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  • PM Korea to Launch VEEV E-Cigarette

    PM Korea to Launch VEEV E-Cigarette

    Philip Morris Korea will launch its VEEV inPRIME liquid e-cigarette on Aug. 18 as part of Philip Morris International’s expansion of its non-combustion portfolio. The closed-pod system uses a rechargeable device and replaceable pods, with five device colors and five pod varieties. Pre-sales begin Aug. 11 at IQOS flagship stores, with broader retail distribution from Aug. 26.

    The VEEV inPRIME device will retail for 29,000 won ($20.60), while 2ml VEEBI inPRIME pods will cost 8,000 won ($5.68). Philip Morris Korea said the launch expands choices for adult smokers and represents the company’s broader multi-category strategy in South Korea.

  • Philippines NTA Opens Tobacco Growing to Landless Farmers

    Philippines NTA Opens Tobacco Growing to Landless Farmers

    The Philippines’ National Tobacco Administration (NTA) said landless farmers in Cagayan can enter tobacco production by renting suitable farmland, with partner buying companies potentially providing ₱25,000–₱30,000 ($400 to $480) per hectare in rental assistance along with production inputs and services.

    Qualified growers can also participate in the NTA’s Tobacco Contract Growing Scheme, under which farmers repay 60% of production assistance while the remaining 40% is provided as a subsidy. The NTA urged prospective growers to undergo soil testing and site assessments before planting, particularly to ensure adequate water supply and drainage.

  • UK Vape Display Crackdown Could Cost Businesses £61M

    UK Vape Display Crackdown Could Cost Businesses £61M

    A planned UK crackdown on the display and packaging of vaping and nicotine products could cost businesses up to £61 million, according to a government impact assessment. More than 11,000 retailers, including convenience stores, supermarkets, and wholesalers, are expected to be affected by requirements to keep vape products and related items out of sight and introduce plain packaging.

    The assessment estimates that restocking and removing products could cost businesses about £48 million, while new storage units could add nearly £3 million, and staff familiarization with the new rules around £313,000. The Scottish Grocers Federation warned that additional regulation could increase costs for compliant retailers without sufficiently addressing illicit sales. The Federation of Small Businesses said it supports the public health objectives but called for measures that are proportionate and workable. The government said it believes there is a clear public health rationale for restricting the display of vaping and nicotine products.

  • Ireland Weighs Cigarette Tax Increase in 2027 Budget

    Ireland Weighs Cigarette Tax Increase in 2027 Budget

    Ireland’s coalition government is considering another increase in cigarette prices for Budget 2027, with reports that the price of a 20-pack could rise from €19.50 to €20. The proposed increase would follow combined cigarette tax increases of €3.25 over the past five years.

    Budget 2027 is scheduled to be presented in October, with ministers currently considering potential measures. While cigarette excise duties are expected to rise, the government is reportedly planning to leave alcohol excise duties unchanged.

  • Dutch Regulator Rules on PMI’s EU Consultation Campaign

    Dutch Regulator Rules on PMI’s EU Consultation Campaign

    The Netherlands’ advertising standards watchdog, the Reclame Code Commissie (RCC), found that a Philip Morris campaign encouraging public input into the EU’s tobacco-rules review fell within the scope of the country’s tobacco advertising ban.  The campaign invited people to submit comments to the European Commission opposing tighter EU rules on tobacco and nicotine products. An investigation by NOS and Pointer reported that Philip Morris used an AI tool to generate hundreds of responses presented as individual citizens’ views.

    The RCC said the campaign had a commercial character because the AI text generator was developed and paid for by Philip Morris, and that the generated responses portrayed alternative tobacco products positively. The watchdog concluded that presenting the activity as public consultation did not remove it from the scope of the advertising ban. Doctors and health organizations had filed a complaint over the campaign in June, while Philip Morris said it was contributing to the public debate.

  • Malaysian Group Calls for Access to Public Cigarette Registry

    Malaysian Group Calls for Access to Public Cigarette Registry

    Malaysian public policy startup Wawasanex has urged the Health Ministry to make its registry of legally registered cigarette brands publicly accessible, arguing that consumers and legitimate retailers need an official way to distinguish legal products from illicit cigarettes. The group said the registry is already required under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 and could be published online without new legislation.

