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  • French-Speaking Countries Gather to Discuss THR Strategies

    French-Speaking Countries Gather to Discuss THR Strategies

    The 3rd Francophone Forum on Nicotine was held yesterday (June 9) in Paris, bringing together doctors, researchers, economists, and public health experts from multiple French-speaking countries to discuss smoking addiction and harm reduction strategies. Organized as an annual public health and academic forum focused on tobacco control, the event centered on improving understanding of nicotine dependence and expanding evidence-based cessation approaches beyond abstinence-only models.

    Speakers emphasized craving-driven addiction, gaps between clinical guidelines and real-world quitting experiences, and the need for broader use of harm-reduction tools such as nicotine alternatives. The forum concluded with the signing of a manifesto calling for stronger science-based tobacco policy, improved smoker support systems, and stricter protections for minors while integrating harm reduction into national and regional public health strategies.

  • UK Could Shut Down Stores Selling Illicit Products for a Year

    The UK government announced plans today (June 10) to extend closure orders for businesses linked to criminal activity, including retailers selling illegal tobacco and vaping products, following a series of BBC investigations into organized crime on British high streets. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said that under the proposed changes, authorities in England and Wales would be able to shut offending premises for up to 12 months, double the current maximum closure period of six months. The Home Office said the longer closures would give enforcement agencies more time to gather evidence, pursue prosecutions and prevent rogue operators from quickly reopening.

    The move has been welcomed by Trading Standards officials and industry observers who have argued that existing powers are insufficient to tackle persistent illegal tobacco and vape sales.

    “This is a welcome step from the government,” said Dr Marina Murphy, senior director of scientific affairs at Haypp. “Too often, we hear of corner shops or mini-marts caught by the authorities selling illicit products simply carrying on with their illegal activities immediately afterwards. The penalty for the illegal activity was simply not a deterrent. This has been a source of frustration for both enforcement authorities and responsible retailers. The potential to issue a 12-month closure order on a business is a much more significant penalty and will make those engaged in illegal behavior think twice.”

    The announcement follows reports linking some convenience stores, vape shops and barbers to illicit cigarette sales, drug trafficking, money laundering and illegal working. The government said the extended closure powers will form part of a broader crackdown on organized crime in retail settings, alongside a newly announced £30 million High Street Crime Unit. The legislation is expected to be introduced later this year and come into force in early 2027.

  • BoA Data Shows Shift from Cigarettes to Oral Nicotine Products

    BoA Data Shows Shift from Cigarettes to Oral Nicotine Products

    Bank of America’s latest four-week scanner data through May 30 showed continued volume declines across most U.S. tobacco categories, while oral nicotine products remained the industry’s strongest growth segment, according to Investing.com. It said industry cigarette sales fell 3.3%, with volumes down 7.4%, while vapor sales declined 17.2%. In contrast, oral tobacco sales increased 5.8%, driven by a 0.4% rise in volume and a 5.4% improvement in price mix.

    Among major manufacturers mentioned in the article, British American Tobacco delivered the strongest oral nicotine performance, with sales up 28.3% and share gains of 590 basis points, while vapor sales increased 8.8%. Altria gained 20 basis points of cigarette share despite a 6.9% volume decline, but continued to lose share in vapor and oral products. Philip Morris International reported modest 0.6% growth in oral tobacco sales ahead of the U.S. rollout of Zyn Ultra, while Imperial Brands posted 34.6% growth in smokeless and oral products. Japan Tobacco was the only major manufacturer to record cigarette volume growth, with cigarette sales rising 2.6% and share increasing by 70 basis points.

  • Calif. Town Criticized for Ending Hookah Exemption

    Calif. Town Criticized for Ending Hookah Exemption

    Redwood City, Calif., voted 4-2 to adopt San Mateo County’s tobacco retailer ordinance, eliminating the city’s longstanding exemption for hookah-serving businesses and effectively banning the sale and on-site use of flavored tobacco shisha. The move primarily affects three downtown establishments that built their business models around traditional hookah service. Under the ordinance, retailers must comply with county restrictions on flavored tobacco products and obtain county tobacco retail permits, while future provisions will further restrict tobacco marketing and sales practices.

    Business owners and industry supporters criticized the decision as a disproportionate response to concerns over youth access to flavored tobacco products. “I have never seen a kid walking on the street with a hookah and two charcoals on top,” said David Kassouf, owner of The Sandwich Spot, arguing that regulators were conflating adult-only hookah lounges with vape shops accused of selling youth-oriented products. Opponents described the ordinance as a blunt policy tool that targets established hospitality businesses and cultural gathering spaces in order to address enforcement issues involving a relatively small number of alleged bad actors, while supporters maintained the county framework was the most practical way to strengthen tobacco enforcement and reduce youth access.

  • Mass. ‘Nicotine-Free Generation’ Movement Losing Momentum: Report

    Mass. ‘Nicotine-Free Generation’ Movement Losing Momentum: Report

    A feature report in The Boston Globe highlights slowing momentum behind Massachusetts’ “Nicotine-Free Generation” (NFG) policies, which permanently prohibit the sale of tobacco and nicotine products to individuals born after a specified year. While 24 municipalities have now adopted the regulations since Brookline introduced the first-in-the-nation measure in 2021, The Globe said local health boards are increasingly postponing or rejecting new proposals amid mounting opposition from retailers, convenience store groups and tobacco industry advocates. So far in 2026, only three communities have adopted new NFG rules, while more than a dozen delayed or declined to pursue them.

