TOB_Magazine

[ 32 ] TOBACCO BUSINESS [ MAY / JUNE | 18 ] A As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and local govern- ments continue to introduce new anti-tobacco laws and regulations, new tobacco products hitting store shelves is an increasingly rare occurrence. Yet, companies like NicoGen Pharma Solutions are per- severing, focusing their efforts on developing healthier alternatives to combustible cigarettes. Dedicated to contributing to the improvement of public health through the availability of less harmful nicotine products, NicoGen is a subsidiary of PL Developments, a company that provides private- label, over-the-counter healthcare products aimed at solving consumer problems—whether they be aches, pains or ailments—to leading drug- store chains around the country. NicoGen’s new product line, Rogue, for example, gives consumers a way to enjoy nicotine anytime without restriction and also fills a void that traditional tobacco products and other nicotine-replacement therapy (NRT) products have yet to fully address. In developing Rogue, NicoGen recognized that other NRT products that came before Rogue had yet to catch on, but the company’s lead- ership felt the issue wasn’t about products but rather the messaging surrounding them. NicoGen set out to do things differently with Rogue by removing the components often viewed as harmful when it came to tobacco use and identifying product forms and flavors that appealed to adult tobacco users. From its name to its intent, NicoGen designed Rogue around a simple yet powerful idea: freedom. “Rogue is designed for adult tobacco consumers who are frustrated by restrictions and want a new option that allows them to enjoy nico- tine on their terms,” explains Darren Quinn, president of NicoGen Pharma Solutions. “Rogue is nicotine freedom.” When the company began researching NRT products, it found sev- eral studies indicating that most consumers who tried NRT products relapsed after a short period of time. According to the company, ➤ F R E E D O M F I G H T E R S NicoGen Pharma Solutions’ Rogue product line provides consumers with the freedom to enjoy nicotine when and where they want—and gives the tobacco industry an example of how to innovate in a world of regulations and restrictions. BY ANTOINE REID OTP/RYO Photos courtesy of NicoGen