“The retail community plays a direct role in helping us protect our kids from tobacco. We would like to have retailers be part of the community to protect kids. Therefore, we’d like to get your help in how we communicate with retailers. Please join us on May 26, 2010 from 10am-6pm EST for an online opportunity to help us help retailers learn the latest FDA information impacting retailers. We will discuss CTP’s planned communication to tobacco retailers. This includes CTP’s communication themes, messages, and channels. Your insights and experiences will help CTP effectively communicate regulations and information with you; the retailer.”

This web dialogue is a relatively new tactic of communication between regulators and those being regulated. It is sort of a combination of a webinar and an online chat. “The web dialogue will give you an opportunity to share ideas, offer recommendations, ask questions, and interact with your colleagues and CTP Communication staff.”

NACS will be participating in FDA’s online “chat” on behalf of retail members. You are welcome to view the discussion or participate.

NACS hosted its own webinar to answer retailer questions in March about the Family Smoking and Prevention Act. Also, be on the lookout for the June issue of NACS Magazine for an “FDA Tobacco 101” of important regulations retailers must be following by June 22.

This info has been supplied by NACS,

MINNEAPOLIS — The National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO) has announced that it has received a wave of new exhibitor commitments to the 2011 NATO Show, the inaugural trade show for the association. The latest exhibitors to sign up for the NATO Show include A&T Tobacco Imports, Bags of Bags, Bahama Mama Cigars, Beach Cigar Group, Inc./Gurhka Cigars, Cheyenne International, DWC Enterprises, Global Tobacco, Great Midwest Tube & RYO Machines, International Tobacco Partners, Liaison Sales and Marketing, M & R Holdings, National Honey Almond, Rouseco and Tantus Tobacco.

The 2011 NATO Show will be held at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas on April 12-14. The NATO Show will feature educational seminars for retailers, the NATO Annual Awards Dinner, along with evening parties and special show deals.

Jim Colucci, senior vice president sales and marketing for Altadis USA and a member of the NATO Trade Show Committee, said, “Having a great trade show means that retailers find value in attending, and the retailers are telling manufacturers and distributors, this is the show to attend. When that happens, companies can’t wait to sign up. Also, these companies realize NATO has put more resources into fighting legislative battles than ever before, and helping support the trade show means more resources to fight anti-tobacco legislation. That’s a big point of difference between NATO and other shows which will not be using the proceeds to fight tobacco-related legislation.”

The NATO Show has already received commitments to exhibit from more than 30 manufacturers and distributors.

Companies include Nat Sherman, New Image Global, Smokey Mountain Chew, Zander-Greg and K. K. International Corp. Also Arango Cigar Co., Carolina Tobacco, Dom Rey Cigar, Inc./Cusano Cigars, Drew Estate, Harold Levinson Associates, House of Oxford, King Maker Marketing, Renegade Tobacco/House of Windsor, Smoker Friendly International, U.S. Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers and Zippo Lighter Co. And Altadis USA, Swisher International, Swedish Match, Republic Tobacco and National Tobacco Co.

Minneapolis-based NATO is a national retail trade association that focuses exclusively on state and federal tobacco legislative issues and leads the fight for all tobacco interests in the United States.

Originally arranged as a private Tobacco Industry event, the Thai government declared it public shortly before opening. This meant all Thai tobacco restrictions on advertising and tobacco product display (which are stringent) were effective – something the organizers (Tobacco Reporter and Think Event Marketing) thought had been covered.

Caught wrong-footed the organizers rushed to issue statements to exhibitors advising the new restrictions and the penalties for violators. With this back-drop it became unviable to show any tobacco products or advertising without risking fines and / or imprisonment - something not too many exhibitors were willing to risk.

Under goverment pressure the Thai Tobacco Monopoly converted their mega show-case anchor stand into a Welcome to Thailand Center.

Demonstrators gathered outside the site to protest on the first day – kept at bay by last-minute security personnel.

Total attendance was less than 1,000 visitors over three days leaving plenty of time to renew acquaintances with tobacco colleagues and fellow exhibitors from around the world. Opportunities to develop contacts and conduct business evaporated -leaving dismay and cost.

Post exhibition; the original decision to hold a show in Thailand looked flawed. The exhibition hall at the Impact Centre (sic)  was a considerable distance from the centre of Bangkok requiring a commute of 40 minutes each way – assuming traffic cooperated (which it didn’t.) Predictably exhibitors were upset – raising the broader issue of the number of Tobacco exhibitions in close proximity between Tobacco Reporter (TR), World Tobacco (WT) and Tobacco Intenational (TI.)

