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Category: Around the Industry

  • Northerner.com Offers 25% Discount to Service Members, First Responders

    Northerner.com Offers 25% Discount to Service Members, First Responders

    Northerner.com  launched a new service appreciation program in partnership with GOVX, the exclusive marketplace for military members, first responders, and government personnel, so eligible GOVX members can receive a 25% discount on all Northerner.com products as a thank-you for their service.

    “Partnering with GOVX is our way of honoring the everyday heroes who serve our communities with courage and commitment,” said James Lees, vice president of customer retention at Haypp Group, parent company of Northerner.com. “This partnership is one step in our ongoing harm reduction efforts. At Northerner.com, we stand behind those who consistently stand up for others—that’s our commitment.

    “This isn’t a limited-time deal—it’s a standing thank-you.”

    The discount can be accessed via a pop-up verification on Northerner.com and is available to over 9 million GOVX members. The promotion applies sitewide and can be combined with other offers. For more details or to sign up, visit Northerner.com or GOVX.com.

  • KT&G Launches ESSE in Germany, Marking Major European Expansion

    KT&G Launches ESSE in Germany, Marking Major European Expansion

    KT&G has officially launched its flagship ESSE superslim cigarette brand in Germany, signaling the start of a full-scale European expansion for the South Korean company. Partnering with German distributor Hauser, the company introduced ESSE Blue and ESSE Red in key cities including Berlin, Dortmund, and Munich.

    “ESSE has already been recognized as a competitive, stylish product in many countries, and has grown to become the global No. 1 superslim brand,” a KT&G spokesperson said. “We will continue to expand our influence in Germany based on the distinguished features of our product.”

    First launched in 1996, ESSE has grown to reach around 90 global markets, with major success in the Middle East, Russia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. In 2024, the brand sold 430 billion sticks globally, claiming one-third of the global superslim segment.

  • 22nd Century Advances FDA Renewal for VLN

    22nd Century Advances FDA Renewal for VLN

    22nd Century Group, Inc. announced that it is proceeding with the Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP) renewal process for VLN, its flagship line of reduced-nicotine content cigarettes.

    First authorized by the FDA in December 2021, VLN remains the only combustible cigarette with MRTP designation, permitted to market key reduced-harm claims such as “95% less nicotine” and “Helps you smoke less.” The renewal, due in December 2026, comes as the company expands its VLN portfolio through partnerships and patented low-nicotine plant varieties.

    “Our MRTP authorization for VLN cigarettes stands apart as one of the most unique and innovative tools in the tobacco industry, leading the fight in Tobacco Harm Reduction to reduce the health harms of smoking,” said Larry Firestone, Chief Executive Officer of 22nd Century Group. “Our VLN cigarette is the only product that meets the FDA’s guideline for low nicotine based on its proposed low-nicotine mandate issued in January 2025.

    “While the FDA’s mandate has not yet become a final ruling, we expect that the FDA will fully support our MRTP renewal for VLN.”

  • Sweden Rejects EU Plan to Fund Budget with Tobacco Tax

    Sweden Rejects EU Plan to Fund Budget with Tobacco Tax

    Swedish Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson called an EU proposal to use revenue from higher tobacco taxes to help fund the bloc’s next long-term budget “completely unacceptable,” saying the proposal threatens the sale of nicotine pouches and undermines national tax sovereignty. Sweden has positioned itself as a model for tobacco harm reduction, citing a smoking rate of just 5% and a decline in smoking-related cancers.

    The proposal, referenced in a document from Germany’s International Affairs Liaison Office in Brussels and submitted to the German parliament, suggests new EU revenue sources for the 2028–2034 budget could include levies on electronic waste and tobacco. Though not yet officially confirmed by the European Commission, the idea adds to growing pressure from at least 15 EU member states to raise excise duties on tobacco products.

    Euractiv reported the European Commission is considering a 139% tax hike on cigarettes, along with steeper levies on alternative products such as e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and heated tobacco. Sweden now joins Italy, Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria in opposing the move, primarily to defend nicotine pouches.

    In a post on X, Svantesson said the proposal would result in “a very significant tax increase on white snus,” and that the Commission wants the tax revenue “to go to the EU and not to Sweden.” 

  • Zig-Zag Introduces Value-Priced, High-Turnover Line  

    Zig-Zag Introduces Value-Priced, High-Turnover Line  

    Zig-Zag launched itsWoods brand, a new line of premium natural leaf cigars designed to meet rising demand in the rough-cut segment. Many consumers refer to rough-cut cigars as “woods.”

