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Category: Around the Industry

  • CAPHRA Develops THR Policy

    CAPHRA Develops THR Policy

    The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates released a policy framework urging governments to adopt tobacco harm reduction (THR) as a regulated, health-led strategy to reduce deaths and disease from combustible tobacco and high-risk oral products. The framework emphasizes helping adult smokers quit or fully switch to lower-risk alternatives while preventing youth initiation, curbing marketing-driven uptake, and addressing unintended consequences such as underage use and illicit trade.

    CAPHRA Philippines spokesperson Clarisse Virgino said THR should be outcomes-led, combining risk-proportionate regulation with robust product standards, quality controls, and active enforcement to ensure safer real-world practices. The organization highlights that in regions with high tobacco-related harm, a regulated THR approach can accelerate public health gains while maintaining strong safeguards for young people.

    The complete policy framework can be accessed here.

  • Indonesian Cigarette Importers Under Investigation for Bribery

    Indonesian Cigarette Importers Under Investigation for Bribery

    Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is investigating alleged manipulation of cigarette excise payments at the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC), saying it has secured preliminary evidence on companies suspected of involvement in illegal cigarette imports. On Feb. 27, the KPK detained and named Budiman Bayu Prasojo, head of the Intelligence Section for Excise Enforcement and Investigation at the DJBC, as a suspect in a corruption probe linked to import clearance and excise arrangements.

    KPK deputy for enforcement and execution Asep Guntur Rahayu said investigators suspect certain cigarette importers provided bribes or gratuities to customs officials in connection with excise regulation. The agency previously seized Rp 5.19 billion ($300,000) in cash from a safe house believed to be linked to the suspects, money thought to be proceeds of alleged bribery. Investigators are tracing the companies and individuals involved and said further details will be disclosed once the probe is complete.

  • Fifth Circuit Affirms FDA’s Vape Rule

    Fifth Circuit Affirms FDA’s Vape Rule

    The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld a 2021 rule issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requiring manufacturers seeking premarket tobacco product authorization to investigate and disclose health effects data, according to Law 360. In a unanimous opinion, the three-judge panel found the agency complied with the Regulatory Flexibility Act by reasonably certifying that the rule would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, affirming a February 2025 summary judgment in FDA’s favor.

    Plaintiffs, including e-liquid manufacturers and the United States Vaping Association, argued the FDA improperly relied on economic analysis from its 2016 deeming rule and failed to consider less burdensome alternatives. The court rejected those claims, holding that the 2016 assessment provided an adequate factual basis and that key requirements — such as submitting all known health-risk information — are mandated by the Tobacco Control Act and cannot be waived by regulation. The decision leaves the 2021 PMTA rule intact in Kealani Distribution LLC et al. v. FDA.

  • Expert-Led Campaign Looking for Flawed Vape Science

    Expert-Led Campaign Looking for Flawed Vape Science

    The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) launched VapeVerify, an expert-led initiative aimed at scrutinizing vaping research amid rising public misperceptions about relative risk. The independent panel — comprising specialists in toxicology, public health, addiction medicine, and regulatory science — will assess new studies for methodological flaws, data misinterpretation, and lack of transparency, with the goal of ensuring policy debates and public understanding are guided by robust evidence. The move comes as surveys show record-high levels of misinformation, with around half of smokers believing vaping is as harmful as or more harmful than combustible cigarettes.

    “The VapeVerify panel wants to create an environment where people are armed with the facts so they can make informed decisions, because there is no public health without public knowledge,” said panellist Dr. Marina Murphy, senior director of scientific affairs at Haypp Group, who specializes in chemistry and science communications.

    The campaign launches alongside VapeWatch, a media monitoring initiative designed to challenge inaccurate or alarmist reporting on vaping and refer misleading coverage to the Independent Press Standards Organization. UKVIA Director General John Dunne said the industry is at a “crossroads,” arguing that public perception will determine whether vaping fulfils its harm reduction potential. Organizers said the expert panel members are unpaid volunteers and that the twin initiatives aim to counter what they describe as flawed science and misinformation deterring adult smokers from switching.

  • Former China Tobacco Head Sentenced to 12 Years

    Former China Tobacco Head Sentenced to 12 Years

    Former deputy head of China’s State Tobacco Monopoly Administration Zhang Tianfeng was sentenced to 12 years in prison for accepting more than 34 million yuan ($5 million) in bribes. The Ganzhou Intermediate People’s Court in Jiangxi also fined Zhang 2 million yuan ($300,000) and ordered the confiscation of his illicit gains.

    The court found that between 2004 and 2023 Zhang leveraged senior roles in provincial tobacco bodies and, from 2020 to 2023, at the national administration to secure favors in project contracting, recruitment, and promotions in exchange for payments. Although the court deemed the offense serious, it granted leniency after Zhang confessed, voluntarily disclosed additional violations and returned illegal proceeds. He was placed under investigation in January 2025 and expelled from the Communist Party before being indicted.

