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  • Tasmanian Retailers Demand Tobacco Tax Overhaul

    Tasmanian Retailers Demand Tobacco Tax Overhaul

    Tasmania’s independent retailers are calling on the Australian government to overhaul its tobacco excise strategy, warning that the black market has spiraled “beyond control.” Tasmania Independent Retailers (TIR), representing 80 IGA and IGA-branded stores, said illicit cigarettes are being sold for as little as A$10 per pack ($7), compared with A$40–50 ($28–35) for legal products, fueling organized crime and undercutting legitimate retailers.

    TIR chair Michael Baxter criticized the government for persisting with high excise rates and heavy enforcement spending while failing to curb illegal sales, citing unregulated menthol products and weak age checks as risks to youth. Federal excise revenue has dropped from over A$16 billion ($11.2 billion) in 2019 to about A$7.4 billion ($5.2 billion) currently, and 2025 research by FTI Consulting estimates that illicit tobacco now accounts for roughly half of all cigarettes consumed in Australia. Baxter called for recalibrated excise settings and more targeted enforcement, labeling current policy “a disaster” that has left the government effectively losing control of the market.

  • Lawsuit Says Marketing Compromises Chinese Vape Company

    Lawsuit Says Marketing Compromises Chinese Vape Company

    A U.S. plaintiff has filed suit against Chinese vape manufacturer Shenzhen IVPS Technology Co. Ltd. in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, alleging harms linked to the company’s marketing and sales of e-cigarettes in North Carolina. The manufacturer is seeking to dismiss the case, arguing that its operations do not establish sufficient ties to the state for the court to assert jurisdiction. The plaintiff maintains that the company’s active promotion and sale of its products in North Carolina bring it squarely within the court’s reach.

  • Philippines Calling on Locals to Curb Tobacco Smuggling

    Philippines Calling on Locals to Curb Tobacco Smuggling

    The Philippines’ National Tobacco Administration called on local government units to intensify enforcement against cigarette smuggling, which the Bureau of Internal Revenue estimates is costing the country between P40 billion and P52 billion ($680–$884 million) annually. The push follows recent seizures, including a March 17 operation in Maguindanao del Norte that recovered P6.46 million ($110,000) worth of illicit cigarettes, underscoring the scale of the problem.

    NTA Administrator Belinda S. Sanchez warned that smuggling threatens public health, government revenue, and the livelihoods of around 2.2 million farmers and workers. Authorities, including the Philippine National Police, are ramping up joint operations, with nearly P3 billion ($51 million) in illicit products seized in late 2025, while reminding retailers that violations under the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act of 2024 can carry life imprisonment and heavy fines.

  • Dutch Tobacco Shops Face Scrutiny for Saying HTPs ‘Healthier’

    Dutch Tobacco Shops Face Scrutiny for Saying HTPs ‘Healthier’

    Tobacco retailers in the Netherlands are facing scrutiny after staff in specialist shops were found promoting heated tobacco products as “less harmful” or even “healthier” alternatives to cigarettes, despite strict national rules prohibiting such claims. An investigation by the consumer program Pointer documented multiple instances where employees described these products in ways that imply health benefits, with some suggesting improvements in users’ fitness or overall condition, statements experts say are not supported by scientific evidence.

    Public health authorities emphasize that while heated tobacco may expose users to fewer harmful substances than conventional cigarettes, it still carries health risks, underscoring the legal and reputational exposure for shops and staff making unverified claims at the point of sale.

    Pointer reached out to Philip Morris — which it says has close ties to many specialist tobacco shops in the country — for comment, with PMI saying it couldn’t respond to specific allegations of what was said by shop staff, but that the company remains steadfast in supporting a future without cigarettes and believes more information should be provided to smokers about alternatives.

  • Macau Pushes Ahead with Smoke-Free Plans

    Macau Pushes Ahead with Smoke-Free Plans

    Macau authorities are advancing plans to strengthen tobacco control through proposed amendments to the Tobacco Control Law, despite acknowledging enforcement challenges and a slowdown in the decline in smoking rates. Measures under consultation include expanding no-smoking zones in high-traffic areas, banning emerging products such as e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and hookahs, and introducing standardized packaging with larger health warnings. Pilot initiatives — such as smoke-free areas near schools and public spaces, and trial smoking booths — may be expanded if successful, alongside the use of body-worn cameras by inspectors to support enforcement.

    Officials cautioned that stricter rules must be balanced with practical enforcement and market dynamics. While public support for tougher controls is strong, concerns remain around compliance and personal freedoms. Authorities also warned that significant increases in tobacco taxes could drive cross-border purchases and illicit trade, noting that current tax levels are below global benchmarks. The government signaled a phased approach combining regulation, enforcement, and education to progress toward its long-term smoke-free objective.

