Health campaigners have attacked the new raft of e-cigarette ads for making smoking seem sexy. Tobacco ads have been banned for years, but new law changes have allowed e-cigarette brands to run TV and billboard ads as they are deemed less harmful to health. Producer VIP started a TV ad campaign this week. Deborah Arnott, chief executive of anti-smoking charity Ash, said: “Vaping is safer…

Cigarette brand Marlboro has launched its first roll-your-own product. The brand, which claims to have been the world’s number one tobacco brand since 1972, has released Marlboro Gold Original rolling tobacco. It comes in a triple-layered tactile pouch and has an rrp of £4.40 for 12.5g and £6.90 for 20g, with gummed rolling papers included. The product is the first of Marlboro’s to be distributed…

Tobacco manufacturer JTI has removed its gantry from a Leicester convenience store after its owners were prosecuted for selling illegal tobacco. Sudhir Radia and Suresh Radia of Radia’s Superstore pleaded guilty to possession of tobacco products which didn’t carry the legally required health warnings. They were each fined £1,000 plus costs by Leicester magistrates. Paul Williams, UK head of corporate affairs for JTI, commented: “Given…

In a few short years, electronic cigarettes have emerged as one of the most dynamic — and controversial — markets in the country. Latest research by ASH, Action on Smoking and Health, suggests that users, or vapers, now number 2.1 million, up…

E-cigarette brand Njoy has vowed to banish tobacco to the history books after gaining listings in 15,000 stores this month. The US brand is now sold at luxury retailers like Harrods and Selfridges, wholesalers Booker and Bestway, convenience chains including McColl’s, Budgens, Londis and Premier, and Britain’s largest retailer, Tesco. The cigarettes will initially be sold at Tesco Express and petrol forecourt stores and will…

A research firm has suggested minimum unit pricing on alcohol would be unpopular and ineffective after its survey revealed the public would prefer cigarettes and fatty food to be targeted by the NHS. Mruk Research polled 1,508 adults on what the Government should do to improve public health and minimum unit pricing finished last with just 6% of the votes. Thirty-seven per cent instead wanted…

Tobacco manufacturers are fighting EU plans which would ban menthol and slimline cigarettes, all packs of 10 and limit sales of rolling tobacco to 40g pouches. Opponents of the proposals say they will also impose restrictions on the size and shape of cigarette packs and bigger health warnings. The plans for rolling tobacco would have significant impact in the UK, where 77% of sales are…