Marlboro maker Altria to jump into e-cigarettes

[Esharp]

Here is another tobacco company hitching it's wagon to e-cigs.

Marlboro maker Altria to jump into e-cigarettes | iPolitics

 

[Smile n' shine]

“there’s no denying that adult tobacco consumers have shown some interest in it,” Altria CEO Marty Barrington said in a conference call with investors."

Hmm, some interest? Only some? It's a sad day when big tobacco get going in this direction

 

[fourtytwo]

... It's a sad day when big tobacco get going in this direction

Why bad?

I do not believe that big tobacco is evil by nature. Just callous and profit driven...
That may be the kind of political ally we need to ensure e-cigs are not legislated out of existence.

 

[salisara]

I do find it a bit worrying. These companies are not known for ethical trade practices. I can see them having a long-term goal of cornering the market by supporting very rigorous legislation on the supply of nic juice (and probably only in pre-filled cartos or one-piece disposable units) - far more profit for them and the death knell for the small independents who won't be able to afford the endless red tape and the costs of meeting elaborate testing protocols.

Of course we all want safe juice supplies, but it seems to me that the web is proving a highly effective de facto regulatory system (through forums like this one). Dodgy suppliers don't last long. Ethical ones do very well.

The involvement of Big Tobacco brings stringent regulation and rocketing costs much closer. When you look at the history of the tobacco industry, and more pertinently of the processed food industry (lies, deception, cynical exploitation of regulatory controls - "Low fat! [er, don't look at the amount of high fructose corn syrup we've put in instead, which will kill you much faster]") I have zero faith in the notion that statutory regulation will make vaping safer but 100% belief that it will make some very large corporations much richer still (and all of us poorer).

Here endeth the rant. Phew! I do feel better. Gonna dial up my Ego Twist to '11' and chill.

 

[fourtytwo]

Not that our views will change what the tobacco companies will or will not do but there is much to think about.

BTW, your Twist goes to 11? Must be the Spinal Tap edition.

 

[Talyon]

BT only cares about profit and existing. They don't give a damn about our health and never have, I for one well not give one more red cent to them.

This is a very deep subject, IMHO.

 

[fourtytwo]

I have never been deluded enough to believe that BT has anything but profit in mind.
I just believe that the future of e-cigs may be more then a bit dependent on having some powerful lobby groups involved. Can you point to anyone else who can do what the tobacco lobby has done?

 

[Esharp]

With so many BT players getting involved they can easily use their lobbying power to influence regulations to their benefit. Thus, making it very difficult for smaller players to compete on a level playing field. I agree with you fourtytwo, I'm not a big fan of greedy corporations. I don't see the investment by BT to be the end of e-cigs, quite the opposite. We'll have to see how this one shakes out.


P.S. A dog should not be agreeing with a cat. My apologies!

 

[aggo]

P.S. A dog should not be agreeing with a cat. My apologies!

...especially a one-eyed cat.

 

[BuzzKilla]

To hell with it.... I got my mechanical mod... i cant be stopped from buying batteries.

if BT wants to join the party, it just means that the nic-juice flow will be here to stay!
who else has the money to pay the bills on liquid QC?

Bring on the funding!

 

[fourtytwo]

...especially a one-eyed cat.

For a cat with no depth perception, little Freya does very well

 

[fourtytwo]

With so many BT players getting involved they can easily use their lobbying power to influence regulations to their benefit. Thus, making it very difficult for smaller players to compete on a level playing field. I agree with you fourtytwo, I'm not a big fan of greedy corporations. I don't see the investment by BT to be the end of e-cigs, quite the opposite. We'll have to see how this one shakes out.


P.S. A dog should not be agreeing with a cat. My apologies!

I noticed when I joined ECF that there seems to be a lot of cat or dog people on this forum.