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  • Human Smuggling Case Should Make UK Consider Dutch Bibob Act: Opinion

    Human Smuggling Case Should Make UK Consider Dutch Bibob Act: Opinion

    Following a BBC investigation into a convicted human smuggler operating vape shops in the UK, Dr. Marina Murphy, the senior director of scientific affairs at Haypp, called for the adoption of a licensing framework modeled on the Netherlands’ Bibob Act. She argued that incorporating enhanced background checks into the UK’s proposed licensing scheme for nicotine and vape retailers would allow authorities to deny licenses where there are credible links to organized crime, rather than waiting for illegal activity to occur.

    Under the Dutch system, licensing authorities can assess applicants and associated individuals using public records and law enforcement information before approving or revoking business licenses.

  • Suriname Lawmaker Says Illicits Make Up 75% of Cigarette Market

    Suriname Lawmaker Says Illicits Make Up 75% of Cigarette Market

    Suriname lawmaker Wedprekash Joeloemsingh warned that illicit cigarettes now account for an estimated 75% of the country’s tobacco market, arguing that further tobacco tax increases could accelerate the shift away from legal sales. Joeloemsingh said the government is losing more than SRD 500 million ($13.5 million) in tax revenue due to illegal trade, alleging that cigarettes enter the market through both smuggling and diversion of goods imported as transit shipments. He called on the government to investigate the illicit market and strengthen enforcement rather than relying on additional tax increases.

  • FTC Warns Seven Vape Companies Making ‘Made in USA’ Claims

    FTC Warns Seven Vape Companies Making ‘Made in USA’ Claims

    The Federal Trade Commission issued warning letters to seven companies over potentially misleading U.S.-origin claims, including e-cigarette retailer My Vape Order Inc. The agency said the companies appear to have marketed certain products as “Made in the USA” or “Made in Texas” despite indications they were imported in whole or in significant part, warning that such claims must comply with the FTC’s Made in USA Labeling Rule.

    The FTC did not announce formal enforcement actions or penalties but cautioned that companies making unqualified U.S.-origin claims could face investigation if they fail to bring their marketing into compliance. Under FTC rules, products advertised as “Made in the USA” must be “all or virtually all” manufactured domestically. FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Christopher Mufarrige said the agency will hold companies accountable for misleading origin claims that undermine consumer trust and disadvantage manufacturers that legitimately produce goods in the United States.

    The other companies receiving warning letters were A&F Drum Company LLC, Helmel Engineering Products Inc., Lucky Bar Holdings LLC, NebTech Inc., Vtron Inc., and Z-Tech Advanced Technologies Inc.

  • Argentina Updates Tobacco, Nicotine Health Warnings

    Argentina Updates Tobacco, Nicotine Health Warnings

    Argentina’s Ministry of Health approved new graphic health warning requirements for cigarettes, combustible tobacco products, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, nicotine sticks, and nicotine pouches under Resolution 796/2026. The updated rules replace previous warning regulations and introduce a single mandatory warning for non-combustible nicotine products stating, “This product contains nicotine that is highly addictive.” The measure also updates packaging, advertising, point-of-sale signage, and smoke-free area requirements, while requiring cessation information and Ministry of Health contact details on product packaging.

    The resolution gives manufacturers and importers 180 days to comply with the new requirements and aligns implementation with Argentina’s existing nicotine product regulations. The ministry emphasized that the measure updates health warnings and labeling requirements but does not constitute a general authorization to market nicotine products.

  • Ex-LEO Breaking into Texas Pouch Market

    Ex-LEO Breaking into Texas Pouch Market

    Patriot Pouch announced the launch of its U.S.-made, tobacco-free nicotine pouches for retail and online sales, positioning the brand as a domestically manufactured alternative in the oral nicotine category. The company currently offers 6 mg nicotine pouches in four flavors, with 9 mg and 12 mg strengths planned, and said the products are available through its website and select gas stations and vape shops in the Weatherford, Texas, area. Patriot Pouch said wholesale pricing is $5 per can with a suggested retail price of $7.49, with current production capacity at 1,000 to 1,500 units per month.

    The company said its nicotine pouches are manufactured entirely in the United States and are marketed as tobacco-free products. Patriot Pouch was founded by Alex Duncan, a retired law enforcement officer and former U.S. Senate candidate in Texas, and is partnering with Diamond Hill Grassroots Media LLC for marketing and outreach.

  • Scandit Launches Automated, Age-Verified, Self-Checkout Solution

    Scandit Launches Automated, Age-Verified, Self-Checkout Solution

    Scandit announced the launch of its Age Verified Self-Checkout, a vision AI-powered age verification solution designed to automate purchases of age-restricted products, including tobacco and nicotine products, at self-checkout kiosks. The system enables customers to verify their age in under 10 seconds using a smartphone through facial age estimation or ID scanning, with no additional hardware or app required.

    Scandit said the technology can automatically complete about 80% of age checks, reducing staff intervention, improving compliance, and increasing self-checkout throughput while processing biometric and ID data entirely on the user’s device to meet privacy standards.

  • Western Balkans Commit to Stronger Tobacco Policies

    Western Balkans Commit to Stronger Tobacco Policies

    Health ministers from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia adopted a WHO/Europe-backed declaration committing to strengthening tobacco control across the Western Balkans. The agreement calls for comprehensive smoke-free laws covering indoor public places, workplaces, and public transportation, along with stronger enforcement, public education, improved monitoring, and measures to shield tobacco control policies from industry influence. The declaration aims to reduce the region’s high tobacco use rates, where adult smoking prevalence ranged from 21% to 40% in 2024.

  • Vietnam Considering ID Verification to Buy Cigarettes

    Vietnam Considering ID Verification to Buy Cigarettes

    Vietnam’s Ministry of Health proposed requiring tobacco retailers to verify customers’ ages through chip-based national ID cards or the VNeID digital identity app when buyers appear under 18. The proposed amendments to the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms would also ban tobacco product displays and images in retail outlets, replacing current limits that allow limited pack displays. The ministry said the measures aim to reduce youth access to tobacco, strengthen enforcement, and support retailers’ compliance with age restrictions. The draft legislation is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly for review in October.

  • Türkiye Expands Anti-Smoking Drive with Free Medication

    Türkiye Expands Anti-Smoking Drive with Free Medication

    Türkiye’s Health Ministry announced it will provide free smoking-cessation medication to 1 million people, regardless of health insurance status, as part of an expanded effort to reduce smoking rates. The medication will be distributed through tobacco dependence treatment and counseling centers nationwide. The initiative comes as the government prepares legislation to further restrict smoking in outdoor public spaces, including beaches and playgrounds, as part of a broader campaign to reduce tobacco use and its visibility.

  • Indian Court to Decide if Pouches Can be Sold at Airport’s Duty-Free Shops

    Indian Court to Decide if Pouches Can be Sold at Airport’s Duty-Free Shops

    An Indian government investigation found that nicotine pouches were being sold without required approvals at duty-free shops operated by a joint venture led by the Adani Group at Mumbai International Airport, prompting authorities to order sales to be halted and licenses obtained. According to court documents reviewed by Reuters, Adani is challenging the action, arguing India’s Drugs and Cosmetics Act does not apply to duty-free shops. The case, scheduled for a July 14 hearing, could establish how India regulates nicotine pouch sales at airport duty-free outlets as the government increasingly views the products as an unapproved public health risk.