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Test Market Plans for New Tobacco Product Draw Fire

Jennie Runevitch/Eyewitness News

Indianapolis - A big tobacco company is bringing a new product to Indianapolis. Phillip Morris picked Indianapolis as a test market for Taboka, a new smokeless, spit-less tobacco product. The testing has health officials fired up.

The plan coincides with a national heart report that estimates tobacco will kill a billion people this century.

With 23 smoking bans now in Hoosier communities, Indiana may seem to be beating big tobacco. But big tobacco is fighting back with Taboka, a new smokeless, spit-less tobacco product. It hit store shelves at Southside Tobacco on Monday.

Phillip Morris says Taboka doesn't deliver any more nicotine than a typical cigarette, but health experts say one pouch packs the same punch as four cigarettes. The label itself warns that Taboka isn't safe.

It's marketed to smokers looking for a tobacco alternative. Lance Wittry smokes cigars, but Taboka could help him buck local smoking bans.

"I like smoking, but the problem is, I'd like to quit, so do I want to try something new?" he said. "Not really."

Phillip Morris hand-picked Indianapolis as the test market for Taboka. They say that Indianapolis represents the US market as a whole.

"I think that's what it boils down to," said Joseph Upton, Tobacco Express owner. "We're average Americans."

Testing Taboka here has health officials fired up. "Introducing a new product just kind of continues the cycle of addiction," said Liza Sumpter, Smoke-Free Indy, "So we're not happy at all that we're being targeted."

Big tobacco has tested here before, with Quest cigarettes and Advance cigarettes. Indianapolis may have more than a demographic draw. The state's smoking rate is second highest in the nation, and more smoking bans are making it tougher to light up here.

"We're doing such a good job, they wanted to hit up again with a new product," Sumpter said. "Or because we're such a good audience for them that they decided to continue to target us."

Now, as more Hoosier communities go smoke-free, some hope Indianapolis won't be such an easy target for big tobacco for long.