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  • Court Allows Majority of Juul Lawsuits to Proceed

    Court Allows Majority of Juul Lawsuits to Proceed

    A judge in Delaware Superior Court largely denied a motion by Juul Labs Inc. to dismiss more than 1,000 consolidated lawsuits alleging the company misled consumers about the health risks and addictiveness of its e-cigarettes. The plaintiffs claim Juul’s marketing, product design, and nicotine formulations contributed to addiction and health harms, particularly among young users, and that the company failed to adequately warn consumers. Juul had argued that many of the claims were legally deficient and should be thrown out before trial.

    The court trimmed or dismissed certain narrower counts, but allowed most of the core claims to move forward, including allegations tied to consumer protection, fraud, and failure to warn. The ruling means the bulk of the litigation will proceed into further discovery and pretrial phases.

  • South Korea Pauses Tobacco Tax Talk

    South Korea Pauses Tobacco Tax Talk

    South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare said it is not currently reviewing a cigarette price increase or a new health levy on alcohol, stressing both require “sufficient social discussion.” The clarification followed the adoption of the 6th National Health Promotion Comprehensive Plan (2026–2030), which referenced aligning cigarette levies more closely with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, recommending total taxes at 75% of the retail price.

    With a pack priced at 4,500 won ($2.97), current taxes and levies are 73.8%, totaling 3,323 won ($2.19), prompting speculation that prices for a pack could approach 10,000 won ($6.60). The ministry said these ideas stem from a 2021 long-term plan and remain medium- to long-term considerations, adding that any move on cigarette taxes or an alcohol levy would follow broad expert and public consultation due to potential economic and social impacts.

  • AIR and Cantor Announce Planned Merger, Nasdaq Listing

    AIR and Cantor Announce Planned Merger, Nasdaq Listing

    AIR Limited filed a Form F-4 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission tied to its planned merger with SPAC Cantor Equity Partners III, Inc., a vehicle backed by an affiliate of Cantor Fitzgerald, paving the way for a Nasdaq listing under ticker “AIIR” in H1 2026. The hookah-focused group, led by flagship brand Al Fakher, reported 2025 revenue up 6% to $400 million, profit rising to $47 million from $34 million, and adjusted EBITDA up 7% to $139 million, as CEO Stuart Brazier cited growing U.S. and global demand and the benefits of public-market access for future expansion.

  • Hong Kong Bust Seizes $12M in Illicit Cigarettes at Sea

    Hong Kong Bust Seizes $12M in Illicit Cigarettes at Sea

    Four men were arrested over the weekend when a joint enforcement operation off the coast of Hong Kong intercepted a river trade vessel off Waglan Island, seizing about 20 million suspected illicit cigarettes worth HK$92 million ($12 million) with HK$68 million ($8.8 million) in potential unpaid duty. The cigarettes were found inside two 45-foot containers aboard the vessel.

    The operation was led by Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department, the Hong Kong Police Force Marine Police, and mainland counterparts, and coordinated with the Anti-Smuggling Bureau of Mainland Customs, the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China, and the China Coast Guard following joint risk assessment and intelligence analysis targeting cross-boundary smuggling routes in the southeastern waters of Hong Kong.

  • 100,000 Illicit Cigarettes Seized at The Hague Supermarket

    100,000 Illicit Cigarettes Seized at The Hague Supermarket

    A coordinated inspection by the The Hague Economic Intervention Team uncovered 102,800 illegal cigarettes at a supermarket in Rustenburg Oostbroek, The Hague. The cigarettes lacked Dutch excise stamps, indicating unpaid taxes and violations of the Excise Act. Officers from Dutch Customs found the products hidden in concealed compartments inside the store and in two company vehicles, which were also confiscated after being linked to repeated illicit trade activity.

    The operation involved partners across the HEIT network, including municipal authorities, police, the food and consumer product safety authority, labor inspectors, and social services, reflecting a broader push to combat economic crime and “undermining” activity tied to illicit tobacco. Local sources indicated this was not the first time illegal cigarettes had been discovered at the business during inspections.

  • Dutch Study: Supermarket Sales Ban Dropped Smoking 1%

    Dutch Study: Supermarket Sales Ban Dropped Smoking 1%

    A study by SEO Economic Research estimates that the Netherlands’ ban on tobacco sales in supermarkets, mini-markets, and night shops from July 1, 2024, led to 23,000 fewer smokers by year-end, about a 1% drop nationwide. The reduction in outlets cut the number of tobacco sales points within 250 meters of homes by half, with 47% of those who quit living in vulnerable neighborhoods, suggesting the measure helped narrow health disparities.

