Tobacco Retailer articles from June 2002

Tobacco Retailer archives from June 2002

Onward and Upward. (From the Editor).(Brief Article)(Editorial)
June 1, 2002... If you'll kindly indulge me, I'd like to start this issue's edit note with a proclamation: Happy birthday to us! Yes, with this issue, Tobacco Retailer celebrates its fourth birthday. But while we are proud of what we've accomplished since...

Brown & Williamson introduces redesigned KOOL. (Industry News).(Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corp. launches new packaging, marketing campaign for KOOL brand)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... In May, Louisville, Ky.-based Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation unveiled new, bold, vibrant packaging for its KOOL flagship brand and information about the brand's new marketing campaign. "The new packaging provides our first...

Philip Morris raises price of cigarettes. (Industry News).(Philip Morris Companies Inc.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... In April, New York-based Philip Morris Cos. instituted a 4.5-percent increase in the list price of its cigarettes and other tobacco products, and other tobacco companies were expected to follow suit, the Wall Street Journal reported. Wall...

Tobacco companies make payment to states. (Industry News).(1998 Master Settlement Agreement)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The major cigarette manufacturers have made their scheduled payments to the states under the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement. According to the National Association of Attorneys General, this latest industry payment will total nearly $5...

Nicotine lollipop sales climb; FDA steps in. (Industry News).(Food and Drug Administration )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Drug stores are experiencing strong sales of nicotine-laced lollipops to smokers who want to quit, even though the pops have not received federal regulatory approval, the Wall Street Journal recently reported. With brand names like...

Star Scientific to discontinue "light" labels. (Industry News).(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
June 1, 2002... In April, Chester, Va.-based Star Scientific Inc. said it would discontinue using the terms "light" and "ultra-light" on its Vegas brand, a move that follows research showing that low-tar cigarettes are no safer than regular ones. ...

New York retailers brace for tax hike. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... New York's latest cigarette tax increase took effect recently -- at $1.50 per pack, an increase of 39 cents, it is now the nation's highest -- and the state's cigarette retailers began bracing for a loss of cigarette sales to Indian...

Florida voters face anti-smoking ballot question. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Florida voters will decide whether to approve a constitutional amendment that would ban smoking in restaurants and most workplaces after a statewide drive by anti-tobacco advocates gathered enough signatures to place the initiative on the...

Delaware debates smoking ban. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Delaware state senators are debating a bill that would outlaw smoking in most public Delaware buildings, including bars, restaurants and casinos, the Wilmington News Journal reported. The bill, which originated in the Senate, was amended by...

South Carolina rejects tax increase. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... With a slew of states either considering or passing cigarette tax increases to fund budget shortfalls or new programs, the South Carolina House somewhat stemmed the recent tide and rejected a plan to raise the cigarette tax 44 cents a pack to...

Kansas legislature debates tax increases. (Industry News).(cigarettes, gasoline)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... The Kansas state legislature is debating a series of proposed tax increases to raise revenues. These proposed taxes could have a significant impact on retailers in the state. Tom Palace, executive director of the Petroleum Marketers &...

Ohio considering cigarette tax hike. (Industry News).(increase from 24 to 74 cents)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... The Ohio Senate in considering a new bill that would triple the tax per pack on cigarettes as part of its plan to balance the state's budget. If the measure is approved, every surrounding state except Michigan would have lower cigarette...

Philip Morris backs self-extinguishing cigarettes. (Industry News).(Philip Morris Companies Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... New York-based Philip Morris Cos. has said it will ask the federal government to adopt a national standard calling for tobacco companies to produce only self-extinguishing cigarettes, the Winston Salem Journal reported. A New York state...

Judge dismisses case against Philip Morris. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... On May 1, a federal judge in the United States District Court in Greensboro, N.C., dismissed a lawsuit filed against New York-based Philip Morris U.S.A. by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Winston-Salem, N.C., Brown and Williamson, Louisville,...

Court fines RJR for cigarette giveaways. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... A California judge has fined R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings Inc., Winston-Salem, N.C., $14.8 million for handing out free cigarettes at events like street fairs and car races where children were present, the Chicago Tribune reported. ...

Ban on tobacco displays challenged in Canada. (Industry News).(by Rothmans, Benson and Hedges Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The Saskatchewan government said it would defend its tough new tobacco-control laws -- which ban the advertising and display of tobacco or related products in places accessible to minors -- all the way to the country's highest court against a...