    “Zig-Zag Woods features a slow-burning, all-natural leaf wrap filled with premium rough-cut tobacco, delivering a rich and smooth smoking experience,” the company said. “With bold flavor profiles and recognizable Zig-Zag branding, this line is engineered for fast sell-through and high margins.”

    The cigars will be offered in five flavors and be pre-priced at $1.39 for two sticks. They will be sold in 15-pouch cartons and 24-carton cases, “ready to hit retail shelves with high-margin potential.”

  • Canopy Growth Tags Stewart as Interim CFO

    Canopy Growth Tags Stewart as Interim CFO

    Canopy Growth Corporation appointed Tom Stewart as its Interim Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately, following the departure of Judy Hong, who served in the role since April 2022. A formal search is underway for a permanent CFO.

    Stewart, who has been with Canopy Growth since 2019 as Chief Accounting Officer, brings over two decades of financial leadership experience, including prior roles at Constellation Brands and PricewaterhouseCoopers. He is a Certified Public Accountant in New York.

  • Volunteers Pick Up 1M Cigarette Butts

    Volunteers Pick Up 1M Cigarette Butts

    On July 5, volunteers from 25 countries collected nearly 1 million cigarette butts on as part of the expanding global clean-up campaign known as “No Butts Day.” The initiative, launched in the Netherlands in 2019, aims to raise awareness of cigarette filter pollution and advocate for a global ban on plastic filters.

    In Leiden, Netherlands, local environmental group Grachtwacht hosted its fifth annual clean-up, with 30 volunteers gathering over 35,000 cigarette butts in just two hours. One volunteer reported collecting over 750 butts near a central café, while others found hun-dreds more outside Leiden University Medical Center.

    Organizers blamed the spike in litter this year on the recent heatwave and crowds drawn by the city’s annual Lakenfeesten festival.

  • Sampoerna Shows Progress in Smoke-Free Product Innovation

    Sampoerna Shows Progress in Smoke-Free Product Innovation

    PT HM Sampoerna Tbk highlighted major strides in advancing smoke-free alternatives in Indonesia during Technovation 2025, a one-day event held at the Park Hyatt Jakarta. The showcase underscored the growing trust in science- and technology-based nicotine products such as IQOS, VEEV, and ZYN, aimed at adult smokers seeking better alternatives.
    Sampoerna, along with parent company Philip Morris International, reaffirmed its commitment to responsible innovation rooted in science and to addressing public health challenges through cross-sector collaboration.

    Sampoerna President Director Ivan Cahyadi said the company’s goal is to provide adult smokers who would otherwise continue smoking with access to science-backed, smoke-free options. Since launching in 2019, Sampoerna’s smoke-free journey has included the opening of a dedicated production facility in Karawang and first regional exports in 2023.

  • PMI Moving Toward Smoke-Free Goals in Philippines

    PMI Moving Toward Smoke-Free Goals in Philippines

    PMFTC Inc., the combination of Philip Morris International and Fortune Tobacco Corporation in the Philippines, said nearly 150,000 adult Filipino users have switched to cigarette alternatives like IQOS and ZYN nicotine pouches, accounting for 42% of the company’s revenue thus far in 2025.

    PMI’s goal is to have two-thirds of its net revenue come from smoke-free products or alternatives by 2030.

    “This growth underscores our commitment to accelerating the transition away from cigarettes and toward better alternatives,” PMFTC said. “This shift underscores our commitment to accelerating the decline of cigarette consumption by offering scientifically substantiated, less harmful options compared to continued smoking.”

    Tomoko Iida, director of scientific engagement at PMI said the Philippines is still in the early stages of the company’s smoke-free vision, having only seen a slight increase in the use of smoke-free alternative products and a slight decrease in cigarette consumption. She said that consumers receiving accurate information about nicotine products will be key.

    “I really think that having the smoke-free alternative available so that the smokers can move away from cigarettes and switch to this alternative is serving the population, serving the government, and really meeting the public health goal,” she said. “Facts about nicotine, facts about smoke-free products, facts about the data or any of these things have to be accurately communicated so that the Filipino smokers have the right information and they’re able to make a better choice for themselves.”

  • VOOPOO Unveils Futuristic Argus Matrix Device

    VOOPOO Unveils Futuristic Argus Matrix Device

    ICCPP launched the VOOPOO Argus Matrix, in what the company calls the first pod device with a curved full screen and cyber-inspired design. “Blending futuristic visuals with powerful performance, the Argus Matrix features dynamic lighting, a 1350mAh battery, 30W output, and advanced leak-proof technology for up to 30 days of use,” the company said. Powered by iCOSM CODE 2.0 and compatible with all Argus Pod Family Cartridges, the device offers a customizable, high-end vaping experience that “sets a new standard in design and function.”