Philip Morris International Inc. announced it will host a live webcast of a fireside chat session with Jacek Olczak, Chief Executive Officer, at the 2025 Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference on September 2, at approximately 11:15 a.m. ET. An archived copy of the webcast will be available for six months post-event.
The webcast may also be accessed on mobile devices by downloading PMI’s free Investor Relations Mobile App.
The Premium Cigar Association (PCA) and Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management announced a luxury marketing and experiences program focused on premium cigars, being held November 19-21, in Miami.
The three-day executive course will cover event marketing, celebrity collaborations, retail strategies, and regulatory challenges, with speakers from the cigar, spirit, and luxury sectors. PCA CEO Joshua Habursky said the initiative aims to professionalize the premium cigar industry within the broader hospitality field. Graduates will earn a certificate of completion.
Enrollment is open through November 5 at hospitalityexed.fiu.edu.
The Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) parliamentary group is pushing to extend strict tobacco regulations to e-cigarettes, e-hookahs, and tobacco heaters, all of which currently occupy a regulatory gray area. The proposed changes to the Bavarian Health Protection Act would eliminate that, having them treated like cigarettes and cannabis vaporizers, thereby banning them in restaurants, bars, schools, hospitals, sports facilities, and airports.
The proposal reflects growing concern in Bavaria over the popularity of vaping and alternative nicotine products among youth and the need to align all inhaled nicotine products under the same safety and usage restrictions. The Greens have welcomed the initiative, calling for stronger protections for minors and support for comprehensive public health measures.
22nd Century Group, Inc. is doubling down on its push for very low nicotine (VLN) products, highlighting new partnerships, regulatory momentum, and expanded product development in a shareholder letter released yesterday (August 19). CEO Larry Firestone said the company’s VLN cigarettes, the first FDA-authorized combustible products designed to reduce smoking harms, are gaining traction through stocking orders with Smoker Friendly and Pinnacle, with more partners expected.
A looming FDA proposal, set for September 15, could mandate a cap of 0.7 mg/g nicotine yield in cigarettes, a standard built on 22nd Century’s own clinical trials. Firestone said the move “could be the most groundbreaking and effective tobacco regulation in a generation.”
Beyond cigarettes, 22nd Century is developing VLN filtered cigars, 100mm formats, and international variants, supported by ongoing FDA filings. The company is also studying whether its low-nicotine genetics reduce cancer-causing TSNAs.
With a growing IP portfolio in plant genetics, the company said it is aiming to cement its position as the leader in tobacco harm reduction. Firestone framed the mission as both business and public health: “Our technology and products have the capability to dramatically improve public health and the welfare of smokers worldwide – hopefully even save lives.”
Cigarette tax hikes in South Korea only curbed smoking briefly, with sales rebounding to normal levels within four months, a new study found. The Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs reported yesterday (August 18) that demand for cigarettes is “highly inelastic,” with a 10% price rise cutting consumption by just 4.2–4.4%. Researchers said non-price measures like warning labels or e-cigarettes had little measurable impact.
“Sudden hikes result in hoarding and brief behavioral change, but smokers adapt,” the report said. “Incremental increases aligned with inflation are more likely to gradually shift consumption patterns and reinforce anti-smoking behavior.”
The Gibraltar government is pressing forward with draft legislation that would prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009. If passed, the law would take effect on January 1, 2027, the date that age group turns 18. Health Minister Gemma Arias-Vasquez, who launched a consultation period in March, said the government received feedback from around 28 to 30 respondents, including retailers and industry stakeholders. Concerns focused on the economic impact for small and medium businesses.
The proposal would not criminalize smoking itself, but rather the sale or transfer of tobacco products to those covered by the ban. Retailers who break the rules could face fines of up to £10,000, or £20,000 and licence revocation for repeat offences. The bill also includes a ban on single-use vapes, regardless of age, and prohibits the sale of vending-machine tobacco, as well as sweets, snacks, or toys imitating tobacco products.
KT&G Corp. introduced a master craftsman system, appointing three veteran engineers as its first honorees. At a ceremony today (August 19), the company named Cho Young-il (cigarette machinery), Shin Dong-guk (packaging machinery), and Kang Tae-hoon (electronics and systems) as inaugural master craftsmen.
KT&G said the program aims to preserve technical expertise, mentor younger engineers, and boost manufacturing efficiency through process innovation and new technologies.
One year ago, Health Canada restricted the sale of Zonnic, the country’s only regulated nicotine pouch for smoking cessation, to pharmacy counters, banning convenience store sales. Imperial Tobacco Canada says the policy has backfired as cigarette purchases jumped 2.8%, and more than 500 million unregulated nicotine pouches flooded the black market.
Eric Gagnon, Imperial’s VP of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs, called the move “punishing innovation” and warned that rural smokers now face barriers to quitting while pharmacists bear added administrative burdens. He urged the government to ensure frontline access to regulated products like Zonnic to support Canada’s goal of under 5% smoking prevalence by 2035.
Imperial emphasizes that Zonnic—which is produced by Nicoventures Trading, a sister company to Imperial—remains the only nicotine pouch meeting national safety standards, and the company is pushing for collaborative solutions with Health Canada to improve accessibility while curbing illicit sales.
The U.S. Supreme Court gave marijuana companies more time to file their appeal challenging federal cannabis prohibition, extending the deadline from August 25 to October 24. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson approved the 60-day extension request filed by Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, which represents Canna Provisions, Gyasi Sellers, Wiseacre Farm, and Verano Holdings.
Attorneys said the additional time is necessary due to the “significant and complex constitutional issues” involved and to allow state governments, law professors, and advocacy groups to prepare supporting amicus briefs. The Justice Department did not oppose the extension.
The case seeks to overturn the landmark 2005 ruling Gonzales v. Raich, which upheld Congress’s authority to enforce federal prohibition even against state-legal cannabis activity. Plaintiffs argue that modern developments, including state legalization and shifting federal enforcement policies, have undermined the ruling. While lower courts dismissed the challenge, industry advocates see the appeal as a potential vehicle for the Supreme Court to revisit the federal government’s stance on marijuana. Justice Clarence Thomas previously suggested that Raich should be reconsidered, criticizing the government’s “half-in, half-out” approach to cannabis enforcement.
The petition would need support from at least four justices for the Court to hear the case.
The Premium Cigar Association (PCA), joined by the Boutique Cigar Association and the newly formed California Premium Cigar Association, has filed comments opposing emergency regulations from the California Attorney General’s Office that would create an “unflavored tobacco list” following the state’s flavored tobacco ban.
The PCA criticized the emergency designation as unjustified, arguing that premium handmade cigars do not pose youth access or public health risks comparable to other tobacco products. The group also raised concerns over the high costs, vague definitions, and extensive documentation requirements the rules would impose, potentially forcing small businesses and specialty cigar shops out of the market.
“These regulations and fees are a needless and costly burden to our manufacturer and retail partners, that will have no affect on youth access, protection of public health, or enforcement of the existing flavor tobacco ban,” said Glynn Loope, PCA’s Director of State Advocacy, warning the policy sets a “horrible national precedent.”
California retailers echoed those concerns, warning the rules could reduce brand availability, eliminate limited editions, and shrink consumer choice. PCA said it will continue monitoring the regulatory process and work with allies on next steps.
You can view PCA’s filed comment on California’s Proposed Unflavored Tobacco List Emergency Regulations by clicking here.