U-Juul Vape Ban
Ngo-2018, uJuul wayengumenzi we-e-cigarette ohamba phambili emhlabeni ngemikhiqizo ethandwa kakhulu. Ingafuni ukuvumela ithuba lokujoyina imakethe ye-e-cigarette ekhulayo lidlule, umaka kagwayi wase-Richmond (Virginia) osekelwe e-Altria ufinyelele isivumelwano sokuthi buy U-35% weJuul ngo-12.8%. U-Altria wayeqinisekile ngaleso sikhathi ukuthi i-vaping kwakuyikusasa lokusetshenziswa kukagwayi emhlabeni futhi uJuul wayehola umhlaba kuleli kusasa elihle.
Nokho, kwakungeke kube njalo. Imibiko yakamuva mayelana ne-vaping eyingozi njengokubhema idambise isasasa ngemakethe. Lokhu kuye kwanyakazisa yonke imakethe ye-vaping. Kodwa-ke, izinkinga zakamuva zikaJuul ne-FDA mayelana nokuphepha kwemikhiqizo yayo zithumele inani lenkampani eyake yabaluleka kakhulu emhlabeni ewela phansi kanye nokutshalwa kwezimali kuka-Altria.
Manje i-Altria ibheka ukutshalwa kwezimali kwayo eJuul ku-$450 million. Lokhu kungaphansi kwe-5% yokulinganisa kwenkampani ngo-2018. Ekuqaleni konyaka, lapho i-FDA iqala ukucabangela ukubuyekeza imikhiqizo kaJuuls i-Altria inciphisa ukulinganisa kwayo kwenkampani ku-$ 1.6 billion. Kodwa-ke, embikweni wayo wekota yesibili yemali etholwayo inkampani iqonge enye imali eyizigidigidi eziyi-1.2 kulokhu kulinganisa ukuze ivumele ukulinganisa kwayo okusha kwaleli zinga lokutshalwa kwezimali ku-$450 million.
Ngaphandle kwalesi sithombe esibuhlungu, i-Altria ayenziwanga ngoJuul. Le nkampani ithi isazoqhubeka nokuma esivumelwaneni sayo sokuqala futhi ngeke yethule noma yimiphi imikhiqizo emisha engowayo noma izotshala imali kwezinye izinkampani ezikhiqiza umphunga.
“Okwamanje ohlelweni sikhethe ukungenzi izinqumo ezihlukile,” “Sicabanga ukuthi isinqumo esifanele njengamanje ukuhlala ngaphansi kokungaqhudelani,” kusho uBilly Gifford, oyi-CEO yamanje ye-Altria.
Lokhu kuncipha okusheshayo kokulinganisa kukaJuul kuvela esinqumweni se-FDA ngenyanga edlule sokuvimbela ugwayi we-e-Juul ngenxa yokwehluleka kukaJuul ukunikeza ulwazi olubalulekile ngokuqukethwe kwefomula yayo ye-nicotine. Lokhu kumangaze abaningi uma kubhekwa ukuthi i-FDA isivele igunyaze imikhiqizo eminingi efanayo.
Ngenkathi uJuul ethola ukusolwa yinkantolo yenhlangano ukuthi aqhubeke nokuthengisa umkhiqizo wakhe, i-FDA iphinde yavula ukubuyekezwa kwayo kwesicelo senkampani futhi yavala ukuvinjelwa kwayo. Lokhu kusho ukuthi ikusasa lemikhiqizo kaJuul lisamile kubhalansi esikhathini esizayo esibonakalayo.
Izinqumo ze-FDA zingalandelelwa ocwaningweni lwakamuva oluqale ukukhombisa ukuthi ugwayi we-elekthronikhi uyingozi kubasebenzisi kanye nengcindezi evela emaqenjini amele abona le mikhiqizo mibi njengemikhiqizo kagwayi yendabuko. Ngakho-ke, i-FDA isebenzela ukuqeda imikhiqizo engabasizi ababhemayo ukuba bayeke emakethe. Ngama-flavour amaningi ahlukene okujuluka nokupakishwa okumibalabala, imikhiqizo kaJuul iyakhanga kwabangabhemi.
Ngaphandle kokulinganisa, izinkinga zamanje zikaJuul ziphinde zehlisa umholo we-Altria cishe ngamasenti angama-60 kuya kumasenti angama-49 ngesheya ngalinye. Lokhu kuholele ekutheni imali engenayo yekota yehle ngo-6% yaya cishe ku-$6.5 billion. I-Altria ingumkhiqizi omkhulu kagwayi waseMelika futhi nenani lababhemayo elinciphisa inkampani ibishaya kakhulu kuJuul kanye nemakethe ye-e-cigarette ngekusasa layo.
