Tobacco Industry News

Philip Morris USA preparing for FDA regulation of tobacco products
Philip Morris is building a $350 million research facility in Richmond, Virginia to develop tobacco products that would meet health standards likely to be imposed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products include: Marlboro Ultra Smooth, a cigarette with a sophisticated carbon filter; Accord, a product that would heat, as opposed to burn, tobacco; and a line of snus.   Philip Morris plans to hire a cadre of scientists including physicians and biochemists to conduct the research as well as sympathetic experts who would present the results to regulators. To read more, click here.

Altria to close U.S. tobacco plant, save $335 million
Altria Group, Inc. will close its tobacco plant in North Carolina in response to less demand for cigarettes in the United States. The plant closure will save the company $335 million and will allow it to increase production in European plants, which ship cigarettes to Japan and the Middle East. Altria’s domestic cigarette production will be relocated to their Richmond, Virginia factory, which produced over 100 billion cigarettes in 2006. Click here to read more.

Altria to test Marlboro smokeless tobacco product
Philip Morris recently announced that it would begin to manufacture Marlboro snus in York County, Virginia in a second attempt to break into the smokeless tobacco market. Philip Morris will spend up to $100 million refurbishing the plant, which closed in 2004. Four different flavors of snus will be produced: rich, mild, mint and spice. Click here to read more or click here to access the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids’ response, written by President Matthew L. Myers.

R.J. Reynolds picks Raleigh to test snus
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. has decided to add five new test markets for its Camel snus - Raleigh, NC; Indianapolis, IN; Columbus, OH; Kansas City, MO and Orlando, FL. The company has been testing the feasibility of selling its snus products in Portland, OR and Austin, TX for about a year and believes that they are viable products. To read more about R.J. Reynolds’ move to the snus market, click here.

Old ways, new means: Tobacco industry funding of academic and private sector scientists since the Master Settlement Agreement
A recent study has examined two new research projects – the Life Sciences Research Office and the Institute for Science and Health – funded by Philip Morris USA and British American Tobacco in conjunction with Brown and Williamson. Researchers were interested in assessing these non-profit organizations because they were established after the tobacco companies lost touch with scientists in academia in the wake of the Master Settlement Agreement. By consulting tobacco industry documents, websites and other scientific literature the researchers have concluded that research conducted at these organizations may not be completely independent due to continuing financial relationships with the tobacco industry. To read more about the study click here.

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