British American Tobacco is ready to invest in vaping

For a few years now, anti-smoking initiatives have been multiplying. Among these, neutral packaging laws and the gradual price increases have placed a lot of pressure on tobacco lobbyists. While these measures are implemented as a public health issue, they are also working to force cigarette manufacturers to look into healthier products.

Currently, electronic cigarettes are growing in popularity to become the most reliable alternative to tobacco products.  Despite the controversy surrounding vaping, the market is thriving. It is particularly popular due to it’s significantly reduced health impacts compared to tobacco.  A recent study demonstrated that e-cigarettes are 50 000 times less likely to cause cancer compared to regular smoking.

However, many studies point to the lack of long-term visibility to come to reliable conclusions regarding health impacts. The state of New York recently voted to ban vaping in public spaces, in line with WHO (World Health Organisation) recommendations.

 

British American Tobacco’s “next-generation” products

Big tobacco brands have been forced to adapt their activities in the face of anti-smoking legislation. British American Tobacco, the Group behind such brands as Lucky Strike and Camel, have evolved to offer “next generation” products to their consumers.

With their new line of ecigs and heat-not-burn tobacco products, BAT is hoping to reach the 1.3 Billion dollar mark in turnover. If current trends hold, these revenues could reach 6.6 Billion dollars by 2023.

With this in mind, British American Tobacco is hoping that future government restrictions will not restrict the development of these new product markets. Many countries are cracking down on vaping with the same force as anti-smoking measures, given the inconclusive results on health impacts. The British Parliament, for example, has recently launched a study of the potential health hazards of electronic cigarettes. These studies may impact the tobacco industry as a whole, and that of alternative products.