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  • ALP Plans Expansion into 11 International Markets

    ALP Plans Expansion into 11 International Markets

    ALP Pouches announced that it will launch online sales for its nicotine pouches in 11 international markets starting in July, CEO Lorenzo De Plano told Reuters. De Plano said ALP, co-owned by Tucker Carlson and Turning Point Brands, is currently the fourth- or fifth-largest nicotine pouch brand in the United States with roughly 2% market share, and plans to expand its European presence to become the second-largest brand in the European Union by 2030. The rollout will begin in Britain, Ireland, Greece, Switzerland, and Romania in July, followed by additional launches across the Czech Republic, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Denmark later in 2026, with in-store retail expansion in the U.K. targeted for 2027.

    The company said it has secured manufacturing capacity in Lithuania for 20 million units in 2026 and 50 million units in 2027, and is also expanding supplier agreements to support production and distribution growth. ALP also entered a marketing partnership with former UFC champion Conor McGregor to support international expansion efforts.

  • Shopify to Ban U.S. Vape Sales

    Shopify to Ban U.S. Vape Sales

    Shopify Inc., the Canada-based e-commerce infrastructure company, is reportedly preparing to ban all vape sales on its platform in the U.S., according to sources cited by Reuters. The move follows sustained pressure from a bipartisan coalition of 25 U.S. state attorneys general who have been pushing technology and payments firms to crack down on online sales of unlicensed e-cigarettes, which regulators estimate represent a multibillion-dollar illegal market. Shopify said in a statement that it prohibits illegal activity on its platform and updates enforcement policies in line with legal requirements, though it did not confirm the scope or timing of the reported ban.

  • South Africa Advances Tobacco Bill, Negotiations Loom

    South Africa Advances Tobacco Bill, Negotiations Loom

    South Africa’s Portfolio Committee on Health approved the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill to proceed to the next stage, though MPs across parties stressed the need for significant amendments. The committee voted 10–1 in favor of continuing the legislative process, but lawmakers said the final law must better differentiate between combustible cigarettes and lower-risk nicotine products such as vapes.

    Chairperson Faith Muthambi said public submissions and scientific evidence supported a risk-based regulatory approach rather than treating all products equally. MPs also raised concerns over illicit trade, enforcement, plain packaging, advertising restrictions, and penalties. The bill would introduce indoor smoking bans, plain packaging, advertising prohibitions, and tighter controls on vaping products, but is expected to be heavily revised during clause-by-clause negotiations.

  • Maldives Debates Proposal to Halve Cigarette Import Duty

    Maldives Debates Proposal to Halve Cigarette Import Duty

    A proposal to cut the Maldives’ cigarette import duty from MVR 8 to MVR 4 ($0.52 to $0.26) per cigarette sparked heated debate in Parliament, highlighting divisions over the impact of tobacco taxation on public health and illicit trade. The government-backed bill would reverse a 2024 duty increase introduced after concerns that a vape ban could drive smokers toward cigarettes.

    Ruling PNC lawmakers defended the original tax hike as a public health measure, while opposition MDP members argued that higher duties have fueled cigarette smuggling and reduced customs revenues. Opposition lawmakers claimed the tax increase helped create a growing black market, with alleged state revenue losses reaching MVR 2 billion ($130 million). Supporters of the duty reduction also argued that previous tax increases failed to curb tobacco use and instead shifted demand toward illicit products.

  • PMI Urges EU to Ensure ‘Fair Treatment’ of Tobacco in Review

    PMI Urges EU to Ensure ‘Fair Treatment’ of Tobacco in Review

    Philip Morris International called on the European Union to ensure that the tobacco sector receives the same regulatory treatment as other legal industries as policymakers prepare revisions to the Tobacco Excise Directive (TED) and the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). In a letter to Ursula von der Leyen, published by PMI’s Europe President Massimo Andolina, the company argued that current EU policies are shaped by bias against the tobacco industry and fail to recognize its economic contribution. PMI said the sector supports more than two million jobs across Europe, contributes approximately €180 billion in annual tax revenue, and maintains a significant regional manufacturing and supply chain footprint.

    The company also highlighted its investment in smoke-free products and harm-reduction innovation, arguing that forthcoming regulatory decisions will influence Europe’s ability to attract investment and maintain competitiveness in the sector. PMI called for future tobacco regulation to be guided by evidence, transparency and inclusiveness, while EU institutions continue to review potential changes to tobacco taxation and product rules across the bloc.

  • PMI-WSJ Study Highlights Human Value in AI-Driven Workplace

    PMI-WSJ Study Highlights Human Value in AI-Driven Workplace

    Philip Morris International and WSJ Intelligence, the in-house thought leadership consultancy for The Wall Street Journal’s commercial sales organization, today (June 23) unveiled preliminary findings from a global study suggesting that uniquely human capabilities will become increasingly valuable as artificial intelligence becomes more deeply embedded in the workplace. Based on a survey of more than 2,500 business professionals across the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, South Africa, and Brazil, the research found that while AI adoption is accelerating, professionals continue to place greater trust in human judgment for strategic and creative decisions.

    The study found that 83% of respondents use AI for research and information synthesis on a weekly basis, but only 57% report a high level of trust in its outputs. When AI-generated recommendations conflict with human insights, 62% said human intuition should remain the final authority. Respondents identified critical thinking as the most important workplace skill but also the one most at risk of erosion through overreliance on AI, while creative empathy and adaptability were cited as the human capabilities expected to gain the most importance over the next three years.

