Author: Timothy Donahue

  • KT&G Releases Lil Solid 3.0 in South Korea

    KT&G Releases Lil Solid 3.0 in South Korea

    Image: KT&G

    KT&G has released Lil Solid 3.0 in South Korea, reports Maeil Business Newspaper.

    The new product is an upgrade to Reel Solid 2.0, which debuted in 2020. Lil Solid 3.0 offers two new usage settings that provide a differentiated sense of smoking. “Boost” mode delivers a rich haze volume and strong impact. Normal mode offers the same experience as Reel Solid 2.0.

     A “smart-on” function heats the device instantly when the stick is inserted. The fast charging allows the user to charge the device up to 50 percent of its capacity within 40 minutes.

     The recommended consumer price is KRW88,000 ($66).

     “Reel Solid 3.0 is expected to provide more satisfaction to consumers with upgraded user convenience and design,” said Lim Wang-seop, head of KT&G’s next-generation products business division. “We will continue to develop innovative products that can meet domestic and foreign consumer needs based on world-class brand competitiveness.”

  • Firstunion Technology Recognized in Dortmund

    Firstunion Technology Recognized in Dortmund

    Image: blacksalmon

    Firstunion’s Alkaid Light heating technology received an HNB innovation award on Sept. 19 at the InterTabac exhibition in Dortmund, Germany, according to a company press release relayed by Vaping360.

    That same evening, Firstunion hosted a launch event, showcasing how Alkaid technology addresses consumer concerns such as heating speed, flavor quality, device cleanliness, and health impacts.

    Alkaid light-heating method leverages full-spectrum light waves, mimicking the natural power of sunlight to deliver rapid and uniform heating. According to Firstunion’s Alkaid light-heating technical lead Zhu Bin, this enables the device to preheat in just five seconds, offering users instant satisfaction with a smooth, seamless draw.

    Firstunion claims the technology also delivers superior taste and health benefits that elevate the smoking experience beyond current standards. According to the manufacturer, Alkaid increases the nicotine release efficiency in aerosols by more than 40 percent and boosts total particulate matter by 20 percent, delivering an experience that closely mimics that offered by traditional cigarettes.

    Simultaneously, the technology cuts harmful substance emissions by 20 percent, according to Firstunion. Thanks to its innovative non-contact heating design, Alkaid requires no cleaning, ensuring the device delivers consistent, fresh-tasting flavor even after 5,000 continuous uses, according to the press note.

  • Survey: Most Vapers Oppose Retail Display Ban

    Survey: Most Vapers Oppose Retail Display Ban

    VV Archives

    A recent survey by the Malaysian Vapers Alliance (MVA), a local advocacy group for vape consumers, showed that many vapers oppose the retail display ban that is expected to be implemented.

    Following the survey, MVA has raised concerns over critical elements of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852).

    The survey, which garnered close to 500 responses, aimed at understanding consumer perspectives on the impending regulations.

    The survey showed that 71.3% of respondents do not agree with the ban, citing dissatisfaction with the inability to browse through products before making a decision (39.7%) and difficulties in the purchasing process (38.3%).

    The survey also uncovered that if the retail display ban occurs, consumers will likely seek illegal alternatives (47.4%) or return to smoking cigarettes (44.5%).

    Only a tiny percentage (8.1%) indicated they would quit vaping altogether if faced with such restrictions.

    In commenting on the findings, MVA president Khairil Azizi Khairuddin emphasized the potential dangers of pushing consumers towards unregulated products.

    “The survey findings clearly show that a retail display ban is not the solution,” said Khairuddin. “Restricting consumers’ ability to see and choose legitimate products will only drive them to the black market, where the quality and safety of products are questionable.

    “This is not the direction we want to go in, mainly as vaping serves as a harm-reduction tool for many who are trying to move away from smoking.”

  • PMI to Record £220 Million Loss on Vectura Sale

    PMI to Record £220 Million Loss on Vectura Sale

    Image: Aliaksandr Marko

    Philip Morris International expects to record a record loss of about £220 million ($198 million) on the sale of its inhaled-therapeutics Vectura Group unit to Molex Asia Holdings in the third quarter, reports The Wall Street Journal, citing a securities filing.

    On Sept. 17, PMI’s pharmaceutical subsidiary, Vectura Fertin Pharma, announced it would sell its Vectura Group business to Molex. The company acquired Vectura Group in 2021 for $1.24 billion as part PMI’s drive to diversify beyond nicotine.

    The company now says that “unwarranted opposition” to its transformation has affected Vectura Group’s engagement with the scientific community and its commercial relationships.

    The remaining units of Vectura Fertin Pharma will continue to operate under a new corporate identity and develop oral consumer health and wellness offerings, as well as inhaled prescription products for pain management and cardiovascular emergencies.

  • Tucker Carlson to Launch Nicotine Pouch, Blasts Zyn

    Tucker Carlson to Launch Nicotine Pouch, Blasts Zyn

    Photo: Andrii

    Tucker Carlson plans to introduce a nicotine-pouch brand called Alp in November, reports The Wall Street Journal.

