烟草在线据《温斯顿-塞勒姆日报》报道编译　　雷诺烟草公司耗时4年半，挑选了包括北卡州夏洛特市在内的五个实验市场，测试消费者对其三种可溶性烟草产品的反应。

　　该公司希望将未来的市场重点放在以下产品的销售上：球状的骆驼球（Camel Orbs）、尺寸类似牙签大小的骆驼支（Camel Sticks）和类似胶卷状放在舌头上的骆驼条（Camel Strips）。

　　雷诺烟草的目的，是希望在吸烟行为备受打击的社会，烟草产品能够被更多人接受。于是在2009年初开始测试消费者对可溶性烟草产品的接受度。

　　相比之下，雷诺烟草公司仅用了2年半的时间，即2006年4月至2008年10月，测试其骆驼牌鼻烟产品的全国销售状况。

　　雷诺发言人理查德·史密斯表示，可溶性产品还仅限于在夏洛特和丹佛等实验城市以及需要年龄验证的网站（www.cameldissolvables.com）上销售。

　　“目前，还没有计划在这些渠道以外销售实验产品，”史密斯表示，“在与成年烟草消费者的对话中，我们发现，他们对这类产品有浓厚的兴趣，将来，不同类型的产品可能带来更好的选择。”

　　“现在，尽管将继续销售骆驼品牌的棒状、条状和球状可溶烟草产品，但我们也在不断积累经验。”

　　在此期间的任何挫折都是值得注意的，因为雷诺作为创新型无烟烟草产品制造商的领先者，开创了一个重要且有利可图的市场。

　　可溶性烟草产品由精细研磨的烟叶支撑，味道新鲜而醇香。条状产品食用时间为2至3分钟，球状产品为10至15分钟，而棒状产品为20至30分钟。此类产品与其他口服无烟烟草产品拥有相同的健康警语。

　　该产品最初在俄亥俄州的哥伦布市、印第安纳波利斯市以及奥勒冈州的波特兰市销售，之后，2011年3月，开始转移至夏洛特和丹佛销售。虽然雷诺并未制定零售价，但公司表示，可溶性烟草产品的价格应该与一听骆驼牌鼻烟的零售价差不多，也就是定价在4至4.5美元之间。

　　据分析人士称，，雷诺的可溶性烟草产品包装是可防止儿童拆开的包装，这可能不利于产品销售。

　　“测试市场的情况并不乐观，雷诺使用的产品包装，没有剪刀就根本无法打开，”无烟烟草宾夕法尼亚公司执行董事比尔·歌德谢尔表示。

R.J. Reynolds Scales Back Marketing of Dissolvable Tobacco Products

　　After spending more than 4 1/2 years in five test markets, including Charlotte, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. has struggled to gain consumer traction for its trio of dissolvable tobacco products.
 
　　It has struggled to the extent that it is limiting future marketing of the products: a pellet (Camel Orbs), a twisted stick the size of a toothpick (Camel Sticks) and a film strip for the tongue (Camel Strips).
 
　　The goal has been making its tobacco products more accessible within a society that's clamping down on smoking. Reynolds began testing the dissolvable products in early 2009.

　　By comparison, Reynolds needed just 2? years, from April 2006 to October 2008, to take its Camel Snus products from test markets to national distribution.

　　Reynolds spokesman Richard Smith said the products remain in limited distribution in Charlotte and Denver at point-of-sale sites and through its age-verified website for consumers, www.cameldissolvables.com.

　　"At this time there are no plans for any marketing beyond these channels," Smith said. "We've found in our conversations with adult tobacco consumers that while there's strong interest in the category, a different product form may present a better option over the long term.

　　"Though for now, Camel Sticks, Strips and Orbs will remain available while we continue to gather learnings."

　　The setback is noteworthy because Reynolds has carved out an important and profitable niche as the industry's leading manufacturer of innovative smokeless products.

　　The dissolvable products are made of finely milled tobacco and come in flavor styles of fresh and mellow. The products last from two to three minutes for the strips, 10 to 15 minutes for the orbs and 20 to 30 minutes for the sticks. They carry the same health warnings as other oral smokeless products.

　　The products were sold initially in Columbus, Ohio, Indianapolis and Portland, Ore., before being shifted to Charlotte and Denver in March 2011. Although Reynolds does not dictate retail prices, the company said the dissolvable products should sell at a comparable price to a tin of Camel Snus, which is between $4 and $4.50.

　　Reynolds has sold the dissolvable products in child-resistant packaging, which may have proven to be a detriment to sales, according to analysts.

　　"The test markets weren't good, and Reynolds made the products impossible to open without scissors," said Bill Godshall, executive director of Smoke Free Pennsylvania. Enditem