International cigarette company Newport is reportedly planning to introduce a new lineup of marijuana cigarettes under the name Newport Nirvana.
Newport is fueled by the increasing legalization of marijuana across the United States. As the number of tobacco smokers continues to decline, Newport is preparing to branch into the lucrative world of cannabis cigarettes.
In December 2016, emails and news stories were circulated across the internet talking about Newport’s plan to introduce the cigarettes starting in January 2017.
Today, we’re explaining everything you need to know about Newport’s purported release of their Newport Nirvana cigarettes.
It’s A Totally Fake News Story
Did you fall for everything we just mentioned above? You’re not alone. The news about Newport Nirvana marijuana cigarettes circulated across the internet in December 2016. Some people were excited. Others were skeptical.
As Snopes.com reports, the Newport Nirvana marijuana cigarette is fake news. Newport is not developing any type of cannabis cigarette.
The fake news story originated from a website called TMZWorldNews, previously known under the name CelebtriCity. You can view that original article here. That website is littered with blatantly false news articles with suggestive thumbnails.
Here’s what the original news article said:
“Reynolds American Inc. Chief Marketing Executive Lawrence Harrison, said in an interview that the company has been ecstatic on the idea of marketing cannabis, and has been monitoring the market for some time. It was only when the recent legalization initiatives — winning in Colorado and Washington — that the company finally made the decision to take part in the cannabis market.
Harrison added that they have purchased thousands of acres of land to grow natural hemp. The tobacco company has been setting up a distribution process across North and South American territories, to streamline the supply lines.”
You can see why people might fall for it. It sounds like a legitimate news article, complete with quotations from someone who appears to be high-up at the company.
The Fake News Quickly Spread Across the Internet
It didn’t take long for the TMZWorldNews article to go viral. Many people shared the website’s news story after simply reading the headline, seeing “TMZ”, and believing it to be a reputable source.
TMZWorldNews has an army of fake news websites online, including TMZWorldStar, TMZUncut, and TMZBreaking. It has no connection to TMZ of any form.
The fake news website has previously gone viral for stories like the one where a police officer shot a black baby after mistaking a pacifier for a gun, as well as the story about a penis implant that could alert women to cheating romantic partners.
It’s Not the First Fake Marijuana Cigarette Story of the Year
2016 was the year fake news made headlines around the world. That’s why it’s not too surprising to learn that the Newport Nirvana marijuana cigarette story wasn’t the first marijuana cigarette fake news story of the years. Earlier in the year, the internet was abuzz with stories about Marlboro M cannabis cigarettes that would be sold in a signature green box.
Exclusive Details About the Newport Nirvana Cigarettes
The Newport Nirvana cigarettes did sound pretty exciting. The original fake news story – and other fake news stories about the cigarettes – reported that they would be made for sale through marijuana-licensed outlets in the states of Colorado, Washington, and other states that have legalized the recreational use of marijuana.
The news story added that Newport had purchased “thousands of acres of land” in North and South America to produce marijuana. They had also set aside an “enormous $7 billion advertising budget”. The fake news story even had a scan of a print ad where a model was seen holding a Newport Nirvana cigarette.
Newport was purportedly also preparing for an advertising campaign featuring celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Seth Rogen, and Bill Maher, although “the advertisements will only be aired in Colorado and Washington.”
Overall, it’s easy to see why people fell for the Newport Nirvana marijuana cigarettes fake news story. The next time you see an attractive headline, try to do a little more research before you share information online.
