top news
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Makary Updates First 100 Days Leading FDA
Makary pointed to the implementation of AI to assist all departments in reviewing products.
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Sweden Rejects EU Plan to Fund Budget with Tobacco Tax
Svantesson said the EU proposal would result in a significant tax increase on snus, and that the Commission wants the tax revenue to go to the EU, not Sweden.
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PCA Talks “Beautiful Bill’s” Impact on U.S. Cigar Industry
The PCA said the Act introduces important policy shifts that provide both immediate benefits and notable challenges to premium cigar retailers.
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TIMB: Zimbabwe Can Produce 17B Cigarettes
Since the government crafted the TVCTP in 2021, the nation’s cigarette manufacturing has increased 10%, but TIMB says it could be significantly higher.
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Bulgarian Police Seize $18M in Illegal Cigarettes at Factory Bust
Authorities uncovered approximately 102.7 million cigarettes at a clandestine facility beneath a cow farm near Momkovo.
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EU Considers Tobacco Tax as New, Long-Term Revenue Stream
Tax Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra has been pushing for higher tobacco excise taxes, and a leaked draft suggests a potential 139% hike on cigarettes.
Upcoming Events
Global Regulation
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EU Considers Tobacco Tax as New, Long-Term Revenue Stream
Tax Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra has been pushing for higher tobacco excise taxes, and a leaked draft suggests a potential 139% hike on cigarettes.
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Ohio Law Banning Local Tobacco Regulation Struck Down
The amendment allows municipalities to govern local safety and welfare issues unless they are in direct conflict with general state law.
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Nigeria Regulates Portrayals of Tobacco, Rituals
The policy, which was approved and gazetted in 2024, targets harmful portrayals in Nigerian films, music videos, and skits.
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Maine Jacks Cigarette, Cigar Taxes for 2026
Maine will raise its cigarette taxes from $2 to $3.50 per pack and increase the taxes on cigars from 43% to 75% of the wholesale price.
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Serbia Eliminates Favorable Tax Treatment for Alternative Products
Alternative tobacco products such as heated tobacco, hookah flavors, and herbal smoking products will now be taxed at 100% of the minimum cigarette excise duty.
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Uganda Ups Cigarette Taxes
The tax hike came just before the announcement of the World Health Organization’s “3 by 35” initiative, where it urged all nations to increase real prices on tobacco.
Agriculture & Sustainability
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Pakistan Sets Prices to Stabilize Tobacco Crop
Farmers pointed to rising input costs, with tobacco cultivation costing up to $6,650 per hectare, compared to around $1,050 for wheat.
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CORESTA Launches Website for Upcoming Conference
Agronomy & Leaf Integrity and Phytopathology & Genetics Conference will be held from September 28 to October 2 in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia.
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Cuban Tobacco Hit Hard by Power Outages
According to local officials, 385 hectares of tobacco crops were lost this season due to electricity shortages, mainly affecting irrigation.
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Pakistan’s Largest Tobacco Growing Region Suffers Huge Storm Damage
Swabi produces about 53% of KP’s tobacco output, with an estimated 15,500 hectares planted, last year producing about 42 million kg.
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With Record Already Set, Zimbabwe Eyes 400M Kg Milestone
More than 127,000 farmers, 85% of them smallholders, are registered this season, which ensures access to inputs, training, and markets.
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Mozambique’s Tobacco Export Surged 63% in 2024
Behind Zimbabwe and Malawi, Mozambique ranks third in Africa and eighth globally in tobacco cultivation area, with nearly 130,000 hectares planted.
Science & Innovation
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Haypp Partners to Age-Verify Online Sales
Age and identity verification isn’t just a compliance checkbox — it’s a fundamental part of who we are as a brand and our ongoing commitment to being a responsible retailer.
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Study: Nicotine Loop Inhibits Dopamine, Induces Anxiety in Mice
The results highlight the nuanced, bidirectional modulation of VTA dopamine neurons by nicotine and ethanol.