  • FDA COO Says Balance is the ‘Gold Standard’

    FDA COO Says Balance is the ‘Gold Standard’

    In an open letter today (Feb. 26), FDA Deputy Commissioner for Operations and Chief Operating Officer Dr. Barclay Butler underscored the FDA’s dual mandate to promote regulatory transparency while rigorously safeguarding sensitive commercial and personal data submitted by regulated industries. Titled, “Why Protecting Confidential Information is Key to the FDA’s ‘Gold Standard,’” his remarks highlighted the agency’s role as both public health watchdog and custodian of proprietary information, emphasizing that while the Freedom of Information Act supports disclosure, statutes such as the Trade Secrets Act and Privacy Act require strict confidentiality around trade secrets, confidential commercial information (CCI), personal health data, and law enforcement materials.

    Barclay reiterated that manufacturing processes, product formulas, financial data, and other proprietary submissions remain legally protected, a subject of particular importance tobacco and nicotine product companies navigating the FDA’s premarket review pathways. He also stressed the importance of shielding adverse event reports, inspection records, and internal deliberative documents to preserve investigative integrity and candid scientific review. Barclay said that improper disclosure can carry criminal liability and undermine market fairness, particularly given the market-moving potential of regulatory decisions. He said the FDA’s strict ethics and insider trading safeguards are central to maintaining trust, institutional integrity, and a level playing field across regulated sectors.

  • ZIMRA Wins Appeal Against Pacific Cigarette Company

    ZIMRA Wins Appeal Against Pacific Cigarette Company

    The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) successfully appealed a High Court ruling, with the Supreme Court siding with it in its refusal to issue a Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) to Pacific Cigarette Company Ltd. while it owed over $19.5 million in taxes and was under corporate rescue. The court found that the High Court had misdirected itself by compelling ZIMRA to issue the TCC despite Pacific’s $19.2 million in income tax arrears and $330,000 in non-resident tax. ZIMRA had rejected the TCC application in January 2025 because the company had settled current obligations but made no payments toward the arrears.

    The Supreme Court ruled that ZIMRA’s refusal was an administrative decision, not an enforcement action, and that tax obligations remain enforceable during corporate rescue. The court also dismissed Pacific’s claim that withholding the TCC violated the moratorium on enforcement actions, noting the company’s corporate rescue plan lacked a proper repayment arrangement for its arrears.

    The Supreme Court overturned the High Court’s decision, affirming ZIMRA’s right to enforce its statutory mandate without penalty.

  • Big Smoke Florida Details Announced

    Big Smoke Florida Details Announced

    Tickets have gone on sale for Big Smoke Florida, which returns May 8 to Eden Roc Miami Beach, “bringing a one-night cigar celebration to South Florida” hosted by Cigar Aficionado and parent company M. Shanken Communications. The event will feature more than 20 participating cigarmakers — including A.J. Fernandez, Arturo Fuente, Padrón, Oliva, Rocky Patel, and Romeo y Julieta — offering premium cigars alongside spirits and cuisine. VIP admission begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by general admission at 6:30 p.m., with VIP ticket holders receiving early access and an exclusive sampling of selections from Cigar Aficionado’s 2025 Top 25 Cigars list.

  • NewCo Raises $41K for Clean Water in Africa

    NewCo Raises $41K for Clean Water in Africa

    NewCo announced it raised $41,500 in 2025 through customer donations and a give-back initiative tied to African-origin tobacco shipments, with the company contributing $300 for every container shipped. The funds, directed to Good For Better e.V., have supported clean water projects benefiting more than 6,500 people across Africa. The program will continue through 2026, with NewCo encouraging customers to source African-origin tobacco to trigger automatic contributions or make direct donations to the NGO. According to the company, the initiative has reduced reliance on wood to boil unsafe water, lowered illness rates, cut plastic bottle use, and generated monthly savings for participating families.

  • FRE Sponsors Four Races for Taylor Reimer Racing

    FRE Sponsors Four Races for Taylor Reimer Racing

    FRE Nicotine Pouches partnered with Taylor Reimer Racing as the Official Nicotine Sponsor for four marquee events in the 2026 ARCA Menards Series season. FRE will serve as the primary sponsor for Taylor Reimer at Talladega Superspeedway (April 25), Berlin Raceway (June 20), Elko Speedway (June 27), and Phoenix Raceway (October 17), with branding featured on the car, driver suit, and helmet. The company said the collaboration aligns its performance-focused nicotine pouch brand with one of stock car racing’s rising drivers, extending beyond race weekends into integrated content and appearances.