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☆ Altria in talks to buy vaping startup NJOY for about $2.75 billion - WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 27 (Reuters) - Altria Group Inc (MO.N) is in advanced talks to buy e-cigarette startup NJOY Holdings Inc for at least $2.75 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. The Journal further notes that the proposed deal includes an additional $500 million earnout if regulatory milestones are met. The Journal reported in October Juul was preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, while searching for an alternative - such as a sale, investment or loan - that could stave off a filing. NJOY and Altria did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. In July, the WSJ had reported that NJOY has hired bankers for a possible sale of the company, adding that the privately held firm is likely to be valued at up to $5 billion.

☆ An IT director used ChatGPT for research after phone calls and Google didn't help, and said it 'completely blew my mind'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An IT director used ChatGPT to research vaping detectors and told the WSJ it "completely blew my mind." Critics have expressed concerns about the ethics of AI, including the risk of plagiarism and bias. "It completely blew my mind," Gomes told The Journal. But critics have expressed concerns about the ethics of AI, including worries that it could plagiarize material, develop bias, and even argue with users. Some schools and colleges are banning students from using ChatGPT or are otherwise changing the nature of their assignments to reflect the surge in use of the technology.

☆ 9 things to know before you get leg-lengthening surgery
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Natalie Rahhal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

During limb-lengthening surgery, which can cost anywhere from $75,000 to $90,000, he breaks the leg bones and inserts a metal rod, or nail. The recovery process is long and involvedRecovery from limb-lengthening surgery can be painful and there's a lot of physical therapy involved. "After surgery, patients really have to concentrate on working on their flexibility and regaining strength," Mahboubian said. Surgery may make sex a little difficult for some people during recoveryOne of the most common reasons Mahboubian's patients want limb-lengthening surgery is to improve their love lives. "But I've seen time and time again how the surgery really changes the confidence level in my patients.

☆ Juul is worth at least one more puff
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Philip Morris International (PM.N), Japan Tobacco (2914.T) and Altria (MO.N) may want to buy Juul, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. There’s a big regulatory cloud hanging over the smokeless trailblazer, but there are reasons to spark up a deal. Juul stands accused by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of marketing its product to underage users, prompting the agency to seek removal of its products from shelves. Juul would need to hawk some $250 million of e-cigs annually to justify today’s imputed $1 billion valuation, based on the multiple of sales the Altria enterprise fetches. At a big discount, it makes the business worth one more puff.

☆ U.S. judge grants preliminary approval to Juul consumer settlement
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 20 (Reuters) - Juul Labs Inc on Friday secured preliminary court approval of a $255 million settlement resolving claims by consumers that it deceptively marketed e-cigarettes, as the company seeks to resolve thousands of lawsuits. U.S. District Judge William Orrick in San Francisco said the proposed class action settlement resolving claims by consumers who said they overpaid for Juul's vaping products was "fair, reasonable, and adequate," according to a court filing. The settlement is part of a larger, global agreement by Juul to resolve thousands of lawsuits by school districts, local governments and individuals accusing it of contributing to a youth vaping epidemic. The company last month said it had reached settlements with about 10,000 plaintiffs covering more than 5,000 cases. It has not said how much it will pay, though the Wall Street Journal reported deal is valued at $1.7 billion.

☆ U.S. judge grants preliminary approval to Juul settlement
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 20 (Reuters) - Juul Labs Inc won preliminary approval of a settlement aimed at ending thousands of lawsuits alleging the company was a major cause of a youth-vaping epidemic in the United States, according to a court filing on Friday. U.S. District Judge William Orrick in San Francisco said Juul's deal to settle almost 10,000 lawsuits filed by local governments across the country seemed to be "fair, reasonable, and adequate." Juul did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The court document provided no details of the terms of the settlement. The company earlier said it had reached settlements with about 10,000 plaintiffs covering more than 5,000 cases in California.

☆ Bolivia judge rules opposition governor must remain detained ahead of trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Manuel ClaureLA PAZ, Jan 19 (Reuters) - A Bolivian judge ruled Thursday that Santa Cruz Governor Luis Camacho, a leader long in opposition to the left-leaning federal government, must remain detained while he awaits trial. Since then, weeks of protests and blockades in Camacho's Santa Cruz region, an agricultural hub, have impacted trade with the rest of the country, putting pressure on political capital La Paz. Camacho's lawyer had appealed his four-month detention ahead of his expected trial, arguing that he was not a flight risk and should be placed under house arrest. But judge Rosmery Lourdes Pabon on Thursday ruled that he should remain imprisoned. Morales' successor, the conservative former Senate Vice President Jeanine Anez, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in June for orchestrating a coup.

CNN —New Zealand passed a historic anti-smoking bill in Parliament on Tuesday, banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009. The new law will also slash the number of retailers licensed to sell tobacco, from 6,000 to 600 by the end of 2023. Smoking rates in New Zealand – already among the world’s lowest – are falling, having decreased from 9.4% to 8% in the past 12 months, according to Verrall. The legislation – the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Bill – will also reduce the amount of nicotine allowed in tobacco products, aiming to make them less addictive. Official data shows 8.3% of adults are now vaping daily, up from 6.2% in the past year.

