MOSCOW, September 12 (RIA Novosti) – The Voke nicotine inhaler produced by the British American Tobacco (BAT) has received a medical product license in the United Kingdom, Reuters reported Friday.
“The fact that it (Voke) has been licensed by the medicines regulator provides the assurances around quality and safety that many smokers are seeking,” Kevin Bridgman, chief medical officer at BAT’s nicotine substitute division Nicoventures, said, as quoted by Reuters.
The Voke Inhaler is cigarette-shaped, but, unlike e-cigarettes, has no battery or electronics, so no heat is involved. With this new product BAT is planning to take over the changing market and win over new clients, especially those who want to quit smoking, but do not trust electronic cigarettes.
According to Reuters, sales of the e-cigarette market amount to about $3.5 billion, so the success of the new product would be highly beneficial to BAT.
To achieve automated manufacture BAT needs to get an additional license, and that may take several months, Bridgman stated.
BAT is gambling on the Voke Inhaler taking over both the e-cigarette and the nicotine-replacement markets, so it is now lobbying for the product’s full-scale commercialization.
BAT was founded in 1902 and is a leader in more than 60 markets. It is the world's second-largest cigarette producer owning brands like Pall Mall, Kent, Dunhill and Lucky Strike. According to BAT’s official website, in 2013 the company sold 676 billion cigarettes, made in 41 countries. BAT has developed the Voke Inhaler to boost its sales, as the tobacco business is declining in many countries after the adoption of non-smoking legislation.
