US Patent Issued to Philip Morris USA on May 5 for "Smokeless tobacco product sized, shaped and adapted for oral consumption" (Virginia Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 5 -- United States Patent no. 12,616,236, issued on May 5, was assigned to Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond, Va.).

"Smokeless tobacco product sized, shaped and adapted for oral consumption" was invented by Susan E. Wrenn (Chesterfield, Va.) and Maria Carolina Marun (Richmond, Va.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A consumable tobacco film strip adapted to dissolve in the oral cavity includes a tobacco component, a binder, a humectant, and optionally a flavorant. The tobacco component can include ground or powdered tobacco and/or a tobacco extract. Tobacco flavoring can be incorporated in the film strip by casting or extruding a mixture or the tobacco component may be added t...