    Wawasanex’s call follows Royal Malaysian Customs’ seizure of RM1.3 billion ($312 million) in illicit goods during the first half of 2026, a 22% increase from 2025, with illicit cigarettes accounting for the largest share of cases. The group’s May 2026 nationwide survey found 99% of respondents said illegal cigarettes were easy or very easy to obtain. Wawasanex said it has written to the Health Ministry but has not received a response, and argued that publicly listing registered brands could complement enforcement efforts by giving consumers and retailers a means to verify products.

  • Wyden Seeks Records Over Donations and Policy Changes

    Wyden Seeks Records Over Donations and Policy Changes

    Sen. Ron Wyden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, launched an investigation seeking documents related to what he alleges are potential links between political donations from the tobacco and kratom industries and subsequent Trump administration policy decisions, according to the International Business Times. In letters sent to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Reynolds American, and other parties, Wyden requested records concerning regulatory actions affecting flavored e-cigarettes and kratom products.

    According to Wyden’s letters, Reynolds American donated $5 million to the pro-Trump political action committee MAGA Inc. in April, followed by a meeting between a company executive and President Donald Trump. Wyden alleges the timing raises questions about whether later policy changes, including actions affecting flavored vaping products, were influenced by industry interests. The letters also raise concerns about Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s reported financial interest in kratom company Botanic Tonics while advocating policies related to the sector. Wyden requested responses by Aug. 31.

    The letters contain allegations only, and no evidence of wrongdoing has been established. Reynolds American, Botanic Tonics, and the Department of Health and Human Services have disputed or declined to comment on the allegations.

  • Zimbabwe Posts Record Tobacco Production, Prices Fall

    Zimbabwe Posts Record Tobacco Production, Prices Fall

    Zimbabwe ended its 2026 tobacco marketing season with a record harvest of more than 357 million kg, surpassing the previous season’s record of 354.8 million kg, according to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB). The average tobacco price, however, fell to $2.49 per kg from about $3.30 a year earlier due to increased global supply, larger carry-over stocks, and weaker international demand.

    The decline in prices renewed calls from the TIMB and growers to diversify into horticulture and other cash crops to reduce exposure to market volatility and climate risks. China remained Zimbabwe’s largest tobacco export market, accounting for 34% of export volumes since the marketing season opened in March.

  • Pakistan Seals Five Tobacco Purchase Centers

    Pakistan Seals Five Tobacco Purchase Centers

    Pakistan’s Governor Inspection Team (GIT) sealed five tobacco purchasing centers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swabi district following inspections prompted by complaints from tobacco growers. The action was taken over alleged violations of tobacco procurement rules, including delayed purchases, unpaid farmer dues, and improper handling of crop purchasing operations.

    The sealed centers included facilities operated by Frontier Traders, Atta-ur-Rehman & Company, Ali Leaf Traders, Khyber Tobacco Company, and AK Tobacco Traders. Officials found some companies had not begun purchasing despite instructions from the Pakistan Tobacco Board, while others had outstanding farmer payments or had displayed notices halting purchases despite holding tobacco stocks. The companies were referred to the assistant commissioner’s office in Chota Lahor for further action under applicable regulations.

  • Nigerian Health Groups Oppose Tobacco Control Bill

    Nigerian Health Groups Oppose Tobacco Control Bill

    A coalition of Nigerian tobacco control and public health organizations has called for the immediate recall of the National Tobacco Control Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, arguing that it would weaken the country’s existing tobacco regulations by creating a more permissive framework for e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches and other non-combustible nicotine products. The groups urged the National Assembly to withdraw the legislation and called on President Bola Tinubu to reject it if passed.

    The coalition said the bill would allow broader advertising, online sales, retail displays and product sampling for non-combustible products while weakening packaging, health warning and disclosure requirements. It also argued that the proposal conflicts with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control by treating heated tobacco products differently from conventional tobacco products. The organizations called for all tobacco and nicotine products to remain subject to a single regulatory framework and urged lawmakers to publish legislative records related to the bill’s development.