Cooperation Centre for Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco (CORESTA) announced that it has made its abstracts and presentations available from its 2025 Science-Techno Conference held in October in Annecy, France. The document is available here.
Blog
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Kazakhstan to Ease Ban on Hookahs, Not Vapes
Kazakhstan may ease restrictions on hookah use, according to Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Sanzhar Adilov. He confirmed that the issue is under review, with a final decision to be made after assessments and public hearings. Officials are considering allowing the import of hookah equipment, permitting hookah use in entertainment venues, and defining a list of substances and conditions for use.
Adilov emphasized that the current ban on vapes will remain in place, with additional measures introduced to strengthen criminal penalties for their sale and transport. “On vaping, our position is clear: increased responsibility and zero tolerance,” he said.
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25 Attorneys General Call to Tighten Online Tobacco Sales
California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the City of New York co-led a bipartisan coalition of 25 attorneys general in urging Shopify Inc. to take stronger action against merchants selling illegal tobacco products, particularly e-cigarettes, through its platform. In a letter sent November 24, the coalition requested a meeting with Shopify to develop a comprehensive solution, noting that despite existing policies, sellers continue to use the service to market unlawful products. Shopify, California’s Department of Justice said, has previously cooperated with enforcement actions, terminating certain e-cigarette sellers flagged by California officials.
The coalition identified 29 illegal e-cigarette websites currently hosted on Shopify and enclosed an exhibit listing more than 200 additional sites selling unlawful tobacco products. The other attorneys general represent Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Bonta has previously taken action against individual sellers, including lawsuits against companies marketing flavored disposable e-cigarettes.
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KT&G, Altria on Track to Expand Global Pouch Business
KT&G told Nate News that its plans to enter the global nicotine pouch market in earnest next year are moving forward as planned, believing that its $176.8 million purchase of Another Snus Factory will be completed this year, followed by disposing of 49% of the company to Altria.
“Starting next year, we plan to expand the nicotine pouch business beyond the five Nordic countries [Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland] to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and North America,” a KT&G official said.
According to Euromonitor, the global nicotine pouch market reached $11.2 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow more than 30% this year.
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JT Announces Board, Leadership Changes
Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT) announced several resolutions from its Board of Directors concerning the company’s new and revised executive appointments, including changes among its Representative Directors. The most notable change is that Takehiko Tsutsui is being promoted from executive vice president of JT International to assume the office as president and Chief Executive Officer, replacing Masamichi Terabatake, who will become the deputy chairperson of the Board. The move will be effective January 1, 2026, subject to ratification at the company’s shareholders’ meeting and approval of the Board of Directors. Tsutsui joined JT in 1997 and has been a vice president since 2012.
The company also announced that Shigeaki Okamoto will become the new chairperson of the Board, appointed Yukiko Uchida to the Board, and announced the resignations of Yukiko Nagashima and current chair Mutsuo Iwai. The Board changes will be effective at the conclusion of the shareholders’ meeting scheduled for March 25, 2026.
In other moves, Adam Vilalta was named senior vice president of marketing of Tobacco Business in Japan with the resignation of Igor Dzaja, and Hisashi Shimobayashi was promoted to senior vice president, Chief Technology & Information Security Officer.
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HPW Says ‘Industry Interference’ Stalled COP Decisions
In its overview of the Eleventh Conference of the Parties (COP11), Health Policy Watch said that “industry interference remains the main issue preventing concrete steps toward more effective control of new tobacco products.” The article said that despite extensive debate, delegates failed to reach a consensus on issues such as plastic cigarette filters and disclosure requirements, opting instead for informal consultations, blaming outside forces that influenced delegates who pitched “competing drafts.”
“We know very well what works and what doesn’t,” Filippos Filippidis, Chair of the Tobacco Control Committee at the European Respiratory Society and Associate Professor at the School of Public Health at Imperial College London, was quoted in the article “The problem is that because of interference and the big money that is involved, some countries remain reluctant to apply some of these policies.”
According to Health Policy Watch, delegates agreed to increase state funding for domestic tobacco control programs, consider more forward-looking measures such as generational bans on cigarettes, and approved calling on Parties to consider stronger legislative action to deal with criminal and civil liability related to tobacco control.