☆ Juul reaches settlements covering more than 5,000 cases
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Juul Labs has reached settlements covering more than 5,000 cases brought by about 10,000 plaintiffs related to its vaping products. Financial terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but Juul said that it has secured an equity investment to fund it. The e-cigarette maker faced thousands of suits brought by individuals and families of Juul users, school districts and Native American tribes. “These settlements represent a major step toward strengthening Juul Labs’ operations and securing the company’s path forward,” a company spokeswoman said in a statement. Juul rocketed to the top of the U.S. vaping market five years ago on the popularity of flavors like mango, mint and creme brulee.

Dec 6 (Reuters) - E-cigarette maker Juul Labs on Tuesday said it has reached settlements with about 10,000 plaintiffs covering more than 5,000 cases in California. Juul did not disclose the settlement amount as part of the settlement and court process in the federal multidistrict litigation and related JUUL Labs Product Cases. The company has obtained equity investment to fund it, a spokeperson told Reuters in a statement. But following an appeal, the health regulator put the ban on hold and agreed to an additional review of Juul's marketing application. Reporting by Juby Babu and Chris Kirkham; Editing by Rashmi AichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Juul settles another 5,000 lawsuits after receiving equity investment, an effort CEO calls 'yet another significant step to secure our path forward'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Juul Labs settled over 5,000 lawsuits covering 10,000 plaintiffs on Tuesday. The company said it secured an equity investment to fund the settlement, according to a spokesperson. Juul agreed to pay $439 million to US states and territories in a separate settlement in September. Plaintiffs of the suit include Juul consumers, personal-injury plaintiffs, government entities, and Native American tribes, WSJ reported. A spokesperson for the vape company told Insider the settlement is a "major step" in shaping the future of the company.

☆ Juul Labs settles litigation in the United States
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Rob Mclean | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN Business —E-cigarette maker Juul Labs said Tuesday that it has settled litigation it faced in the United States, resolving a substantial amount of legal issues for the company. “The global resolution covers more than 5,000 cases brought by approximately 10,000 plaintiffs against Juul Labs and its officers and directors,” the company said in a news release. The investigation found that Juul deliberately marketed its products to young people, even though e-cigarette sales to children are illegal. In the past, Juul Labs has sold some of the most popular vaping products in the United States, especially its flavored products. A court temporarily blocked the FDA ban, so the products are still for sale in the United States.

Vaping may increase a person's risk for cavities and tooth decay, preliminary new research suggests. Adding artificial sweeteners and flavorings to the sticky aerosol may create the perfect breeding ground for cavities. The new study, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Dental Association, is considered preliminary and does not prove that vaping causes cavities. But because e-cigarette usage is so rampant among adolescents — with 2.5 million teens vaping in the United States alone — the possibility that it could increase the risk for tooth decay in this generation is worrisome, experts who study vaping in young people said. Among these high-risk patients, e-cigarette users, Irusa found, were at a "significantly" higher risk of developing cavities, compared with those who did not vape.

☆ Marijuana smoke harms lungs in tobacco smokers, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Smoking weed while being a tobacco smoker may increase damage to the respiratory system, a new study found. Scans from an additional 57 nonsmokers with no preexisting lung disease, chemotherapy or other history of lung damage were used as controls. Lung damage was greater in those who smoke marijuana and tobacco compared with tobacco-only smokers, a preliminary study found. “We just don’t know if it’s a synergistic effect between the marijuana and the tobacco versus the marijuana alone.”Irreversible damage? In addition, tobacco smokers quickly exhale, while marijuana smokers often inhale and hold their breath to maximize the high, she said.

The once red-hot vaping company plans to lay off about 400 people and reduce its operating budget by 30% to 40%. The company said the investment would help Juul run its business operations, while it goes ahead with its administrative appeal of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's marketing denial order related to its e-cigarettes. Last month, the Wall Street Journal reported Juul was preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy while searching for an alternative — such as a sale, investment or loan — that could stave off a filing. But following an appeal, the health regulator put the ban on hold and agreed to an additional review of Juul's marketing application. Reporting by Deborah Sophia and Ananya Mariam Rajesh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Juul reaches financing deal, plans to cut 30% of jobs to dodge bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Juul Labs said Thursday it secured financing from early investors, as it made plans to lay off nearly a third of its staff in a bid to avoid bankruptcy. "Today, Juul Labs has identified a path forward, enabled by an investment of capital from some of our earliest investors," a Juul spokesperson told CNBC. The company plans to lay off about 400 people and cut its operating budget by 30% to 40%. Overall, nearly 3.1 million students used tobacco products this year, according to the agencies. The report said many factors contribute to youth tobacco product use, including flavors, marketing and misperceptions of harm.

