TIM Alerts
Tobacco Industry Marketing (TIM) Alerts provide weekly newsletters to subscribers to keep up to date with tobacco industry marketing and emerging tobacco products. Below are excerpts from the five most recent TIM Alerts. To see an archive of all previous alerts, click here.
Excerpt from the Sep 12, 2025 TIM Alert
MODERN ORAL NICOTINE PRODUCTS
Various investor reports suggest that PMI has significantly stepped up its promotional activity on Zyn, including giving a can of Zyn free for any tobacco or nicotine product purchased at specific retail partners. CRST has confirmed this promotion is active for the month of September in select states and that Circle-K and Speedway are participating.
CIGARS
Game is bringing back Watermelon cigarillos for a limited time, as an “MVP” product. The cigars were advertised via email, their website, and in business-to-business magazines. The site describes the flavor as “the perfect summertime companion.”
Excerpt from the Sep 5, 2025 TIM Alert
CIGARS
Zig Zag (Turning Point Brands) is launching a new line of “premium cigarillos.” The new line was advertised as “coming soon” in two wholesaler magazines and are listed on the Turning Point Brands Marketplace website. These cigarillos are offered in five flavors: Blueberry, Diamond, Gold, Grape, and Sweets.
ENDS
An attendee at the recent National Conference on Tobacco or Health alerted our team about Humo Case, a phone case that incorporates a disposable vape, available for purchase through the website and limited retailers. Current models are only available for iPhones, in five different flavors like “Triple Berry” and “Sour Apple Ice.” The brand also has marketing presence on Instagram.
Excerpt from the Aug 22, 2025 TIM Alert
CIGARS
Backwoods promoted their newest limited-edition city cigars on Instagram: Houston “Purple Pack” and Atlanta “Southern Sweet Tea.” The brand website also includes an image of the Chicago pack, “Sweet Summertime Chi,” that has not yet been announced on Instagram.
MODERN ORAL NICOTINE PRODUCTS
Lucy nicotine pouches announced via email that Wawa, a major eastern US convenience chain, is now carrying their products. While not a nationwide chain, previous chains carrying Lucy were primarily located in the western US and consisted of fewer locations.
Excerpt from the Aug 15, 2025 TIM Alert
CIGARS
Swisher Sweets introduced a new cigarillo in their Leaf line, Green Leaf, via email this month; the new product is also present on the website. The email mentions a variation of packaging rare for cigarillos, a 4-cigar tin, in addition to the resealable foil pouch of 2 pictured on the website.
ENDS
RJ Reynolds Vapor Company (RJRVC) has acquired 16 synthetic nicotine disposable e-cigarette products formerly sold under the PACHA brand, according to Tobacco Insider. The previous company has reportedly already filed PMTAs for these products. RJRVC is test-marketing the products under the Vuse One brand name in the US, although no information about the region of these test markets has been determined. The Vuse One model seems to mimic the shape of current popular devices with a large digital screen.
Excerpt from the Aug 8, 2025 TIM Alert
MODERN ORAL NICOTINE PRODUCTS
A recent email from Grizzly Nicotine Pouches promoted their new text alerts, promising a $3 mobile coupon for customers who opt in to receiving texts. The offer is also on a prominent banner on the brand’s website.
Velo announced new flavors of Velo Plus on Instagram: a limited edition, Tropical Heat, available in 6mg, and Cappuccino, available in 3mg, 6mg, and 9mg. On the brand website, Tropical Heat is described as a “bold, juicy mango flavor with just a hint of spice,” while Cappuccino claims to have “a sweet, medium-roast flavor layered with cream and a touch of caramel.”