A lot of interest, debate and hope for the future of electronic cigarettes has increase since Lorillard (makers of the number 2 selling cigarette in america; Newport) purchased Blu cigs.
Many prominent analysts in the cigarette field believe electronic cigarettes have moved from a Fad to Here to Stay. Bonnie Herzog, a Wells Fargo Securities analyst, believes soon R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co will begin selling electronic cigarettes.
“We expect Reynolds to be the next mover into this growing category, most likely organically but we wouldn’t rule out a potential acquisition,” Herzog said.
“However, with Altria, the race is on: who’s next in e-cigs.”
“We think e-cigs are to tobacco what energy drinks are to beverages,” Herzog said.
“E-cigs are profitable, growing quickly, gaining shelf space and consumer acceptance; therefore e-cigs are an important new niche category for retailers.”
David Howard, a Reynolds spokesman says it’s companies policy:
“is to not comment on any rumors or speculation regarding any possible acquisitions.”
According to Pat Shehan, owner of Tarheel Tobacco in Winston-Salem:
“It’s hard to say what it will take to pull Reynolds in, but e-cigs are getting bigger by the month,”
Annually, e-cigs sales about $300 million dollars among 2.5 million users according to data from Tobacco Vapor Electronic Cigarette Association. Herzog projects this number will climb to $1 billion dollars in a few years.
Pat Shehan, owner of Tarheel Tobacco in Winston-Salem, says:
“It’s hard to say what it will take to pull Reynolds in, but e-cigs are getting bigger by the month,”
The article this information came from has lots of interesting information, you can find it here.
Eversmoke sends a starter kit to Speaker of the United States House of Representatives John Boehner. Eversmoke gives several reasons:
EverSmoke commented on their offer to Boehner by stating, “We appreciate all that Boehner does for our country and the economy and we would like for him to enjoy the satisfying feeling of smoking without the harmful side effects of tobacco. We understand how much pressure is involved in politics, especially being the House Speaker, and it’s important to remain healthy in every way possible.”
I’m actually curious how John does and I hope he response publicly with his opinion on electronic cigarettes. Recently we know how some local state officials feel on the subject as well as FDA’s current stand point, but not the two big Federal Institutions, and I, for one, would like to know at least one member feels about them.
A courthouse in Greensburg Pa. recently banned electronic cigarettes as well as other imitation cigarette devices from the courthouse. The Westmoreland County Commissioners voted to ban e-cigs and other imitation cigarette devices after court offices complained about people using them inside the courtrooms.
During the recent Tobacco Merchants Association 97th Annual Meeting, Ecig Advanced was able to interview the CEO of Lorillard (makers of the number 2 selling cigarette in america Newport) Murray Kessler to discuss the acquisition of Blu cigs, the number one selling ecig manufacturer in america. Ecig advanced posted the video of their interview as well as their viewpoints on the Annual Meeting itself.
What I found interesting about the video is Kessler was very optimistic. His statements were very telling of the worries of the ecig community and his outlook on ecigs in general was very open and seemed genuine. His statements did not seem purposely obscure or misleading. Some of the points he addressed was reaffirming the public view on ecigs and to Lorillards commitment to ecigs growth. I was impressed not only wth the amount of research they did before the purchase (That seems to be a given with big companies) but how involved he was personally. His knowledge of the industrys growth and marketing power helped my conspiracy radar pull back to “hopefully optimistic”.
Kessler also mentioned a point I was hopeful about. The fact that the tobacco industry has worked with the FDA in so many cases, they can help ecigs bypass the legislature re-tape a new product can get lost in like ecigs. He also mentioned what the ecig community has watched closely; the “knee jerk reactions” from state legislators. Kessler would like to help educate the law making bodies on ecigs using the vast knowledge that has been accumulated by Lorillard and Kessler to guide ecigs in this murky water.
Plus, Kessler actually sounded excited about the future of ecigs, about making them available everywhere and about how they have already committed to promoting Blu heavily so it is accessible to those that want them where they want them.
Brian Clark Howard of National Geographic News asks a new question. Are E-cigs less harmful on the environment than regular cigarettes?
This is new question, but once heard, makes perfect sense. Environmentally, which between cigarettes and electronic cigarettes leaves a smaller foot print? Brian brings up cigarette buts, how long they take to decay, and the toxins they leak back into the environment.
Although people are smoking less in America thanks to decades of public health campaigns, cigarette butts are still a significant trash problem. The core of the butt can take anywhere from 18 months to 10 years to decompose. During that time, the cigarette filters are full of tar, nicotine, and other toxins that can leach into the ground, potentially affecting any organism that comes into contact with them.
Butts pushed by rain into storm drains can make it into the ocean, where they can release their toxic chemicals, or get eaten by fish or birds.
The impact cigarette smoking has, besides the normal ones health wise, really is staggering. It is great at times to get to see a topic you follow so closely get explained through new eyes so you can notice things you may never have even considered.
Most electronic cigarettes are reusable, meaning only a tiny amount of vapor needs to be refilled for each use. This means they are potentially more eco-friendly than going through mountains of single-use products, which take resources to produce. e-Cigarettes are typically powered by reusable batteries, and are often charged via USB ports.