    The conservative U.S. political commentator said he decided to enter the tobacco business because of the way Zyn manufacturer Philip Morris International responded to an off-color remark he made in 2023 about America’s bestselling nicotine pouch.

    Until recently, Carlson styled himself as an unofficial spokesman for Zyn. He talked up the brand on frequent podcast appearances. “The truth is, Zyn is a powerful work enhancer and also a male enhancer, if you know what I mean,” Carlson told comedian Theo Von in an interview last October.

    Carlson’s representatives then pitched PMI on forming a partnership with the brand. The multinational declined, citing Carlson’s commentary.

    “While we understand that these may be Mr. Carlson’s views or made in jest, these statements lack a scientific foundation,” the tobacco company wrote. “Given Mr. Carlson’s popularity and reach, these statements could promote a misunderstanding and misuse of our products.”

    Carlson said the message enraged him.

    “Of course I wasn’t making a medical claim about their product. I was just joking,” he told The Wall Street Journal. “So I thought: ‘I’m going to launch my own product that’s not controlled by, you know, humorless, left-wing drones.’”

    Last month, a Turning Point Brands subsidiary filed a trademark application for the Alp brand name and its logo, which depicts a winking man in a cowboy hat. The company currently sells a moist nicotine pouch called Fre.

    Alp will come in three nicotine strengths—3 mg, 6 mg and 9 mg. Zyn in the U.S. is only available in 3 mg and 6 mg versions. Another key difference is that Alp pouches are moist while Zyn pouches are dry, like tiny tea bags, until they are tucked into the cheek, according to Carlson.

  • Italian Lawmakers Examine Nicotine Legislation

    Italian Lawmakers Examine Nicotine Legislation

    Photo: chrisdorney

    Italian lawmakers have started investigating the country’s taxation and concessionary system for the retail sale of tobacco and next-generation products, reports Sigmagazine.

    On Sept. 18, the Chamber of Deputies’ finance committee heard from three tobacconist organizations. The exchange will likely be followed by hearings of vapor industry representatives.

    This marks the first formal occasion where politicians acknowledge the nicotine sector, thus recognizing it as a legitimate interlocutor.

    Italy’s tobacco market has been in flux as traditional tobacco products, particularly cigarettes, have lost ground to next-generation products, which jumped from 4 percent to 18 percent of the market between 2019 and 2023.

    In response to the shifting sales trends and tax receipts, Italian lawmakers have adjusted the fiscal framework for smoking products. For example, during the 17th legislature, they extended excise duties to noncombustible tobacco products. E-liquids made from substances other than tobacco used in e-cigarettes were also subjected to taxes.

    In addition to analyzing the tax framework, the finance committee wants to assess whether the system is consistent with EU rules and gather insights into the illicit trade.

    According to the Italian Tobacconist Federation, the illegal market for smoking products and inhalable products is worth €1 billion ($1.11 billion), causing the state and tobacconists to miss out on income of €620 million and €120 million, respectively.

    The commission’s work must be completed by Dec. 31, 2024.

  • UK Urged to Tackle ‘Illegal’ Disposable Vapes

    UK Urged to Tackle ‘Illegal’ Disposable Vapes

    Photo: BAT

    The U.K. government should be cracking down on illegal vapes rather than introducing redundant policies on cigarettes, according to BAT Chief Corporate Officer Kingsley Wheaton.

    Wheaton made his comments in the context of the British government’s “generational tobacco ban.” The U.K.’s previous Conservative administration announced plans to create a smoke-free generation by banning the sales of cigarettes in the future to anyone who is currently aged 14 or under. The new Labour government is continuing with the policy and is also concerned about the prevalence of disposable vapes.

    Wheaton cited a BAT analysis showing that by the time the generational ban takes force, smoking rates will have already fallen below 5 percent in that age category.

    BAT is instead pushing for licensing for retailers selling vapes. With proper enforcement, licensing will help reduce the number of underage children getting their hands on e-cigarettes and level the playing field for all companies operating in the industry, according to the multinationals.

    “We need to move on to a more mature dialog with real solutions for the problems that are out there,” Wheaton was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.

  • Georgia House Welcomes ‘False’ Registry Comments

    Georgia House Welcomes ‘False’ Registry Comments

    Credit: Hafakot

    Earlier this year, the Georgia legislature adjourned before the Senate could consider House Bill 1260, also known as the Georgia Nicotine Vapor Products Directory Act. If passed, the bill would have established a registry for vape products that had premarket tobacco product applications (PMTA) either authorized or under consideration by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

    Manufacturers would add their products to the registry voluntarily.

    According to reporting by Filter, legislators formed the Safety & Consumer Protection of Nicotine Vapor Products Study Committee in March. At the committee meetings held September 5 and September 9, law enforcement officers and school administrators took turns giving wildly inaccurate testimony about how United States teenagers are being killed off en masse by unregulated, disposable flavored vapes imported from China.