  • KT&G Streamlines Heated Tobacco Stick Portfolio

    KT&G Streamlines Heated Tobacco Stick Portfolio

    KT&G has announced the integration of its cigarette-type e-cigarette “Lil Able” stick lineup under a unified “AIIM” brand, in a move aimed at improving product clarity and consumer accessibility. The consolidation brings together existing variants — including Real, Granula, and Vaporstick — into a more streamlined structure, enabling users to more easily navigate and select products within the portfolio.

    Under the reorganization, a total of 11 products will be incorporated into the AIIM range, complemented by four “RAIIM” variants focused on delivering a more natural tobacco flavor, bringing the total Lil Able-compatible lineup to 15 products. KT&G said the transition will be rolled out gradually as existing inventory is depleted, adding that the brand integration reflects its strategy to align product offerings more closely with evolving consumer preferences and simplify the user experience.

  • Greece Rolls Out Digital Age Verification for Tobacco Sales

    Greece Rolls Out Digital Age Verification for Tobacco Sales

    Greece launched a new digital age verification system aimed at preventing underage purchases of tobacco and alcohol, marking what officials describe as a first-of-its-kind rollout in Europe. The system, integrated into the country’s digital wallet infrastructure, enables retailers to verify customer age at the point of sale, closing a key enforcement gap that previously allowed sellers to claim ignorance. Health Minister Adonis Georgiades said the tool will make compliance clearer and penalties easier to enforce, aligning with broader EU approaches to online age verification but extending them into physical retail.

    The initiative supports a 2025 law banning sales of tobacco and alcohol to minors, with enforcement already intensifying. Authorities have conducted around 82,000 checks since July 2025, leading to 313 arrests and 150 fines, primarily related to alcohol violations. The framework also requires mandatory age verification by sellers and reporting of private events involving minors, signaling a more robust compliance environment that could serve as a model for other European markets considering tighter youth access controls.

  • Ugandan CSOs Want Higher Taxes to Push Already Declining Smoking Rate

    Ugandan CSOs Want Higher Taxes to Push Already Declining Smoking Rate

    Several civil society organizations (CSO) in Uganda have asked the Ministry of Finance to increase the tax on imported tobacco products to 75%, according to New Vision. Mengo Talibita, a representative of the Tobacco Control Committee, said current excise taxes are often in the 31% to 35% range, “leaving cigarettes relatively affordable.”  

    Uganda’s Tobacco Control Act of 2015 introduced 100% smoke-free public spaces, banned shisha and e-cigarettes, prohibited tobacco advertising, required 65% graphic warnings on packaging, raised the smoking age to 21, and added restrictions to where tobacco products could be sold. Since then, the country’s modest smoking rate decreased from 7.9% to 6.7%.

    Talibita said the tobacco industry tries to manipulate government policy during the tax cycle, and Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Henry Musasizi said the department is under heavy pressure from the CSOs to increase the tax rates. In an interview with New Vision, one smoker who declined to be named said, “Much as the law was put in place, there were no gazette places for smokers. Apparently, when one wants to smoke, it is hell one gets [with] insults from the public.

    “We need to be given freedom as smokers. Let the government put in place what was agreed for us.”

  • Russia Announces Imminent Regs on Vape Products

    Russia Announces Imminent Regs on Vape Products

    Russia is expected to introduce legislation in the coming months to license the circulation of vape products, as authorities seek to address a market widely affected by counterfeit nicotine products. According to lawmaker Alexander Tolmachev, many products contain significantly higher nicotine levels than declared and often lack transparent ingredient information, underscoring the need for tighter oversight.

    The proposed licensing regime is intended to restore control over the market, alongside broader efforts to eliminate illicit products and standardize vape packaging with health warnings similar to those required for cigarettes. The move comes amid wider regulatory tightening, including new measures targeting youth health protection, restrictions on advertising, and enhanced enforcement against illegal online tobacco sales.

  • Michael Hartono, Co-Owner of Djarum, Dies at 86

    Michael Hartono, Co-Owner of Djarum, Dies at 86

    Michael Bambang Hartono, Indonesia’s richest man and co-owner of the Djarum Group, passed away today (March 19) at the age of 86 in Singapore. Alongside his brother Robert Budi Hartono, he transformed the family’s inherited cigarette business into one of the country’s largest conglomerates, with interests spanning tobacco, banking, technology, property, sports, and e-commerce. Their flagship company, PT Djarum, produces a range of kretek cigarettes, which remain widely popular in Indonesia. The brothers introduced machine-made kretek products such as Djarum Filter in 1976 and Djarum Super in 1981, expanding exports to international markets including the United States. Today, around 60,000 workers manually roll Djarum cigarettes, which are marketed domestically and abroad as filtered cigars wrapped in tobacco leaf to comply with U.S. flavor bans.

    Beyond tobacco, the Hartonos are major shareholders in Bank Central Asia, Indonesia’s largest bank, and redeveloped Hotel Indonesia into the Grand Indonesia complex, encompassing shopping, offices, and a luxury hotel, and are known for philanthropy. With a personal net worth of $25.1 billion in 2024 and a combined family fortune exceeding $43.8 billion, Hartono is survived by his brother, wife, and son.