Aland Islands Dispute Over Sale of SNUS On Board Ships Threatens Finland's Ratification of the EU's Treaty of Lisbon (The Reform Treaty)..

March 14, 2008 - ( Aland Islands is an archipeligo - a group of more than 6000 islands in the eastern part of the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Finland. Although the islands have a certain form of autonomy they still form a province of Finand. Aland has approximately 25,000 inhabitants and the main language is Swedish.) Sales of SNUS is banned in all European Union (EU) countries accept in Sweden. The Lisbon Treaty signed by the Heads of State or Government of the 27 Member States in Lisbon on 13 December 2007 will provide the EU with modern institutions and optimised working methods to tackle both efficiently and effectively today's challenges in today's world. The treaty has to be ratified by all 27 EU members countries. The Aland Islands if not allowed by the EU to continue selling SNUS on board their ships they will make it harder for Finland to ratify the treaty. If not allowed, ships will instead choose ships to register in Sweden. Shipping accounts for 40% of the islands' economy. ( "Tiny Aland Islands Threaten to Reject Lisbon Treaty" by Slobhan Dowling, Spiegel Online, 3/13/2008) Related news briefs: Finnish Ferry Goes Swedish Over Snus Ban.. and EU Takes Finland to Court Again For NOT Banning the Use of Oral Tobacco.. Read more...

OSU tells R.J. Reynolds stop using university insignia..

March 14, 2008 - COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State University asked tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds to stop using what looked like the university's famous block "O" in an advertisement for their smokeless tobacco product - Camel SNUS.. The ad for Camel Snus tobacco pouches was brought to the attention of university officials recently by anti-tobacco advocates. The ad used in a Columbus alternative newspaper features a man and woman in a nightclub setting with an "O" in the background - see IMAGE. R.J. Reynolds spokesman David Howard said the company had "absolutely no intention" of using Ohio State's block "O" in its advertisement, which also ran in alternative newspapers in places like Orlando, Fla., and Dallas (also Raleigh). What looks like an "O" is actually part of a "003," Howard aid, but the first zero and the "3" are in a faint outline and the middle "0" is in bolder font. Howard did not know the significance of the number. The ads stopped running last year and will not run again, Howard said. The numbering was also in a brochure, which will be out of stores by the end of April at the latest, he said. ( OSU tells tobacco company to stop using university insignia, Cleveland.com, 3/12/2008) "It was probably one of the more subtle uses that we've seen, but it was still an attempt to tie the audience of the university into the product," said Rick Van Brimmer, Ohio State's director of trademark and licensing services. (North Carolina's top news stories at 10:58 p.m. EDT - OSU tells tobacco company to stop using university insignia) Some related news briefs: Ohio youth are using cigars and smokeless tobacco products and it is a continuously growing problem., R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. said yesterday that it will not advertise its cigarette brands in newspapers and consumer magazines next year. and More Camel SNUS ads NO Camel SNUS ad appeared in the What's Up Section of the Raleigh News & Observer. Click on either image to enlarge..
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Is Swedish Match's Red Man MST Succeeding While Marlboro MST Struggles??

March 13, 2008 - Is Swedish Match's Red Man MST Succeeding While Marlboro MST Struggles?? March 12, 2008 -- Swedish Match, the fastest growing moist snuff company in the US, announced the national launch of Red Man Moist Snuff, the latest product to carry the most recognized brand name in smokeless tobacco. This follows a successful test market launch last year in 11 states, which represented 36% of the moist snuff category volume. "Consumer acceptance of Red Man Moist Snuff in the test markets was overwhelming," according to Elliot Eliades, Director of New Product Development for Swedish Match North America. "Through event marketing, retail intercept (interview customer at point of sale) and website driven sampling we accelerated consumer trial by quickly getting 'cans in hands'. Early awareness scores indicated that Red Man Moist Snuff created significant consumer buzz." Red Man is a leading brand of chewing tobacco in the United States. The 1st attempt at a Red Man Moist Snuff (MST) failed. - TW Post test market research confirms that the brand’s authenticity transfers well from loose leaf to moist snuff.

