Category: Smoking and Tobacco

Hestia, an Indie Cigarette Brand, Is Relying on New York Influencers

You can’t buy them at any bodega or tobacco shop in New York. But Hestia is getting its smokes into the hands of “cigfluencers.”
U.S. Judge Strikes Down F.D.A. Regulation of Premium Cigars

Hand-rolled, specialty cigars should not be subject to the broader F.D.A. regulatory rules over tobacco use, a federal judge ruled.
For Young Arab Americans in Michigan, the Hookah Lounge Feels like Home

A new generation of immigrants, refugees and their descendants is finding a sense of connection and community around the shisha pipe.
E-Cigarette Sales Soared During Pandemic Years

Flavors proliferated and disposable vapes took hold as purchases of vaping devices increased steadily from January 2020 to mid-2022.
British American Tobacco Pays U.S. $635 Million for North Korea Cigarette Scheme

Prosecutors in the United States said the firm secretly did business with North Korea through an intermediary, violating sanctions. The company apologized.
Juul Reaches $462 Million Settlement With New York, California and Other States

The case ends major litigation over claims of marketing e-cigarettes to adolescents, resolving thousands of lawsuits and amounting to billions of dollars in payouts to states, cities and people.
Gladys Kessler, Judge Who Curbed Deceptive Tobacco Ads, Dies at 85

The New York Times – Business:
In a landmark case, she ruled that cigarette companies had been deceiving the public about the health hazards of smoking, violating racketeering laws.
R.J. Reynolds Pivots to New Cigarette Pitches as Flavor Ban Takes Effect

The New York Times – Business:
Now that California’s tobacco prohibitions are in place, some Camel and Newport items are billed as newly “fresh” or “crisp” non-menthol versions.
Supreme Court Refuses to Block California’s Ban on Flavored Tobacco

The New York Times – Business:
The state’s voters had overwhelmingly supported letting a two-year-old law take effect, and lower courts had refused to put it on hold.
RJ Reynolds Sues California Over Flavored Tobacco Ban

The New York Times – Business:
On Tuesday, the state’s voters overwhelmingly supported letting a two-year-old law take effect. The company’s lawsuit is viewed by anti-smoking advocates as a tactic that could keep menthol cigarettes on the market longer.
Big Tobacco Heralds a Healthier World While Fighting Its Arrival

The New York Times – Business:
The industry continues to back smoking protections, like this November’s ballot initiative in California that would overturn a law banning tobacco flavors.