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Study: Vape and Nicotine Replacements Help People Quit Smoking
After nine months, 10% of both groups remained smoke-free, deemed a success for a population with typically high-smoking and low-quit rates.
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Truth Initiative Warns Smoking Depictions Threaten Real Decline
In 2023 alone, nearly 17 million young people were exposed to streaming shows that featured tobacco.
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Haypp Survey Tracks UK Nicotine Pouch Explosion
The main advantages of pouches compared to other nicotine products are that they are discreet (68%), they feel healthier (64%), and they do not affect others (54%).
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Study: (Non-FDA-Approved) Vapes Emit More Toxic Metals Than Cigarettes
The report said one device released more lead in a single day’s use than nearly 20 packs of cigarettes.
Business & Finance
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PCA Talks “Beautiful Bill’s” Impact on U.S. Cigar Industry
The PCA said the Act introduces important policy shifts that provide both immediate benefits and notable challenges to premium cigar retailers.
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TIMB: Zimbabwe Can Produce 17B Cigarettes
Since the government crafted the TVCTP in 2021, the nation’s cigarette manufacturing has increased 10%, but TIMB says it could be significantly higher.
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Eastern Company Caps Cig Prices After Egypt Ups Taxes
The company said rising raw material and transportation costs significantly increased production expenses.
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BAT COO Says Korea Key to Smokeless Expansion
“Korea offers a unique blend of sophisticated consumers, cutting-edge technology, and a dynamic regulatory environment.”
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Caliburn G4 Pro: ‘The Vaping Industry’s First Full Touchscreen Pod System”
The device’s interface offers one-tap access to wattage adjustment, output mode switching, puff counter reset, and a swipe-down Smart Hub.
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22nd Century Announces Major Pinnacle Brand Expansion
Pinnacle’s conventional cigarette and cigarillo products have built a strong sales track record with consumers.
Around the Industry
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Sweden Rejects EU Plan to Fund Budget with Tobacco Tax
Svantesson said the EU proposal would result in a significant tax increase on snus, and that the Commission wants the tax revenue to go to the EU, not Sweden.
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Zig-Zag Introduces Value-Priced, High-Turnover Line
The cigars will be offered in five flavors and be pre-priced at $1.39 for two sticks. They will be sold in 15-pouch cartons and 24-carton cases.
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Canopy Growth Tags Stewart as Interim CFO
Stewart, who has been with Canopy Growth since 2019 as Chief Accounting Officer, brings over two decades of financial leadership experience,
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Volunteers Pick Up 1M Cigarette Butts
The initiative, launched in the Netherlands in 2019, aims to raise awareness of cigarette filter pollution and advocate for a global ban on plastic filters.
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Sampoerna Shows Progress in Smoke-Free Product Innovation
The company’s goal is to provide adult smokers who would otherwise continue smoking with access to science-backed, smoke-free options.
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PMI Moving Toward Smoke-Free Goals in Philippines
Having the smoke-free alternative available so that the smokers can move away from cigarettes and switch is serving the population.
Thought Leaders
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Opinion: WHO Is Wrong on Flavors — It’s Time to Stand Up for Harm Reduction and Common Sense
The slogan—Bright Product. Dark Intentions. Unmasking the Appeal—is both misleading and dangerous. And the question we ask ourselves: to what end?
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Thoughts on FDA Reform
Prioritizing Education on Smoke-Free Alternatives By Dr. Tom Price The recent marketing authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of 20 Zyn nicotine pouch products is a good…
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The Trailblazer
Godfrey Phillips’ Chairwoman Dr. Bina Modi Sits Down with Tobacco Reporter to Talk the Future of the Industry, Women’s Leadership, and More
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Don’t Gamble Your PMTA: Bet on Your Quality System
A PMTA is more than a regulatory formality. It’s a company’s game plan. A commitment to how the product will be manufactured, tested, controlled, and distributed.