NAS Retailer of the Year contest starts. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The fifth annual Natural American Spirit Retailer of the Year contest is here. Retailers can win up to $5,000 by creating the best "Natural American Spirit Display or Promotion" and showcasing it between June 1 and June 30, 2002. As an added...

Gurkha cigar touted as "among finest in world". (Industry News).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... Gurkha Cigars have won accolades and recommendations by Departures magazine, the exclusive publication limited to holders of the American Express Platinum Corporate Card. "Gurkha Cigars are among the finest in the world," was the editorial...

Chills launches truck marketing campaign. (Industry News).(Chills Tobacco)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Chills Tobacco, Sarasota, Fla., has teamed up with Dusa Distribution to market Chills throughout the state of Florida on Dusa's fleet of 25 trucks. Dusa Distribution agreed to let Chills use its entire fleet of delivery trucks as rolling...

Philip Morris announces executive changes. (Industry News).(parent and subsidiaries, including Kraft Foods Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The Philip Morris Companies, New York, recently announced the senior management team that will guide its growth in the years ahead under the leadership of Louis C. Camilleri, president- and CEO-designate. Michael E. Szymanczyk, formerly...

Standardized license debate heats up. (Washington Report).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Legislation to standardize state-issued driver's licenses, and to mandate that those licenses carry a computer chip and incorporate some kind of unique identifier such as a fingerprint, was slated to be introduced in Congress in May, the...

Going deep: with more cigarette tax increases possible, the deep-discount category is expanding. (Cover Story).(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... Cigarettes may be recession proof in that they are the type of product consumers continue to buy in an economic downturn, but even the resilient cigarette category cannot escape the tax-hiking tendencies of state lawmakers facing...

Sites for Sore eyes: tobacco retailers find worthwhile results when tangling with the Web. (Retailing).(marketing)
June 1, 2002... It would be a stretch to say that having a business Web site today is as common as having an advertisement in a phone directory. It would not be a stretch, however, to say that a business having a Web presence is uncommon. For manufacturers and...

Answering age-old questions: age-verification systems help retailers stay on the right side of the law. (Operations).
June 1, 2002... In the 1998 classic, "A Night at the Roxbury," brothers Doug and Steve Butabi try valiantly to gain entrance to the exclusive club, "The Roxbury." No dice. It's not that they're underage or anything. It's just that they're not hip enough. And...

Filling the void: with the cigar craze come and gone, savvy retailers are puffing up profits with pipes. (Pipes).(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... The pipe -- once thought an heirloom from a bygone era -- is back, and better than ever. From the earliest clay versions to today's briar-wood standard, the pipe has undergone many transitions throughout the years. Retailers are pleased with...

www.sequoiaman.com. (Smoke Screens).(Swedish Match North America Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... After completing a short registration process, the visitor is transported to the Internet home of Richmond, Va.-based Swedish Match's Sequoia brand of smokeless tobacco. The site aims to present the use of Sequoia as a lifestyle choice with...

www.cigarworld.com. (Smoke Screens).(features of new Web site)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... CigarWorld has redesigned its Web site, making it a more valuable destination for all cigar smokers. Win free cigars and other prizes in the Promotions section. Find cigar events by visiting the Cigar Events section. Locate hard-to-find premium...

www.alliancetobacco.com. (Smoke Screens).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... If an award were created for "Best Use of Company Logo in a Web Environment' the stylized, arrow-shaped AT logo of Somerset, Ky.-based Alliance Tobacco would definitely be in the running. Located in the upper-left corner of the Home page, the...

www.chills.com. (Smoke Screens).(launches new online shopping site)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Chills Tobacco, Sarasota, Fla., has reopened its online retail and business-to-business site with a full shopping-cart service and secure online credit-card ordering. The entire Chills premium hemp-based paper line, as well as rolling machines,...

ITE 2002 biggest and best ever. (ITE Review).
June 1, 2002... Late last year, the tobacco-industry analysts at Credit Suisse First Boston released the results of a trade survey they conducted that showed that the price gap between branded-savings cigarettes and those in the deep-discount -- or fourth-tier...

Training for tobacco compliance. (Personnel Touch).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... How do you train your store employees to prevent the sale of restricted tobacco products to minors? Do your employees understand the various state and local laws they are responsible to enforce? Do they know how to decline a tobacco sale in a...

