Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Not true at all. Electronic Cigarette 'smoking' is a fairly cheap habit. Really a fraction of the cost of smoking cigarettes and much of that is due to the fact that they are not taxed. Being addicted to e-cigs isn't a terrible habit like smoking cigarettes. Early tests out of Harvard and Boston University have proven this.
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Good post and you hit the nail on the head. Hopefully blu does something to enhance their technology as when people think of e-cigs many think of blu Cigs, yet the product itself is terrible and it just turns people who could otherwise benefit from electronic cigarettes off the idea completely as we see from other commentators who have tried them and don't like them (which is understandable given some brands just are really bad).
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Good point. The early technology was quite bad and much of the current technology is still poor. However as an observer like yourself I can see the changes happening and the technology improving among some of the brands (but certainly not all). I've mentioned before that it is ironic that Lorillard went with blu Cigs, given their overall very poor technology and reputation among 'vapers'.
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Due to marketing restrictions imposed by the FTC regarding electronic cigarette advertising, I believe that the industry is slower and more hesitant in educating the public to the benefits of 'vaping' (clearly they cannot say that it is 'healthier' without clinical studies which have not been undertaken). However I don't believe at all that it is a 'fad' as the growth curve I have seen as an industry observer is nothing short of phenomenal the past few year, although given all the major players are private companies with the exception of blu Cigs now, it will be hard to get statistics to substantiate that. It will be interesting to tune into Lorillard's next earnings call and maybe they will comment on how the overall e-cig trend is doing. My guess is that sales are trending up rapidly based on my own observations.
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Not necessarily. Most 'vapers' as the previous poster correctly identified them as find the idea of going back to the conventional tobacco cigarettes as disgusting. Nicotine, while definitely not a great substance to be ingesting is more akin to caffeine than anything truly harmful. Clearly the major health problems from smoking are derived by the carcinogens, none of which are present in e-cigs as far as I know based on my research. I keep reiterating that this is an emerging technology that is still in its infancy, however big enough to have caught Lorillard's attention.
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
You bring up a good point, Tom. Many use e-cigs as a 'supplement' to a smoking habit. Of course this means they will smoke less cigarettes, which means less revenues for the cigarette manufacturers. This is clearly a growing trend, and as a follower of trends I'm looking for a way to play this but haven't found one yet.
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
The only public e-cig company that I could find is a company called Vapor Corp (OTCBB: VPCO). They are so tiny that they were not worth going over their financials. I did mention that I am an industry observer and I can certainly say that the level of technology is growing rapidly. A few years ago its true that every single e-cig was junk but in the past year there are some serious competitors that put out products with heavy duty 4.2v batteries that generate a significant amount of vapor, enough to truly say that they offer a 'realistic smoking experience'. I'm cautious to say that the overwhelming majority of the brands out there do not offer this sort of experience (including blu Cigs which I consider to be inferior technology), but the technology is rapidly emerging, bordering upon disruptive technology.
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
In regards to the fellow on the ferry, I would say that it is a technology and brand thing. Some brands (even the most heavily marketed ones) are terrible, while there are some that do produce as much vapor as a cigarette produces in smoke. Flavors are pretty realistic also. The brands with the 24 mg nicotine is where I would start if I was looking for a very realistic smoking experience that "hit home". I have seen these make even the most hardcore cigarette smokers believers.
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
I don't fault the FDA as they are just doing their job but given the massive health epidemic created by smoking tobacco cigarettes (which is proven and we all know about), I think some leniency would not hurt as it will take years to generate the proper clinical testing before e-cigs can be marketed as 'smoking cessation devices'. Common sense would dictate that an e-cig is not as bad for you as a conventional cigarette. It could be the case of the lesser of 2 evils as a worst case scenario, with the e-cig being the lesser of the 2.
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Although they can't be marketed as such (barring clinical tests to prove this), I do know quite a few people who have quit smoking by using electronic cigarettes. I think there is a huge difference between brands and different technologies. Ironically, out of all the 'big brands', blu Cigs really does not produce a lot of vapor and its a very poor smoking experience in my opinion. That sentiment is shared rather universally across most e-cig portals and communities. What they do have however is just massive distribution and a first mover advantage.
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
The technology has certainly improved significantly in the past 2 years. I think that Big Tobacco's unwillingness to 'take the market' as a whole is more due to regulatory hurdle. They were also the first groups to lobby against the technology but when that failed they started to embrace it. Again, its a very precarious position to be in for them.
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]
Are Electronic Cigarettes A Genuine Threat To Big Tobacco? [View article]