TobaccoReporter logo

Category: Around the Industry

  • Manolios Added to Universal’s Board

    Manolios Added to Universal’s Board

    Last week, Universal Corporation announced the appointment of Fay Manolios to its board of directors effective June 1. In addition, Michael T. Lawton, who has served as an independent director since 2016, has decided to retire and will not stand for re-election to the board at Universal’s 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held August 5.

    Manolios brings over 25 years of experience in strategy development and human resources to Universal. She held increasing roles of responsibility at Capital One Financial Corporation from 2012 to 2022, most recently as managing vice president.

    “We are pleased to welcome Fay to our board,” said Preston D. Wigner, chairman, president, and CEO of Universal. “Fay is an accomplished executive with deep insight into human resources and a track record for helping to develop and reward high-performing organizations. Her expertise aligns with our commitment to setting high standards that benefit all Universal stakeholders, and we look forward to leveraging her insights as we continue to execute on our strategic initiatives across our tobacco and ingredients businesses.”

  • Study: Risks and Reasons for Intravaginal Tobacco Use 

    Study: Risks and Reasons for Intravaginal Tobacco Use 

    In  2023, a paper published in BMJ Tobacco Control examined intravaginal tobacco use among women in The Gambia, a growing trend in Sub-Saharan African countries that received little scientific attention. A subsequent study of the topic was launched in 2024, to be completed by the end of 2025.  

    In collaboration with research partners in the United States and The Gambia, the study looks at what motivates women who use tobacco intravaginally. It also documents tobacco use behaviors and assesses the chemical composition (including nicotine content) and level of toxicity of the products. The study examines both the sociocultural motivations behind the practice and the chemical composition of the tobacco used.

    Preliminary findings reveal that women use intravaginal tobacco for various reasons, including treating vaginal yeast infection, enhancing sexual pleasure, improving pregnancy and labor outcomes, and treating various health conditions including hypertension, asthma, and infertility. Findings also show that the product is often marketed by local vendors as traditional medicine, but may contain dangerous additives, including baobab ash, caustic soda, cannabis, and shea butter, raising concerns about its potential toxicological effects.

    The study is funded by the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use through the CDC Foundation, with a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies.

  • Former China Tobacco Head Sentenced to 16 Years 

    Former China Tobacco Head Sentenced to 16 Years 

    Ling Chengxing, former head of China’s State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for accepting bribes and abusing power. The sentence was handed down May 21, by the intermediate people’s court of Changchun in northeast China’s Jilin Province. He was also fined 4 million yuan ($560,000), while all his illegal gains must be recovered and turned over to the state treasury, the court sentence read.

    Ling was found to have accepted bribes worth 43.11 million yuan ($6 million) between 2006 and 2023, taking advantage of his various posts in matters of project contracting and business operations. Moreover, since 2015, during his tenure as Party chief and director of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration and general manager of China National Tobacco Corporation, Ling was said to have “engaged in favoritism, corruption, and abuse of power in the process of facilitating and reviewing matters related to investment and equity acquisition, resulting in a loss of state-owned assets amounting to over 208 million yuan ($29 million), per the court verdict.”

  • CVA Says Vape Numbers are Being Misrepresented

    CVA Says Vape Numbers are Being Misrepresented

    The 2025 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth revealed a near 50% decline in youth vaping, with past 30-day use among Canadians aged 12–17 dropping to 7.2%, from 2019’s record-high of 13.2%.  

    “Despite this clear progress, certain anti-vaping organizations continue to misrepresent data, inflating perceptions of youth vaping prevalence to justify restrictive policies that overlook the needs of adult consumers,” the Canadian Vaping Association (CVA) said.

    In December 2024, Health Canada published the first Canadian Substance Use Survey (CSUS) 2023, which included a redesigned sampling methodology aimed at improving the representation of respondents aged 15–24. Most importantly, the survey’s Technical Notes explicitly caution against comparing the CSUS 2023 results to prior studies, including the Canadian Tobacco and Drug Survey (2013–2017) and the Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey (2019–2022), due to the fundamental methodological changes.  

    Despite this clear disclaimer, several prominent anti-vaping organizations erroneously compared the data regardless of the warnings, claiming “a third of teenagers vape” as a justification to fast-track flavor restrictions, according to the CVA. “By blurring the line between adult and youth use and disregarding Health Canada’s guidance, these groups distort public understanding, stifle meaningful health dialogues, and risk driving reactionary, unsound policy decisions,” the organization said.   

    “Misleading claims about youth vaping rates distract from the real public health opportunity: supporting adult smokers seeking less harmful alternatives,” said Sam Tam, president of the CVA. “With youth use at historic lows, policymakers should now focus on harm reduction for the 4.6 million Canadian adults who smoke, the group that benefits the most from regulated, less harmful alternatives.” 