Eliades adds, "This tells us Red Man Moist Snuff will climb the consumer acceptance curve at an accelerated rate." The new moist snuff offers consumers a premium brand with a respectable price. The national launch of Red Man Moist Snuff is supported by major print advertising, direct mail, and visually appealing, high impact point of sale materials, product sampling for adult consumers in adult-oriented venues, and a co-promotion with Maxim magazine. Related news briefs: 3rd Quarter Results - The world's second-largest maker of snuff and chewing tobacco.., Swedish Match will extend Red Man, the No. 1 loose leaf chewing tobacco, into the arena with competitors like Skoal and Copenhagen.., Recently Swedish Match announced that they are going to take Red Man into Moist Smokeless Tobacco (MST)Category... Other related news briefs: February 4, 2008 and January 4, 2008. One example Marlboro MST: Marlboro MST / Marlboro SNUS - Philip Morris USA (PM) Trying to Paint a Rosie Picture... Click on image to enlarge.. (TobaccoWatch.org) Read more...

FDA regulatory control tobacco bill is voted forward..

March 13, 2008 - FDA regulatory control tobacco bill is voted forward.. A U.S. House panel passed a sweeping tobacco-regulation bill (Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Act) on March 11, 2008 that has divided the country’s biggest tobacco companies over the potential for new government control. After blocking repeated Republican attempts to delay the legislation, the Democrat-controlled health subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 18-9 to pass a bill to give the Food and Drug Administration regulatory control over tobacco products. A similar bill, sponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., awaits a vote in the Senate. Aides said that there is no timeline for the bill to be heard on the Senate floor or before the full House Energy and Commerce Committee, though Democratic leaders in both chambers have called the issue a high priority. (On February 15, 2007, Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and John Cornyn (R-TX) and Representatives Henry Waxman (D-CA) . and Tom Davis (R-VA) introduced legislation to grant the FDA broad authority to regulate tobacco products.) See related news briefs: December 7, 2007, October 5, 2007 and August 2, 2007. (TobaccoWatch.org)
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PMI's Future: From Remarks by Louis C. Camilleri, Chairman and CEO-elect and Andre Calantzopoulos, Chief Operating Officer-elect after the spin-off of

March 12, 2008 - PMI's Future: From Remarks by Louis C. Camilleri, Chairman and CEO-elect and Andre Calantzopoulos, Chief Operating Officer-elect after the spin-off of PMI on March 28, 2008.. On 28 March 2008, PMI will become a separate business entity that will focus on strong business growth in emerging economies as US sales decline.The move may exempt PMI from US tobacco regulations and negative public opinion while enabling greater freedom to experiment with new product lines. (According to the World Health Organisation, smoking is rising 3.4% a year in developing countries as it falls in developed nations.) Cigarette shipment volume has declined by 8% since 2003 but operating companies income increased 29% highlighting the ability to grow profitable in a declining market. Philip Morris International forecast long-term annual revenue growth of 4 percent to 6 percent and volume growth of 1 percent to 2 percent. By the end of 2010, it expects cost savings of $1 billion and cumulative total cash flow of about $22 billion. Andre Calantzopoulos, who will be chief operating officer of Philip Morris International, said there are plenty of areas in the world for Philip Morris to grow its business. "In the international market, there are still more than five out of every six adult smokers who are consuming brands that are not manufactured and sold by PMI," he said. Among large cigarette markets where the company has little or no presence, he cited China, Vietnam, India and Bangladesh. Philip Morris International plans to spend about $300 million a year on research and development, split evenly between conventional products and new items like the "Heatbar" electronically heated cigarette that is currently being market tested. Some directly related news briefs: Altria Group, Inc. to Host Webcast on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 Concerning Spin-off of.., More on Philip Morris International of the Future.., With less restrains PMI looks to the future.. and Tomorrow Altria Board Expected to Announce Decision to Split... Other related: February 19, 2008, January 20, 2008, September 28, 2007, August 21, 2007, August 2, 2007, July 21, 2007 and October 4, 2006. Louis C. Camilleri Andre Calantzopoulos (TobaccoWatch.org) Read more...

