Tobacco News

Record sales of cheaper cigars in the United States helped tobacco group Swedish Match (SWMA.ST) beat second-quarter earnings expectations on Wednesday, and it forecast strong growth for that product.

The company, which has benefited from demand for smokeless products as cigarette sales have fallen due to health fears, also said sales of its key snus and snuff products improved in key Scandinavian markets Norway and Sweden, but fell in the U.S. Ream more »

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The tobacco advisory panel for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will consider next week the health impacts of menthol cigarettes, which could possibly open the doors for limitations, regulations or a ban on the flavoring, according to a Dow Jones Newswires report.
The FDA panel will hear testimony July 15 and 16, on menthol’s health risks, including whether or not the addititive masks the taste of cigarettes or makes them more addictive. Ream more »

Hollywood beauty Katherine Heigl is a self-confessed “slave” to her smoking habit and is now banking on technology to control her addiction.
The Grey’s Anatomy star is using an electronic cigarette to calm her cravings, reported Contactmusic.
The blonde beauty has battled with her addiction to tobacco since she was 24 years old, but vowed to quit last year after admitting she had become “a slave” to her habit. Ream more »

Two lighters are lit. One is held to the end of a cigarette while the other is held to a piece of charcoal on top of a hookah. Both items are being lit to produce tobacco smoke.
We know tobacco causes multiple health problems, but is one method of smoking it safer than the other?
In an anonymous poll of FGCU students, cigarettes were deemed worse. Out of 35 students polled, 63.2 percent said they believed smoking a cigarette is safer than a 45-minute hookah session. Ream more »

The one year anniversary of the Tobacco Regulation Law is being celebrated today across the country. This law gave the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, the power to regulate the manufacturing, marketing, and sale of tobacco products.
Several new provisions will take effect today that include:
A crackdown on tobacco marketing and sales to children. Ream more »

As Spain triumphed against Holland in Sunday’s game, the England footballers seemed to drown their sorrows with a cocktail of cigarettes, girls and a huge bar bill.
But their spirits were remarkably high considering they’d flopped out of the World Cup a matter of days beforehand.
They were joined by EastEnders star Michael Greco as well as a horde of sexy glamour girls who were all desperate to get a piece of the football action that included a stint at LA hotspot XIV. Ream more »

BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhuanet) — Recent reports and Internet video footage of a 2-year-old Indonesian boy’s smoking addiction have shocked many worldwide and now China has its own pint-sized puffer, a 3-year-old girl named Yawen.
Like her Indonesian counterpart, Yawen from Huizhou, Guangdong Province reportedly throws severe tantrums if deprived of a cig. Ream more »

MOSCOW — One woman said children as young as 10 working in the fields developed red rashes on their stomachs and necks as they harvested tobacco for use in cigarettes made by Philip Morris.
Another migrant laborer working in the tobacco fields in Kazakhstan said a farmer confiscated her identification papers and withheld pay to force her to continue working despite dismal conditions. Ream more »

Beijing is witnessing a surge in cigar clubs as expatriate and Chinese entrepreneurs choose to do business over a fat Cuban. As the city holds its breath for a smoking ban, the market for the slim stogies is igniting with a number of private clubs and high-end hotels now offering luxury cigars. “It’s all part of China’s new luxury lifestyles – nice cars, nice wines, and, of course, nice cigars, have become a big thing in Beijing,” said David Wilson, general manager of the Ritz-Carlton and the Davidoff cigar lounge. Ream more »

(July 12) — Synthetic marijuana has law enforcement agencies and state legislatures buzzing. Last week, Missouri became the sixth state in only a year to ban the substance, which is touted as a legal alternative to pot and widely available across the country.
Also known as K2, the combination of herbs mixed with a lab-produced strain of marijuana is usually marketed as incense or bath salts. Ream more »