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Category: Around the Industry

  • Wyden Seeks Records Over Donations and Policy Changes

    Wyden Seeks Records Over Donations and Policy Changes

    Sen. Ron Wyden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, launched an investigation seeking documents related to what he alleges are potential links between political donations from the tobacco and kratom industries and subsequent Trump administration policy decisions, according to the International Business Times. In letters sent to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Reynolds American, and other parties, Wyden requested records concerning regulatory actions affecting flavored e-cigarettes and kratom products.

    According to Wyden’s letters, Reynolds American donated $5 million to the pro-Trump political action committee MAGA Inc. in April, followed by a meeting between a company executive and President Donald Trump. Wyden alleges the timing raises questions about whether later policy changes, including actions affecting flavored vaping products, were influenced by industry interests. The letters also raise concerns about Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s reported financial interest in kratom company Botanic Tonics while advocating policies related to the sector. Wyden requested responses by Aug. 31.

    The letters contain allegations only, and no evidence of wrongdoing has been established. Reynolds American, Botanic Tonics, and the Department of Health and Human Services have disputed or declined to comment on the allegations.

  • UAE Sets Minimum Excise Price for E-Liquids

    UAE Sets Minimum Excise Price for E-Liquids

    The United Arab Emirates will introduce a minimum excise price of AED1 ($0.27) per milliliter for liquids used in electronic smoking devices beginning Sept. 1, as part of efforts to strengthen enforcement of the country’s excise tax system. The Ministry of Finance said the measure is designed to improve tax compliance and ensure consistent standards across tobacco and electronic smoking products.

    The new rule does not change the UAE’s existing 100% excise tax rate on tobacco products but establishes a minimum price threshold for calculating excise tax on e-liquids. Minimum excise prices for cigarettes, waterpipe tobacco and other tobacco products will remain unchanged.

  • Philippines Customs Battling Seized-Cigarette Theft

    Philippines Customs Battling Seized-Cigarette Theft

    The Philippines’ Bureau of Customs adopted a one-strike policy for personnel caught stealing or improperly handling confiscated cigarettes, following reports of attempts to divert seized tobacco products. Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said employees found violating the policy will be immediately removed from service and face administrative, civil, and criminal proceedings.

    Under the directive, seized cigarettes cannot be transferred, relocated, or disposed of without the commissioner’s written approval. Nepomuceno also ordered the BOC’s Internal Administration Group to recommend stronger safeguards for confiscated tobacco products at ports, emphasizing that the goods are critical evidence in the agency’s efforts to combat illicit trade and protect government revenue.

  • Ohio Weighs Authority to Enforce Illegal Vape Sales

    Ohio Weighs Authority to Enforce Illegal Vape Sales

    The Ohio Supreme Court heard arguments over whether the state can use its consumer protection laws to take action against retailers selling unauthorized flavored e-cigarettes, a case that could define the extent of state authority alongside federal tobacco regulation. The lawsuits, originally filed in 2024 against several Ohio tobacco retailers, allege the stores sold flavored vaping products that lacked U.S. FDA marketing authorization.

    Retailers argued that enforcement of federal tobacco marketing laws rests exclusively with the FDA, while Ohio officials contended the state has the authority to protect consumers from illegal product sales. The case comes as Ohio also awaits a separate Supreme Court ruling on whether cities can enforce their own flavored tobacco restrictions after the state enacted a law preempting local regulations.

  • Industry Leader Jimmy Hill Dies at 89

    Industry Leader Jimmy Hill Dies at 89

    James “Jimmy” Hill Jr., a longtime North Carolina tobacco grower and respected industry leader, died July 31 at the age of 89. Hill began his career as an agronomist with British American Tobacco and later Philip Morris International, working in Argentina, Colombia, and Venezuela before returning to North Carolina to lead Tull Hill Farms for nearly five decades. Throughout his career, he held leadership roles with the U.S. Tobacco Cooperative, the Flue-Cured Tobacco Stabilization Corporation, and the North Carolina Growers Association, and was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the Presidential Tobacco Commission, where he contributed to the 2004 Tobacco Buyout.

    Hill was widely recognized for his contributions to U.S. agriculture and tobacco, receiving North Carolina State University’s Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2006 and being named Lenoir County Citizen of the Year in 2009. In a tribute, Tobacco Associates Executive Director Kimberly Foley praised Hill’s unwavering support for U.S. tobacco farmers and his commitment to strengthening the industry’s global competitiveness, describing him as a mentor whose leadership and knowledge influenced generations. Funeral services are scheduled for Aug. 8 in Lenoir County, North Carolina.

  • EU Tobacco Use Falls to 16.5% in 2025

    EU Tobacco Use Falls to 16.5% in 2025

    Daily use of tobacco and related nicotine products in the European Union declined to 16.5% of people aged 16 and older in 2025, down from 17.5% in 2022, according to new Eurostat data. Men continued to use tobacco and nicotine products at higher rates than women (20.8% versus 12.6%), while adults aged 35-49 recorded the highest daily use at 21.3%. More than three-quarters (77.5%) of EU residents reported not using tobacco or related products—including e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products—during the previous 12 months.