    The CVA emphasized that vaping remains an important tool for those looking to get off cigarettes, restricting access or imposing excessive regulations on adult-focused products risks driving former smokers back to deadly tobacco use or unregulated products purchased from illicit markets. 

    “The data is clear: youth vaping has been declining since its peak in 2019,” Tam said. “However, it remains a critical issue, and CVA remains committed to prevention and education efforts to sustain this downward trend. Now is the time to build on this progress by ensuring that Canadians have access to accurate information and safer alternatives. We call on health leaders and policymakers to align strategies with the evidence: protect youth through continued education and stronger enforcement, while empowering adults to make informed choices and reducing the stigma around being a smoker.” 

  • Pakistani Tobacco Exporters Urge for Competitive Tax Model 

    Pakistani Tobacco Exporters Urge for Competitive Tax Model 

    At a meeting with Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Pakistani tobacco exporters warned that the current tax structure “poses a challenge,” especially for smaller players, and urged the government to adopt a more competitive taxation model. Exporters said the current tax structure—which includes federal excise duties, provincial excise duties, federal tobacco taxes, and a provincial development tax—totals Rs480.15 ($1.68) per kg.

    “They said this cost poses a challenge, particularly for smaller exporters and suggested that a more competitive taxation model would help enhance Pakistan’s position in the global tobacco market,” exporters said in a statement. The exporters emphasized that tobacco, like other agricultural commodities such as sugarcane, cotton, and citrus, should be supported through market-based policies. They noted that annual price adjustments are mandatory under current regulations, which can affect competitiveness in export destinations.

    The tobacco exporters also called for the revival of the Pakistan Tobacco Board to support coordinated efforts in export promotion and policy facilitation. In response, Kamal proposed the establishment of a Sectoral Council for Tobacco, similar to other existing sectoral councils, to provide a structured platform for industry dialogue and representation. 

    Pakistan’s tobacco exports reached $158.35 million in the current fiscal year (July–April), with promising growth in markets such as Belgium, UAE, Greece, and the Philippines.

  • GWI Study: Majority of Vapers Support Disposable Vape Ban

    GWI Study: Majority of Vapers Support Disposable Vape Ban

    PRESS RELEASE:

    New data from global insights platform GWI reveals that six in 10 (61%) UK vapers support the proposed ban on disposable vapes. This news comes ahead of the UK government’s decision on whether to ban single use vapes on the 1st of June.

    The new data, which looks into vaping habits, shows that health concerns may be a factor in supporting a ban on disposable vapes, with nearly a third (29%) of UK adult vapers claiming they ‘often’ think about the health risks associated with vapes, and 14% saying they ‘always’ think about them.

    In addition, nearly a third (29%) of UK adult vapers say that the health warnings on tobacco/nicotine alternatives, like vapes, impact their decision to purchase ‘quite a bit’, while 12% say it impacts their decision ‘very much’.

    Despite the obvious concern for their health and their support of a disposable vape ban, nearly half (46%) of UK adult vapers say that they vape daily and four in 10 (40%) say that they use single-use vapes.

    Interestingly, four in 10 (40%) UK adult smokers say that they are trying to ‘cut down’ on smoking traditional cigarettes with a further two in 10 (21%) stating that they are using vapes in order to help them stop smoking traditional cigarettes.

    In fact, vaping or e-cigarettes is the second most popular way UK smokers who plan to cut down on smoking aim to do it with a third (31%)  turning to vaping, second only to willpower (40%).

    Speaking on the data, Chartered Health Psychologist, Dr Ravi Gill, says: “The fact that a significant portion of adult vapers frequently think about the health risks suggests a growing cognitive dissonance regarding vaping— knowing the harm yet continuing the habit. From a psychological standpoint, this tension can lead to anxiety and guilt, but it also opens the door for meaningful change, as evidenced by vapers support of the ban on disposable vapes.

    “Disposable vapes encourage impulsive and automatic use by removing barriers such as refilling or recharging. As such, they’re easy, accessible, and also heavily marketed in ways that appeal to younger users. A ban represents a critical intervention—it disrupts habitual behaviour, reduces youth appeal, and alleviates the mental strain many users associate with ongoing health concerns.

    “Ultimately, removing easy access to products that users associate with health anxiety can be a protective public health strategy, not just physically but psychologically.”

    Chris Beer, data journalist at GWI also adds: “Cognitive dissonance crops up in research more often than most people would expect and the strong support for a vaping ban—even among people who vape daily— is a perfect illustration of the disconnect between what people want or believe they should do, and what they actually do.

    “We see this across categories: consumers passionately want brands to be eco-friendly, yet happily shop fast fashion from brands like Shein; people say they’re cutting down on social media, even as their usage metrics rise; and many express concern about how companies use personal data, while continuing to use data-heavy platforms.