Because electronic cigarettes don’t produce smoke, they are much less risky to non-users and to air quality in general. The health impacts on users are not well known, since the products have only been on the market for a few years.
He does mention the cautionary side as well. But here is what sums up his article for me.
While some health professionals suggest consumers steer clear of e-cigarettes, it’s also possible that they could function as a useful smoking cessation intermediary. It’s obvious that quitting smoking is difficult, so maybe there is value to a product that may or may not cause some harm, but that helps one stop using a product that we know causes harm.
It’s clear e-cigarettes are safer for non-users, so does that qualify them as a worthy lesser of two evils?
* Reference: http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/04/11/cigarettes-vs-e-cigarettes-which-is-less-environmentally-harmful/
Springfield Missouri: The city council has had delays but on April 23, hearings finally begun in the multi-part hearings to amend the smoking ban, with electronic cigarettes on one of these bills.
The exemptions, each its own separate bill, would allow the use of electronic cigarettes, allow smoking in tobacco shops, cigar bars, private clubs and on-stage in theatrical productions.
Each of these exemptions will have to be approved unanimously by the Council to pass, because each changes a law decided by voters. There will be no vote, but the public will be allowed to speak on each.
The bill on electronic cigarettes is:
COUNCIL BILL 2012-091
A general ordinance amending Chapter 58, Health and Sanitation, Article X, of the Springfield City Code for the City of Springfield, Missouri, Springfield Smokefree Air Act of 2011: Amending Section 58-1002, Definitions; deleting e-cigarettes from the definition of smoking exempting such devices from this Act. “it is necessary to amend the Springfield Smokefree Air Act of 2011 to allow these devices to be used in the City of Springfield, Missouri.”
Update:
On June 5th, 2012, the council will send leave to vote to amend this bill to the voters.
So, Springfield Missouri, your right to vape in public will be in your hands.
* Reference: Ozarksfirst.com, and Ozarksfirst.com.
Here is an actual video from the company White Cloud Electronic Cigarettes where they torture E-Cigs and see if they explode. Warning, do not try this at home. Any of it, really.
Lorillard, Inc., through its Lorillard Tobacco Company subsidiary, is the third largest manufacturer of cigarettes in the United States, released it’s quarterly earnings recently, showing it’s progress for the stock holders, and then drops a little nugget, Um, btw, we just bought Blu Cigs with the tune of $135 million dollars.
Ok, they didn’t use those words, but the news was stunning to me. So stunning, I researched it a few times to be sure. Lorillard Inc. makes Old Gold, Kent (a blast from my youth), True, Maverick (remembering days of savaging for change to buy a pack, which are the cheapest? Mavericks? I’ll take a pack. Ah the days of youth) and Newport. Newport is a staple in Miami, and to learn that a major tobacco company sees the future of e-cigs is huge, at least I believe. Maybe we can get those regulations we e-cig smokers have wanted.
The tobacco company on Wednesday also unveiled a $135 million cash acquisition of blu ecigs, a U.S. maker of electronic cigarettes. The deal gives Lorillard exposure to the fast-growing market for the devices, which use small batteries rather than an open flame.
We’ll have to keep our eyes open to see how the other big Cigarette Manufactures respond to this.
Investment group Catterton Partners, a consumer-focused private equity firm, has invested the hefty sum of $20 million dollars into NJoy, a popular E-Cig manufacturer.
Here is the press release:
PRESS RELEASE
NJOY, America’s most popular electronic cigarette brand, announced today that it has received a $20 million investment from Catterton Partners, the leading consumer-focused private equity firm. The investment, which is being made by Catterton Growth Partners, L.P., will be used to accelerate NJOY’s brand awareness, growth and other business development opportunities.*
Americas financial community seems to have taken a long, hard look at the electronic cigarette industry and has finally made a decision. I’m sure the analytics involved has taken every thing that has occurred in the past 8 years of e-cigs growth and found a chance at profit.
On a personal note, this has gotten my attention. Nothing gets the ball rolling as far as innovation, growth and regulations as profit in America. This can lead to good things or bad ones, but it will speed things up regardless and increase awareness to boot.
“NJOY and Catterton are a terrific fit, as both companies are the ‘Gold Standard’ in their respective businesses,” said Craig Weiss, President and CEO of NJOY. “We welcome Catterton not just as an investor, but as a strategic partner that can help take NJOY to the next level.”*
* Reference: pehub.com
A Disposable E-Cig Explodes in Woman’s Hand
as she opens the package. Shona Bear Clark purchased the OneJoy NJOY E-Cigarette from Wal-Mart. While her sister-in-law looked on, Clark opened the package when it them “exploded”. She says the explosion was strong, it knocked over a 15 pound lamp, knocked an art piece of the opposite wall, partially affected her hearing in her “right” ear and caused irritation in her “left” eye. Luckily there seemed to be no damage to her hands at all.
Clark says she called Wal-Mart to warn them as well as called NJoy. Njoy offered to refund her and asked her to mail the defective unit to them so they can find what happened to cause the explosion.
Top 5 Starter Kits
 | South Beach Smoke |
 | Green Smoke |
 | Halo |
 | Vapor King |
 | Blu |