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Category: Around the Industry

  • ‘Made in America’ Claims Rise as Brands Navigate Crackdown

    ‘Made in America’ Claims Rise as Brands Navigate Crackdown

    A Reuters investigation reports a growing wave of vape brands promoting “Made in America” credentials as the U.S. market faces tougher enforcement against unlicensed products, particularly those linked to Chinese manufacturers. The article says at least eight new brands have emerged since October, emphasizing U.S. identity, despite lacking authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which has approved only a limited number of vaping products for sale.

    According to the report, trademark filings show some of these brands are tied to Chinese or Hong Kong interests, suggesting the marketing shift may be aimed at avoiding scrutiny from customs officials amid heightened trade tensions and regulatory pressure under the administration of Donald Trump. Analysts cited by Reuters say the tactic could slow efforts to push consumers from the illicit to the regulated vape market.

    The story also highlights that China remains the dominant supplier of vapes to the U.S., with trade data showing exports worth over $4 billion in 2025, even as companies experiment with partial U.S. production or American-themed branding to adapt to tariffs, enforcement actions, and changing consumer perceptions.

  • RJR Seeks to Block Lawyer’s Live Testimony in Altria Dispute

    RJR Seeks to Block Lawyer’s Live Testimony in Altria Dispute

    R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. asked a North Carolina court to quash a trial subpoena that would require one of its in-house attorneys to testify in person at an evidentiary hearing in an ongoing royalty dispute with Altria Group. The company argues that a previously recorded deposition of the attorney should suffice, saying live testimony would be unnecessary and burdensome.

    The dispute centers on royalty obligations tied to vaping technology and agreements between the rival firms. Reynolds maintains that compelling its lawyer to appear would intrude on privileged matters and exceed what is needed for the court to assess the evidentiary issues. The matter is before a judge in North Carolina, who will decide whether the deposition recording can replace in-court testimony.

    Source: Law 360 (pay)

  • Polish Officers Seize 223,000 Illegal Vapes

    Polish Officers Seize 223,000 Illegal Vapes

    Officers from the National Tax Administration in Łódź seized 223,688 disposable e-cigarettes without excise stamps during a raid on a property near Zgierz. The devices contained a combined 447 liters of e-liquid, with the market value of the goods estimated at over PLN 473,000 ($128,000).

    Authorities said the scale of the illegal stock exposed the state to potential excise losses exceeding PLN 10.2 million ($2.8 million), given Poland’s current excise rate. The goods were allegedly stored by a 49-year-old man, who has been charged with a serious fiscal crime and potentially faces 10 years in prison.

  • Ukraine Moves to Ban Nicotine Pouch Sales to Minors

    Ukraine Moves to Ban Nicotine Pouch Sales to Minors

    Ukraine is preparing to tighten regulation of nicotine pouches through draft law No. 14110-d, which would ban their sale to minors and limit advertising, according to Mykhailo Radutskyi, head of the parliamentary health committee. He said current anti-tobacco laws, aligned with European directives, do not adequately cover newer nicotine products such as pouches and snus, leaving gaps in rules on sales and promotion.

    The proposal, developed by the health committee of the Verkhovna Rada, also addresses broader issues, including enforcement against e-cigarette components entering the market, and pending requirements for larger health warnings on cigarette packs. Radutskyi cited rising tobacco use, particularly among youth, as a key reason to update the legislation.

  • Man Arrested Smuggling Heat Sticks into Singapore

    Man Arrested Smuggling Heat Sticks into Singapore

    A 27-year-old South Korean man was arrested at Changi Airport in Singapore after authorities intercepted an attempt to smuggle more than 2,000 heat sticks and over 130 vapes into the country. The man told officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority that he had nothing to declare, but baggage scans revealed anomalies that prompted a detailed search. Officers subsequently uncovered the prohibited products and arrested the man.

  • Zimbabwean Tobacco Farmer Charged with Selling Crop Twice

    Zimbabwean Tobacco Farmer Charged with Selling Crop Twice

    A 46-year-old farmer in Zimbabwe appeared before a Harare magistrate on fraud charges after allegedly misrepresenting the status of his tobacco crop to secure inputs worth $51,020 from Horizon Leaf Tobacco. Prosecutors say Oosthuizen Jennie Lourence sought a contract farming agreement in November 2025 after company representatives inspected what appeared to be a healthy crop at his farm in Trelawney, Banket. The contract was signed, with the farmer receiving agricultural inputs instead of cash.

