TobaccoReporter logo

Category: Around the Industry

  • Kentucky Overhauls Tobacco and Vape Licensing Laws

    Kentucky Overhauls Tobacco and Vape Licensing Laws

    April 10, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 245, amending revised statutes that establish a standardized licensing system for tobacco, nicotine, and vapor product retailers under the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, including uniform application forms, published requirements, and annual renewal rules, while barring the agency from adding extra requirements beyond statute.

    The measure introduces “batch licensing” for multi-location retailers, mandates online publication of forms within 30 days, requires fee refunds if licenses are denied, and sets grace periods for application corrections and ownership changes. Retailers would need to apply within 60 days of enactment if unlicensed, with enforcement continuing without delay; the bill also repeals transitional licensing rules, requires rapid implementation of regulations, and applies some provisions retroactively to January 1.

  • PM Urges Court to Uphold FDA Graphic Rule Ruling  

    PM Urges Court to Uphold FDA Graphic Rule Ruling  

    Philip Morris USA asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit to affirm a lower court decision vacating a U.S. Food and Drug Administration rule that would have required graphic health warnings on cigarette packaging. The company argued that the district court correctly found the FDA failed to follow required administrative procedures when developing the rule. According to Law 360, the appeal centers on whether the agency’s rulemaking process complied with federal standards, after the district court struck down the regulation on procedural grounds.

  • Former China Tobacco Head Expelled from CPC for Corruption

    Former China Tobacco Head Expelled from CPC for Corruption

    Han Zhanwu, former deputy head of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China and removed from public office following an anti-corruption investigation. According to a notice from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision, Han was found to have accepted gifts, cash, and valuables, improperly influenced hiring decisions, and sought benefits for others in business dealings. Authorities said the case involves suspected bribery and serious violations of Party discipline, with the matter now transferred to prosecutors for review and potential charges.

  • PMI Principal Partner of Ferrari Hypersail Racing Project

    PMI Principal Partner of Ferrari Hypersail Racing Project

    Philip Morris International has been announced as the principal partner of Ferrari Hypersail, a new offshore racing initiative led by Ferrari that applies Formula 1–grade engineering to a 30-meter full-foiling monohull designed for renewable-energy-powered ocean racing. The project, scheduled for launch and sea trials in 2026, is positioned as a platform for cross-industry innovation in aerodynamics, energy efficiency, and advanced control systems.

    PMI CEO Jacek Olczak linked the partnership to the company’s science-driven, smoke-free technology strategy, while Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna described Hypersail as a real-world testing ground for extreme-condition innovation. PMI will also debut an updated visual identity on the vessel, marking the first external use of its new branding.

  • HTPs Drive Record In-Flight Smoking Reports in Japan

    HTPs Drive Record In-Flight Smoking Reports in Japan

    Japan-based air carriers reported a record 429 in-flight smoking incidents in 2025, the highest level since data collection began in 2004 and a sharp rise from 65 cases in 2019, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Authorities believe the growing use of heated tobacco products — now accounting for over 40% of domestic tobacco sales, per the Tobacco Institute of Japan — has contributed to the increase, as vapor can trigger aircraft smoke detectors. Smoking on board, including use of e-cigarettes and heated products, is prohibited under Japan’s Civil Aeronautics Act, with violators facing fines of up to ¥500,000 ($3,150) if they fail to comply with crew instructions.

  • Ukraine Conducts 70 Raids, Busts Illegal Vape Liquid Operation

    Ukraine Conducts 70 Raids, Busts Illegal Vape Liquid Operation

    The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine and the Bureau of Economic Security of Ukraine have dismantled a large-scale illegal production and distribution network for e-cigarette liquids operating since 2023, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said. Authorities allege the group manufactured and sold nicotine mixtures, including non-tobacco flavors banned in Ukraine, through storefronts and online channels with more than 200 people involved.

    Over 70 simultaneous searches across Kyiv and five regions seized flavorings, base liquids, cartridges, pod systems, production equipment, $70,000 in cash, and records, with total assets valued at about UAH 30 million ($690,000). Illegal kiosks linked to the network were dismantled, assets are to be frozen, and further charges are being prepared as investigators map the full network.

  • MOHRE Urges Evidence-Based Review of EU Tobacco Rules

    MOHRE Urges Evidence-Based Review of EU Tobacco Rules

    The Observatory for Harm Reduction in Medicine sent an open letter to European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Olivér Várhelyi, criticizing the European Commission’s evaluation of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), arguing it overlooks scientific evidence on tobacco harm reduction and fails to compare the risks of smoke-free products with combustible cigarettes. The group said the review relies heavily on selective data and the SCHEER opinion while ignoring evidence from countries such as Sweden, where wider use of alternatives like snus and nicotine pouches coincided with sharp declines in smoking rates and tobacco-related disease.

    The letter calls on the Commission to adopt a comparative risk framework, include evidence from independent health authorities, and examine Sweden’s experience as part of the TPD review. It argues that a narrow focus on complete cessation overlooks varied addiction profiles and could lead to regulations that unintentionally discourage smokers from switching to lower-risk alternatives.

  • Middle East Tensions Impacting Tobacco Supply Chains

    Middle East Tensions Impacting Tobacco Supply Chains

    Military actions involving Iran will likely disrupt regional logistics and industrial activity across the Persian Gulf, raising concerns about potential impacts on global cigarette and cigar supply chains, according to sources cited by Russian outlet Izvestia and analysts at the Centre for Macroeconomic Analysis and Short-Term Forecasting. The report notes that seven Gulf countries — Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Kuwait — account for over 20% of global tobacco exports, with countries such as Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Singapore, Thailand, and several African markets relying on imports from the region.

    Analyst Vladimir Chernov of Freedom Finance Global said any shortages could raise prices and delay deliveries, but may be mitigated by shifting production and supply routes to other regions. He added that broader supply chain effects could extend to packaging, chemicals, and industrial inputs, while creating potential export opportunities for Russia in sectors such as fertilizers and petrochemicals.

  • FDA Wins Default Judgment Against NC Vape Distributor

    FDA Wins Default Judgment Against NC Vape Distributor

    A federal judge granted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration a default judgment against a North Carolina vape distributor accused of importing and selling unauthorized flavored e-cigarettes from China. The ruling allows the FDA to seek a judgment permanently barring the company from importing, marketing, or distributing the products cited in the complaint after the defendant failed to respond to the lawsuit.

    Because the defendants did not appear, they are not publicly posted in the docket entries. However, in September 2025, the FDA filed a complaint against North Carolina-based distributor Dream Distro LLC and its owner, Faisal A. Alhadrami.  

  • Advocates Call to Merge Bangladesh’s Multi-Tier Cig Structure

    Advocates Call to Merge Bangladesh’s Multi-Tier Cig Structure

    At a workshop hosted by the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh today (April 9), journalists and public health advocates called for setting the minimum retail price of a 10-stick cigarette pack at Tk100 ($0.82) in the FY2026–27 budget by merging the low and medium tax tiers and introducing a uniform Tk4 (3 cents) specific tax per pack.

    A keynote by Dr. Shafiun Nahin Shimul of the University of Dhaka said Bangladesh’s 35.3% tobacco use prevalence leads to nearly 200,000 premature deaths annually and an economic cost of Tk870 billion ($7.1 billion), more than double sector revenue. Speakers, including representatives from the National Tobacco Control Cell and health researchers, argued the current multi-tier tax structure enables down-trading to cheaper brands and said higher prices could reduce youth initiation, encourage cessation, and raise government revenue.