Altria's Future: Remarks by Michael Szymanczyk, Chairman and CEO PM USA and future Chairman and CEO of Altria after the spin-off of PMI on March 28,

March 12, 2008 - Altria's Future: Remarks by Michael Szymanczyk, Chairman and CEO PM USA and future Chairman and CEO of Altria after the spin-off of PMI on March 28, 2008.. Altria Group, Inc. Investor Presentation Concerning Spin-off of Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) on March 11, 2008. Following the spin-off, we will have greater focus, with most of our corporate resources directed toward building our leadership position in the U.S. tobacco industry. Altria's mission is to own and develop financially disciplined businesses that are leaders in responsibly providing tobacco consumers with superior branded products. Philip Morris USA (PM USA) will be the largest company of Altria with its focus on domestic sales of cigarettes and adjacent products such as moist smokeless tobacco (MST) and Snus. John Middleton, Inc. was acquired in 12/2007 a leader in machine-made cigars such as Black&Mild. PM Capital Corporation is a financial services business and Altria has a 28.6% interest in SABMiller - a beer company. Cigarette industry - this is a very large business with an estimated $70 billion in consumer expenditures in 2007. It is also very profitable with an estimated industry profit pool of $8.8 billion in pre-tax income. PM USA captured approximately 56% of this profit in 2007. Premium brands ( Parliament, Virginia Slims, Basic, L&M) continue to gain share, led by Marlboro. Cigarette volumes continue to decline. PMA USA estimates that industry volumes declined 4% in 2007 versus a historical decline rate of about 2%. For the next few years, PM USA anticipates annual industry volume declines of about 2.5% to 3%. PM USA's brand strength in the cigarette business forms the base for expansion into the growing and adjacency tobacco categories. For example, PM USA is using Marlboro's superior tobacco flavor image and the resources that support the Marlboro cigarettes franchise to create value in new businesses such as MST and Snus. (Nik Modi, a UBS tobacco analyst has stated, "The Marlboro brand name is not as transferable as many originally believed." The guys that know the smokeless tobacco category tell us history clearly shows that it is difficult to extend brands from one category to another.The smokeless tobacco category (STC) (for 2005 STC was a $3.7 billion business) holds great promise for PM USA in the coming years. The combined test market results for the 2-Marlboro products in stores stocking is an estimated 6% share of the STC, after only 7-months into our test markets. While not yet nationally projectable, this result gives us reason for optimism. (We feel in order for PM USA to be a significant player in the STC they'll need to expand through acquisitions e.g., PM-UST, PM-Swedish Match). (Italics=TobaccoWatch.org)Many related news briefs - browse the library - here's one example Philip Morris USA (PM) continues to stumble in the smokeless tobacco arena.. Michael Szymanczyk (TobaccoWatch.org) Read more...

Illegal for teenagers under 18 to possess tobacco products..

March 10, 2008 - “Right now, it’s illegal for them to buy it and it’s illegal for adults to give it to them, but it’s not illegal to possess it,” said Rep. Tom Massey, R-Poncha Springs, the House sponsor for the bill. “We’re closing a loophole in the law. The bill, also sponsored by Sen. Ron Tupa, D-Boulder, has passed through the Senate at the Colorado state Legislature this session and is awaiting a House vote scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday (March 12, 2008). Colorado will be the 36th state to have a state law on the books making it illegal for those under the age 18 to possess tobacco. - Incomplete - waiting on the House vote..
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Altria Group, Inc. to Host Webcast on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 Concerning Spin-off of Philip Morris International Inc...

