Tobacco Retailer articles from February 2003

Tobacco Retailer archives from February 2003

Real genius. (Editor's Note).(tobacco retailers must diversify product lines to accommodate changing buying habits)(Editorial)
February 1, 2003... It doesn't take a genius to make this observation: There have been better times to be a retailer, especially if the main product you're trying to get out the door is cigarettes. Start with the dodgy economy, sprinkle with a seemingly...

N.Y. City targets Internet vendors. (Industry News).(tax evasion suit filed against 15 online cigarette retailers)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... In yet another attempt to slow down the runaway train that is Internet cigarette sales, on Jan. 17, New York City filed suit against a group of 15 online cigarette retailers for tax evasion. The suit is believed to be the largest to date...

XIKAR rolls out new catalog, price list. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Kansas City, Mo.-based XIKAR, Inc., has published an up-to-date catalog and price list that covers all its current products. "With our recent expansion into gentlemen's pocket folding knives and our exciting new Xi-007 twist punch cigar...

Questions raised about new smoking products. (Industry News).(Virginia Commonwealth University researchers examine touted health benefits of Advance, Accord and Eclipse cigarettes)
February 1, 2003... New products for smokers marketed as a means to reduce the health risks of smoking may, in fact, offer few health benefits and could introduce new risks, according to two studies by a testing lab at Virginia Commonwealth University that tests...

Cougar Mountain partners with ImSofTech. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... In November, Boise, Idaho-based Cougar Mountain Software and Tyler, Texas-based IMSofTech announced a new technology partnership. The partnership creates a technology bridge that combines IMSofTech's utility billing and customer information...

Tabacalera Perdomo launches Asian operations. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Miami-based Tabacalera Perdomo S.A., the manufacturer of 10 of the top 25 rated premium cigars in the world, has signed an exclusive deal with Hathor Investment Group Ltd., establishing the Perdomo Cigars Asia subsidiary in Singapore with...

Philip Morris puts warnings in cigarette packs. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... New York-based Philip Morris Companies Inc. has begun including inserts in packs of its medium and light cigarettes that inform consumers about the hazards of smoking. By the end of 2002, the inserts were included in approximately 130 million...

Tobacco makers cleared in smoker's death. (Industry News).(Philip Morris Cos. and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. win West Coast trial)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... United States district judge Saundra Armstrong has ruled that there is insufficient evidence to find Philip Morris Cos. and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. responsible for the death of smoker Frank Robert White. This marks the first time the...

EU snuffs out tobacco advertising. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... In December, the European Union voted to ban newspaper, radio, magazine and Internet tobacco advertising beginning in August 2005. In addition, tobacco companies are not allowed to sponsor sporting events, according to the Los Angeles Times....

Court rules against tobacco-disclosure law. (Industry News).(Massachusetts Disclosure Act of 1996)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... In December, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled that a Massachusetts law was in violation of the constitutional prohibition against seizure of property because it compelled tobacco makers to disclose trade secrets....

Study: additive-free cigarettes dangerous. (Industry News).(according to report from National Institute on Drug Abuse)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... A study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse claims that additive-free cigarettes may be as hazardous as regular cigarettes. The study appeared in the December issue of Nicotine & Tobacco Research and says that young people chose...

Cigarette taxes also rise in Ireland. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Higher taxes for cigarettes are not unique to the United States, cigarette taxes are on the rise in Ireland as well. Cigarette manufacturer John Player & Sons expressed its disappointment regarding a December announcement that the tax for a...

R.J. Reynolds announces workforce reduction. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... In December, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings, Inc., Winston-Salem, N.C., announced that it recorded a fourth-quarter pre-tax restructuring charge of approximately $235 million, or about $145 million after tax. "We are taking these steps to...

Get the facts about cigarette taxes. (Industry News).(groups claim New York is failing to collect some cigarette taxes)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... New York state's failure to collect hundreds of millions of dollars in cigarette taxes each year is hurting honest taxpayers and small businesses, robbing the state of badly needed resources and making it easier for kids to buy cigarettes,...

College campuses moving to restrict smoking. (Industry News).
February 1, 2003... An increasing number of colleges are working to restrict smoking on campus, a report by The Associated Press noted in December. A study by Harvard University in 2001 found that 25 percent of American colleges banned smoking in dormitories and...

Black-market cigarette sales booming in big apple. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Black-market sales of cigarettes are booming in New York City due to increased state excise taxes. The Wall Street Journal reported that the number of cigarette-tax stamps sold in New York City dropped 50 percent from August through November...

