meant for consumers aged 21 and over.