Tobacco beat reporter Richard Craver of the Winston-Salem Journal has an important story today on dissolvable tobacco products (sticks, strips and orbs). There are criticisms from John Spangler, a professor of family and community medicine at Wake Forest University, and from Matt Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, but the truly significant quotes come from a Reynolds' representative and industry analysts who lend extra credence to the cautions many of us have already expressed. To wit:

Reynolds' spokesman David Howard: "We have seen a noticeable appeal and interest of the dissolvable products with adult female tobacco consumers."

The following is a synopsis of in-person interviews that were conducted by the Saint Louis University CPPW (Communities Putting People to Work) staff to determine how business owners are faring after becoming smoke-free.  The interviews were conducted in April and May 2011.