What Is the Biggest Risk Facing the E-Cigarette Industry?
What is the biggest risk facing the e-cigarette industry? Over the past one or two months, the industry has faced constant challenges. First, the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration issued rules prohibiting the sale of e-cigarettes to minors, triggering
What is the biggest risk facing the e-cigarette industry? Over the past month or two, the e-cigarette industry has faced numerous issues. First, the National Tobacco Administration issued regulations prohibiting the sale of e-cigarettes to minors, leading to various speculations within the industry. Then, tobacco giant Philip Morris International suddenly launched patent infringement complaints against heated tobacco device manufacturers, leaving many companies feeling helpless in response. Additionally, the FDA in the United States has begun a comprehensive overhaul of the e-cigarette market, focusing on five e-cigarette brands, leading to widespread concerns about a potential decline in the U.S. e-cigarette market. Finally, the industry has suddenly faced a large-scale malicious smear campaign, with no effective means to curb it.
In the view of e-cigarette experts, the patent issues surrounding heated tobacco products and the large-scale malicious smear campaign are currently the two most challenging problems facing the entire e-cigarette industry, which should be taken seriously and reflected upon, proposing effective countermeasures.
1. Patent issues surrounding heated tobacco products
It is understood that international tobacco giant Philip Morris International has successfully registered keywords related to heated tobacco devices such as HNB, HEAT DOESN'T BURN, and HEATSTICKS as trademarks. Among them, HNB and HEAT DOESN'T BURN are international trademarks, while HEAT NOT BURN TECHNOLOGY is currently an application-in-progress trademark. This has become a strong basis for Philip Morris International to complain about alleged trademark infringement by others.
Heated tobacco, e-cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco products all belong to the category of new tobacco products and are industry-wide terms, not specific product names of any company. Logically, terms related to heated tobacco should belong to industry terms and common terms, and should not be casually registered as trademarks. However, it is indeed perplexing that Philip Morris International has successfully applied for registration.
Recently, Philip Morris International has begun to launch surprise complaints against domestic heated tobacco device manufacturers. Many affected e-cigarette companies have expressed their anger but feel helpless, not knowing how to deal with it, and are hoping that industry insiders and organizations can provide suggestions and assistance to jointly address the industry's pain points.
2. The industry facing large-scale malicious smear campaigns
It has been reported that a highly negative article related to the e-cigarette industry has been widely reprinted on various self-media platforms and crazily shared in social circles, causing extremely adverse effects on the e-cigarette industry.
The article's title is sensational, exaggerating the facts and deliberately creating panic to attract attention. It lists some foreign comments and reports about e-cigarettes, deliberately taking them out of context and distorting the truth, portraying e-cigarettes in an extremely negative light, which raises concerns about the potential for a deliberate smear campaign against the e-cigarette industry, with frightening and shameless motives behind it.
Despite the fact that well-known industry players have come forward to refute the claims, the negative article continues to be reprinted, and its impact is growing. Here, we sincerely hope that mainstream self-media in the e-cigarette industry can unite to voice positive messages for the industry, and we also call on e-cigarette industry associations to stand up and urgently refute the rumors to set the record straight!
In the view of e-cigarette experts, the patent issues surrounding heated tobacco products and the large-scale malicious smear campaign are currently the two most challenging problems facing the entire e-cigarette industry, which should be taken seriously and reflected upon, proposing effective countermeasures.
1. Patent issues surrounding heated tobacco products
It is understood that international tobacco giant Philip Morris International has successfully registered keywords related to heated tobacco devices such as HNB, HEAT DOESN'T BURN, and HEATSTICKS as trademarks. Among them, HNB and HEAT DOESN'T BURN are international trademarks, while HEAT NOT BURN TECHNOLOGY is currently an application-in-progress trademark. This has become a strong basis for Philip Morris International to complain about alleged trademark infringement by others.
Heated tobacco, e-cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco products all belong to the category of new tobacco products and are industry-wide terms, not specific product names of any company. Logically, terms related to heated tobacco should belong to industry terms and common terms, and should not be casually registered as trademarks. However, it is indeed perplexing that Philip Morris International has successfully applied for registration.
Recently, Philip Morris International has begun to launch surprise complaints against domestic heated tobacco device manufacturers. Many affected e-cigarette companies have expressed their anger but feel helpless, not knowing how to deal with it, and are hoping that industry insiders and organizations can provide suggestions and assistance to jointly address the industry's pain points.
2. The industry facing large-scale malicious smear campaigns
It has been reported that a highly negative article related to the e-cigarette industry has been widely reprinted on various self-media platforms and crazily shared in social circles, causing extremely adverse effects on the e-cigarette industry.
The article's title is sensational, exaggerating the facts and deliberately creating panic to attract attention. It lists some foreign comments and reports about e-cigarettes, deliberately taking them out of context and distorting the truth, portraying e-cigarettes in an extremely negative light, which raises concerns about the potential for a deliberate smear campaign against the e-cigarette industry, with frightening and shameless motives behind it.Despite the fact that well-known industry players have come forward to refute the claims, the negative article continues to be reprinted, and its impact is growing. Here, we sincerely hope that mainstream self-media in the e-cigarette industry can unite to voice positive messages for the industry, and we also call on e-cigarette industry associations to stand up and urgently refute the rumors to set the record straight!
