Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/550316
10 tobaccoasia From the Publisher EDITORIAL MASTHEAD Publisher Glenn Anthony John gaj@octobermultimedia.com Associate Editor Andrey Medvedev avm@octobermultimedia.com Features Writers Thomas Schmid Nattira Medvedeva Correspondents Chris Bickers (US Leaf) Allen Liao (China) Eric Piras (Cigars) Art Director Somjet Thitasomboon snt@octobermultimedia.com Translations Liao Tian Liang Administration Malisa Kongkatitum accounts@octobermultimedia.com Editorial/Circulation Offices Tobacco Asia c/o October Inter Co. Ltd. Vanit Building 2, Room 1403A 1126/2 New Petchburi Rd. Bangkok 10400 THAILAND Tel (Thailand) +66 2255 6625 Fax (Thailand) +66 2655 2211 info@tobaccoasia.com www.tobaccoasia.com © 2015 October Multimedia Co Ltd., TOBACCO ASIA is a quinterly magazine published by October Multimedia Co Ltd in March, May, July, September, and December. Printing and distribution of TOBACCO ASIA is overseen by October Inter Co., Ltd., Vanit Bldg. 2, Room 1403A, 1126/2 New Petchburi Rd., Bangkok 10400 THAILAND. Tel +66 22 55 66 25, Fax +66 26 55 22 11. E-mail: info@octobermultimedia.com web: www.tobaccoasia.com. The FCTC's COP6 meeting late last year in Moscow and their unnecessary lockout of virtually anyone from the proceedings got our associate editor Andrey Medvedev smoking hot. He reports that COP6 not only blocked anyone from the tobacco industry from attending – to be expected – but also all media and even INTERPOL (unbeknownst to everyone, the international police agency is suppos- edly partnering with the tobacco industry. (See story "Lock Out…" on page 20.) Thomas Schmid checks in with a story on back-to-nature RYO papers from the leaders in the industry (Republic, The Rolling Paper Co, Gizeh/Mascotte)… see "Back to Nature… on page 44.) Schmid also gives us a taste of what flavor companies are doing to service the burgeoning e-liquids business (see story on page 26), an issue that correspondent Nattira Medvedeva will have more about in the next issue. Speaking of Nattira, she's supplied an informative story on Zimbabwe whose tobacco industry is looking pretty good these days with sales going up around the world, but especially to China. Any cheer Nattira talks about in Zimbabwe is tempered by the story Chris Bickers wrote after talking to several US tobacco farmers and their "bleak" assessment of real demand for US leaf (see story on page 54). Developments in China that Allen Liao at Tobaccochina keeps us informed about in this issue are marketing by the tobacco industry via the popular Chinese phone messengering app WeChat, (see story on page 64) and also the burgeoning growth in brand variants now available in China in slim cigarettes (see story on page 30). And beginning in this issue is a new Tobacco Asia department "Suppliers Guide" where we present to you news, views, solutions, reviews, and contacts at the leading companies suppliers the tobacco industry. First up categories are "Flavors" and "Filters". (Supplier's Guide starts on page 70). And last and least… smoking=death in Iraq and Syria. Add smoking to the list of transgressions you can expect will attract the ultimate fate in ISIS-controlled lands. Apparently ISIS considers smoking "a slow suicide", and suicide is… of course… not allowed. There have been several reports that punishments range from lashings to torture with at least one person reported to have been executed in inimitable ISIS style for smoking.