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Category: Around the Industry

  • NYT Report Draws Attention to RJR Donation and FDA Policy Shift

    NYT Report Draws Attention to RJR Donation and FDA Policy Shift

    Reynolds American is under scrutiny following a The New York Times report linking a $5 million donation to a pro-Donald Trump super PAC with recent shifts in U.S. Food and Drug Administration policy on flavored vaping products. The report said Reynolds executives met with Trump shortly before the FDA issued guidance that could ease market access for certain flavored vape and nicotine pouch products, potentially benefiting major tobacco companies in the growing U.S. e-cigarette market.

    The White House denied any connection between the donations and policy decisions, stating that FDA actions are based on scientific evidence and public health considerations.

  • EU Tobacco Scale Doesn’t Always Add Up

    EU Tobacco Scale Doesn’t Always Add Up

    The latest European Tobacco Control Scale released by public health researchers, ranked Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and France at the top, based on criteria such as taxation policies, broad smoking restrictions, comprehensive advertising bans, and greater investment in cessation and prevention programs. Mid-ranked countries such as Germany and Austria were docked for partial policy coverage across key tobacco control measures, while Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina were at the bottom, criticized for less strict regulations, tobacco industry influence, and not fully investing in World Health Organization best practices.

    However, the ranking does not always correspond directly with smoking prevalence outcomes across Europe. While the U.K. and the Netherlands earned their lofty rankings with smoking rates of 10.6% and 11% respectively, top-ranked Ireland has a smoking rate of 17%, with France checking in at 18.2%, both higher than last-ranked Bosnia and Herzegovina with an estimated smoking rate as low as 15.5% according to the Tobacco Atlas 2025 estimate. Switzerland’s smoking rate is 20%, Austria’s is as high as 21%, while Germany’s is as high as 24%.

  • South Carolina Approves Tax on HNB

    South Carolina Approves Tax on HNB

    South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster approved House Bill 4303, which establishes an excise tax of 2.5 cents per pack of 20 on heated tobacco sticks.  The bill passed the House on May 2nd before receiving the Senate’s approval on May 13th, and is scheduled to take effect on October 1st.

  • Durbin Urges RFK Jr. to Reject Flavored-Vape Progress

    Durbin Urges RFK Jr. to Reject Flavored-Vape Progress

    Illinois Senator Dick Durbin urged U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reject recent efforts by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ease restrictions on flavored vaping and nicotine pouch products, arguing the policy shift benefits major tobacco companies at the expense of youth health. In a May 20 letter, Durbin criticized the FDA’s recent authorization of certain fruit-flavored vape products and proposals to allow some nicotine products onto the market before full scientific review, calling the changes “short-sighted” and influenced by industry lobbying and political donations.

  • Hong Kong Moves to Ban Smoking at Construction Sites

    Hong Kong Moves to Ban Smoking at Construction Sites

    The Hong Kong SAR government introduced three legislative amendments to prohibit smoking at all construction sites following the fatal Wang Fuk Court fire in November 2025 that killed 168 people. The proposed changes would designate construction sites as no-smoking areas under the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance, empower Labor Department safety officers to issue HK$3,000 ($390) fixed penalties to offenders, and require contractors and subcontractors to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent smoking or the use of naked flames on site. Violations by contractors could carry fines of up to HK$400,000 ($52,000).

     The measures, now before the Legislative Council for vetting, aim to reduce fire risks and improve worker and public safety, and would apply to all construction and maintenance sites except private residential quarters.

  • Researchers: Flavored-Vape Debate Needs to Follow Science, Not Politics

    Researchers: Flavored-Vape Debate Needs to Follow Science, Not Politics

    The resignation of FDA Commissioner Marty Makary on May 12 over reported tensions with President Donald Trump regarding the agency’s approval of two fruit-flavored nicotine vapes brought the flavored-vape battle front and center in American politics. The decision marked a shift from the FDA’s previous authorization of only tobacco and menthol flavors and reignited debate over flavored vaping products.

    Three public health researchers warned the debate over fruit-flavored nicotine vapes should be guided by evidence, not politics. Dr. Jamie Hartmann-Boyce from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Dr. Holly Jarman from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and Dr. Claire L. Ma from the University of Michigan, who study scientific evidence, health policy, and regulation, respectively, acknowledged both sides of the debate, where studies show that sweet and fruity flavors can attract youth and non-smokers, but also that vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking and may help adult smokers quit. The authors urged lawmakers and regulators to follow scientific findings when shaping vape policy, as researchers continue to discover the benefits and risks of vape use.

