Newport
Cigarettes, one of the world’s most popular cigarette brands, announced today
that they will join the marijuana legalization trend and start producing
marijuana cigarettes.
Marketed
under the brand ‘Newport Nirvana’, the cigarettes will be made available for
sale through marijuana-licensed outlets in the state of Colorado, and the state
of Washington.
Reynolds
American Inc. Chief Marketing Executive Lawrence Harrison, said in an interview
that the company has been ecstatic on the idea of marketing cannabis, and has
been monitoring the market for some time. It was only when the recent
legalization initiatives — winning in Colorado and Washington — that the
company finally made the decision to take part in the cannabis market.
Harrison
added that they have purchased thousands of acres of land to grow natural hemp.
The tobacco company has been setting up a distribution process across North and
South American territories, to streamline the supply lines.
Since
only tobacco products are currently banned in advertisements and promotions in
the United States, the company also has set aside an enormous $7 billion
advertising budget to market the new “Newport Nirvana” brand and are now
negotiating with major networks and publishers, to begin marketing the product
to consumers in the second half of 2017.
The
company has also begin to advertise the new brand in magazines and on
billboards which can be seen in Colorado and Washington.
Harrison
also revealed that the company has planned around January next year, to begin
airing commercials with celebrity endorsements including Snoop Dogg, Seth Rogan
and Bill Maher.
However, since marijuana is legal only in Colorado and
Washington, the advertisements will only be aired in Colorado and Washington.
Source :
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