    “These contradictions don’t make the data less valuable—in fact, they tell us a deeper story. They reveal emotional complexity, societal pressure, and the tension between values and habits. That’s where the real insight lies.”

  • Trucking Company Sued for Overcharging Smokers

    Trucking Company Sued for Overcharging Smokers

    An ex-employee of Marten Transport Ltd. is suing the trucking company in Wisconsin federal court, alleging that a tobacco surcharge in its health plan violates federal antidiscrimination law by charging workers who smoke an extra $780 per year for their health-care coverage than those who don’t, without offering a legally compliant way to avoid the penalty.

    In the complaint, plaintiff Mark Maurer said going forward, workers can avoid these penalties by participating in quit-smoking programs, but there’s no way for them to be reimbursed for fees they’ve already paid. This runs afoul of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, which allows health plans to charge higher rates to tobacco-using employees only if they provide a “reasonable alternative standard” that allows workers to have the full penalty waived without quitting smoking, the complaint said.

    According to Hylant Law, numerous class-action lawsuits have recently been filed against employers alleging that health plan premium surcharges related to tobacco use violate federal compliance requirements. These lawsuits have been filed by current and former employees of major U.S. companies, such as PepsiCo, Walmart, Target and Whole Foods, who have paid more in premiums due to their tobacco use, often hundreds of dollars more per employee per year.

    A handful of employers have agreed to class-wide settlements over similar cases, including Bass Pro Group LLC for $5 million, Lippert Components Inc. for $310,000, and UGN Inc. for $299,000.

  • U.S. Customs Seize 749 Cartons of Cigarettes from Cruisers

    U.S. Customs Seize 749 Cartons of Cigarettes from Cruisers

    CSP Daily reported that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport seized nearly $60,000 worth of counterfeit cigarettes from passengers arriving on a cruise ship from Ensenada, Mexico, according to a CBP statement last week.

    On April 17, two female passengers traveling together disembarked an ocean liner arriving to Long Beach Cruise Ship Terminal and presented themselves for inspection, where CBP discovered 10 pieces of luggage full of cigarettes, including 749 cartons of illicit cigarettes.

    “Large quantities of cigarettes are considered ‘commercial,’ not personal use; therefore, an importer permit from the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is required,” CBP said in a statement. “In addition, tobacco product labels must meet FDA standards, such as including nicotine warnings and accurate product descriptions.”

    Although the travelers presented purchase receipts, they were unable to provide the appropriate permits to import such a quantity of tobacco products. All 749 cartons will be destroyed under CBP supervision.

  • Riot Labs Launches Four New 0MG Flavors

    Riot Labs Launches Four New 0MG Flavors

    In advance of the UK’s June disposable vape ban and other global regulatory pressures, Riot Labs launched four new 0mg flavors for its popular Connex device. Ben Johnson, the founder and CEO of Riot Labs, said the launch of 0mg for the revolutionary device will give adults an easy-to-use alternative to disposables to quit smoking.

     “Amid increased government regulation on the sector and the impending disposables ban, we must not forget the hundreds of thousands of adult smokers who are currently using disposables, proven to be the most effective quitting tool, as part of their quitting journey, Johnson said. “Those who are now faced with having to learn an entirely new system, or an alternative method to help them quit smoking altogether. 

     “In a pivotal year, Connex 0mg will play a crucial role in smokers turning to vaping to help them kick the habit. The device has been designed to be as easy as possible to use, as easy as any disposable vape, featuring a clever closed-pod magnetic system and the ability to be recharged 500 times. Whilst the 4-strong range of 0mg flavors aims to provide a seamless transition off nicotine.”

    Connex 0mg launches with the campaign tagline “Cold Turkey Never Tasted So Good” and will be available in vape retailers and online starting today (May 14) at an RRP of £2.99 per flavor capsule, available in blueberry sour raspberry, pineapple ice, strawberry blueberry ice, and cherry cola. 

  • Foundation Cigar Latest to Up Prices from Tariff

    Foundation Cigar Latest to Up Prices from Tariff

    Foundation Cigar Co. announced it will increase the prices of most of its cigars beginning June 1 due to the Trump Administration’s April tariff announcement. Nicholas Melillo, Foundation’s owner, told Halfwheel that the increases would not apply to the company’s limited edition releases like the Highclere Castle Senetjer, The Tabernacle Knight Commander, or the upcoming Foundation 10 Year Aniversario. Foundation is the fifth major cigar company to make such an announcement, but did not detail the amounts of the increase.

    “At Foundation Cigar Company, we have always prioritized price stability while remaining dedicated to delivering premium cigars rooted in tradition, quality, and craftsmanship,” the company said in a letter to retailers. “Over the past several months, we have worked diligently to absorb a portion of these rising costs to shield our partners from disruption. However, the magnitude of the current tariff structure necessitates a modest adjustment in pricing across select product lines to ensure we can continue upholding the standards you expect from us.”