How to limit your online liability. (The Legal Advisor).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... We all know that risk is part of any business. But legal risks can be magnified when you create a Web site for your business. That's because Internet law is still in its infancy. So if you're about to join the growing number of online...

DjEEP slims down lighter merchandiser. (Products).(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... Disposable-lighter manufacturer DjEEP Lighters, Paris, has announced that its Hot Body lighters will be available in a 36-count, three-tier counter merchandiser beginning in mid-July. The counter display, which is similar to the DjEEP Luxury...

Davidoff's Avo XOs now in tubos. (Products).(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... Stamford, Conn.-based Davidoff of Geneva's Avo XO's are made from selected Dominican filler tobaccos that are aged until they are fully mature. This selection of tobaccos includes a large proportion of a specially fermented, matured piloto...

Montecristo launches new rum. (Products).(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... From the legendary name in cigars comes a new legend: Montecristo Rum, a premium blend of 12 and 23-year-old rums aged in American oak barrels that were previously used to age bourbon. Beginning May 1, Montecristo Rum became available in bars,...

New flavor is Heavenly. (Products).(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... Heavenly Cigar Company, Naples, Fla., has introduced the Heather's Honey Nut premium flavored cigar. Available in Petite (5x30) and Corona (5.5x44) sizes, it joins the existing Heaven lines, Cupid's Cherry Cream, Heavenly Vanilla, Angels' Spice...

Capitalize on the health trend. (Products).(special vitamins for smokers)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Major manufacturers spend millions introducing new products for health-conscious smokers, but there is one change smokers can make without switching brands and risking either a new taste or an inferior smoking experience. Smoker's Vitamin is...

Gambler adds Light and Menthol lines. (Products).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... In response to the growing ryo/myo category, Republic Tobacco L.P., Glenview, Ill., has extended its line of Gambler Cigarette Tobacco with new Light and Menthol varieties. As with its regular version of Gambler, which was introduced last...

New system developed for age verification. (Products).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Bartizan Data Systems, Yonkers, N.Y., has created ID Detective, a new age-verification system that is able to scan and capture data from the bar codes and magnetic stripes of driver's licenses from over 30 states. The new technology offers the...

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a Ciget. (Products).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Los Angeles-based Fuego Cubano has introduced something that will attract all those customers who are looking for a natural, high-quality smoke - The Ciget. They are neither a cigarette, although they are prepared like cigarettes, nor a small...

Sanyo unveils latest low-light camera. (Products).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... One of the industry's best-performing lowlight cameras is being introduced by Sanyo, Chatsworth, Calif., with the use of Exview CCD technology and the company's exclusive DSP technology that provides the latest performance advancements in...

Chills ryo display sets new standard. (Products).(roll-your-own cigarette papers)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Chills Tobacco is now accepting advance orders on their new roll-your-own display, which is unlike any other on the market. The new display has a small 5-inch by 8-inch footprint yet holds over 200 booklets of rolling papers, six patented...

Chills Survival Kit receives patent. (Products).(roll-your-own cigarette smoker's kit)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Chills Tobacco/Hill Industries was recently awarded American and foreign patents for its Survival Kit. The patented kit is an all-in-one roll-your-own smoker's box. It contains a spring-loaded reusable cigarette, a 10-gram tobacco cavity --...

The cure for "Cigarus Interruptus". (Products).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Do you ever get interrupted while enjoying your favorite cigar? Now, no matter how you get interrupted enjoying your fine smoke, you can keep your cigar safe, parked inside The Ci-Garage. The Ci-Garage includes a portable cigar ashtray and a...

Peter Stokkebye adds to tobacco line. (Products).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Charlotte, N.C.-based Peter Stokkebye International Ltd. has announced an addition to its Skandinavik line of pipe tobaccos. The newest blend, Vanilla Cavendish, is now available through wholesale channels nationwide. Vanilla Cavendish features...

Davidoff expands small-cigar lines. (Products).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... In May, Davidoff of Geneva, Inc., Stamford, Conn., introduced new small cigars from Avo that are hand-made in the Dominican Republic and based on the same blends as the full-size Avo Classic and Domaine Avo. The new Avo Puritos afford all the...

Zippo introduces refillable lighter. (Products).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Zippo Manufacturing Co., Bradford, Pa., has introduced the Zippo Multi-Purpose Lighter, a refillable butane utility lighter. The new MPL marks the company's move into the multi-purpose lighter category, which is growing more than 15 percent...