Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids said that 160 public health and advocacy groups from 57 countries have urged Formula One to extend its ban on tobacco sponsorships to include nicotine pouches, warning that current team partnerships with Philip Morris International and British American Tobacco, promoting Zyn and Velo through Ferrari and McLaren, make branding visible to millions of young fans. In a letter to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, the groups said the sponsorships undermine the sport’s youth-focused expansion efforts and expose minors to addictive nicotine products, citing data that a significant share of F1’s social media audience is under 25. Separate letters were also sent to The Walt Disney Company, The Lego Group, and Mattel, calling on them to support a comprehensive prohibition on all tobacco-related sponsorships in the sport.
Category: Around the Industry
-
Article: Ripple Effect of Restrictive Tobacco Regulations in S. Africa
South Africa’s 2020 tobacco ban, intended to reduce smoking-related health risks during the COVID-19 pandemic, drove legal sales underground and opened the door for illicit products that today account for as much as 75% of the market, according to law graduate Mukundi Budeli, writing for the Rational Standard and republished by the Free Market Foundation. Budeli said the shift cost the government tens of billions in lost tax revenue, fueled organized crime, and exposed consumers to unregulated and potentially more harmful products.
He also said the policy hastened the departure of British American Tobacco, which announced the closure of its Heidelberg plant by the end of 2026, which will directly affect 230 employees and is expected to ripple across the broader tobacco value chain, impacting up to 35,000 jobs. Budeli argues that the crisis illustrates the unintended consequences of overly restrictive regulation and calls for a re-evaluation of South Africa’s approach to tobacco policy. He suggests that future governance should strike a balance between public health objectives, economic stability, and individual freedoms to prevent similar market distortions.
The Free Market Foundation emphasizes that the situation serves as a warning to policymakers about the dangers of regulatory overreach and the need for pragmatic, accountable, and market-aware legislation in the tobacco sector.
-
Next Gen Nicotine Expo to Be Held in London April 23
Quartz Media announced that its newest event, Next Gen Nicotine Expo (NGNE), will debut April 23 at the Business Design Centre in London, marking the UK launch of the World Vape Show’s dedicated platform for next-generation nicotine products. The curated B2B event will host up to 50 fully UK-compliant exhibitors, including Garant Pods, PIXL, Pod Salts, and VPR Brands, alongside 500 vetted buyers, offering a focused environment for business and innovation amid the country’s disposable vape ban. NGNE will showcase vape systems, e-liquids, nicotine pouches, heated tobacco, and oral nicotine products, providing a compliance-led, design-driven space for industry growth and networking.
-
Court Certifies Juul Direct Purchaser Class in Altria Antitrust Case
A U.S. federal court certified a class of direct purchasers of Juul Labs, Inc. products in California, allowing claims against Altria Group, Inc. over its 2018 $12.8 billion investment for a 35% stake in Juul, according to Law 360. Judge William H. Orrick cited “common, predominant questions” and a strong inference of class-wide impact, finding class resolution preferable to individual suits, while purchasers may opt out. Plaintiffs allege the investment led Altria to exit the e-cigarette market, reduce product variety, and raise prices.
Law 360 said the direct purchaser class covers those buying Juul products from October 5, 2018, to the present. Judge Orrick rejected arguments that separate contracts and pricing arrangements make named purchasers atypical, noting claims are typical across the class and representatives are adequately motivated. An imperfect understanding of class membership does not undermine adequacy so long as representatives understand the claims and responsibilities.
Indirect purchaser and reseller classes were also certified, though plaintiffs from Arkansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia were excluded due to state law restrictions. The indirect purchaser class covers Juul pod purchases for personal use from October 25, 2018, to March 29, 2024, and the indirect reseller class covers purchases for resale from December 1, 2018, to March 31, 2025. The FTC had previously challenged Altria’s Juul stake but dropped its case in 2023 after the company fully unwound its investment.
-
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
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
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
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 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’
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.