Editor’s Note: We applaud the Street’s recognition of the followinng:

“Moreover, this type of a ban[menthol] will lead to black marketing of the products, which would be incredibly detrimental to all parties”.

However it should be noted that a menthol ban would be ” detrimental”  not only because of  tax losses but because of the extreme adverse health effects of counterfeit cigarettes.  In addition, the article is incorrect in that neither FDA or its Advisory Committee has recommend a menthol ban.

Philip Morris International Inc. (PM), the world’s largest tobacco company, said it plans to sell a new type of cigarette that poses lower health risks by 2017.

The company is developing three products that would be sold under existing brands such as Marlboro, and the most advanced is a cigarette that heats tobacco rather than burning it, Chief Operating Officer Andre Calantzopoulos said in a speech prepared for a meeting today with investors in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Fort Myers, Florida (News-Press) — Mike Mangione can name more reasons than he has non-nicotine-stained fingers for switching from regular cigarettes to an electronic alternative.

He is among an estimated 2.5 million people now inhaling nicotine through a battery-operated device that heats liquid to make vapor, which takes the fire – and the tar and many other cancer-causing chemicals found in cigarettes – out of smoking.

At 41, he’s conscious of breathing easier and assumes inhaling flavored water vapor must be healthier than taking in the 600 ingredients in cigarettes – 4,000 compounds when burned, according to the American Lung Association – including acetone, formaldehyde, tar, benzene, butane and lead. And he spends $30 to $40 a month “vaping.” He used to spend $150 a month on Marlboros.