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Tag: increase

  • New Study Sounds Alarm on Amount of Nicotine in Vapes

    New Study Sounds Alarm on Amount of Nicotine in Vapes

    A new study conducted by the CDC Foundation and Truth Initiative shows that between February 2020 and June 2024, while the number of e-cigarette units sold each month rose by 34.7%, the total monthly nicotine content sold increased by 249.2%. 

    “Measurements that take into account both e-liquid volume and nicotine concentration paint a more realistic picture of the size and strength of e-cigarettes being sold in stores today,” said Fatma Romeh M. Ali, PhD, health economist and consultant with the CDC Foundation. “Measuring e-cigarette sales in milligrams of nicotine, rather than just counting products, is critical to understanding the public health impact.”

    Published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the study says the increase is largely driven by disposable devices. The authors reason that because nicotine can be purchased cheaper, it is now more likely to end up with young users, and because there is more nicotine present, those users are likely to become addicted.

    “A disposable e-cigarette today contains significantly more nicotine than it did just a few years ago, posing greater addiction risks—especially for young users,” said Megan Diaz, PhD, research director at Truth Initiative. “These findings raise serious concerns about youth access and affordability because disposables are not only the most popular e-cigarette product among youth, but they’re also the cheapest way to obtain large amounts of nicotine and they come in appealing flavors.”

  • PMI Surpasses Estimates for Fourth Straight Quarter

    PMI Surpasses Estimates for Fourth Straight Quarter

    Today (April 23), Philip Morris International announced first-quarter earnings of $1.69 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.61 per share. This is a 12.7% increase, and compares to earnings of $1.50 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items, and mark the fourth straight quarter the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates.

    PMI posted revenue of $9.3 billion for the quarter ended March 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.97%.

    “We achieved exceptionally strong performance in the first quarter, with continued volume growth supporting an excellent top-line performance and very strong margin expansion,” said Jacek Olczak, Chief Executive Officer. “Our smoke-free business goes from strength to strength, delivering organic growth of over 20% in net revenues and over 33% in gross profit.

    “We remain confident in our ability to deliver superior results, despite an uncertain and volatile global economic environment, and now forecast double-digit adjusted diluted EPS growth in dollar terms for the full year.”

    PMI’s smoke-free business saw a 14.4% increase in shipment volumes, and now accounts for 42% of its total net revenues and 44% of its total gross profit.

  • Zimbabwe Tobacco Export Earnings Up

    Zimbabwe Tobacco Export Earnings Up

    Image: Tobacco Reporter archive

    Zimbabwe has recorded a 26 percent increase in export earnings from tobacco products, according to The Herald.

    Export earnings were USD603 million in the January 2023 to August 2023 period, up from USD477 million in the same 2022 period, following the operationalization of the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan (TVCT).

    Zimbabwe exports partly or whole stemmed/stripped tobacco or not stemmed/stripped tobacco, tobacco refuse, cigars, cheroots and cigarillos containing tobacco, cigarettes and manufactured tobacco.

    Volume increased 13 percent, and the average price increased 12 percent.

    Of the exported product, 71 percent was partly or wholly stemmed/stripped tobacco, and 19 percent was tobacco refuse, the same trend from 2022.

    “There has been a significant increase in shipments to the Far East as shipping constraints have eased,” said Rodney Ambrose, CEO of the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association. “Also, a higher value crop has been exported to select destinations. Unfortunately, the same growth cannot be said of growers’ earnings. The future of the tobacco sector remains positive, provided we can address issues around growers’ viability and sustainability.”

    “Credit must be given to farmers who continue to grow the crop even if they are breaking even or making a loss with the hope that one day, they will make a profit,” said George Seremwe, chairman of the Zimbabwe Tobacco Growers Association. “Contractors also should be thanked for rendering support to farmers. However, the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) must work on reducing or eliminating the participation and licensing of surrogates (middlemen) who are putting huge markups on their services to the detriment of farmers.”

    Farmer profitability can only be enhanced if all stakeholders work to reduce production cost with the TIMB enforcing contract pricing and monitoring the delivery of adequate inputs to farmers on time, according to Seremwe.

    The government and tobacco stakeholders came up with the TVCT with the aim of creating a USD5 billion industry by 2023.

    Export of tobacco products has been on an upward trend, with earnings of USD795 million in 2020, USD837 million in 2021 and USD998 million last year. By the end of this year, earnings are expected to exceed USD1 billion.