Big Tobacco Companies Push Regulations To Squeeze Out E-Cigarette Competitors

Law as bludgeon

Coming soon to a convenience store near you: Vuse, an electronic cigarette that delivers nicotine without the use of tobacco and is benefiting from the combined marketing power of  R.J. Reynolds and state government regulators.

Reynolds is testing the Vuse brand e-cigarette in limited distribution and is expected to roll it out nationwide.

In anticipation of Reynolds' first effort in the e-cigarette market, the company's lobbyists are pushing laws at the state level that could add costs, paperwork and headaches onto smaller competitors that have largely served the e-cigarette market so far.