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  • PM Italia Fined €7M for ‘Smoke-Free’ Language  

    PM Italia Fined €7M for ‘Smoke-Free’ Language  

    Italy’s competition authority fined Philip Morris Italia €7 million for allegedly misleading consumers through marketing claims related to its smoke-free and non-combustible tobacco products. The regulator said an investigation launched following a complaint from Italy’s Health Ministry found that terms such as “smoke-free,” “smoke-free products,” and references to a “smoke-free future” could lead consumers, including minors, to believe heated tobacco and e-vapor products are harmless or less harmful than conventional cigarettes, despite scientific evidence that does not conclusively support such claims.

    Philip Morris Italia rejected the findings and said it will appeal, arguing that the terminology complies with Italian and European Union regulations and accurately distinguishes products that do not involve combustion from traditional cigarettes.

  • BlackRock Increases Stake in KT&G

    BlackRock Increases Stake in KT&G

    BlackRock announced that it acquired an additional 467,350 shares of KT&G over the past four months, increasing its stake in the Korean company from 5.01% to 6.15%. The move follows a similar investment by Capital Group, which recently raised its holding to 7.21%, helping push foreign ownership of KT&G above 51%. The increased foreign investment reflects confidence in the company’s earnings outlook, supported by strong international tobacco sales and expectations for enhanced shareholder returns.

    KT&G’s overseas cigarette business continues to drive growth, with first-quarter revenue rising 24.6% year-on-year and operating profit increasing 56.1%, aided in part by strategic price increases. The company has also intensified engagement with international investors through roadshows and other investor-relations activities and plans to introduce a new shareholder return policy in the second half of 2026, with stronger dividend payouts expected to be a key feature. KT&G said the rising stakes held by major global asset managers demonstrate confidence in its long-term growth strategy and commitment to delivering industry-leading returns to shareholders.

  • Malaysian Police Want Vape Ban as Devices Used for Drugs

    Malaysian Police Want Vape Ban as Devices Used for Drugs

    Malaysia’s police leadership called for a nationwide ban on e-cigarettes and vaping products after authorities detected a new synthetic drug known as “Piu Piu” in vape liquids. Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said criminal syndicates are increasingly using vape devices to distribute new psychoactive substances, raising concerns about youth uptake and drug abuse. He urged the government and the Health Ministry to consider stronger action, arguing that vaping has become increasingly popular among teenagers and is being exploited as a delivery system for illicit drugs. Police said the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department will continue monitoring vape retailers and conducting inspections to curb the spread of drug-laced products, while maintaining strict enforcement against any officers found colluding with drug trafficking networks.

  • Bangladesh Criticized for Minor Tobacco Tax Increases

    Bangladesh Criticized for Minor Tobacco Tax Increases

    Anti-tobacco groups in Bangladesh criticized the proposed FY2026-27 national budget for failing to impose stronger tobacco tax increases while effectively legalizing nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products by bringing them into the tax framework. In a joint statement, the Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance and Bangladesh Network for Tobacco Tax Policy argued that the budget’s modest cigarette price increases — particularly a Tk2 ($0.016) rise for low-tier brands, which account for about 75% of sales — would do little to reduce affordability or consumption.

    The groups also expressed concern that prices for bidis, jarda, and gul remain unchanged, warning that the legalization of nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products, combined with limited tax measures on conventional tobacco, could undermine public health objectives and tobacco-control efforts in the country.

  • Illicit Cigarette Market Climbs to 16% in Cyprus

    Illicit Cigarette Market Climbs to 16% in Cyprus

    Illegal cigarette consumption in Cyprus continued to rise in 2025, reaching an estimated 16.3% of total cigarette consumption, according to a new report by KPMG conducted for Philip Morris International. The study found that approximately 160 million illicit cigarettes were consumed in Cyprus during the year, resulting in an estimated €27 million in lost tax revenue, up from €22 million in 2024.

    Across the European Union, illicit cigarette consumption exceeded 10% of total market volume for the first time since 2014, with 41.8 billion illegal cigarettes consumed and an estimated €16.7 billion in lost public revenue. The report also noted that illicit heated tobacco products remain a relatively small segment, accounting for just 1.2% of total consumption.

  • West Virginia Begins Implementing Vape Safety Act

    West Virginia Begins Implementing Vape Safety Act

    West Virginia will begin implementing its Vape Safety Act today (June 11), introducing new labeling requirements for vapor products sold by vape and smoke shops statewide. Under the law, products must display health warnings, age restrictions, manufacturer information, and ingredient disclosures. The legislation also establishes a licensing framework for retailers, with businesses required to obtain a state license before July 1 for the 2026–27 licensing period. Unlicensed operators face penalties of up to $10,000 and one year in prison.

