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  • Cigarettes to Return to Belgian Supermarkets in 2027

    Cigarettes to Return to Belgian Supermarkets in 2027

    Belgium will allow supermarkets to resume cigarette sales from January 1, 2027, following a Constitutional Court ruling that struck down the current ban on larger retail outlets. The court found that restricting tobacco sales in shops over 400 square meters while allowing smaller retailers to continue was discriminatory, giving the government until 2027 to revise the law. Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke has opted not to introduce a replacement ban, meaning tobacco products can return to supermarket shelves, though they must remain out of sight.

    The decision has drawn mixed reactions, with supermarket groups welcoming the change while newsagents criticized the return of competition. The policy shift comes alongside other tobacco control measures, including a planned ban on flavored e-cigarettes from 2028 aimed at reducing youth uptake.

  • FDA Authorizes Four New ENDS Products

    FDA Authorizes Four New ENDS Products

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized four Glas electronic nicotine delivery system products through the PMTA pathway, including Classic Menthol, Fresh Menthol, Gold, and Sapphire pods containing 5% nicotine. The decision marks the first FDA authorization of ENDS products beyond traditional tobacco and menthol flavors, expanding the range of legally marketed vaping products in the U.S. to 45.

    The agency said the authorization was based on evidence that the products’ device access restriction technology—requiring age verification via government ID, smartphone pairing, and biometric checks—can effectively limit youth access.

    “By helping to prevent youth use, device access restrictions are a potential game changer,” said Dr. Bret Koplow, acting director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. “This technology is also an indication of the role innovation may serve in the effort to protect young people from threats posed by nicotine use and addiction while helping to enable [the] availability of an expanded array of flavored options for adults who smoke who may use these products to completely switch away from regular cigarettes.”

    The FDA emphasized that marketing must be targeted to adults and that the company must monitor and report on youth prevention measures, while noting that authorization could be withdrawn if compliance requirements are not met or if youth usage increases.

  • WSJ Reports Trump Pressuring FDA to Move on Flavored Vapes

    WSJ Reports Trump Pressuring FDA to Move on Flavored Vapes

    According to The Wall Street Journal, President Donald Trump has criticized FDA Commissioner Marty Makary for not moving quickly enough to approve flavored vaping and nicotine products, raising the issue in recent discussions with advisers. The report, citing people familiar with the matter, said Trump sought input on the role of flavored products among key voter groups and questioned the pace of regulatory decisions, with some advisers describing the FDA’s approach as an obstacle to the administration’s stated position on vaping.

    The FDA has so far authorized only 41 vape products for sale in the U.S., all in tobacco or menthol flavors, maintaining a requirement for strong evidence that flavored products provide benefits to adult smokers that outweigh youth risks. According to the report, Makary has discussed the possibility of adjusting the agency’s stance, with some sources indicating he may be considering a more open approach to flavored product approvals, though no formal policy change has been confirmed.

  • Zimbabwe Suspends Tobacco Buyer Over Pricing Concerns

    Zimbabwe Suspends Tobacco Buyer Over Pricing Concerns

    Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) suspended Country Agro International (Pvt) Ltd from all tobacco buying activities over suspected pricing irregularities during the 2026 selling season. In a May 4 notice, the regulator said it had identified concerning pricing patterns that could distort competition and harm grower viability, prompting a precautionary suspension pending further review. The company has been given five days to respond, as TIMB steps up enforcement efforts following recent action against unlicensed contractors in the sector.

  • Pakistani Tobacco Growers Want FBR Raids Stopped

    Pakistani Tobacco Growers Want FBR Raids Stopped

    Tobacco growers and traders in Pakistan called on the government to halt Federal Board of Revenue raids and reduce what they describe as unjust taxes during a convention held in Swabi yesterday (May 4). Participants alleged harassment during enforcement actions and demanded the withdrawal of law enforcement personnel from tobacco processing units, while also calling for interest-free loans and more supportive policies for farmers. Representatives from multiple political parties attended the gathering, where participants also discussed potential actions, including blocking a major motorway, to press their demands.

  • CORESTA Hosting Tobacco Plant Breeding Webinar June 24

    CORESTA Hosting Tobacco Plant Breeding Webinar June 24

    CORESTA announced that it is hosting a tobacco plant breeding webinar on June 24 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. CET, moderated by Mitchell Richmond, a professor and extension specialist from the University of Tennessee.

    The webinar will provide an overview of plant breeding, focusing on how new tobacco varieties are developed. According to CORESTA, it will cover basic terminology, key methods, and the timelines involved, along with the importance of understanding crop characteristics such as growth, disease risks, and end use. The session also explains how new varieties are tested in the field, including how trial design changes depending on the type of tobacco and stage of development, building on concepts introduced in a previous webinar on tobacco field research. Click here to register.

  • Tennessee Amends Penalties for Underage Tobacco Use

    Tennessee Amends Penalties for Underage Tobacco Use

    Tennessee enacted new penalties for minors purchasing or possessing tobacco products under legislation signed by Governor Bill Lee on April 27 and approved as a Public Chapter yesterday (May 4). The law allows courts to impose a range of measures, including up to 50 hours of community service, completion of a court-approved education program, and/or civil fines between $10 and $50. Fines for minors younger than 18 may be levied on a parent or guardian.

