Camel Snus

From Tobacco Products

Contents 1 Manufacturer 2 Description 3 Claims 4 Product Design Features 5 Images 6 Media 7 Publications 8 Industry Documents 9 Links 10 Market Testing 11 Advertising and Selling Messages 12 Promotion 13 Product Chemistry 14 Packaging 15 Use and the Consumer 16 Human Use and Exposure 17 Toxicity Analyses 18 Legal Compliance 19 Community Response 20 Patents 21 Notes

[edit] Manufacturer

RJ Reynolds American
British American Tobacco
Camel SNUS by R.J. Reynolds is manufactured in Winston-Salem, North Carolina for sale within the United States. Japan Tobacco International (JTI) owns the international rights to the Camel brand name outside the United States.^[1] As well as manufacturing all Camel cigarettes sold outside the USA, JTI Sweden manufacturers and distributes CAMEL Snus for the Swedish Market.^[2] Swedish CAMEL Snus is made at the JTI Sweden factory in Vårgårda, Sweden.^[3] British American Tobacco PLC no longer has any involvement with the Camel Snus name or product since R.J. Reynolds shifted production of American Camel Snus to North Carolina.

[edit] Description

Camel Snus, a smokeless spitless tobacco product, consists of 0.6 grams of pasteurized powdered tobacco portioned into small cylindrical pouches. To use Snus, place the pouch between the cheek and the upper lip where the oral cavity absorbs the nicotine.

On April 28, 2006 RJ Reynolds released Camel Snus in Portland Oregon and Austin Texas; the smokeless tobacco product expanded further in eight states, and in May 2008 RJ Reynolds and Camel Snus dove into the major markets of Los Angeles; Chicago; New York; Atlanta; Washington, D.C. Camel Snus used print media to advertise until February 2008, when they decide that print media was not a viable marketing source. Camels Snus offers the spitless pouch in four flavors: original, frost, spice and mellow (mix between frost and spice). Even though Snus is not associated with lung cancer since it is not inhaled; studies show an increase in pancreatic cancer and heart disease from non-tobacco users, although these risks are 50% less for snus users than cigarette users. In December 2008, the Spice and Original flavors were replaced with a single Mellow flavor. In 2009, Camel Snus will be launched nationally. The newest version of Camel snus contains 8mg of nicotine per pouch, according to an RJ Reynolds spokesman.^[4]

[edit] Claims

• You can receive pleasure anywhere.^[5]
• Be the first one on your block to try Camel Snus, a different way to do tobacco.^[6]
• Snus is a different kind of smokeless tobacco because it's pasteurized, whereas moist snuff is fermented.^[7]
• The Camel Snus Web site suggests using its product at a concert, right in front of security, on a jet from Miami to L.A. or at a bar or club.^[8]

[edit] Product Design Features

• Contains pasteurized tobacco, water, pouch materials, flavors (including menthol for Camel Snus Frost), sodium carbonate, and sodium chloride
• Nicotine (Original): 14.5 mg/g ; Free Nicotine, 2.4 mg/g ; Total TSNA: 1.4 mg/g
• Nicotine content could vary by product flavor type as a specific intention of the manufacturer to create a consumer acceptable nicotine effect-flavor balance

Camel Snus is a spitless, Swedish-style dry snuff which has lower TSNA levels and is potentially less harmful than other SLT products. The product is the first smokeless tobacco product to be marketed by a cigarette company in the US, and appears to have been developed to appeal to smokers. The product is made in Sweden under contract to Reynolds American. Like Swedish-style snus products, Camel Snus is pasteurized which inhibits development of TSNAs. Camel Snus also has low salt, which produces less saliva and reduces the need for spitting.^[9]

[edit] Images

Camel Snus

Camel Snus Ad in Rolling Stone	Camel Snus Ad in Rolling Stone	Camel Snus Ad in PEOPLE Magazine	People Cover with Camel Snus AD
Camel Snus Ad in Field and Stream Magazine	Camel Snus Ad in Field and Stream Magazine	Snus Flyer	Snus Flyer
Camel Snus Flyer	Camel Snus Free Tin Coupon	Camel Snus Pouches Showing Snus	Camel Snus Pouches get bigger
New Square Camel Snus Tins	Camel Snus Dispenser	Camel Snus sold at Sheetz	Snus Sinage at Sheetz
Snus Sinage at Sheetz	Snus Sinage at Sheetz	Snus Sinage at Sheetz	Snus Sinage at Sheetz
Camel Snus: Made in Sweden	Camel Sponsored Event	Camel Snus Ad	Camel Snus Newspaper Ad: Original, Frost, and Spice
Camel Snus Snus While Dinning	Camel Snus Snus While Playing	Camel Snus Camel Snus Promoter Orlando FL. Copper Rocket Bar	Camel Snus Promo Man Age Verification
Camel Snus Promo Man Takes My License	Free Camel Snus From Promo Man Copper Rocket, Orlando FL.	Free Camel Snus Coupon	Camel Snus Pleasure Whenever
Camel Snus Street Ad	Camel Snus Sinage	Camel Snus Insert	Insert In Camel Cigarettes Free Snus coupon
Old Camel Snus Ad	Old Camel Snus Flavors