    The measure is the first phase of a broader regulatory regime aimed at reducing youth vaping and increasing oversight of nicotine products. Additional restrictions taking effect in 2027 will prohibit packaging and marketing that references candy, uses cartoons or mimics consumer products, while new advertising rules will sharply limit retailer promotions and storefront signage. State officials said the law responds to concerns over youth-oriented vape marketing, noting that 27.5% of West Virginia high school students report current e-cigarette use, well above the national average.

  • PMI Declares $1.47 Quarterly Dividend

    PMI Declares $1.47 Quarterly Dividend

    The board of directors of Philip Morris International Inc. today (June 11) declared a regular quarterly dividend of $1.47 per common share, payable on July 20, to shareholders of record as of June 25. The ex-dividend date is June 25. For more details, visit www.pmi.com/dividend.

  • Mass. Officials Drummed Up ‘Fake Support’ for Generational Bans: Report

    Mass. Officials Drummed Up ‘Fake Support’ for Generational Bans: Report

    Based on public-records emails reviewed in a recent report, the Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program (MTCP) has been accused of using “fake support” in coordinating a statewide effort to manipulate “Nicotine-Free Generation” (NFG) policies through local boards of health, according to an article from Reason. According to the report, MTCP-funded tobacco program managers identified municipalities as targets for generational tobacco bans, tracked policy adoption as a program goal, and connected local officials with advocates, volunteers, and supportive organizations to help push proposed regulations. Emails cited in the report show tobacco program staff encouraging testimony at hearings and monitoring the passage of new tobacco policies across Massachusetts.

    The report further alleges that the strategy relied on securing local NFG ordinances to build momentum for broader statewide legislation. It claims that public health officials, municipal health boards, and advocacy groups — such as The Public Health Advocacy Institute — worked closely to coordinate messaging, recruit supporters, and share model regulations, with some local officials expressing confidence that bans would pass before public hearings were held.

    “The Public Health Advocacy Institute is the leading pressure group pushing generational tobacco bans,” Reason wrote. “The institute reported total revenue of $741,000 in fiscal year 2022; the following year, that figure soared to $21.2 million. Whatever the source of that sudden increase, public or private, it’s an eye-popping amount of money for a small policy shop offering free legal defense to municipalities that adopt NFG.”

    Supporters view the approach as a public-health initiative aimed at preventing future nicotine use, while critics characterize it as a state-funded campaign to restrict future adult access to tobacco and nicotine products through local policymaking channels.

  • Report Accuses Trump of Cashing in on FDA Changes

    Report Accuses Trump of Cashing in on FDA Changes

    A report by KFF Health News accuses President Donald Trump of expanding his personal investments in major tobacco companies and benefiting from substantial political donations from industry interests as his administration simultaneously pursued policies favorable to the tobacco and nicotine industry. The report alleges that Trump increased his holdings in several tobacco companies, including Philip Morris International and Altria Group, as his administration pushed the FDA for regulatory changes, drawing criticism from public health advocates and former regulators who argue the measures benefit tobacco companies at the expense of tobacco-control efforts.

    The report also highlights more than $20 million in contributions from tobacco and vaping interests to Trump-aligned political groups and inauguration activities since late 2023, including multimillion-dollar donations from industry players such as Reynolds American. While the White House rejected suggestions of improper influence and said its nicotine-related policies are based on scientific evidence supporting harm reduction for adult smokers, critics cited in the report contend that the administration’s actions represent one of the most industry-friendly tobacco policy shifts in recent years.

  • Dutch Health Minister Dismisses Generational Ban

    Dutch Health Minister Dismisses Generational Ban

    The Netherlands’ Minister of Public Health, Welfare, and Sport, Sophie Hermans, said that a generational smoking ban based on a fixed birth year would not be effective in the Dutch context. She pointed to persistently high youth nicotine use and widespread reliance on illegal vaping products as key enforcement challenges that would undermine such a policy.

    In a letter to the Dutch parliament’s lower house, Hermans argued that generational bans may work more effectively in countries with lower youth smoking rates, such as the United Kingdom, but warned that fragmented EU nicotine rules could lead to cross-border purchasing and illicit trade. She also cited research suggesting that a large majority of vape products used in the Netherlands are obtained through illegal channels, complicating efforts to control nicotine consumption through stricter age-based restrictions.