☆ More adolescent e-cigarette users report vaping within five minutes of waking up, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The data included a total of 151,573 survey respondents, all in middle or high school in the United States. ‘Concerning’ trends in the intensity of useThe overall prevalence of e-cigarette use peaked in 2019 and then declined. But by 2019, more e-cigarette users were using within the first five minutes of waking up each day compared with traditional cigarette users. “It is encouraging that the prevalence of e-cigarette use has declined among U.S. adolescents from 2019 to 2021. “Unfortunately, early nicotine addiction could overturn the significant tobacco control progress made over many decades,” she said.

☆ Altria quarterly earnings miss estimates as cigarette maker's revenue falls
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Altria Group signage is displayed on a monitor on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Cigarette maker Altria Group on Thursday reported third-quarter earnings that missed Wall Street estimates as its revenue fell. Revenue: $5.41 billion vs. $5.59 billion expected. "We are excited to begin a new partnership with JT Group, a leading international tobacco company," said Billy Gifford, Altria's chief executive officer. For its third quarter, Altria reported revenue net of excise taxes of $5.41 billion, a decline of 2% from a year ago.

☆ Juul Discusses a Possible Bailout With Two of Its Biggest Investors
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Jennifer Maloney | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Juul says it is continuing to explore several strategic options to secure its business. Juul Labs Inc. is in talks with two of its biggest investors on a bailout that could help the e-cigarette maker stave off a bankruptcy filing, according to people familiar with the matter. Hyatt Hotels heir Nick Pritzker and California investor Riaz Valani are considering putting up money to cover the vaping company’s operations and near-term legal liabilities, the people said. Messrs. Pritzker and Valani were early investors in Juul, have been longtime directors and are among the company’s largest shareholders.

☆ Juul discusses possible bailout with two of its biggest investors - WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 24 (Reuters) - Juul Labs Inc is in talks with two of its investors about a bailout that could help it avoid a bankruptcy filing, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. The bailout would help Juul stay in business and pursue the resolution of a dispute with federal regulators over whether its products can remain on the U.S. market, according to the report. In July, Juul had said it was in the early stages of exploring several options including financing alternatives. read moreJuul did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment, while parent Altria Group (MO.N) deferred questions to Juul. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Juby Babu in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika SyamnathOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Why the FDA Banned Juul E-Cigarettes
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Jennifer Maloney | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

When the Food and Drug Administration ordered Juul Labs Inc.’s e-cigarettes off the U.S. market in June, politicians and parents who had lobbied for a crackdown on underage vaping hailed their victory. But it turns out, the FDA didn’t cite a risk to children as the basis for the ban. The agency ordered Juul off the market because of technical issues, according to correspondence between Juul and the agency and other FDA documents viewed by The Wall Street Journal.

☆ Loans Are Cheaper Than Bonds for Some Highly Rated Companies
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Nina Trentmann | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

Some highly rated companies are turning to term loans instead of bonds for their financing needs, taking advantage of cheaper pricing as banks have been slower to adjust to rising interest rates than the credit markets. Highly rated companies raised $998.8 billion in bonds in the U.S. this year through Monday, compared with $177.9 billion in term loans, according to Refinitiv, a data provider. For all of last year, fundraising through bonds amounted to $1.46 trillion versus $236.7 billion for term loans for investment-grade-rated companies. Term loans often have a shorter duration than bonds, with many of them ranging from three to five years. Term loans tend to be secured,” Mr. Holtz said, pointing to the mixture of bonds and term loans that make up the company’s capital structure.

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterA man uses a Juul vaporizer in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., September 26, 2019. Juul accused the FDA of violating the federal Freedom of Information Act by withholding a majority of the "scientific disciplinary reviews" underlying the sales ban. read moreMarlboro cigarette maker Altria Group Inc (MO.N) paid $12.8 billion in 2018 for a 35% stake in Juul. The case is Juul Labs Inc v Food & Drug Administration, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, No. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Juul to pay nearly $440 million to settle states' teen vaping probe
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-06 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

HARTFORD, Conn. — Electronic cigarette maker Juul Labs will pay nearly $440 million to settle a two-year investigation by 33 states into the marketing of its high-nicotine vaping products, which have long been blamed for sparking a national surge in teen vaping. Additionally, Juul faces hundreds of personal suits brought on behalf of teenagers and others who say they became addicted to the company’s vaping products. Teen use of e-cigarettes skyrocketed after Juul’s launch in 2015, leading the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to declare an “epidemic” of underage vaping among teenagers. The biggest blow came earlier this summer when the FDA moved to ban all Juul e-cigarettes from the market. The deal also includes restrictions on where Juul products may be placed in stores, age verification on all sales and limits to online and retail sales.

Traditional life insurance requires a medical exam that includes a blood and urine test. Here is what you need to know if you're looking to get life insurance that requires a medical exam. The exam includes blood and urine testsThe medical exam includes the collection of a blood and urine sample. Quick tip: If you come down with a cold ahead of your life insurance medical exam, call to see if it can be rescheduled. For the life insurance urine sample, you will use a cup like you would at the doctor's office during a physical.

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