    The State alleges Lourence failed to disclose that the same crop had already been pledged to another financier. When the marketing season opened in February, he did not deliver the tobacco, later claiming through lawyers that his farm and crop had been taken over by a creditor, leaving Horizon with the reported loss. Lourence was granted bail and is set to return to court on May 4.

  • NY Vape Sellers Can’t Escape AG Suit Over Flavored Sales

    NY Vape Sellers Can’t Escape AG Suit Over Flavored Sales

    A federal judge rejected a bid by makers and distributors of flavored vaping products to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Office of the New York Attorney General alleging they helped fuel a youth vaping epidemic. The ruling means companies behind popular brands like Puff Bar and others must continue defending against claims that they misrepresented the safety and legality of their products and violated state public‑health and consumer protection laws.

    New York’s lawsuit targets more than a dozen manufacturers, distributors, and sellers of flavored disposable e‑cigarettes — which have been illegal to sell in New York since 2020 — accusing them of designing, marketing, and distributing candy‑ and fruit‑flavored vapes that appeal to minors, mislead consumers about health risks, and undermine state efforts to curb underage nicotine use.

    The judge found that the state’s complaint sufficiently alleges misrepresentation and other unlawful conduct to survive a motion to dismiss, keeping in place claims that could lead to fines, corrective advertising, and injunctions against future sales.

  • Weak Illicit Cigarette Enforcement Drains $1.1B in Pakistan

    Weak Illicit Cigarette Enforcement Drains $1.1B in Pakistan

    Pakistan is losing more than Rs300 billion ($1.1 billion) each year to the illegal cigarette trade due to weak enforcement against illicit manufacturing and smuggling, according to macroeconomic analyst Osama Siddiqui. He said effective action in the tobacco sector could significantly reduce the country’s widening revenue gap.

    The shortfall comes as fiscal pressures mount. The Federal Board of Revenue missed its March target by Rs185 billion ($666 million), collecting Rs1,182 billion ($4.3 billion) against a goal of Rs1,367 billion ($4.9 billion) — just a 6% year-on-year increase versus the 21% growth required. Meanwhile, the government is trimming development spending to fund fuel relief, while facing pressure from the International Monetary Fund to withdraw tax exemptions.

    Siddiqui argued that instead of raising taxes on already compliant sectors, authorities should prioritize curbing tax evasion in tobacco through stricter action against illegal production and smuggling, full implementation of track-and-trace systems, and tighter retail monitoring. He said plugging these leakages could create fiscal space for public relief and development spending at a time of heightened economic strain.

  • Smart Glass Exposes Smokers in Shenzhen Malls Restrooms

    Smart Glass Exposes Smokers in Shenzhen Malls Restrooms

    Two shopping centers in Shenzhen, China, have fitted men’s restroom cubicles with smart glass doors that turn transparent when smoke is detected, aiming to stop visitors from smoking inside toilets. The system was introduced in August 2025 at the Shuibei International Center and Gold Plaza. Sensors trigger the glass to clear if cigarette smoke is present, exposing the occupant and discouraging the behavior.

    A staff member at Gold Plaza said the measure has drawn positive feedback from shop owners and shoppers, who say it helps maintain cleaner, smoke-free facilities.

  • CAPHRA Releases Policy Paper on Public Health Sovereignty

    CAPHRA Releases Policy Paper on Public Health Sovereignty

    The Coalition of Asia Pacific Health Rights Advocates (CAPHRA) released a new position paper over the weekend emphasizing that governments in the Asia Pacific region do not have to choose between national sovereignty and human rights when shaping public health policy. The paper argues that strong domestic institutions allow countries to set policy goals, regulate markets, allocate resources, and respond to local realities while fulfilling human rights obligations.

    The paper warns against external influence that weakens national systems, calls for clear accountability, robust data governance, and locally owned capacity building, and highlights that regional cooperation should enhance — but not replace — domestic decision-making. The paper also proposes practical measures, including a Funding Independence Rule and stricter terms for donor engagement, to strengthen resilient, transparent, and nationally controlled public health systems.