Also: Why did the bottom fall out of Janus Forty’s shares? Question: I’m concerned about my shares of Altria Group Inc. What is the latest outlook? Answer: It is no secret that the U.S. cigarette industry is in a long-term decline because of the health risks of smoking. Its sales could be hurt by a Food and Drug Administration mandate for more-graphic health warnings on cigarette packs that takes effect in October 2012. Potential li ... Jump to full article >>

Altria Group Inc., the largest U.S. tobacco company, reported third-quarter profit that beat analysts’ estimates, helped by higher prices for Marlboro cigarettes and snuff sales. Net income rose 28 percent to $1.13 billion, or 54 cents a share, from $882 million, or 42 cents, a year earlier, the Richmond, Virginia-based maker of Copenhagen snuff said today in a statement. Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg had projected 52 cents, the average of 11 ... Jump to full article >>

It didn’t get very far, but a bill proposed at the Statehouse Monday raises an issue most of us haven’t heard of — dissolvable tobacco. But Sen. Elliot Werk wants to be proactive and ban the products before they’re even allowed to be sold. The products in question come in the forms of sticks, like toothpicks, and dissolvable chews like mints. They aren’t sold in Idaho yet but they’re being test marketed in Por ... Jump to full article >>