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Category: Around the Industry

  • Korea Health Insurance Loses Appeal Against Tobacco Cos.

    Korea Health Insurance Loses Appeal Against Tobacco Cos.

    South Korea’s National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) lost its appeal seeking compensation from major tobacco companies after the Seoul High Court upheld a lower court ruling in favor of KT&G, Philip Morris Korea, and British American Tobacco Korea today (January 15). The court agreed that NHIS lacked legal standing to claim damages, ruling that insurance payouts made to smokers with cancer merely fulfilled statutory obligations and did not constitute a legally protected interest that could support a compensation claim.

    The lawsuit, originally filed in 2014, sought 55.3 billion won ($37.6 million) to recover health insurance costs for smoking-related lung and laryngeal cancer patients, arguing tobacco firms should be held liable for the financial burden imposed on the public health system. Both the lower and appellate courts rejected claims that cigarettes were defectively designed or misleadingly marketed, and found that smoking was not the sole cause of cancer. While acknowledging the growing medical costs linked to smoking—estimated at 3.8 trillion won ($2.6 billion) annually by 2023—the appellate court ordered NHIS to bear appeal costs. NHIS said it plans to take the case to the Supreme Court, framing the issue as one of public health accountability and constitutional social rights.

  • PCA’s Tips for Posting Industry-Related Material on Social Media

    PCA’s Tips for Posting Industry-Related Material on Social Media

    The Premium Cigar Association (PCA) published an article focused on posting tobacco-related content on social media, saying Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram) has intensified enforcement around content linked to regulated industries, increasingly limiting the reach and visibility of posts even when they do not clearly violate written policies. Much of this tightening, the article says, is driven by automated and AI-based moderation systems and evolving internal standards, resulting in reduced feed placement, recommendation blocks, or suppressed exposure without clear warnings. While this creates challenges, accounts are still able to post if they adapt their approach to align with Meta’s enforcement environment.

    The PCA advised shifting away from direct product promotion toward lifestyle, educational, and community-focused content, while avoiding explicit sales language, pricing, or calls to purchase. Using neutral captions, lifestyle imagery, and modest hashtags can help reduce enforcement risk, though inconsistencies remain common. Given the unpredictability of social platforms, businesses are also encouraged to diversify communication by strengthening owned channels such as websites, email newsletters, SMS lists, and in-store engagement, with storytelling and education proving most effective for sustaining audience connection.

  • IQOS Curious X Debuts at Zamna

    IQOS Curious X Debuts at Zamna

    Philip Morris International (PMI) launched its global collaboration between IQOS and the Zamna music festival last week, according to Marvin magazine, with its IQOS Curious X platform debuting at Zamna 2026 in Tulum, Mexico. The engagement platform featured a dedicated IQOS experience zone aimed at adult smokers and adult nicotine users, aligning music and immersive environments with PMI’s smoke-free positioning.

    Leonardo de Alencar, director of smoke-free products at Philip Morris Mexico, said festivals such as Zamna provide a space to engage adult audiences and support the transition away from cigarettes, while Zamna executives described the partnership as part of a broader push for creative and cultural innovation. Zamna originated in Tulum, and this year will host additional music festivals in Egypt, Malta, and Türkiye.  

    PMI said IQOS now has more than 34 million adult users globally, including over 140,000 in Mexico.

  • OK Rules Replacing Tobacco Trust Members Unconstitutional

    OK Rules Replacing Tobacco Trust Members Unconstitutional

    The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that a 2025 state law allowing elected officials to replace members of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) board at will is unconstitutional, affirming the voter-approved independence of the trust and safeguarding its authority to allocate tobacco settlement funds free from political interference. Established by constitutional amendment in 2000, TSET manages most of Oklahoma’s payments from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement. The court’s decision preserves the original intent of voters to insulate TSET from political influence and ensures the continuation of its public health mission, a position supported by leading medical and public health organizations that filed an amicus brief backing the trust.

  • Dutch Insurance to Cover Three Attempts to Quit Smoking per Year

    Dutch Insurance to Cover Three Attempts to Quit Smoking per Year

    New health insurance guidelines in the Netherlands that took effect January 1 allow smokers to receive reimbursement for up to three quit attempts per year, a move public health advocates say could significantly boost long-term cessation rates. Data show smokers enrolled in support programs are six times more likely to remain smoke-free for a year, with success rates rising to nearly 30% in the most intensive programs. Despite decades of decline, smoking still affects about 18% of the population—rising to 30% among those with lower education levels—and experts note it takes an average of six attempts to quit for good. While stop-smoking courses cost around €400 per attempt, campaigners argue the expense is outweighed by potential healthcare savings, with studies estimating billions in avoided medical costs and tens of thousands of cancer cases prevented if smoking rates fall sharply over the next decade.

