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  • Zimbabwe Cracking Down on Fake Tobacco Seed

    Zimbabwe Cracking Down on Fake Tobacco Seed

    Zimbabwe intensified enforcement against counterfeit and illegally imported tobacco seed as farmers establish seedbeds for the 2026/27 season following the opening of the tobacco planting window on June 1. Agriculture Permanent Secretary Obert Jiri described the distribution of fake seed as “agro-terrorism,” warning that it threatens crop productivity, farmer incomes, and the integrity of Zimbabwe’s tobacco industry. He said the country produces sufficient tobacco seed locally through the Tobacco Research Board and licensed seed companies and has no need for unauthorized imports.

    Authorities warned that individuals found importing or distributing unapproved tobacco seed varieties could face legal action. Kutsaga Research CEO Frank Magama said Zimbabwe’s certified seed system is based on extensive testing and breeding programs designed to deliver high yields, leaf quality, and disease tolerance under local growing conditions.

  • NSW Premier Backs Review of Tobacco Excise Tax

    NSW Premier Backs Review of Tobacco Excise Tax

    New South Wales Premier Chris Minns called for a rethink of Australia’s tobacco excise policy, arguing that repeated tax increases are fueling the growth of the illicit tobacco market. Minns said the excise was “actually creating a black market for cigarettes,” making illegal products cheaper and more accessible than intended under tobacco control measures.

    His comments align with those of politician Pauline Hanson, who this week urged the federal government to cut tobacco excise rates to undermine criminal groups profiting from illicit cigarette sales. Hanson argued that continued excise increases are creating incentives for organized crime and called for stronger customs enforcement.

    The debate follows new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimating that nicotine consumption rose nearly 40% between 2017 and 2025, driven largely by growth in illicit cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and other nicotine products. The report estimated illicit products accounted for 80% of nicotine consumption in 2025, up from 12% in 2017.

    The issue has become increasingly prominent as Australia faces an ongoing illicit tobacco-related crime wave. More than 125 firebombings in Victoria have been linked to disputes over the illegal tobacco trade. Meanwhile, federal budget projections show tobacco excise revenue falling from A$7.8 billion ($5.5 billion) in 2024-25 to A$4.1 billion ($2.9 billion) in 2025-26, despite excise rates continuing to rise. Australia’s tobacco excise increased again in March to A$1.53 ($1.09) per cigarette stick, with a further increase scheduled for September.

  • Bangladesh Health Advocates Criticize Tobacco Tax Measures

    Bangladesh Health Advocates Criticize Tobacco Tax Measures

    Public health advocates panned Bangladesh’s proposed FY2026-27 budget, saying it falls short of introducing tobacco tax reforms that would reduce consumption or significantly boost revenue. Speaking at a post-budget press conference organized by the Dhaka Ahsania Mission, critics said the small increase in low-tier cigarette prices and unchanged taxes on bidis, zarda, and gul would make tobacco products more affordable in real terms as inflation and incomes rise.

    Advocates noted that low-tier brands account for nearly 75% of the cigarette market and proposed merging the low and medium tiers, increasing prices, and introducing a specific supplementary duty. They estimate the measures could generate an additional Tk44 billion ($356 million) in revenue and prevent about 400,000 premature deaths over time.

    The group also warned that taxing nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products without banning them effectively legitimizes emerging nicotine products. Bangladesh reports having an adult tobacco-use rate exceeding 35%, with tobacco-related diseases causing nearly 200,000 deaths annually.

  • BAT Repositions Vuse Alto on U.S. Price Tier

    BAT Repositions Vuse Alto on U.S. Price Tier

    British American Tobacco is repositioning its Vuse Alto vaping brand deeper into the U.S. mass market through lower retail pricing and promotional offers, according to industry channel checks cited by Ad Hoc News. Starter kits have been promoted for under $10 at some convenience chains, alongside discounted multi-pack pod offers aimed at adult smokers switching from cigarettes.

    The strategy, according to the report, strengthens Alto’s role as BAT’s core mid-priced closed-system vape product and supports the company’s broader effort to grow revenue from reduced-risk products. Vuse remains a key contributor to BAT’s New Categories business, with the company relying on pricing, retail distribution and repeat pod sales to drive volume growth in the highly regulated U.S. vapor market.

  • EPP Accused of Being Tobacco ‘Mouthpiece’ Ahead of Vote

    EPP Accused of Being Tobacco ‘Mouthpiece’ Ahead of Vote

    An article published by Euractiv today (June 16) reports that the European People’s Party (EPP), the largest group in the European Parliament, is facing criticism from public health organizations and political opponents ahead of a key vote on EU tobacco policy, with critics accusing the party of advancing positions aligned with the tobacco industry. The dispute centers on the European Commission’s ongoing review of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), including potential new rules for nicotine pouches, vaping products and other reduced-risk alternatives.