[edit] Media

[edit] Publications

• Reynolds American CEO:Progress Continues, Profits Climb
• Systematic Review of the Health Effects of Modified Smokeless Tobacco Products
• FDA Proposes to Regulate Smokeless Tobacco Products
  
• Can Tobacco Cure Smoking? - A Review of Tobacco Harm Reduction
• Health Effects of SLT, Cigarette Smoking, and New Tobacco Products
  
• Smokeless Tobacco Facts Sheet (Various Images of Smokeless Products

[edit] Industry Documents

• British American Tobacco Extends Its Test Market
• Fact Sheet RJ Reynolds Test Markets Innovative Smokeless Tobacco Product:Camel Snus
• Camel Trademark Expands to a New Smokeless and "Spitless" Tobacco Product
  
• You Snus you Lose*
• R.J. Reynolds Focus Groups

[edit] Links

• Experts say new tobacco product targets young adults Camel Snus spitless tobacco called 'highly addicting'
  
• R.J. Reynolds' Snus Goes National
  
• Looks Like Mints but It’s Camel Tobacco and It’s Free
• Hey, Buddy, Can I Bum a Snus Off You?
• Camel Snus Test Grows
  
• Reynolds Expands Snus Test to N.Y., Other Cities
• Smokeless Is Smokin' Hot
  
• Critics Assail Smokeless Tobacco Giveaway, December 13,2007.
• Selling snus
• Camel Snus Goes to Clinical Trials.
  
• From Snuff to Smokeless: History of a Segment
  
• Hype - RJR, Phillp Morris Dip Into Smokeless Tobacco Realm
  
• You Snuff you’re your Cigarette for a Snus? CNBC News, Oct 2, 2007
• Smokeless Tobacco: No Chewing, No Spitting, and few Cancer-Causing Chemicals? ABC News, June 21, 2006,
• R.J. Reynolds Expands Snus Tests
• R.J. Reynolds expands snus tests, Tobacco Journal
• German Information on Snus in the European Union

[edit] Market Testing

• August, 2006: Portland, OR; Austin, TX
• July, 2007: Dallas, TX; Raleigh, NC; Columbus, OH; Orlando, FL; Indianapolis, IN; Kansas City, MO; Morgantown, WV
• May, 2008: Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Washington, D.C.; Chicago, IL; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; Minneapolis, MN; St. Paul, MN; New York City, NY; Oakland, CA; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA

[edit] Advertising and Selling Messages

• Retail communications, brochures, direct mail, website. Retailers offered new signage and POS countertop refrigerator
• Part of Reynolds’ strategy to attract smokers has used the promotional phrase, “Pleasure For Whenever” to suggest a tobacco product that can be used in non-smoking environments

[edit] Promotion

Camel Snus was developed as part of Reynolds’ strategy to attract smokers and has used the promotional phrase “pleasure for whenever” to suggest a tobacco product that can be used in non-smoking environments. Smokers appear to be targeted in messaging and promotional materials. Multiple aggressive marketing strategies have been employed, including retail communications, brochures, direct mail and a website. Reynolds has employed colorful new signage at retail outlets. The product is sold in a special countertop refrigerator, in proximity to confectionaries. At the test market introduction in Portland, Camel Snus pricing was similar to or greater than Camel cigarettes. Camel Snus averaged $4.60 per package, $0.30 more than the Camel cigarettes. In Austin, the average price was $4.81, a large ($1.18) increase over the average Camel cigarette price of $3.63. Crosspromotions with cigarettes have been employed with free coupons for Camel Snus being provided with Reynolds cigarette products. Because of cross-marketing with cigarettes and promotion among the smoker market, it appears that Camel Snus is designed to be used in conjunction with cigarettes. Such dual use raises concerns about health implications, as the potential health benefits of reduced toxin snus would be negated among those who continue to smoke. Aggressive marketing of new snus products may lead to further enticement of youth, who later may “graduate” to smoking. There are also concerns that current smokers may use snus instead of quitting altogether, or that past smokers may be lured back into tobacco use via snus. ^[10]