  • PMI Accused of Hypocrisy for Cigarette Ads While Pivoting to Smoke-Free

    PMI Accused of Hypocrisy for Cigarette Ads While Pivoting to Smoke-Free

    The Guardian published an article today (May 18) titled, “Marlboro maker accused of ‘exploiting’ young people with new global ad campaign,” which reported that anti-tobacco campaigners have accused Philip Morris International of hypocrisy over its global “I AM Marlboro” campaign, saying the ads link Marlboro cigarettes with youth identity and lifestyle despite CEO Jacek Olczak previously declaring that “cigarettes belong in museums” as the company pivots toward smoke-free products. Advocates from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and Vital Strategies told the paper the campaign, which is running in 20 countries, echoes PMI’s earlier “Be Marlboro” effort that was banned in Germany over youth appeal concerns, while researchers at the University of Bath said the decline in PMI’s cigarette sales has stalled since it announced its smoke-free ambitions. PMI disputed the criticism, saying 43% of its Q1 2026 net revenue came from smoke-free products and that its marketing is restricted to adults under strict internal codes and legal requirements.

  • Campaigners Accuse WHO of ‘Dangerous Misinformation’ on Nicotine Pouches

    Campaigners Accuse WHO of ‘Dangerous Misinformation’ on Nicotine Pouches

    Consumer and harm-reduction advocates have criticized the World Health Organization over its latest report on nicotine pouches, arguing it fails to clearly distinguish between combustible cigarettes and smoke-free nicotine products and risks discouraging smokers from switching to lower-risk alternatives. The WHO raised concerns about youth-oriented marketing, flavors, and discreet-use messaging while calling for tighter controls, and, for example, criticized the marketing slogan “no smoke, no smell, no hassle.” Campaigners such as Considerate Pouchers UK and We Vape, however, said WHO is disseminating dangerous misinformation, as the slogan is factually accurate and reflects relative risk differences.

    “Nicotine pouches do not produce smoke or smell, and pretending otherwise is scientifically absurd,” said Richard Crosby, director of Considerate Pouchers UK, describing the report as part of a “broad, aggressive anti-nicotine ideology.”

    Academics from University College London and the University of East Anglia were cited as saying that while youth safeguards are necessary, nicotine pouches are likely far less harmful than cigarettes and could have a role in harm reduction. The groups also pointed to Sweden’s low smoking rates and the UK’s new regulatory framework under the Tobacco and Vapes Act as examples of risk-proportionate approaches that restrict youth access while preserving adult alternatives.

  • Former Malaysian Minister Defends Nicotine Delisting After Court Rebuke

    Former Malaysian Minister Defends Nicotine Delisting After Court Rebuke

    Malaysia’s former health minister Zaliha Mustafa defended her 2023 move to delist liquid nicotine from the Poisons Act 1952, calling it a “critical step” to bring a fast-growing vape market out of the black economy and into a regulated, taxable framework. Her remarks follow a High Court ruling by Justice Aliza Sulaiman that described the exemption order as irrational after a judicial review brought by health NGOs.

    Zaliha argued that, at the time, enforcement under the Poisons Act had failed to curb widespread open sales of nicotine vapes, and that the exemption allowed authorities to track supply chains while paving the way for the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852), which now regulates vape devices and nicotine liquids and bans sales to minors. She said the legal challenge reflects healthy checks and balances, but confirmed the Health Ministry will appeal, maintaining that the 2023 decision enabled Malaysia to transition from outdated poison controls to a comprehensive tobacco and vape regulatory system.

  • Smoking, Drinking Rates Among Young Rising in Fiji

    Smoking, Drinking Rates Among Young Rising in Fiji

    Health officials in Fiji are concerned about rising smoking and alcohol use among young people, following new data presented from the Ministry of Health’s STEPS survey at the Fiji College of General Practitioners conference. Dr. Devina Nand, Head of Health and Wellness, reported that 36.3% of Fijians currently smoke, including 50% of men and 20.6% of women, with nearly one in five smoking daily. Manufactured cigarettes account for 80.6% of use, while 9.5% use smokers’ tobacco, particularly prevalent among those aged 18 to 29. Nand said tobacco use was most common among people aged 18 to 49, and that smoking rates were highest in the Eastern Division. The report calls for earlier intervention, expanded cessation support, higher tobacco and alcohol taxes, tighter marketing controls, and broader community health programs to address the trend.