Higher Minn. cigarette prices drive more to try to quit

by Mark Zdechlik, Minnesota Public Radio MAPLEWOOD, Minn. — Anan Barbarawi expected cigarette sales at his store to drop once Minnesota’s $1.60 a pack tax increase took hold in July. But Barbarawi, manager at Maplewood Tobacco, was shocked to see his numbers plunge “50 to 70 percent.” On the bright side, Barbarawi said, sales of electronic cigarettes […]

Very little is known about the health effects of e-cigarettes

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’ve been a smoker for years. I’m thinking about switching to electronic cigarettes or to a nicotine inhaler because I’ve heard they aren’t as bad for you as regular cigarettes. Is that true? ANSWER: Electronic cigarettes and nicotine inhalers both deliver nicotine to your body without tobacco. But that’s where the similarity […]

R.J. Reynolds Pulling Back on Dissolvable Tobacco Products

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. is cutting back on the marketing and sales of its dissolvable tobacco products after more than four and a half years in test markets. According to a report by the Winston-Salem Journal, Camel Orbs, Camel Sticks and Camel Strips will remain in limited distribution at point-of-sale sites in Denver and Charlotte, N.C., as well […]

NC law takes effect banning e-cigarettes to minors

MITCH WEISS Associated Press CHARLOTTE, NC (AP) — At North Carolina smoke shops and other retailers, the warning signs are going up. A law banning the sale of e-cigarettes to minors takes effect Thursday. Retailers now face the same misdemeanor charge if they sell e-cigarettes to a minor as they already did for other tobacco […]

E-Cigarette Sales to Hit $1 Billion

By ALAN FARNHAM E-cigarettes—a relative novelty three years ago–are about to hit $1 billion in sales, according to Wells Fargo securities analysts. While that’s only 1 percent of sales of traditional cigarettes, the number of consumers who say they’ve tried e-smokes is growing fast. The sale of e-cigarettes totaled just $500 million last year. According […]