[edit] Product Chemistry

Camel Snus contains pasteurized tobacco, water, pouch materials, flavors (including menthol for Camel Snus Frost), sodium carbonate, and sodium chloride. Unpublished research commissioned by Harvard School of Public Health has found that free nicotine levels for Original flavor were 2.4 mg per gram of tobacco. This level is similar to many moist snuff products, although typical dosing might be lower than if users consume only one pouch per use. The nicotine content may vary by product flavor type as a specific intention of the manufacturer to create a consumer acceptable nicotine effect-flavor balance. Further information is needed. Compared with moist snuff products, Camel Snus is relatively lower in TSNAs. Analysis of the Original flavor commissioned by HSPH found 1.3 ug per gram of tobacco, compared with a range of 4 – 10 ug per gram of tobacco for popular US moist snuff products. As expected, Camel Snus is dryer than moist snuff (33% compared with approximately 50% for moist snuff products).

Further research is required to establish whether nicotine levels vary among the various test markets. Research is also required to assess human use and exposure, alone and in combination with cigarettes.^[11]

[edit] Packaging

• Camel tins originally round, re-styled for 2007 as oblong containers
• In test market, each tin contains 20 pouches
• Pouches are sealed with tape in a metal tin to preserve flavor
• Comes in 3 flavor types: Original, Spice and Frost (menthol)

Camel Snus tins were originally round, but were re-styled for broader 2007 release as oblong containers. The snus is packed in individual pouch “doses,” with 20 pouches per tin. Pouches are sealed with tape in the metal tin to preserve flavor, and are refrigerated until the time of sale. After sale, and opening of the sealed tin, the Reynolds company advises that refrigeration is no longer necessary. This advice appears to be predicated on encouraging a more convenient experience to the consumer (and thus enhancement of sales) rather than on the practical issue of inhibiting development of TSNAs, which is optimized by refrigeration. Camel Snus comes in three flavor types: Original, Spice and Frost (menthol).^[12]

[edit] Use and the Consumer

• Potential users instructed on method for using snus
• Brochure indicates nicotine onset effects require 5 min
• Lasts twice as long as a cigarette
• Refrigeration recommended by manufacturer

[edit] Human Use and Exposure

• Human exposure: not yet conducted or not available

[edit] Toxicity Analyses

• Ames method in vitro: not yet conducted or not available
• In vivo MSP: not yet conducted or not available
• Animal exposure: not yet conducted or not available

[edit] Legal Compliance

• Surgeon General warnings
• No sales to minors
• Subject to State and Federal cigarette taxes

[edit] Community Response

• Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids issued a press release protesting

the proliferation of this product in markets with clean indoor air laws.

[edit] Patents

Smokeless Tobacco Composition

[edit] Notes

1. ↑ "JTI Website - Brands."[1]
2. ↑ "Swedish CAMEL Snus: an interview with JTI's Joakim Nilsson"[2]
3. ↑ "CAMEL Snus by JTI"[3]
4. ↑ "New Smokeless Tobacco Worries Experts. New York Times"[4]
5. ↑ "Camels Snus. Camel Snus Website." [5]
6. ↑ "Sec info Reynolds American Inc.. Reynolds American Inc. 8-K."[6]
7. ↑ "Fact Sheet RJ Reynolds Test Markets in Smokeless Tobacco Products:Camel Snus 2006" [7]
8. ↑ "Critics Assail Smokeless Tobacco Giveaway. WFAA, Dallas Fort worth. December 13, 2007."[8]
9. ↑ Rees, Vaughn W., Connolly, Gregory N.; Potentially Reduced Exposure Tobacco Products: A Public Health Information Guide; 2008 Harvard School of Public Health.
10. ↑ Rees, Vaughn W., Connolly, Gregory N.; Potentially Reduced Exposure Tobacco Products: A Public Health Information Guide; 2008 Harvard School of Public Health.
11. ↑ Rees, Vaughn W., Connolly, Gregory N.; Potentially Reduced Exposure Tobacco Products: A Public Health Information Guide; 2008 Harvard School of Public Health.
12. ↑ Rees, Vaughn W., Connolly, Gregory N.; Potentially Reduced Exposure Tobacco Products: A Public Health Information Guide; 2008 Harvard School of Public Health.