E-cigarettes: Imperial’s Blu

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After acquiring its first e-cigarette company Dragonite in 2013, Imperial Brands (previously Imperial Tobacco) developed and launched a number of e-cigarettes, also known as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) through its subsidiary Fontem Ventures.

This page summarises products in its flagship brand ‘blu’ .

Blu was originally owned by Lorillard, and Imperial acquired the brand from Reynolds American Inc. in 2015.

Blu E-cigarettes

Year Product Details
2014 blu GO A single-use ‘cig-a-like’ resembling a conventional cigarette. Discontinued in 2017, allegedly due to the introduction of new regulations under the European Tobacco Products Directive.1
2014 blu PRO Refillable tank system. Redesigned, but still on sale as of November 2019.234
2014 blu PLUS+ A ‘closed system’ device, using a pre-filled cartridge, or ‘pod’, for the e-liquid. Described on the blu website as “Perfect for vapers new to blu”.4 Initially launched as a single-use product, it was taken off the market in 2017, and relaunched as a rechargeable device.1
2018 myblu A ‘closed system’ device. Launched in February in the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), France, Germany and Russia.5 Launched in Ireland in 2019.6 An ‘Intense’ range of e-liquids, containing nicotine salts, was launched in 2018, for use with myblu devices.78Nicotine salts are created when ‘freebase’ nicotine is dissolved in acid, which can make a higher dose of nicotine more palatable9
2018 blu ACE Refillable tank system, described by Imperial as its “most powerful device”.10 Launched in April, it is described as a “sub-ohm” device, i.e. that it has a heating coil with an electrical resistance level of less than one ohm.11 These are designed to produce large clouds of vapour.111213 A range of e-liquids was launched in the US, called “Salt of the Earth”, for use in these refillable devices.14

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References

  1. ↑abImperial Tobacco, Blu Plus+ and Blu Go Disposables Announcement, blu website, 20 April 2017, accessed November 2019
  2. ↑F. Briggs, E-cigarette brand, blu e-cigs, launches Pro Kit, and range of e-liquids, Retail Times, 25 July 2014, accessed November 2019
  3. ↑Blu PRO Kit Review Starter Guide (Generation 2016 model), ecigclick.com, 29 September 2017, accessed November 2019
  4. ↑abImperial Brands, blu website, undated, accessed November 2019
  5. ↑Imperial Brands, Interim Results for the six months ended 31 March 2018: Delivering our strategy in tobacco and NGP, Imperial Brands website, 9 May 2018, accessed November 2019
  6. ↑B. O’Halloran, Tobacco group Imperial Brands has launched Myblu vape on Irish Market, Irish Times, 14 June 2019, accessed November 2019
  7. ↑Imperial Brands, Building blu, Investor Presentation, 25 September 2019, accessed November 2019
  8. ↑R. Becker, Juul’s Nicotine Salts are Dominating the Market – And Other Companies Want In, The Verge, 21 November 2018, accessed November 2019
  9. ↑Centre for Media and Democracy, Freebase Nicotine, Sourcewatch, 27 September 2017, accessed July 2019
  10. ↑Imperial Brands, Creating Something Better for the World’s Smokers, report, October 2018, accessed November 2019
  11. ↑abSub-ohm vaping explained – the pros and cons of it, Vaping Daily, 5 April 2019, accessed November 2019
  12. ↑Imperial Tobacco – Focusing on Next Generation Products, Wholesale Manager, 23 October 2018, accessed November 2019
  13. ↑D. Kriegel, How to Sub Ohm and Blow Big Clouds of Vapour, Vaping 360, 9 November 2018, accessed November 2018
  14. ↑Introducing Salt of the Earth: New Line of Nicotine Salt E-Liquids, PR Newswire, 12 July 2018, accessed November 2019

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