"Bio-Butt" combats environmental pollution. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... California-based inventor and expert in environmental, health and safety issues, Robert Walker, has developed the "Bio-Butt," a biodegradable cigarette filter made out of natural materials, which screens harmful toxins better and costs less...

R.J. Reynolds revamps Salem brand. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... In December, Winston-Salem, N.C.-based R.J. Reynolds announced plans to launch its revamped Salem brand in 2003. The Green Label cigarettes pack more menthol flavor, while the Black Label offers a "richer to-bacco flavor," said Ronda...

Puros Indios earns "Honduran Cigar of the Year". (Industry News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... At its international awards banquet on Oct. 18, the Austrian magazine European Cigar Cult Journal awarded its "Honduran Cigar of the Year" plaque to Miami-based Puros Indios Cigars. An expert panel judges premium cigars from all...

Felipe Gregorio takes fat boys on the road. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... In January, Philip Wynne, president of Felipe Gregorio, Inc., Alexandria, Va., and company vice president of national sales Micky Pegg, launched their "Fat Boy Road Show," bringing their new line of full-bodied Fat Boy premium cigars to...

Just born acquires Goldenberg Candy. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... In January, Just Born, Inc., Bethlehem, Pa., announced that it signed a letter of intent to acquire Golden-berg Candy Company of Philadelphia. "This is exciting news for Just Born as it took a very special company and brand to prompt us to...

New York's fire-safe regulations delayed. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The implementation of proposed regulations that were issued on Jan. 1 for fire-safe cigarettes in New York state will be delayed by at least six weeks. New York's fire-safe cigarette law, which would be the first of its kind in the United...

Cigar industry battles Florida smoking ban. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... On Jan. 14, Florida's cigar industry filed a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn the amendment to the state's constitution that prohibits smoking in enclosed indoor work places. The industry group, contends the amendment would virtually...

USSTC signs "King of the Cowboys". (Industry News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company, Greenwich, Conn., has announced that Ty Murray, the retired seven-time world champion all-around cowboy, will become a spokesman for the company and its Copenhagen brand of smokeless tobacco. Murray, who is...

Felony convictions for cigar counterfeiters. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... On Oct. 29, Jorge Guerra, Cesar Tellez and Louis Ordonez were sentenced for felony trademark counterfeiting in the federal district court in Miami. Each defendant was sentenced to 180 days of confinement, 100 hours of community service and two...

Expect another taxing year. (Washington Report).
February 1, 2003... It may be hard to believe, but 2003 could be even worse than 2002 when it comes to new state excise taxes for cigarettes. Nearly every state looked at increasing their excise taxes in 2002; a total of 21 ultimately did. And four states...

Under siege: major cigarette manufacturers retrench as taxes rise and alternatives tempt consumers. (Cover Story).
February 1, 2003... FOR SALEM SMOKERS, THERE'S BEEN A C CHANGE. In December, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Winston-Salem, NC., announced plans to launch its revamped Salem brand for 2003, The retooled product features new names -- Salem Black Label and Salem...

Keep on dippin: smokless tobacco continues to be a strong player in the OTP realm. (Product Profile).
February 1, 2003... The ring worn into the rear pocket of a pair of jeans--a sign of someone who likes to dip. While all tobacco products are under attack, smokeless tobacco has managed to avoid much of the public stigma attached to cigarettes, its users remaining...

Making a point: retailers have different ways of utilizing their point-of-purchase space. (Retailing).
February 1, 2003... Lighters. Candy. Industry publications like Cigar Afficionado and Smoke. That's what you'll find at or near the counter of Smoker's Palace in Michigan. Like most tobacco retailers, Smoker's Palace boss Andy Shango knows point-of-purchase...

A warm welcome. (NATO News).
February 1, 2003... On behalf of the board of directors of the National Association of Tobacco Outlets, I want to extend a sincere thank you to Tobacco Retailer for making the "NATO News" a regular column in the magazine. The National Association of Tobacco...

Communicating the big picture. (The Personnel Touch).
February 1, 2003... I find it interesting as I travel the country working with various clients the communication gap that exists between upper management and store-level employees. During my keynotes and seminars I always make it a point to ask management their...

