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Category: Around the Industry

  • Swiss Groups Launch Passive Smoke Awareness Platform

    Swiss Groups Launch Passive Smoke Awareness Platform

    The Swiss Association for Tobacco Prevention and the Swiss Lung League launched Passivesmoke.ch, described as Switzerland’s “first national platform dedicated to the risks of passive smoking and vaping.” The initiative follows newly published “Health and Lifestyle” survey data from Addiction Switzerland, indicating rising nicotine product use among young people, with campaigners highlighting that 45% of 18–24-year-olds report using e-cigarettes, snus, nicotine pouches, or other products. The groups say unintentional exposure to smoke and vapor remains common in shared indoor spaces and communal housing.

    The organizations linked the launch to Switzerland’s continued refusal to ratify the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), noting that parliament in March declined ratification despite prior government support. Prevention advocates argue the platform is intended to refocus attention on secondhand exposure risks amid shifting consumption patterns toward vaping and oral nicotine products.

  • CBP Seizes $175M in Illicit Vapes from Maritime Cargo

    CBP Seizes $175M in Illicit Vapes from Maritime Cargo

    The U.S. Customs and Border Protection, working with the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, announced that it has seized more than 18 million vape units valued at over $175 million over the last few weeks under a targeted initiative known as Operation Red Mist. The ongoing operation focuses primarily on maritime cargo shipments originating from the People’s Republic of China and is aimed at disrupting the illicit importation, transport, and distribution of unauthorized vape products and related hazardous components.

    According to CBP, inspection teams identified shipments that were misclassified or improperly labeled to evade detection, duties, and regulatory scrutiny, and that failed to meet U.S. import requirements for tobacco products, electronics, and hazardous materials transport. Officials said all e-cigarette products seized lacked the required FDA premarket authorization, making them illegal for sale in the United States. CBP said the operation reflects a broader, government-wide effort to keep noncompliant and potentially dangerous vaping products out of U.S. commerce and away from youth, while disrupting the revenue streams that often support broader criminal activity.

    Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection

  • Hong Kong Customs Busts $1.5M Illicit Cigarette Ring

    Hong Kong Customs Busts $1.5M Illicit Cigarette Ring

    The Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department arrested three people following a months-long investigation into an illicit cigarette distribution and money laundering syndicate that led to the seizure of about 2.2 million untaxed cigarettes and HK$11.3 million ($1.5 million) in suspected criminal proceeds. The case stems from a January raid on a remote warehouse in Ngau Tam Mei, where investigators discovered the cigarettes—valued at HK$9.9 million ($1.3 million)—along with detailed records documenting brands, storage dates, and volumes.

    A follow-up financial probe found that one of the suspects used his own bank accounts, as well as those of his girlfriend, to process payments from customers buying illicit cigarettes, while a third suspect is believed to have supplied the products. Investigators identified thousands of transactions between 2021 and 2025 involving more than 1,000 third parties, with rapid fund movements and low balances characteristic of money laundering activity. The suspects have been released on bail pending further investigation. Under Hong Kong law, trafficking illicit cigarettes carries penalties of up to HK$2 million ($260,000) in fines and seven years’ imprisonment, while money laundering convictions can bring fines of up to HK$5 million ($650,000) and 14 years in prison.

  • FDA Makes ENDS PMTA Roundtable Materials Available

    FDA Makes ENDS PMTA Roundtable Materials Available

    Today (May 14), FDA released materials from its Feb. 10 Roundtable on Premarket Tobacco Application Submissions for Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Products, providing the public and industry with a detailed look at discussions between agency officials and small manufacturers. Led by Dr. Matthew Farrelly and moderated by Dr. Todd Cecil, the sessions focused heavily on product characterization, manufacturing controls, pharmacological and toxicological data, and how applicants can demonstrate adult benefit through longitudinal or randomized studies. FDA said the purpose of the roundtable was to solicit feedback on how to improve the efficiency and clarity of PMTA reviews while remaining bound by statutory requirements under the Tobacco Control Act.

    Industry participants used the forum to reiterate concerns about the lack of objective scientific benchmarks guiding ENDS applications, arguing that uncertainty around testing parameters—particularly for open-system products—and the inability to update long-pending PMTAs create significant barriers for small businesses. The Vapor Technology Association, through Executive Director Tony Abboud, said members appreciated the opportunity for dialogue but left the meeting seeking clearer standards and more predictable regulatory expectations.

    Find the FDA’s resources below:

    FDA ENDS Roundtable Hub

    FDA ENDS Roundtable Video

    FDA ENDS Roundtable Transcript

  • Dutch Authorities Seizing Large Quantities of Illicit Products

    Dutch Authorities Seizing Large Quantities of Illicit Products

    Dutch authorities seized large volumes of illicit nicotine products in a series of enforcement actions over the last two weeks, including nearly 220,000 illegal vapes, more than 50,000 boxes of banned nicotine pouches, and 23 million illicit cigarettes. The total value of the items would roughly be in the €14–20 million range.

    The seizures, carried out by the NVWA and FIOD, targeted storage sites and shipping containers across Zuid-Holland and Noord-Brabant, with officials noting the products—many of them flavored—violated national regulations. Eight suspects have been arrested in connection with the cigarette seizures, with authorities estimating potential tax losses of nearly €9 million.

