Regarding 'bold' - I think you got that backwards - the THR aspect of Premiere predates ecigs. Their newer products are a different issue.
As for the "quotes" of a comedy writer in a movie, we don't know what was actually said, and I'm not sure if RJR ever made the actual surveys available. (I looked
While tobacco industry was already researching those harm reduction products for a while, the pressure from ecigs is making it go faster.
With no competiton they could just bribe government and stay on.
Here in Brazil Ecigs were prohibited on 2009. Anyone who wants it can get, thru contraband, however, the official prohibition denies the possibility of establishing a healthy market, and attract much more customers. Even in this situation, vaping is getting strong.
Meanwhile, gov issued a law prohibiting menthol cigarettes. Somehow using legal shenanigans tobacco managed to nullify the law.