    According to Euractiv, health advocates argue the EPP has opposed stricter restrictions on newer nicotine products, while the EPP maintains that regulation should be evidence-based and account for harm reduction. The debate comes as the EU considers significant revisions to tobacco and nicotine regulations that could affect product availability, taxation and market access across the bloc.

  • N.C. Politicians Call for Relief for Tobacco Farmers

    N.C. Politicians Call for Relief for Tobacco Farmers

    Members of North Carolina’s congressional delegation, led by Representative Don Davis (D-NC1) and Senator Thom Tillis (R), urged congressional appropriators to include tobacco producers in any future agricultural disaster relief package. The lawmakers cited an analysis from North Carolina State University showing tobacco production costs rose about 30% between 2021 and 2025, from $4,148 per acre to $5,398 per acre, compared with an 18% increase across U.S. agriculture overall.

    The letter argues that rising input and labor costs, weakened export demand, drought conditions, and lower commodity prices have placed significant financial pressure on tobacco growers and should be considered when determining eligibility for future farm assistance programs.

  • Kentucky Tobacco Farm Gets DOL Reprieve Over Visa Enforcement

    Kentucky Tobacco Farm Gets DOL Reprieve Over Visa Enforcement

    Triple R Farms, a tobacco farm in Kentucky, obtained a pause in Department of Labor administrative proceedings while the U.S. Supreme Court considers broader questions about federal agencies’ use of in-house administrative law judges (ALJs). The case stems from allegations that the farm violated H-2A temporary agricultural worker program requirements involving wages, recordkeeping, and worker housing, with the Labor Department seeking roughly $70,000 in penalties.

    Triple R Farms argues that the government cannot impose such penalties through an administrative proceeding and that the case should instead be heard in an Article III federal court before a jury. The dispute is part of a wider wave of legal challenges to federal agency enforcement powers following recent court rulings that have increased scrutiny of administrative adjudication systems used by regulators.

  • Pakistani Tob. Growers Call to End Export Tax

    Pakistani Tob. Growers Call to End Export Tax

    Tobacco growers, traders, and industry representatives in Pakistan called for the immediate withdrawal of the Rs390 ($1.40) per kilogram tobacco export tax and a broader review of sector taxation, arguing current policies are reducing farmer incomes and export competitiveness. Speaking alongside political leaders including Asad Qaiser, industry representatives said government revenue from the sector had fallen from Rs294 billion ($1.1 billion) to Rs165 billion ($594 million) following higher taxes, while tobacco prices paid to growers were reportedly around Rs180 ($0.65) per kilogram lower than a year earlier.

    The group also opposed a proposed minimum indicative price of Rs525 ($1.89) per kilogram for Virginia tobacco in the 2026-27 budget, called for a third tobacco tax tier to support domestic manufacturers, and urged authorities to ease regulatory pressure on growers, dealers and exporters.

  • NACS Calls for Fact-Based Approach in EU Tob. Directive Review

    NACS Calls for Fact-Based Approach in EU Tob. Directive Review

    The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) urged European Union policymakers to conduct a comprehensive socio-economic assessment before revising the Tobacco Products Directive, warning that poorly assessed regulatory changes could increase illicit trade, reduce tax revenues, and harm small retailers. The group noted that Europe’s convenience retail sector comprises more than 684,000 outlets generating more than €250 billion in annual revenue, while an estimated 38.9 billion illicit cigarettes are consumed across the EU each year, resulting in approximately €11.6 billion in lost tax revenue.

    NACS called for greater consideration of impacts on small- and medium-sized enterprises, employment, and supply chains, and urged policymakers to fully evaluate illicit trade risks before implementing further tobacco regulation changes.

  • ABF Announces $1.3M Illicit Tobacco Seizure

    ABF Announces $1.3M Illicit Tobacco Seizure

    The Australian Border Force released details of a major illicit tobacco and vape seizure in Darwin that confiscated 433,400 illicit cigarettes, 686 kg of loose-leaf tobacco, and 50,200 disposable vapes, preventing an estimated A$1.8 million ($1.3 million) in evaded duty and disrupting potential criminal proceeds valued at A$3.7 million ($2.6 million). Officers executed warrants on May 28 as part of Operation GOALFENCE.

    The operation, supported by the Detector Dog Unit, follows another Northern Territory seizure earlier this month involving more than 100,000 cigarettes and 39 kg of loose-leaf tobacco intercepted through the international mail stream. The ABF said the action targeted organized criminal supply chains linked to the illicit tobacco and vape market.