    The article also pointed to growing legislative pressure on the movement, with two industry-backed bills pending in the Massachusetts legislature that would prohibit municipalities from enacting generational tobacco sales bans and remove local health boards’ authority to adopt them. Public health advocates argue the measures are designed to gradually phase out nicotine use among future generations, while opponents contend they overreach, threaten retailers and could encourage illicit sales. Supporters acknowledge adoption has slowed but maintain the policy remains in its early stages, drawing comparisons to Massachusetts’ eventual statewide Tobacco 21 law, which began as a local initiative before expanding across the state.

  • Zest Gets Injunction Against FDA for Pouches

    Zest Gets Injunction Against FDA for Pouches

    Zest Brands LLC announced that it secured a preliminary injunction from the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, allowing its ZEO Universe nicotine pouch products to remain on the U.S. market while the company challenges an FDA Refuse-to-File (RTF) decision related to its May 2022 Premarket Tobacco Product Applications. The injunction temporarily stays the FDA’s action as the case proceeds through the courts.

    According to the company, the court found Zest Brands is likely to succeed on claims that the FDA failed to adequately assess the impact of its 2021 PMTA regulations on small businesses, as required under the Regulatory Flexibility Act. The court also indicated that aspects of the agency’s actions may have been “arbitrary and capricious.” Zest said it remains committed to working with the FDA to complete the PMTA process and is currently in discussions with strategic and financial partners to support future growth.

  • Kenyan Tobacco Farmers Protest Harsh Working Conditions

    Kenyan Tobacco Farmers Protest Harsh Working Conditions

    Tobacco farmers in Migori County, Kenya, are calling on the government to require leaf-buying companies to provide protective equipment, citing health risks linked to tobacco cultivation. Growers from Kuria, Suna West, and Uriri regions say more than 20,000 farmers could benefit from access to basic gear such as gloves, aprons, and masks, which they argue are necessary to reduce exposure to skin and respiratory illnesses associated with handling tobacco.

    Some farmers say they are currently bearing medical costs linked to tobacco-related ailments and accuse companies of not prioritizing worker safety, while also urging stricter enforcement of safety requirements in the sector. Tobacco firms operating in the region, including British American Tobacco and other leaf companies, have said protective gear is provided under existing arrangements or offered on credit, though they acknowledge cost and compliance challenges. The dispute comes alongside broader environmental concerns raised by officials, who warn that tobacco curing practices relying on wood fuel are contributing to deforestation and environmental degradation in parts of the region.

  • Bangladesh’s Bidi Prices Remain Unchanged for FY27

    Bangladesh’s Bidi Prices Remain Unchanged for FY27

    Bangladesh’s Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury announced today (June 9), during a parliamentary question-and-answer session in the Jatiya Sangsad, that bidi prices and tax rates will remain unchanged in the FY27 national budget. The decision means there will be no increase in the retail price of bidis or adjustments to the existing tax structure, including the 15% VAT and 1% health development surcharge applied to the product.

    The announcement came in response to a parliamentary question on whether the government would raise taxes or retail prices on bidis through higher supplementary duties or revised pricing structures. The minister confirmed that the current framework will be maintained, keeping bidi taxation and pricing consistent with the previous fiscal year.

  • Oman Health Officials Call for Stronger Tobacco Laws

    Oman Health Officials Call for Stronger Tobacco Laws

    Public health experts in Oman are calling for stronger tobacco control legislation amid concerns over a rising tobacco and nicotine use threat, according to a recent article in the Oman Daily Observer. The report highlights warnings that smoking and related products are creating increasing pressures on healthcare systems.

    Experts cited in the article are urging policymakers to strengthen enforcement measures and expand regulatory frameworks to cover both traditional tobacco and newer nicotine products. The discussion also emphasizes concerns around youth exposure and industry marketing practices, with calls for tighter advertising restrictions, higher taxation, and broader prevention strategies aligned with international public health guidance.

  • Health Groups Urge China to Raise Tobacco Taxes

    Health Groups Urge China to Raise Tobacco Taxes

    A recent article in Caixin Global reports that China is facing sustained pressure on public health systems as its population ages and chronic disease rates rise, with smoking reduction remaining a key policy challenge. At a media briefing on tobacco taxation and health co-hosted by the Beijing Tobacco Control Association, the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, and the University of International Business and Economics, experts highlighted tobacco tax increases as one of the most effective tools available to reduce smoking prevalence.

    Speakers at the briefing argued that higher tobacco taxes can both discourage consumption and support broader public health goals tied to China’s long-term disease burden. The discussion comes amid ongoing concerns that smoking rates remain relatively high despite existing control measures, reinforcing calls from health experts for stronger fiscal policies as part of a wider tobacco control strategy that also addresses demographic and healthcare system pressures.