    Among member states, Bulgaria (26.3%), Sweden (23.9%) and Croatia (23.6%) recorded the highest rates of daily use, while the Netherlands (9.9%), Ireland (11.7%), Belgium (13.6%) and Luxembourg (13.8%) had the lowest. Daily use declined in 17 EU countries between 2022 and 2025, with the largest reductions in Spain and Luxembourg, while Croatia and Lithuania posted the biggest increases.

  • RJR Seeks to Overturn $34.5M Verdict

    RJR Seeks to Overturn $34.5M Verdict

    R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. asked Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal to overturn a $34.5 million wrongful death verdict awarded to the widow of a smoker who died at age 38, arguing the plaintiff failed to prove the smoker relied on any fraudulent statements by the company regarding the health risks of cigarettes. Reynolds contends Florida Supreme Court precedent requires Engle-progeny plaintiffs pursuing fraud-based claims to demonstrate reliance on specific misleading statements, and that the evidence presented at trial did not meet that standard.

    The appeal is the latest in a series of post-Engle tobacco cases in Florida, where cigarette manufacturers continue to challenge large jury awards on issues including fraud, jury instructions, and comparative fault. Recent appellate decisions have shown Florida courts closely scrutinizing whether trial courts properly instructed juries and whether plaintiffs satisfied the evidentiary requirements for fraudulent concealment claims, making the outcome of the appeal potentially significant for future Engle litigation.

  • South African Health Officials Call for Harm Reduction

    South African Health Officials Call for Harm Reduction

    Former South African Parliamentary Health Portfolio Committee Chair Sibongiseni Dhlomo urged policymakers to incorporate tobacco harm reduction into the country’s Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, arguing that the government should apply the same public health principles used in HIV prevention and other risk-reduction programs. Speaking at a health policy event in Johannesburg, Dhlomo said regulation should distinguish between combustible cigarettes and smoke-free nicotine products, noting that public consultations and scientific evidence had changed his views on the continuum of risk associated with different nicotine products.

    The comments come as Parliament prepares to begin clause-by-clause deliberations on the tobacco bill following approval of its desirability in June. Other speakers, including Gauteng Health MEC Faith Mazibuko and former Health MEC Dr. Bandile Masuku, also endorsed harm reduction as a broader public health strategy, while Philip Morris International said science should guide tobacco regulation and that adult smokers who are unable or unwilling to quit should be encouraged to switch completely to less harmful non-combustible alternatives.

  • Pakistan Senate Panel Expands Probe Into Alleged Cigarette Smuggling Case

    Pakistan Senate Panel Expands Probe Into Alleged Cigarette Smuggling Case

    A Pakistani Senate subcommittee widened its investigation into the seizure of 11 trucks allegedly carrying smuggled cigarettes, while rejecting what it described as a media campaign linking committee members to the case. The panel ordered the Federal Board of Revenue to identify officials responsible for media briefings following a July 20 hearing and directed the Federal Investigation Agency to investigate what it called targeted smear campaigns against lawmakers.

    The committee also questioned Customs’ handling of the seizure, including its jurisdiction, the legal basis for the case, conflicting valuations of the seized cargo, and delays in producing arrested truck drivers before a court. As part of a broader review of tobacco tax evasion and smuggling—estimated at about $1 billion annually—the panel called for additional information on tax-exempt imports, quota registrations, and customs procedures, saying it intends to expand scrutiny of potential irregularities across customs posts, dry ports, and revenue agencies.

  • Judge Signals Uphill Battle for Vapes Challenge PA Registry Law

    Judge Signals Uphill Battle for Vapes Challenge PA Registry Law

    A federal judge indicated that vape companies challenging Pennsylvania’s new e-cigarette registry law will need to distinguish their case from recent appellate rulings that largely upheld similar laws in North Carolina and Iowa. During proceedings, the judge directed the plaintiffs to address decisions by the Fourth and Eighth U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals, both of which rejected key arguments that state registry laws tied to the FDA’s premarket authorization process are preempted by federal law.

    Pennsylvania’s law, enacted in 2025, establishes a directory of manufacturers whose products may be legally sold in the state, effectively limiting sales to products meeting specified federal regulatory criteria. Retailers challenging the measure argue it improperly enforces the federal Tobacco Control Act, conflicts with the FDA’s enforcement discretion, and would force the removal of millions of dollars in inventory from store shelves. Similar “PMTA registry” laws have been adopted in more than a dozen states as lawmakers seek to curb sales of unauthorized vaping products.

    The court’s comments suggest Pennsylvania’s case could hinge on whether the plaintiffs can identify meaningful legal distinctions from the North Carolina and Iowa precedents.