  • PCA Survey Finds Stable Sales, Rising Regulatory, Cost Concerns

    PCA Survey Finds Stable Sales, Rising Regulatory, Cost Concerns

    The Premium Cigar Association’s latest annual survey shows a largely stable market heading into 2026, with a majority of both retailers and manufacturers reporting flat or improved sales, particularly during the 2025 holiday season. However, the data highlights growing operational and regulatory pressures, with respondents citing taxes, tariffs, and compliance complexity as key concerns. Retailers pointed to increasing challenges around insurance availability, competition with online channels, and the need for more practical tools to navigate state-level regulations, while manufacturers flagged rising climate-related risks to tobacco production and ongoing uncertainty tied to market participation in states like California.

    The survey also underscores gaps in industry advocacy engagement, with both groups noting limited resources and unclear pathways for participation, alongside demand for better education on policy, marketing, and operations. Overall, while business performance remains relatively resilient, the findings suggest mounting concern about long-term sustainability as regulatory, cost, and environmental pressures continue to intensify across the premium cigar sector.

  • Survey: New Zealanders Think Nicotine is the Problem

    Survey: New Zealanders Think Nicotine is the Problem

    A survey of more than 1,200 adults conducted on behalf of Health Coalition Aotearoa finds strong public support in New Zealand for tighter nicotine regulation, including the reintroduction of very-low-nicotine cigarettes, while also highlighting widespread concern about industry influence on policy. The research shows that over half of respondents favor bringing back low-nicotine cigarettes and roughly two-thirds believe the tobacco industry influences government decisions, while support for newer products such as nicotine pouches remains limited, with more respondents opposing than supporting their retail sale.

  • CTP Director Touts Progress, Future in Statement

    CTP Director Touts Progress, Future in Statement

    The FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products says it has made significant progress in streamlining the review of premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs), reducing its backlog by approximately 70% in 2025 and eliminating the queue for initial acceptance review. In a statement dated May 7 and released today (May 13), acting Director Bret Koplow said new efficiencies are allowing applications to move into review almost immediately, while accelerated filing and scientific review processes—particularly for nicotine pouches and electronic nicotine delivery systems—are helping bring compliant products to market more quickly.

    Koplow also highlighted the success of a pilot program for nicotine pouch applications, which led to authorizations for six products within three months, a record pace for the agency. The FDA plans to apply lessons from the pilot more broadly, including expedited review for product modifications and increased real-time communication with applicants, signaling a shift toward faster but still science-based regulatory decision-making in the nicotine category.

    Read the full release here.

  • GTNF 2026 Being Held Sept. 9–11 in Portugal

    GTNF 2026 Being Held Sept. 9–11 in Portugal

    The Nicotine Resource Consortium, organizer of the Global Tobacco and Nicotine Forum (GTNF), announced updated details for GTNF 2026, which will take place September 9–11 in Lisbon, Portugal. The event will be hosted at the Myriad Cristal Center, bringing together global stakeholders from across the tobacco and nicotine ecosystem.

    “We are excited about the potential of this year’s GTNF,” said NRC president and CEO Christopher Greer. “We have some outstanding content announcements upcoming, and now we have a great venue and city that matches what will take place during conference sessions and enhances the networking experience for all our delegates.”

    The revised dates reflect efforts to accommodate an increasingly crowded global events calendar, while the selection of Lisbon—long regarded as a historic crossroads of global trade—underscores GTNF’s role as a meeting point for international dialogue. For 2026, the conference will introduce a revamped program structure built around core thematic modules designed to explore key issues in greater depth and sequence, responding directly to feedback from past attendees and industry stakeholders.

    The GTNF 2026 agenda will focus on major topics shaping the sector, including global supply chains and trade dynamics, innovation in science and product development, environmental sustainability, harm reduction, and illicit trade. Sessions will feature a mix of panels, in-depth discussions, and fireside chats aimed at fostering debate, presenting diverse viewpoints, and generating actionable insights. The program will also include leadership addresses from prominent voices across industry, policy, and research communities.

    Registration for GTNF 2026 is now open, with organizers encouraging early participation as the forum continues to serve as a key platform for advancing dialogue on the future of the global tobacco and nicotine landscape.

  • Malaysia’s Illicit Cigarette Market at ‘Critical Stage’

    Malaysia’s Illicit Cigarette Market at ‘Critical Stage’

    Malaysia’s illicit cigarette market is approaching a “critical stage,” with illegal products now accounting for roughly 50% of total consumption, according to industry representatives. Philip Morris International and Japan Tobacco International executives said the country’s illicit rate is among the highest in the region, far exceeding levels in markets such as Singapore and Thailand, and warned that widespread availability has normalized illegal purchasing among consumers.

    Industry speakers linked the surge to a sharp excise tax increase in 2015, which widened the price gap between legal and illicit products and drove illegal market share to as high as 63% at its peak. Officials and stakeholders emphasized that addressing the issue will require a coordinated approach combining stronger enforcement, policy adjustments and greater public cooperation, as smuggling networks continue to adapt and exploit regulatory gaps.