    The legislation also introduces escalating consequences for repeat violations, including a 90-day informal adjustment period for first offenses and up to six months of probation for subsequent violations, alongside mandatory community service and participation in programs focused on the risks of tobacco and vapor products. The law will take effect July 1.

  • Turning Point Announces Quarterly Dividend

    Turning Point Announces Quarterly Dividend

    Turning Point Brands, Inc. declared a quarterly dividend of $0.08 per common share, payable on July 10 to shareholders of record as of June 19. The company said it will continue its regular dividend program as part of its shareholder return strategy.

  • The FDA’s evolving approach to youth-risk mitigation

    The FDA’s evolving approach to youth-risk mitigation

    ~ The latest updates on regulating next generation nicotine products in the United States ~

    Since December 2025, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has started to develop a more targeted and consequential regulatory landscape to help improve transparency and efficiency in next-generation nicotine and tobacco product review, while reinforcing expectations around enforcement, youth-risk mitigation, and product-specific evidence. Here, Lilian Ortega, founder and chief regulatory compliance strategist of WOW Solutions, a regulatory consultant partner of nicotine testing expert Broughton, explains the latest developments from regulators across pouches and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and the latest enforcement of rules in the United States.

    Nicotine pouches

    The FDA’s authorization of six nicotine pouch products under its pilot program suggested a shift to faster product reviews and approvals. However, since the on! PLUS range was approved there have been no additional authorizations, leading to questions about whether it’s a scalable pathway or a one-time demonstration. Simultaneously, Refuse-to-File (RTF) decisions – where an application is deemed insufficient or incomplete – are being challenged in court, highlighting the challenges for the regulator at the filing stage of approval. The FDA has shown it can move quickly, but only for a narrow subset of applications. We’ll be keeping a close eye out for any additional nicotine pouch marketing decisions to see if the pilot expands.

    ENDS

    Following a roundtable on February 10, 2026, where small manufacturers shared their challenges with the PMTA process with the FDA, there is now a greater expectation of greater transparency, particularly with ENDS products. The overarching message was that the FDA is working to clarify what kind of evidence and how much of it is required, in turn helping to increase predictability. This makes the process more nuanced and should not be confused with any lowering of standards.  

    The FDA’s drafted guidance ‘Flavored Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) Premarket Applications – Considerations Related to Youth Risk’ further reinforced this by emphasizing that youth risk remains the central driver, reiterating concerns around fruit, dessert, and sweet flavors, while introducing a more refined ‘risk-proportionate, product-specific approach.’

    The document acknowledges that flavored ENDS may provide benefits to adults, including switching, cessation, and reduction, but makes clear that they must outweigh youth risks. The guidance also introduces the concept of ‘differential youth appeal’ across flavor categories, signaling that flavor-specific evidence will increasingly be required. Also, the FDA clarifies that Device Access Restrictions (DAR), including age-gaiting, can support an application but cannot replace scientific evidence of adult benefit.

    This was followed by the first FDA authorization of an age-gated ENDS product – the GLAS device – which contains a tobacco-flavored pod, developed by a small US-based manufacturer. However, the lack of detail via a press release and publication of the Technical Project Lead (TPL) leaves some uncertainty about the remaining portfolio covered in the PMTA.

    Like pouches, there is potential for a streamlined pilot review for ENDS to help combat illicit trade.

    Enforcement

    In late 2025, U.S. Congress provided funding direction with the hope of kickstarting the FDA’s enforcement drive. The provision requires $200 million in user fees to be directed toward ENDS enforcement, mandates updated to enforcement priorities, including flavored disposable devices, and introduces semi-annual reporting to Congress.

    However, with 65 warning letters issued so far in 2026 compared to over 200 at the same stage in 2025, along with minimal penalties suggest there hasn’t been a meaningful increase in enforcement. The required update to enforcement priorities guidance may serve as the inflection point, particularly as Congress has signaled a focus on flavored disposable ENDS.

    Further enforcement priorities guidance should be available in the near future, so we’ll be looking for any initial reporting and if any enforcement activity materially increases.

    To ensure your tobacco and nicotine products comply with the latest FDA regulations and guidance, it’s important to work with a trusted regulatory specialist, so your product can navigate the PMTA pathway as smoothly as possible. Visit Broughton’s website to find out more about how working with a partner can bring your product to market.

  • Dutch Flavor Ban Backfires: Report  

    Dutch Flavor Ban Backfires: Report  

    A report by advocacy group Prohibition Does Not Work (PDNW) claims the Netherlands’ 2024 ban on flavored vaping “backfired,” with over half of consumers reportedly shifting to illicit or cross-border sources. The report states that youth vaping rates increased from 3.7% in 2023 to 7.6% in 2024, while adult vaping declined from 3.86% to 2.3% by 2026. It also cites data indicating that 27% of users purchased products abroad, 31% used illicit online sellers, and 33% continued to access products through local retail channels despite the ban.

    According to the report, cigarette consumption rose by approximately 1% in 2024, equivalent to around 60 million additional cigarettes, while 27% of former vapers reported increased smoking or initiation after the policy change. The findings also note that 42% of inspected retailers were non-compliant and that most consumers reported ease of access to flavored products. PDNW said the data reflects a shift toward unregulated channels following the restriction, with implications for enforcement and market oversight.