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Category: Around the Industry

  • JTI Introduces Ploom AURA in Romania

    JTI Introduces Ploom AURA in Romania

    Japan Tobacco International launched its latest heated tobacco device, Ploom AURA, in Romania, offering adult consumers a modern and premium experience. The device features “SMART HEATFLOW technology, which preserves authentic tobacco flavors without combustion or smoke, while its sleek, curved design ensures ease of use and a sophisticated look.” Sobranie refills with CleanSeal technology complement the device, preventing tobacco leakage and enhancing the overall experience.

    Marian Zamfir, Marketing Director for JTI Romania, Moldova, and Bulgaria, said the device meets three essential consumer needs: taste, experience, and style, saying, “Ploom AURA was designed for adult consumers seeking solutions that align with their lifestyle and evolving preferences.” The launch follows JTI’s entry into Romania’s heated tobacco market in 2023 with the Ploom X device.

    Alexander Pitchka, General Manager of JTI Romania, Moldova, and Bulgaria, highlighted the company’s long-term vision in the country, citing its success in developing premium brands like Sobranie. He emphasized that the launch reflects JTI’s commitment to sustainability, consumer choice, and innovation.

  • Imperial Launches THR Myth-Busting Series

    Imperial Launches THR Myth-Busting Series

    Imperial Brands Science launched a new educational video series to debunk common myths about nicotine, vaping, and other NGPs. The short videos address topics such as the “popcorn lung” myth, misconceptions about regulation and research, passive vaping versus passive smoking, and misunderstandings about nicotine itself.

    The series is in response to a new 2025 survey by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) has found that misconceptions about vaping and next-generation products (NGPs) have reached record levels in Great Britain. According to the report, 63% of young people and 53% of adult smokers now wrongly believe that vaping is as harmful—or more harmful—than smoking. ASH noted that increased media focus on youth vaping may have contributed to this widespread misunderstanding.

    Imperial Brands said the initiative aims to improve public understanding of tobacco harm reduction and highlight the potential of NGPs as less harmful alternatives for adult smokers. “We want to ensure consumers have the right information and continue to challenge misconceptions through responsible education and communication,” the company said.

  • Seminar Calls for THR Policy in Bangladesh

    Seminar Calls for THR Policy in Bangladesh

    Speakers at a seminar in Dhaka urged the Bangladesh government to adopt a practical tobacco harm reduction policy to cut smoking-related health risks. The event, titled “Policy for Progress: Towards Harm Reduction 2.0” and organized by Policy Exchange Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Harm Reduction Foundation, compared Bangladesh’s current approach with successful global models such as New Zealand and Sweden.

    Former World Medical Association secretary-general Dr. Delon Human said that New Zealand cut its smoking rate by nearly half by officially recognizing alternatives like vaping, while Bangladesh’s progress has been slower due to a lack of such policies. Other speakers warned that bans on electronic nicotine products have instead fueled illicit trade, depriving consumers of regulated, safer options and reducing tax revenue.

    Participants, including Timothy Andrews, director of consumer issues for the Tholos Foundation, and Schumann Zaman, president of the Bangladesh Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Traders Association, called for balanced regulation rather than prohibition, stressing that harm reduction strategies and legal frameworks could help Bangladesh transition to less harmful products and achieve meaningful progress in public health.

  • Philippine Harm Reduction Advocates Push for Smoke-Free Future

    Philippine Harm Reduction Advocates Push for Smoke-Free Future

    Advocates of tobacco harm reduction in the Philippines signed a joint manifesto Wednesday (October 15) calling for multi-sectoral collaboration and greater access to science-based alternatives to help reduce smoking-related harm. The signing, held in Mandaluyong City, brought together representatives from groups including the Nicotine Consumers Union of the Philippines (NCUP), Smokefree Conversations PH, Quit for Good, and the Philippine E-Cigarette Industry Association.

    The manifesto urged policymakers to empower adult smokers with better choices rather than continuing to rely solely on tobacco products, describing harm reduction as a “lifeline” for those unable to quit. It also called for the defense of the country’s Vape Law (RA 11900) that regulates vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products as a legitimate public health measure.

    Advocates said adult smoking rates rose to 23.3% in 2023, underscoring the need for alternatives. NCUP founder Anton Israel emphasized the importance of educating the public about the difference between traditional tobacco and vaping products, adding that while vaping is not risk-free, it can be a less harmful step toward quitting smoking.

  • PMI Responds to Italian Investigation of ‘Smoke-Free’ Language

    PMI Responds to Italian Investigation of ‘Smoke-Free’ Language

    Today (October 15), the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM), accompanied by financial police, searched two Philip Morris offices in Italy as part of the inquiry regarding the company’s use of phrases such as “a smoke-free future” and “smoke-free products” regarding its electronic cigarettes.

    In response, a PMI spokesperson told Tobacco Reporter:

    “With reference to the proceeding initiated yesterday by the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) concerning the use of the term “smoke-free” in communications related to our corporate vision and our combustion-free products, Philip Morris Italia believes it has always acted in full compliance with applicable regulations. The Company is confident that its communication is factual, truthful, and fully consistent with both Italian and European legislation, which associate the absence of smoke with the absence of combustion. Italian Legislative Decree No. 6/2016, which transposes EU Directive 2014/40/EU, defines in Article 2, paragraph 5, a “smoke-free tobacco product”  (“smokeless tobacco product” in the English version of the Directive) as “a tobacco product that does not involve a combustion process”.