    The September 9 meeting featured a slideshow titled Flavored Disposable Vape–The New Face of Organized Crime, describing how the epidemic was leading children down a path toward transnational drug trafficking. It was kept off-camera during the livestream, due to apparently containing top-secret law enforcement intelligence.

    “Again, everything’s Chinese, from China. What else is China bringing into the United States?” asked copresenter Carlos Sandoval. “Methamphetamine. Cocaine. Vapes is another new product, it’s opening another door for organized crime and cartels.”

    Despite the fact that the both study committee and the tabled bill are purportedly about nicotine vapor products, the committee appeared to be about equally preoccupied with THC. Both were described as “highly addictive” and “silent killers,” often interchangeably.

    One former principal testified that one of the only interventions she’d found helpful to prevent vaping in her school was a “rewards program” that used a school communications platform to apparently place small bounties on students who vaped.

    “A student could go on there and turn in someone who was vaping in the bathroom,” she said, “and if we were able to prove it they would receive a $25 gift certificate. We called it ‘Snitches Get Riches.’”

  • PMI Sells Vectura, Exits Asthma Inhaler Business

    PMI Sells Vectura, Exits Asthma Inhaler Business

    Photo: PMI

    Philip Morris International is selling Vectura to Molex Asia Holdings for £150 million ($198 million) cash upfront and potential deferred payments of up to £148 million—about a third of the price it paid for the company three years ago. Vectura will be operated by Molex’ Phillips Medisize unit.

    In 2021, PMI paid about $1.2 billion for the U.K. maker of asthma inhalers as part of its efforts to diversify into the pharmaceutical business.

    The deal attracted heavy criticism from anti-smoking campaigners who said the cigarette manufacturer should not benefit from a company that offers treatments of ailments caused or worsened by tobacco products.

    The fierce opposition played a roll in PMI’s decision to sell the unit at a loss. “Despite the investment and commitment to developing products and therapies vital to patients, unwarranted opposition to PMI’s transformation has impacted Vectura’s scientific engagement and commercial CDMO [contract developing and manufacturing organization] relationships.” PMI wrote in statement.

    “With its experience in pharmaceutical drug delivery devices and its global manufacturing footprint, Phillips Medisize is best placed to lead Vectura into the future—while releasing it from the unreasonable burden of external constraints and criticism related to our ownership,” said PMI CEO Jacek Olczak.

    Vectura is part of a “health and wellness” unit that also includes Fertin Pharma, the producer of a smoking-cessation aid, that PMI bought for about $820 million in 2021. Last year, PMI took a $680 million impairment charge on the unit after unsuccessful clinical trials and slower-than-expected development of other products.

    Selling Vectura will allow PMI to “rid itself of a financially struggling unit,” said Kenneth Shea, a Bloomberg Intelligence analyst. “But it also represents a strategic backpedal to the company’s once-bold ambition to serve the inhaled therapeutics medical market,” he added.

  • BAT Announces Major Management Board Changes

    BAT Announces Major Management Board Changes

    BAT has announced management board changes. Kingsley Wheaton will be appointed as chief corporate officer, a newly created role. Wheaton’s current role of chief strategy and growth officer will cease to exist.

    As chief corporate officer, Wheaton will have overall responsibility for the strategy and execution of the group’s sustainable future pillar, including:

    • Establishing broad acceptance of BAT’s tobacco harm reduction (THR) agenda, working with BAT’s director of research and science, James Murphy, to ensure the scientific basis for harm reduction and encouraging a fact-based discussion on nicotine among key stakeholders;
    • Shaping the landscape through responsible and transparent dialogue with regulators, policymakers and other relevant stakeholders; and
    • Enhancing BAT’s leadership in sustainability and integrity.

    Paul McCrory, director of corporate and regulatory affairs, will continue to report to Wheaton in this role. Donato Del Vecchio, chief sustainability officer, will also continue to report to Wheaton.

    Luciano Comin, marketing director for combustibles and new categories, will be appointed chief marketing officer, reporting directly to Tadeu Marroco, CEO.

    James Barrett, director of business development, will report to Soraya Benchikh, chief financial officer.

    All changes are effective immediately.

    “We will be taking an important step later today in our journey to encourage THR acceptance with the launch of a compelling science and evidential case for THR in the form of ‘The Omni: Forward Thinking for a Smokeless World,’” said Marroco.

    “I would like to thank Kingsley for all that he has done as chief strategy and growth officer. He has stepped into the role at a critical time for BAT and has helped shape the strategy and establish new functional capabilities. In all of these areas, BAT is now stronger and more robust.”

    “I feel honored to take up this new challenge,” said Wheaton. “As BAT moves forward toward ‘A Better Tomorrow,’ the focus on this area of the strategy will be all-important. I am looking forward to bringing my experience and understanding of both BAT and the external environment and making a real difference.”