Entries Tagged 'General' ↓
February 15th, 2010 — Fire Safe Compliant cigarettes / Low Ignition Propensity, General, Key International Business & Market Developments
Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. announced that it filed a patent infringement lawsuit recently in the United States District Court against Astra Tobacco Corporation, Delfort Group and German groups Julius Glatz, GmbH, and LIPtec, GmbH, over alleged infringement of their US patent number 6,725,867 for low ignition propensity cigarette paper.
Astra Tobacco is the sales and marketing company for Delfort group in the US.
Glatz GmbH has also recently launched a LIP paper after considerable speculation they were developing a LIP paper.
SWM apparently intends to defend its LIP intellectual property in the courts if necessary. It will be interesting to see if their patents are robust enough to withstand close scrutiny.
comments welcome………………..
February 2nd, 2010 — Current Issues, General, Key International Business & Market Developments, Science, Snus, Snuff & Alternative Products in US Markets, Tobacco Harm Reduction
In an historic first for public health, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) of the UK’s National Health Service overwhelming approved tobacco harm reduction as a key component in England’s ten year plan to reduce cigarette smoking by half. The US FDA should follow the UK’s lead. The announcement and a news excerpt are below, the press release is attached, and the full report “A Smokefree Future” is at http://www.dh.gov.uk/dr_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_111748.pdf
Interesting development in the UK.
What are your thoughts?
Do you see the FDA following suit?
December 30th, 2009 — Current Issues, General, Regulations: FDA etc., Snus, Snuff & Alternative Products in US Markets, Tobacco Harm Reduction, Uncategorized
In a recent interview with ECigaretteDirect.co.uk Carl Phillips, Associate Professor at the University of Alberta in Canada, told us that the electronic cigarette was an order of magnitude safer than regular cigarettes and that an FDA study into the electronic cigarette was “pure propoganda”.
The electronic cigarette carried, he estimated, around one percent of the risk of regular cigarettes.
While he acknowledged that the electronic cigarette carried traces of carcinogens, he pointed out that banning the electronic cigarette based on the very low levels of carcinogens contained within would also mean “banning half the foods available.”
Given that, he argued, the FDA’s stance on the electronic cigarette was motivated by propoganda and not by science.
You can read the full interview here: Electronic Cigarette Interview with Carl Phillips.
November 6th, 2009 — Acquisitions, Current Issues, General, Regulations: FDA etc., Science, Snus, Snuff & Alternative Products in US Markets, Tobacco Harm Reduction
| PMI Reported To Be In Negotiations With Ruyan |
| An OfficialWire report on November 4th said Philip Morris International is in negotiations with Ruyan Group, the manufacturer of the original e-cigarette in 2005. According to an article on Quamnet.com, “Ruyan Group said that an agreement between the Company and Philip Morris International Management S.A. could not be reached on matters relating to the co-operation between them on its ‘electronic cigarettes’ by the end of the first and exclusive phase of negotiations.” It is unclear what the news could mean for the e-cigarette industry, but “Philip Morris wants in,” the report said (OfficialWire 11/4).
Can anyone shed light on this possibility? Is it a possibility? Why Ruyan? If not Ruyan then who? Or is someone just blowing a lot of smoke (vapor)? What would this do to all the competition if it became a reality? Could Marlboro one day have an electronic version? What are your thoughts? Does PMI really want in?
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October 16th, 2009 — Conferences, General
Will be held this November 11 – 13 at the Centara convention centre in Bangkok Thailand, hosted by Tobacco Reporter and organised by Think Event Marketing. Besides the exhibition there will be a concurrent congress on topical issues affecting the industry presented by Global leaders from the Tobacco Industry.
I plan on attending and will be pleased to see you there.
Let me know
October 16th, 2009 — Current Issues, General, Retail Cigarette Brand Prices Around the World
Mississippi announced this week it will hold a public auction on October 27th to sell about 1 million cartons of confiscated cigarettes and small cigars seized at a Tupelo warehouse facility earlier this year.
Presumably this is to recover / compensate the State for potential lost tax revenues?
What price will they sell for and how does this sit with other manufacturers and distributors in the state of Mississippi who have fully complied with the law and regulations? This sale undermines their efforts and fails to reward their honesty and integrity.
What do you think?
October 11th, 2009 — Current Issues, General, Regulations: FDA etc.
Had someone from retail send this article to me knowing that I had over 30 years in the cigar selling business.
United States |
| Testifying at a Washington, DC Council hearing on September 29th, representatives of Altria Group Inc. said they would support a bill that would ban the sale of single cigars, except in tobacco shops, introduces weight-based requirements for the number of cigars per package, and requires all tobacco products to be sold from behind the counter. (Washington Examiner 09/30)
So when I read this I went “oh my it’s happening”. What are your thoughts on Altria’s insistence of placing it’s hands on the entire tobacco industry, now specifically cigars? My thoughts focus on the knowledge I have gathered from retailers that confide with me that they could build their tobacco business better if Altria/PM would just stop interfering. This can not be good! So many years with very little interference is coming to end in the cigar business.
Many have told this old cigar guy that this is not good at all!
Tell me I’m wrong! Or tell me am I right! Are those that have told me these things right or wrong?
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July 27th, 2009 — Current Issues, General
Check out the link below to read more.
Alcohol, tobacco stocks weather recession
By Andrew Leckey
Tribune Media Services
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090726/BUSINESS/907261048/1036?Title=Alcohol-tobacco-stocks-weather-recession