    “The pursuit of a smoke-free future has been the primary global objective of Philip Morris International for nearly a decade—an ambition that the Italian affiliates have been working toward for years, alongside an integrated Made in Italy value chain involving 44,000 people.

    “The Company will continue to cooperate with the Authority throughout the proceeding to demonstrate the full legitimacy of its actions.”

  • Study: Health Risks of Chewing Tobacco Need More Attention

    Study: Health Risks of Chewing Tobacco Need More Attention

    A new global study published by Nature Communications said that chewing tobacco should be receiving more attention for the significant health risks it causes, linking it to multiple forms of cancer and stroke (evidence for heart disease remains limited). Researchers found sufficient evidence connecting chewing tobacco use to six major health outcomes—including esophageal, lip and oral cavity, laryngeal, nasopharyngeal, and other pharynx cancers, as well as stroke. These findings reinforce previous evidence that chewing tobacco is a carcinogen and highlight its growing health impact, particularly in South Asia, where over 80% of the world’s 273 million users reside.

    The study said its systematic review and meta-analysis, which analyzed over five decades of research, is the most comprehensive evaluation to date focused specifically on chewing tobacco, distinct from other smokeless tobacco products. The study’s authors called for urgent policy action to integrate chewing tobacco into global and national tobacco control programs, improve cessation support, and expand high-quality research.

  • India Opens Fourth National Tobacco Testing Lab

    India Opens Fourth National Tobacco Testing Lab

    Today (October 14), India opened its fourth national testing lab at NIMHANS in Bangalore, joining an apex lab in Noida and two regional labs in Mumbai and Guwahati. The new lab “is equipped to conduct comprehensive chemical and toxicological analyses of tobacco products, supporting the enforcement of regulatory standards and promoting scientific evaluation in line with national and international guidelines,” the institute said in a statement.

    “This initiative is expected to contribute significantly to evidence-based tobacco regulation and support government efforts to reduce the health burden caused by tobacco consumption in India,” the institute said.  

  • Economist Puts Australia’s Illicit Tobacco Crisis Squarely on Tax Rate

    Economist Puts Australia’s Illicit Tobacco Crisis Squarely on Tax Rate

    Australia’s illicit tobacco market has gone over the “Laffer Curve,” where excessive taxation leads to lower overall revenue, according to numerous experts, including U.S. economist Dr. Arthur Laffer. “It’s not working at all. Your taxes are way too high,” he told 7.30 News. “Australia has raised its tax rates on tobacco so high that people have found illicit products.”

    According to internal industry data, illicit products now account for 64% of all tobacco and 82% of total nicotine consumed in Australia. The black market is valued at nearly $10 billion, coinciding with a sharp drop in federal tobacco excise revenue—from $16 billion in 2020 to $7.4 billion in 2025.

    The federal government, however, has rejected calls to lower tobacco taxes, arguing that high excise rates and plain packaging have been effective in cutting smoking rates to 10.5% in 2024, down from 25% in the 1990s.

    The term “Laffer Curve” was made famous 50 years ago after Laffer drew it on a napkin at a meeting with then Ford Administration officials Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld. Laffer said the concept wasn’t new, dating back to 14th-century writings.  

  • BAT Appoints Matt Wright to Board

    BAT Appoints Matt Wright to Board

    Today (October 14), BAT announced that Matthew Wright will join its board as an independent non-executive director and will serve on the company’s Remuneration and Nominations Committees, effective November 1. Wright brings decades of experience advising global organizations on senior talent recruitment, retention, and leadership development, having held senior roles at Russell Reynolds Associates, Korn/Ferry International, and other executive advisory firms.

    Luc Jobin, Chair of BAT’s board, said Wright’s appointment strengthens the company’s focus on cultural transformation and international growth. “Matt brings valuable experience in this area,” Jobin said, noting his expertise across Asia, Europe, and the US and his track record in guiding organizations through periods of growth and transformation.

    Wright currently serves as non-executive director of Berry Bros. & Rudd Ltd, chairs its Remuneration Committee, and is chairman of Cripps Leadership Advisors as well as chair designate and senior advisor of Movemeon. BAT said his leadership and people-focused experience are expected to support the company’s ongoing ambition to build a Smokeless World.

  • PM Japan Announces Two New Launches

    PM Japan Announces Two New Launches

    Philip Morris Japan (PMJ) announced it will launch the IQOS ILUMA i Galaxy Blue Model on October 29, a limited-edition device inspired by the “mysteries and infinite possibilities of the universe.” The ¥6,980 ($46) model features a deep-space blue charger with a starry gradient design. PMJ’s marketing director, Daniel Sevsik, said the edition was created to reinforce IQOS ILUMA i’s image of “innovation and future possibilities.”

    The company will also release its TEREA Clear Regular on October 27, a “smooth and balanced tobacco stick” for the IQOS ILUMA and ILUMA i series. Sevsik said the regular flavor segment has growth potential, as users tend to be more stable than menthol and flavored product consumers. The new variant becomes the sixth regular option in the TEREA lineup.