To illustrate; in 2010 Tobacco International (TI) holds its annual show in Krakow Poland April 15-17. WT plans its show in Hyderabad India April 21/21, TR a networking forum (gtnf) in Bangalore in October – followed by WT Asia in Jakarta October 27-29. 2011 sees a WT show in Munich November 8-10 then TR Prague November 15-18. WT plans another show in Jakarta in November 2012.

The industry can’t keep up. The Tobacco Industry cost structure has changed and the show organizers show no sign of acknowledging this fundamental shift. The signs are all around. Big tobacco withdrew its participation about 10 years ago, followed by the larger machinery suppliers. Shows have shrunk and so has attendance.

The show organizers need to reconsider their events as there is mounting evidence it is unsustainable.

Feel free to add your comments and suggestions…………………………

I plan on attending and will be pleased to see you there.

Let me know

  A COMPLIMENTARY CONFERENCE CALL 

 UNDERSTANDING SIN INVESTING 

POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES IN UNCERTAIN MARKETS 

With Special Guests:

Dr. KC Ma, Roland Chair of Investments at Stetson University and author of Sin Stock Returns with Dr. Fabozzi of Yale University

Mr. Thomas Schumann, Chairman and Co-Founder of German Tobacco Group AG, Frankfurt 

 A COMPLIMENTARY CONFERENCE CALL 

 UNDERSTANDING SIN INVESTING 

POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES IN UNCERTAIN MARKETS 

With Special Guests:

Dr. KC Ma, Roland Chair of Investments at Stetson University and author of Sin Stock Returns with Dr. Fabozzi of Yale University

Mr. Thomas Schumann, Chairman and Co-Founder of German Tobacco Group AG, Frankfurt 

You Heard About the Vice Fund…

Now Learn Why Vice Investing May Be For You!

The past year has seen unprecedented market volatility. But while these turbulent markets have been painful for traditional sectors, they have created greater awareness and appreciation for the widely misunderstood Sin sector. 

Registration is limited, so secure you place today online, either reply to this email or click http://www.usamutuals.com/contact.aspx to reserve your spot.

Please join us on a special conference call as we  further educate investors on the potential opportunities within the Sin sector.   

Charles Norton, CFA portfolio manager of the USA Mutuals Vice Fund will be moderating an informative and entertaining  discussion featuring two of the  leading experts on Sin Stocks as they discuss:

• What is considered a Sin/Vice company?
• Empirical evidence on how sin stocks have performed versus the S&P 500, on a risk-adjusted basis, for the period January 1970-June 2007
• Performance of sin stocks in different market conditions
• Potential financial cost of abstaining from ‘Sin’ stocks
• The business of tobacco
• How investors may potentially profit from investing in ‘Sin’ related industries such as Tobacco
• How will the new government programs influence the market?
• Should Sin stocks  be a core part of an asset allocation investing strategy?

Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

The Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses must be considered carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other information about the investment company, and it may be obtained by contacting 866.264.8783 or go to www.USAMutuals.com, or contact your financial advisor. Read it carefully before investing.

Mutual fund investing involves risk; principal loss is possible.  The Vice Fund is non diversified, meaning it may concentrate its assets in fewer individual holdings than a diversified fund.  Therefore, the Fund is more exposed to individual stock volatility than a diversified fund.  The Fund invests in foreign securities which involve greater volatility and political, economic and currency risks and differences in accounting methods.  The Fund invests in smaller companies, which involve additional risks such as limited liquidity and greater volatility.   

The S&P 500 Index is a broad based unmanaged index of 500 stocks, which is widely recognized as representative of the equity market in general. You cannot invest directly in an index.

The USA MUTUALS Funds are distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC.

	Conference Call Information         Date:   Wednesday, July 29, 2009     Topic:   Understanding Sin Investing     Time:   3:30 p.m. Eastern     Register   Email Info@USAMutuals.com     Website:   USAMutuals.com

You Heard About the Vice Fund…

Now Learn Why Vice Investing May Be For You!

The past year has seen unprecedented market volatility. But while these turbulent markets have been painful for

The theme was pending FDA industry regulation and its potential impact. There was lots to discuss and a lively debate ensued on several diversely related topics.

Clearly FDA regulation will have a profound impact on the industry – when it eventually happens. Clearly there’s much work to do.

The resort is gorgeous and a great location for the exhibition as the center is within the resort complex. It was well organized and exhibitor participation reasonable – although many said it was small. Another plus is Indonesia’s relaxed smoking policy and regulations: There aren’t any!

Visitor traffic was the usual mixture of suppliers and vendors. Missing were lots of new local faces and contacts as well as any significant showing from the multi-nationals (PMI, JTI and BAT.)

The WT staff did a great job with organization and were rewarded on their UK return with the news the magazine was closing to concentrate on Events only which will be promoted by TJI.

Victim of a declining tobacco market or contracting print media market – or both?

We wish those let go from WT all the best and thank them for their good work and dedication to the Industry.