According a recent report published in Triad Business Journal, Greensboro, NC based Lorillard has seen their e-cigarette business drop in the last two quarters, with a 40 percent drop in their e-cigarette business in the third quarter alone.
Chicago based Zacks Investment Research has blamed the falling sales of Lorillard’s blu eCigs on a combination of increased competition from other Big Tobacco companies, such as the Altria Group and Reynolds American, which have introduced Vuse and MarkTen e-cigarette brands, as well as the popularity of the much larger vape pens and mod type devices.
It’s interesting to note that most of the tank based vape pens and mods are manufactured and sold by much smaller startup type companies, often run by first time entrepreneurs. The fact that they have so far been able to outsmart the much more established Big Tobacco companies is astounding, and yet another reason why this industry should be supported. Most of the attempts to regulate and tax the vaporizer industry would only harm the smaller companies who would be unable to afford the increased taxes, a cost that would be easily absorbed by the much larger Tobacco companies.