    Researchers found smoking likelihood falls 6% when no outlet is within 250 meters, while overall outlet numbers dropped 60%, forcing consumers to travel 1.5 times farther on average. The findings were welcomed by KWF Kankerbestrijding, which is urging further reductions in retail availability amid growth in standalone tobacco specialty shops.

  • Spain’s Supreme Court Takes Royal Portraits from Altadis

    Spain’s Supreme Court Takes Royal Portraits from Altadis

    Spain’s Supreme Court ended a nine-year legal dispute by ruling that two royal portraits painted in 1789 by Francisco Goya belong to the Spanish state rather than tobacco company Altadis, according to Reuters.

    The portraits, depicting King Charles IV and Maria Luisa of Parma, were originally commissioned by the Royal Tobacco Factory of Seville to commemorate the king’s coronation. Over more than two centuries, the factory’s operations passed through various commercial entities, including Tabacalera, which became Altadis in 1999 and is now owned by Imperial Brands. During that time, the paintings were displayed in company offices.

    Altadis filed suit in 2017, asking for a declaration of ownership, claiming that uninterrupted custodianship established ownership. However, the court determined that the artworks were part of the Crown’s patrimony from the outset and later transferred to the modern Spanish state. While companies operating the tobacco business were permitted to display the portraits for decorative purposes, ownership was never transferred.

    Altadis said it disagrees with the substance of the ruling but will comply. The decision is final and cannot be appealed.

  • Davidoff Expands Line with Zino Honduras

    Davidoff Expands Line with Zino Honduras

    Oettinger Davidoff Group is advancing the evolution of its gateway cigar brand with the launch of Zino Honduras, a new blend positioned to offer a more robust and layered flavor profile while maintaining the approachable philosophy established with Zino Nicaragua. The release signals a strategic step in broadening the Zino portfolio within the company’s premium cigar range, the company said.

    According to Javier González, SVP Head Global Marketing & Innovation, the new line responds to growing demand for more intense cigars while introducing innovative packaging formats, including tins, packs, and fresh packs with pre-cut cigars — a first for the Zino brand. Zino Honduras will be offered in three vitolas: Half Corona (4 x 44), Robusto (5 x 54), and Toro (6 x 50).

    Retailers will get an early preview at the Premium Cigar Association Trade Show in New Orleans from April 17–20, where the company will showcase how the Zino range is expanding from an entry point into a broader, laddered portfolio designed to deepen consumer engagement in the premium cigar category.

  • Smoker Friendly Moves Events to Wyoming in 2026

    Smoker Friendly Moves Events to Wyoming in 2026

    For the first time, the Smoker Friendly Conference and Tobacco Festival (SFCTF) and the Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival will be held outside Colorado, relocating to Cheyenne, Wyoming, in 2026. Organizers said the move reflects a long-term strategy tied to Wyoming’s business- and tobacco-friendly regulatory environment. Held July 30-31, SFCTF will celebrate its 30th anniversary while RMCF will mark its 17th year.

    Both gatherings will take place back-to-back at the Little America Hotel & Resort, creating a multi-day hub for retailers and consumers. SFCTF will focus on Smoker Friendly’s network of roughly 700 authorized retail stores with seminars, networking, and a trade show, followed by RMCF, which is expected to draw around 2,500 cigar enthusiasts and more than 100 vendors for a consumer-facing festival. Organizers say the relocation underscores how the regulatory climate increasingly influences where large-scale premium tobacco events are held.

  • German Engineered Cigars Debuts Pill-Style Packaging

    German Engineered Cigars Debuts Pill-Style Packaging

    German Engineered Cigars is bringing pharmaceutical-style precision to the cigar world with its new German Engineered Cigars AKUT release. Launching next month, the 4 x 50 petite robusto will debut blister packaging—commonly used for pills—which individually seals each cigar in a humidified cell, protecting it without a humidor.

    Co-founder Oliver Nickels explained that the packaging provides portability, protection, and an effective way to deliver product information through an included insert. The first two blends using AKUT packaging will be Kraftwerk, the company’s fullest blend featuring Mexican San Andrés wrapper and binder with Dominican filler tobaccos, and RVGN Extrem, a 10th-anniversary blend with a Mexican wrapper and Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers.

    The AKUT line will be showcased at the PCA Convention & Trade Show 2026 in New Orleans from April 18–20. German Engineered Cigars has not yet disclosed pricing or shipping dates.