  • Digital Connectivity, Collaboration Helping PMI Evolve in Saudi Arabia

    Digital Connectivity, Collaboration Helping PMI Evolve in Saudi Arabia

    Philip Morris International (PMI) says rapid shifts in consumer behavior are reshaping the tobacco and nicotine market in Saudi Arabia, driven by greater digital connectivity, global exposure, and rising expectations around transparency and product experience. In an interview with the Saudi Gazette, Christian Akiki, managing director of Philip Morris Saudi Arabia Trading, said Saudi consumers are increasingly informed, vocal, and open to alternatives, pushing brands to better understand local preferences while maintaining clear and authentic communication. This evolution, he said, has supported growing interest in smoke-free products such as heated tobacco devices, nicotine pouches, and e-cigarettes, which have become more established in the Kingdom over the past decade.

    Akiki said PMI’s smoke-free strategy in Saudi Arabia relies heavily on cooperation with regulators, particularly the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, emphasizing that progress depends on science-based dialogue and aligned oversight. He pointed to the earlier launch of nicotine pouches by Badael, a Public Investment Fund company, as evidence of regulatory openness to alternative products. PMI also highlighted the importance of local talent and market-specific strategies, noting that approaches successful in other countries do not automatically translate to Saudi Arabia. According to Akiki, Saudi Arabia’s advanced digital infrastructure and Vision 2030 agenda provide a favorable environment for innovation, positioning the market as a potential benchmark for science-driven tobacco harm reduction initiatives globally.

  • N.J. Tightens Cannabis Rules, Allows Workers to Unionize  

    N.J. Tightens Cannabis Rules, Allows Workers to Unionize  

    New Jersey is tightening oversight across its cannabis and hemp markets, with new laws reshaping labor rules and retail competition. Assembly Bill No. 4182, now enacted, establishes a comprehensive labor framework for cannabis workers and other private-sector employees not covered by the National Labor Relations Act. The law places organizing and collective bargaining under the Division of Private Employment Dispute Settlement, grants it broad enforcement powers, and authorizes penalties of up to $10,000 per violation, or $20,000 in serious cases. Cannabis workers are explicitly guaranteed rights to organize, bargain collectively, and engage in protected activity, while employers face strict limits on retaliation, surveillance, and anti-union practices.

    At the product and retail level, New Jersey has also moved to rein in intoxicating hemp under S-4509/A-6295, creating a new regulatory scheme aligned with federal law and repealing earlier permissive rules. The legislation phases out sales of intoxicating hemp products at gas stations, convenience stores, smoke shops, and liquor stores by November 13, with key restrictions beginning in April. Licensed cannabis dispensaries have welcomed the move, arguing it curbs unfair competition from loosely regulated outlets, while the law preserves protections for licensed hemp farmers operating under the state’s Hemp Farming Act.

  • K&H Tobacco/Nicotine Symposium Registration Open

    K&H Tobacco/Nicotine Symposium Registration Open

    Keller and Heckman announced it will host its 10th annual E-Vapor, Nicotine, and Tobacco Law Symposium May 4–5 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel, returning to Las Vegas ahead of the CHAMPS Trade Show. The two-day program is positioned as a comprehensive briefing on the legal, regulatory, and scientific issues shaping the tobacco, nicotine, and CBD/hemp sectors. The symposium is designed for manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and retailers navigating FDA oversight and evolving compliance requirements.

    Registration is now open, with a Super Early-Bird rate of $999 available through February 6, representing a $200 discount. Early-bird pricing runs through March 27, after which standard registration applies. Organizers say upcoming announcements will detail the agenda and confirm participating scientific experts, FDA officials, and attorneys.

  • Universal Releases FY25 Sustainability Report

    Universal Releases FY25 Sustainability Report

    Universal Corporation released its 2025 Sustainability Report yesterday (January 12), outlining progress across environmental, social, and governance priorities during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025. The company reported a nearly sixfold increase in renewable electricity use, with renewables accounting for 17.8% of global consumption, and a 7.7% year-over-year reduction in combined Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions, alongside Science Based Targets initiative approval for near- and long-term goals. Social initiatives included direct engagement with more than 200,000 tobacco farmers, over 2 million farm visits, distribution of 445,000 PPE kits, and expanded workplace safety inspections. The report, prepared in alignment with GRI and SASB standards and incorporating EU CSRD considerations, also highlights expanded data transparency and a completed double materiality assessment.

  • Cresco Says Can’t Have Class-Action if No One Was Harmed

    Cresco Says Can’t Have Class-Action if No One Was Harmed

    Cresco Labs submitted a new filing last week, urging an Illinois federal court to dismiss a proposed consumer class action alleging the company mislabeled certain cannabis vape oils to circumvent state THC potency limits. In its latest filing, the company argued that the lawsuit suffers from “fundamental flaws,” emphasizing that no consumer has claimed to have been harmed by purchasing the products at issue.

    The suit alleges Cresco improperly classified some cannabis oils as concentrates rather than cannabis-infused products, a distinction that carries different THC caps and labeling requirements under Illinois law. Cresco disputes this characterization, saying its products complied with state regulations and that disputes over classification and labeling fall under the authority of regulators, not private plaintiffs.