cig-juice
Postman
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2012
- Messages
- 565
[h=2]Big tobacco stubs out e-cigarette competitors
Coming soon to a convenience store near you: Vuse, an electronic cigarette that delivers nicotine without the use of tobacco and is benefiting from the combined marketing power of R.J. Reynolds and state government regulators.
Reynolds is testing the Vuse brand e-cigarette in limited distribution and is expected to roll it out nationwide.
In anticipation of Reynolds’ first effort in the e-cigarette market, the company’s lobbyists are pushing laws at the state level that could add costs, paperwork and headaches onto smaller competitors that have largely served the e-cigarette market so far.
More worrisome is that the online activities of thousands of e-cigarette consumers, who are looking for a tar-free alternative to smoking, could be effectively outlawed.
In particular, a bill passed by the Oklahoma state Senate on March 6 could boost the price of e-cigarettes by restricting online sales and preventing retailers from selling to consumers without going through a wholesale middleman first.
“We really feel this is a push by Big Tobacco to gain some more control over the market,” said Rob Ragan, owner of VaporKings, a store with four locations in and around Tulsa selling e-cigarette kits and related accessories, also called vapor products. Ragan estimates that there are about 45 such stores throughout the state that would be affected by this legislation, SB 802.
“Transform Tobacco,” a website sponsored by R.J. Reynolds, alerts visitors to “tell your state legislators to SUPPORT SB 802!”
It’s not hard to see why Reynolds wants to break into e-cigarettes, which allow smokers to get nicotine without the chemicals and tar in regular cigarettes.[/h]
Coming soon to a convenience store near you: Vuse, an electronic cigarette that delivers nicotine without the use of tobacco and is benefiting from the combined marketing power of R.J. Reynolds and state government regulators.
Reynolds is testing the Vuse brand e-cigarette in limited distribution and is expected to roll it out nationwide.
In anticipation of Reynolds’ first effort in the e-cigarette market, the company’s lobbyists are pushing laws at the state level that could add costs, paperwork and headaches onto smaller competitors that have largely served the e-cigarette market so far.
More worrisome is that the online activities of thousands of e-cigarette consumers, who are looking for a tar-free alternative to smoking, could be effectively outlawed.
In particular, a bill passed by the Oklahoma state Senate on March 6 could boost the price of e-cigarettes by restricting online sales and preventing retailers from selling to consumers without going through a wholesale middleman first.
“We really feel this is a push by Big Tobacco to gain some more control over the market,” said Rob Ragan, owner of VaporKings, a store with four locations in and around Tulsa selling e-cigarette kits and related accessories, also called vapor products. Ragan estimates that there are about 45 such stores throughout the state that would be affected by this legislation, SB 802.
“Transform Tobacco,” a website sponsored by R.J. Reynolds, alerts visitors to “tell your state legislators to SUPPORT SB 802!”
It’s not hard to see why Reynolds wants to break into e-cigarettes, which allow smokers to get nicotine without the chemicals and tar in regular cigarettes.[/h]