However, Health Policy Watch said the “most controversial topic,” which did not get settled, concerned the way new products, such as electronic and heated tobacco and nicotine products, should be addressed, which leads into the “harm-reduction” argument that many anti-tobacco advocates believe is Big Tobacco propaganda. Industry representatives argue that the controversy and contention could be reduced via open discourse with all interested parties, and often criticize the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) for working in secrecy and prohibiting open dialogue.
Andrew Black, Acting Head of the Secretariat, said the unsolved discussion would be addressed at COP12 in Armenia in 2027, while Gan Quan, senior vice president of Tobacco Control at the New York City-based Vital Strategies, gave little hope that outside input would be welcomed.
“We saw an unprecedented level of industry interference at this COP,” Quan said. “In terms of the composition of the delegations, it’s a bit out of control. The goal for future progress is to do a better job in keeping the industry out of that discussion.”
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Malaysia to Study Effects of IQOS
Malaysia’s Home Ministry recommended that the National Poison Center conduct a study on IQOS, Philip Morris’ heated tobacco product. Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the health effects of the device are not yet known, but an initial study would help prepare the government for future legislation. Speaking at a seminar, he described the product as a “new innovation posing regulatory challenges.” He emphasized that laws on poisons and drug abuse must remain dynamic to address emerging substances.
Saifuddin added that while the device’s marketing campaign advises non-smokers not to start and encourages smokers to quit or switch, the government must be proactive in assessing potential risks. He suggested that legal amendments could be drafted broadly to prevent loopholes.
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Labstat Introduces New President
Labstat Inc., a Certified Group company and the world’s largest independent nicotine testing laboratory, announced that it has appointed Scott LaNeve as its new president. LaNeve brings more than three decades of leadership experience across life sciences, diagnostics, and healthcare technology, having held senior roles at Abbott Laboratories, Roche Diagnostics, and Quest Diagnostics, as well as executive positions in national laboratory networks and technology firms.
In a statement, LaNeve said he was honored to join Labstat, which operates laboratories in Canada, the U.S., and Europe specializing in nicotine, tobacco, and cannabis testing. He emphasized his commitment to advancing Labstat’s role in global tobacco harm reduction by delivering trusted testing and actionable, data-driven insights to clients. Certified Group CEO David Morgan welcomed the appointment, citing LaNeve’s strategic vision and operational expertise as key to reinforcing Labstat’s leadership worldwide.
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Nepal Court Leaves Packaging Warning in Limbo
Nepal’s plan to mandate 100% coverage of tobacco packaging with health warnings has stalled nearly 10 months after its approval, following a Supreme Court interim order. The directive, sanctioned on February 3 by then-Health Minister Pradip Paudel, was set to take effect August 2. It aimed to expand on Nepal’s earlier 90% warning requirement, which won the country international recognition in 2015.
The case was filed by Surya Nepal Company, the country’s largest cigarette manufacturer, which challenged the directive in court. As a result, implementation has been blocked, leaving the Ministry of Health unable to enforce the measure. Officials say the judiciary has become an obstacle to tobacco control efforts.
The Ministry of Health has pledged to revive the stalled directive, stressing the need for dynamic laws to address tobacco’s growing toll.
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Selangor Drafting Policy to Regulate Vape
The Malaysian state of Selangor is drafting a policy paper that could lead to a gradual ban on electronic cigarette use, according to state public health and environment committee chairman Jamaliah Jamaluddin. She said the policy will align with the Tobacco Product Control Act for Public Health 2023 (Act 852) and take into account market realities, public health impacts, and enforcement needs. The announcement was made during the Selangor state assembly sitting in Shah Alam in response to a query about prohibiting vapes.
Jamaliah said the state government has already begun engagement sessions with stakeholders, including the Selangor State Health Department and local authorities, to discuss implementation. Initial steps include removing vape-related advertisements and promotional signage at retail outlets across the state. She emphasized that enforcement will be strengthened through cooperation between state agencies, local authorities, and federal bodies.
The state also plans to expand awareness campaigns targeting youths, highlighting the risks and harmful health effects of vaping. Advocacy programs will involve secondary schools and universities through carnivals, talks, and interactive sessions. Health clinics will be equipped with support hotlines and nicotine addiction screening services to assist individuals seeking to quit vaping.