The National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO) continues to receive commitments from member companies to exhibit at the association’s inaugural trade show to be held in Las Vegas in 2011. The most recent companies to commit to exhibiting are Nat Sherman, New Image Global, Smokey Mountain Chew, Zander- Greg and K. K. International Corp, NATO [...]
The U.S. Federal District Court denied a request by U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Manufacturing Company and U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Brands for a preliminary injunction against a recently enacted New York City ordinance that bans the sale of virtually all flavored tobacco products except in “tobacco bars,” the National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO) reported. The USST [...]
In these difficult economic times it’s rewarding to meet successful businesses that are doing things the right way. It’s even more gratifying when these businesses are family owned and operated. Such is the case with High’s of Baltimore. There aren’t too many 82-year-old companies in this industry that I’m not familiar with, but I admit [...]
The National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO) reported that key manufacturers have formally committed to its 2011 trade show and conference in Las Vegas. Supporters currently include Altadis USA, Swisher International, Swedish Match, Republic Tobacco, National Tobacco Co., King Maker Marketing, Smoker Friendly International and Zippo Lighter Co. During NATO’s annual awards dinner last month, [...]
The National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO) reported that key manufacturers have already committed to its recently announced 2011 spring trade show in Las Vegas, including Altadis USA, Swisher International, Swedish Match, Republic Tobacco and National Tobacco Co. Additionally, NATO reported that Arango Cigar Company, Carolina Tobacco, Dom Rey Cigar, Inc./Cusano Cigars, Drew Estate, Harold [...]
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the PACT Act (Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act) on a vote of 387-25. “A significant amount of work has gone into getting this bill passed by both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House, and I extend a special thank you to all NATO members for their assistance [...]
As the PACT (Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking) Act moves to the House after passage in the Senate, for a final vote, NATO is urging retailers to take action. Because the Senate version of the bill is slightly different than the House version, the U.S. House of Representatives must vote on the bill again before it [...]
NATO, the National Association of Tobacco Outlets, announced that 7-Eleven Inc. has joined NATO as a retail member. Based in Dallas, 7-Eleven operates, franchises and licenses more than 6,970 stores in the U.S. and Canada. As one of the leading national retail trade associations that focuses exclusively on state and federal tobacco legislative issues, NATO’s [...]
The simple truth is that no one is certain what the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will come up with next now that it has been given de facto control of the tobacco industry. But between bureaucratic control freaks, national, state and local taxes, and even the whispered fear of retailer liability concerns ahead, many [...]
With many states passing smoking bans, more customers are turning to smokeless tobacco, and the sales figures from 2009 bear that out. According to Information Resources Inc., for the 52 weeks ended Dec. 27, 2009 total dollar sales for other tobacco products was $6.07 billion, up 14.6% from last year. Unit sales totaled 2.40 billion, [...]
This week, the National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO) sent a letter to all 213 members of the New York state legislature urging them to defer legislative action on Bill Number A.9482, which aims to prohibit the sale of all flavored tobacco products in the state except for products with a tobacco, menthol, mint or [...]
Over the past six months since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began wielding its new powers to regulate cigarettes, smokeless and roll-your-own tobacco, the implementation of the law has been anything but smooth. Even though Dr. Lawrence Deyton, the FDA’s new head of the Center for Tobacco Products, announced several times during “Listening [...]
Confusion Reigns Supreme C-store operators aren’t the only ones left scratching their heads by the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) first foray into tobacco regulation.During the FDA’s teleconference, Catherine Lorraine, a lawyer for the administration, said, “I just want to draw your attention to the portion of the definition of a cigarette, which specifically refers [...]
Sorting through all of the dynamics at work in the smokeless tobacco category is proving a complex calculation for convenience store operators and consumers alike. For example: retail prices rose with the April 1 passage of an increase to the Federal Excise Tobacco (FET) tax to fund an expansion of SCHIP, the State Children’s Health [...]
As if the turbulent economy, rising state taxes and local anti-smoking regulations hadn’t rendered the retail cigar landscape dangerous enough, enter the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which wants to significantly reshape that landscape, but so far hasn’t told anyone—most notably the retailers that will be selling the products—how. Some background: The law granting [...]