Foreign Investors Increase Stakes as KT&G Posts Record Sales
Foreign investors posted net purchases of KT&G shares for 22 consecutive trading days, lifting foreign ownership by nearly one percentage point.
BAT Launching Digital and Technology Hub in India
British American Tobacco announced plans to open a new information, digital, and technology (IDT) hub in Fraser Town, Bengaluru, India, as part of efforts to
Philippines Flagged ‘Elevated Risk’ for Illicit Cigarettes as Price Gaps Grow
The government lost nearly $980 million in 2024 and about $1.1 billion last year due to the illicit cigarette trade, plus another $400 million in losses to illegal vapes.
Maldives Customs Seizes 2.3M Smuggled Cigarettes
The case also follows earlier incidents involving charges over the theft of a container holding previously confiscated cigarettes.
Bosnia, Industry Cracking Down on €500M Tobacco Black Market
BAT and JTI helped reverse a sharp market collapse seen around 2019–2020, when legal cigarette volumes fell from 12 billion to 3.5 billion sticks annually.
BAT Stock Surges, Despite Legacy Combustibles Shrinking
Market attention followed the FDA authorization of flavored ENDS products, seen as a reference point for how flavored e-cigarettes may fare in the future.
PMI Accused of Hypocrisy for Cigarette Ads While Pivoting to Smoke-Free
PMI disputed the criticism, saying 43% of its net revenue came from smoke-free products and that its marketing is restricted to adults.
Campaigners Accuse WHO of ‘Dangerous Misinformation’ on Nicotine Pouches
The WHO raised concerns about youth-oriented marketing, flavors, and discreet-use messaging while calling for tighter controls.
Zimbabwe Reminds Tobacco Farmers Stalk-Destruction Deadline Passed
TIMB is also urging farmers to conduct soil testing before planting to optimize fertilizer use, improve leaf quality, and reduce input costs.
Former Malaysian Minister Defends Nicotine Delisting After Court Rebuke
She said the Ministry will appeal, and that the decision enabled Malaysia to transition from outdated controls to an improved tobacco and vape regulatory system.
How LIMS supports GMP compliance
Regulators are no longer just inspecting facilities; they are interrogating data.
AIR Begins Nasdaq Trading Following SPAC Merger
CEO Stuart Brazier said the listing provides access to U.S. capital markets to accelerate international expansion.
CORESTA Extends Abstract Deadline
The event is calling for papers in Agronomy & Leaf Integrity, Phytopathology & Genetics, Product Science, and Product Technology.
Smoking, Drinking Rates Among Young Rising in Fiji
Manufactured cigarettes account for 80.6% of use, while 9.5% use smokers’ tobacco, particularly prevalent among those aged 18 to 29.
Bulgaria Stops Greece/Romania Illicit Cigarette Pipeline
Authorities stopped a passenger car and a truck at a gas station, where they discovered 300 boxes of smuggled cigarettes.
RFK Jr.’s Spokesperson Resigns Over Flavored Vape Shift
He said the authorization conflicted with recent department guidance on youth risks from flavored nicotine and criticized senior officials for supporting it.
Three Former WHO Directors Push for Harm Reduction
They argued that progress in reducing smoking has slowed in many high-burden countries and that current policy debates increasingly conflate nicotine use with the harms of smoking.
WHO’s Report on Nicotine Pouches Draws Industry Response
“The WHO should be leading a science-based strategy to end smoking. Instead, it remains ideologically opposed to the very products helping make that goal achievable.”
Zimbabwe Tobacco Eyes Record Output, Concerned About China
Growers report increasing concerns over debt exposure, fees, and pricing, particularly within systems dominated by Chinese contractors.
Pakistan’s Effective Enforcement Welcomed by PMI
PMI said sustained enforcement is critical for revenue collection and market compliance, noting illicit trade is estimated to cost Pakistan $1.1 billion annually.
Caloocan City Adopts Anti-Illicit Tobacco Ordinance
The measure targets cigarettes lacking revenue stamps, graphic health warnings, or those sold below government-mandated pricing.
Swiss Groups Launch Passive Smoke Awareness Platform
The initiative follows new data indicating that 45% of 18–24-year-olds report using e-cigarettes, snus, nicotine pouches, or other products.
VB Distribution Appoints New CEO
Natalia Gosciniak takes over as CEO, while founder Adam Matliwala will become chairman, focusing on strategic oversight.
Drew Estate Formalizes Innovation Department, Hires New Marketing VP
Company president Jonathan Drew Sann will take the company’s newly created CIO position, and hired Andrew Duncan as senior vice president of marketing.
CBP Seizes $175M in Illicit Vapes from Maritime Cargo
The ongoing operation focuses primarily on shipments originating from China and is aimed at disrupting the illicit import and distribution of vape products.