March 9, 2008 - Altria Group, Inc. to Host Webcast on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 Concerning Spin-off of Philip Morris International Inc... Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) will host a live audio webcast of its investor presentation concerning the spin-off of Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 beginning approximately 8:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. New York City Time. Following opening remarks from Louis C. Camilleri, Altria Group, Inc's (Altria) Chairman and CEO, Altria and PMI will give presentations on their growth strategies, capital structure, cost savings and productivity initiatives, opportunities and outlook, followed by a question-and-answer session. Presenting for Altria will be Michael E. Szymanczyk and David Beran, who will become Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Financial Officer, respectively, following the spin-off. Presenting for PMI will be Andre Calantzopoulos and Hermann Waldemer, who will become Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, respectively, following the spin-off. The webcast will be in a listen-only mode. An archived copy will be available at www.altria.com until April 9, 2008. The spinoff of PMI is scheduled to occur on March 28, 2008. Comparison of revenue from tobacco sales in PM US versus PMI. Some related news briefs: With less restrains PMI looks to the future.. and. Altria Announces Spin-off of Philip Morris International Inc... Read more...

Smokeless Tobacco Revisited - Confusion Still Exists..

March 9, 2008 -There are two types of smokeless tobacco (ST) chewing tobacco and snuff (moist and dry) Chewing tobacco and dry snuff have fallen in popularity. The only part of the tobacco market in which sales are growing is moist snuff. These products can be SMOKELESS BUT NOT SPITLESS and others are BOTH SMOKELESS AND SPITLESS. Examples of only smokeless are UST's Skoal, Copenhagen; RJR-Conwood's Kodiak, Swedish Match's Red Man Moist Snuff and Philip Morris' Marlboro Moist Smokeless Tobacco. The NON-SPITLESS (American style) SNUFF usually contains high amounts of moisture (50% or more, and lots of salt) and SMOKELESS and SPITLESS (Swedish style) SNUFF called SNUS contains less moisture and less salt. SNUS comes in two forms loose and portioned. Original snus (loose-weight), is a moist powder which can be portioned and packed into a cylindrical or spherical shape with the fingertips or SNUS portioner and Portion-packed SNUS - the type marketed in the U.S., is prepackaged powder in small bags made from the same material as teabags. White portioned SNUS contains even less moisture (and the taste may be enhanced).The main ingredients in the preparation of SNUS are ground tobacco, water, salt (ordinary cooking salt) and sodium carbonate. Additional ingredients are aromatic compounds and moisture-preserving substances. The salt is added for two reasons: to add to the flavor and to extend the shelf life of SNUS. Sodium carbonate (or potassium carbonate)is used to give the SNUS its characteristic flavor and aroma and also gives it a slightly basic pH value. Jonathan Foulds has described SNUS as moist snuff typically containing about 50% water. We believe this value to too high - the value is more like 10-15% water like found for Marlboro Snus. A CDC study analyzed the nicotine, pH and moisture content of six NON-SPITLESS SNUFF (e.g., Copenhagen, Skoal, Skoal Bandits, Kodiak) products found the moisture content ranged from 48.9% to 54.1% and the pH ranged from 5.55 for Skoal Bandits Straight to around 8.1 for Copenhagen. ( MMWR,v48#19,May 21, 1999) The amount of nicotine a person might actually obtain from smokeless tobacco products varies according to a number of factors, including how long a person holds the product in his or her mouth, how large of a pinch of tobacco is placed in the mouth, the quantity of nicotine in the tobacco, and the quantity of un-ionized nicotine in the tobacco. Nicotine in tobacco exists in two chemical forms – "free" (un-ionized) nicotine and "bound" (ionized) nicotine. The pH of a smokeless tobacco product can affect the estimated amount of its nicotine present in the un-ionized form as compared to the ionized form. The un-ionized nicotine is known to be the form of nicotine absorbed most easily in the mouth In order to be called SPITLESS the packet (pouch, sachet) has to be placed in a particular location in the mouth between the upper lip and gums and kept there with very little movement. Click on image to enlarge.. Read more...