Auto mileage allowance dips. (Tax Tips).
February 1, 2003... Do you use your car for business? And do you think keeping exact records of every expense you pay for the business use of your car is a pain in the rear bumper? Then this article is must reading. Because there's another way to deduct your auto...

www.ussmokeless.com. (Web Directory).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The Internet home of Greenwich, Conn.-based U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. opens with some nice flowing graphics with the tin of smokeless tobacco on the home page morphing easily among the company's brands, from Skoal to Rooster to Copenhagen,...

www.rjrt.com. (Web Directory).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Accessing the Inside RJRT link on the Internet home of Winston-Salem, N.C.-based R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. takes you into the mind of the nation's second-largest cigarette manufacturer. Of special interest to the retailers, under the How We...

www.mcgunnsafe.com. (Web Directory).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... These tax-happy times have not only brought a dramatic increase in the price of cigarettes, but also a rise in the number of people who would rather steal them than pay for them. Which brings us to Broadview, Ill.-based McGunn Safe Co. The...

www.altadisusa.com. (Web Directory).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... After the obligatory age-verification process, the home of Altadis U.S.A., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., offers a number of unique links. You can sign up for the Montecristo Cigar Visa card, download screensavers or enter a contest where the best...

Peter Stokkebye expands Bali Shag line. (Product News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Peter Stokkebye International, Ltd., Charlotte, N.C., has released a new Bali Shag blend, Turkish Shag, which became available through wholesale channels in November. Bali Shag Turkish blends delicate Turkish Samsun and ripe Virginia tobaccos...

Freyboy launches sweet Daddies cigars. (Product News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Freyboy Tobacco, which owns and operates nine tobacco shops in Las Vegas, has launched Sweet Daddies, a signature line of flavored cigars. Blended with long-filler Dominican tobacco and finished with a sugar-coated cap, Sweet Daddies are...

Directional Flame Company debuts SideKick. (Product News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The Directional Flame Company has introduced SideKick, a new, patented and trademarked disposable, electronic lighter that's guaranteed to grab the attention of your clients and their customers. SideKick's unique, adjustable flame diverter,...

Heavenly Cigar adds Kona coffee. (Product News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Heavenly Cigar Company, Naples, Fla., now offers Heavenly gourmet Kona coffee. Available in medium and medium/dark roast, the coffee is grown by the Buntin Bean Company farm near the Big Island of Hawaii's coffee-growing region on the Kona...

Increase under-counter merchandise space. (Product News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... California Quality Plastics has introduced a line of under-the-counter merchandisers that are built to fit under virtually any counter. They feature from three to six row heights with double-deep pack-pusher trays that allow for twice the...

Pack tins commemorate NAS anniversary. (Product News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company is commemorating 20 years in business with the issue of custom-crafted 20th anniversary pack tins, at no extra cost to retailers. Each pack tin contains 20 Natural American Spirit cigarettes and features the...

Scented Ashtray clears the air. (Product News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Advent Product Development, Inc., has introduced the Scented Ashtray, designed to manage cigar and cigarette odors by emitting a pleasant aroma from incense when in use. Just like regular ashtrays, it can be emptied and cleaned as needed with...

Xikar introduces "pocket folders". (Product News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... XIKAR, Inc., Kansas City, Mo., has introduced its new line of gentlemen's pocket folding knives, which includes two variations on its Xi 118 knives, one with a mother-of-pearl grip and the second with an abalone grip. These knives have frame...

Latest NAS card series released. (Product News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company, Santa Fe, N.M., has released its Natural American Spirit Vignette Fact Card Series VII -- Music of America, The new series is available on all styles of Natural American Spirit cigarettes. Each card features a...

Sanyo introduces in-ceiling dome housings. (Product News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Sanyo Security Products, Chatsworth, Calif., has introduced a new series of six-inch in-ceiling fixed-dome housings, the VSE-6300 Series, for 1/4-, 1/3- and 1/2-inch CCD cameras. An optional integrated camera/lens combination, Sanyo's OnePak,...

A vision for the future. (Product News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... USA Tobacco Distributing has introduced its newest cigarette brand, called Visions. The brand is a premium luxury cigarette available in five flavors: cherry, chocolate mint, vanilla, winter mint and clove. USA Tobacco Distributing, which is a...

Lignum 2 introduces A-Mild. (Product News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Lignum 2, the exclusive importer of Sampoerna clove cigarettes, has introduced the A-Mild low-tar clove cigarette. The A-Mild features a revolutionary TwinWrap paper technology that seals in flavor and eliminates clove stains. The A-Mild is a...

Scripto releases Armed Forces lighters. (Product News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... From the land to the ocean to the sky, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.-based Scripto has released a new series of Armed Forces lighters. The new lighters display the military insignias of the Army, Marines, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard. The series...

AKC unveils deluxe clove cigarettes. (Product News).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... American Kretek Company has announced the release of its DeLuxe line of Gudang Garam clove cigarettes. The new line features three styles: Surya Deluxe, a new generation of low-tar and nicotine clove cigarettes with the flavor of a traditional...