    The research also highlighted a divide in AI proficiency and trust between senior executives and entry-level employees, with C-suite leaders reporting significantly higher levels of expertise and confidence in AI tools. PMI said the findings support its view that human cognition should be treated as a strategic business resource as companies increasingly integrate AI into their operations, with a full report scheduled for release in September.

  • AI Search Favors Family-Owned Premium Cigar Brands: Research

    AI Search Favors Family-Owned Premium Cigar Brands: Research

    Family-owned premium cigar manufacturers dominate recommendations generated by leading artificial intelligence search platforms, according to the newly released 2026 Cigar & Pipe AI Visibility Index from communications firm 5W. The study found that Padrón (11.5%) and Arturo Fuente (10.5%) topped the list with Davidoff (7.5%) a distant third, together accounting for nearly a third of the premium cigar brand citations across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews. My Father Cigars (5.5%, Oliva (4.5%), Rocky Patel (4%), Drew Estate (3.6%), Perdomo (3.4%), Ashton (3%), and non-Cuban Cohiba (2.8% rounded out the top 10.  

    The report argues that AI systems disproportionately favor brands with strong family-ownership narratives, vertical integration and longstanding editorial recognition, particularly from Cigar Aficionado, whose rankings and retailer surveys are frequently cited in AI-generated responses. The study also found that U.S. restrictions on Cuban cigars create a structural advantage for non-Cuban versions of brands such as Cohiba, Montecristo, and Romeo y Julieta, which are more likely to be recommended in response to consumer queries. According to 5W, AI citation patterns increasingly mirror brand visibility and reputation in the premium cigar sector, making search prominence a growing competitive factor as consumers turn to AI platforms for product recommendations.

  • Australian Economist Calls to Eliminate Tobacco Excise

    Australian Economist Calls to Eliminate Tobacco Excise

    Prominent Australian economist and public policy expert Richard Holden called for the temporary elimination of Australia’s tobacco excise, arguing that only a dramatic tax reduction can effectively dismantle the country’s rapidly expanding illicit tobacco market. Holden, a professor at the University of New South Wales and columnist for the Australian Financial Review, said reducing excise rates incrementally would be insufficient and that taxes should be cut to zero for as long as necessary to make illegal tobacco sellers uncompetitive. He argued that enforcement efforts alone are unlikely to succeed given the scale of the illicit market and the limited resources available to police agencies, and that undercutting the illicit process was the best way to eliminate it.

    Holden’s comments come as new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated that about 80% of nicotine products consumed in Australia in 2025 were sourced from the illegal market, up from 12% in 2017. He noted that the tobacco excise on a single cigarette has risen from 26 cents ($0.18) to approximately A$1.53 ($1.09), adding more than A$30 ($21.30) in tax to a pack of 20 cigarettes. The proposal goes beyond recent calls by Australian politician Pauline Hanson to halve tobacco excise and freeze indexation, highlighting growing debate over whether Australia’s high-tax tobacco policy is contributing to the expansion of a black market estimated to be worth billions of dollars annually.

  • Ukraine Alleges Tobacco Company Hid $55M in Taxes

    Ukraine Alleges Tobacco Company Hid $55M in Taxes

    Ukrainian authorities have notified the former director of a tobacco manufacturing company of suspicion in connection with an alleged tax evasion scheme that prosecutors say deprived the state of more than UAH 2.3 billion ($55 million) in excise tax revenue. According to Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, company officials allegedly organized the production and sale of unaccounted tobacco products outside official tax and accounting records while presenting the activity as legitimate manufacturing.

    Investigators claim that more than 1,186 tons of tobacco raw materials were processed into cigarettes and sold without payment of excise duties, resulting in a substantial tax shortfall identified through tax audits and forensic economic examinations. Authorities further allege that company officials attempted to conceal the illegal use of raw materials by falsifying claims that the tobacco had been stolen. The former director has been charged under Article 212 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code for intentional tax evasion on an especially large scale, an offense that carries financial penalties, potential asset confiscation, and restrictions on holding certain positions. No company has been officially named in the filings; however, some in the Ukrainian media speculate that the company is Kremin Tabako.

  • FDA: Youth Tobacco Use Remains Near Historic Lows

    FDA: Youth Tobacco Use Remains Near Historic Lows

    Today (June 23), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported continued declines in youth tobacco use, releasing findings from its 2025 National Youth Tobacco Survey showing that current use of tobacco products among middle and high school students fell between 2022 and 2025 across overall tobacco products, combustible products and e-cigarettes. Earlier this year, the FDA released raw NYTS data without comment.

    In 2025, approximately 2 million students, or 7.2% of U.S. middle and high school students, reported using any tobacco product in the past 30 days, while 2.7% reported using multiple tobacco products and 2.6% reported using combustible products.

    E-cigarettes remained the most commonly used category at 5.2%, followed by nicotine pouches at 1.7% and cigarettes at 1.4%. While nicotine pouch use increased among high school students over the 2022-2025 period, FDA said overall youth use remained low and was stable between 2024 and 2025. The agency said the findings support ongoing youth prevention efforts, including enforcement against unauthorized tobacco products and educational campaigns, while continuing to inform regulatory reviews of new tobacco and nicotine products.