R.J. Reynolds turns to new cigarette locations as flavor ban takes effect

Now that California's smoking bans are in place, some Camel and Newport items are being priced as newly "fresh" or "crispy" versions without menthol .

R.J. Reynolds has wasted no time since California's ban on flavored tobacco went into effect in late December. "California, We've Got You Covered," the company said in bold print on a flyer sent to its cigarette customers.

The law prohibits flavors, smells or "flavors" in tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. But anti-tobacco experts say R.J. Reynolds, maker of the Camel and Newport brands, is trying to circumvent the ban by luring smokers with a following of what he says are new menthol-free versions offering "a taste that satisfies the senses" and "a fresh new twist"./p>

The campaign is considered by the criticism as a provocation of California authorities supposed to enforce the ban, which includes a provision prohibiting packaging or claims that suggest a product has a taste.The Food and Drug Administration is also moving forward with a national plan to remove menthol cigarettes from the market.< /p>

To public health authorities, the potential reduction in smoking rates from a menthol ban could extend the length and quality of millions of lives. For R.J. Reynolds and other tobacco companies, the loss of sales of menthol cigarettes could be financially detrimental.

Luis Pinto, vice president of communications at R.J. Reynolds , said in an email that "products entering California meet and comply with all applicable regulatory requirements." He added that the new cigarettes "are not subject to the recently enacted ban because they have no distinctive taste or aroma other than tobacco".

But while all tobacco-control experts are certain the new products violate California law, they agree that Reynolds' marketing campaign reflects tobacco companies' decades-long efforts to protest and flout the government regulations.

Dr. Robert Jackler, a Stanford Medicine professor who provided the ads to The New York Times, called the new marketing "outrageous".

"What surprises me is is that there's no cover-up," said Dr. Jackler, who received the mailings with staff from Stanford's tobacco advertising program. "They say, 'This is our replacement for the menthol. And by the way — wink, wink — it's not really menthol.'”

ImageA mail collected from Camel by Dr. Jackler targeted Californians. Credit... via Robert Jackler signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2020. Reynolds and others collected signatures for let voters decide by referendum on the issue. In November, 63% of voters approved the ban.

In mid-December, the United States Supreme Court U nis refused to block the law, denying a request from Reynolds. The company had cited "substantial financial losses" as the likely result of the ban, given that menthol cigarettes account for a third of the cigarette market. The company also noted that if the ban were to go into effect, its customers "may never promise the same brand loyalty".

The company had already sought to have the Supreme Court hear a separate...