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Category: News This Week

  • Thailand Finding Rise of Narcotic-Laced Vapes

    Thailand Finding Rise of Narcotic-Laced Vapes

    Thailand’s Department of Medical Sciences (DMS) warned that e-cigarettes are increasingly being laced with etomidate, a short-acting anesthetic that poses serious risks to the brain, respiratory system, and other vital organs. Tests conducted between October 2024 and June 2025 found etomidate in 56 of 83 e-cigarette and equipment samples. The Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified etomidate as a Special Controlled Drug before elevating it to a Schedule 2 Psychotropic Substance on July 27, to enforce stricter importation and usage rules. Despite this, the anesthetic has been detected in e-cigarettes produced in Asia and in smuggled e-liquids entering Thailand.

    Reports indicate that etomidate is being mixed with or substituted for nicotine in modified e-cigarettes known as “Zombie Cigarettes” or “Pot K.” The DMS has developed a testing method to detect the substance, which will aid police in drug suppression efforts. Authorities have also found e-cigarettes laced with narcotics such as cocaine and fentanyl, raising concerns about increased fatality risks among users.

  • Philippines Pushing for Vape Ban

    Philippines Pushing for Vape Ban

    The Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH) called for a nationwide ban on vape products, warning that advertisements portraying vaping as a safer alternative to cigarettes are misleading. In a news release on November 22, the DOH stressed that both vapor and devices contain harmful chemicals linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and lung illnesses. The agency also raised concerns about flavored varieties and colorful packaging that appeal to minors. Citing the 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey, the DOH reported that seven out of 10 Filipino youths aged 13 to 15 use vape products, and noted the country’s first recorded death from two years of vape use in the past year.

    The DOH said the government is strengthening its engagement with the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to address the issue. It added that the Health Promotion Bureau continues to raise awareness in communities, schools, and workplaces about the dangers of vaping and smoking.

  • Environment, Liability Remain Focus as COP11 Concludes

    Environment, Liability Remain Focus as COP11 Concludes

    The Eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control closed in Geneva after six days with a reported 1,600 participants and 160 Parties, delivering a series of major decisions aimed at strengthening global tobacco control. Delegates focused heavily on environmental protections, sustainable funding for tobacco control programs, and forward-looking regulatory strategies addressing emerging nicotine products.

    Among the more significant conclusions was a decision urging Parties to consider stricter regulation of tobacco and nicotine product components—including cigarette filters, electronic devices, and other materials that contribute to environmental pollution. COP11 also reaffirmed domestic resource mobilization as essential for sustainable tobacco control, and advanced efforts under Article 19 of the treaty, encouraging countries to strengthen civil and criminal liability mechanisms targeting the “harms caused by the tobacco industry.” Delegates further considered novel approaches allowed under Article 2.1, signaling readiness among Parties to adopt measures beyond the treaty’s minimum requirements.

    COP11 also adopted a decision calling for a total ban on the use and sale of all tobacco products and emerging nicotine products—including heated tobacco, e-cigarettes, disposable vapes, and nicotine pouches—across all United Nations premises worldwide. Discussions also emphasized the growing importance of Article 5.3, which shields policymaking from tobacco industry interference amid rising concerns about marketing tactics for new nicotine products. The conference concluded with the announcement that COP12 and the next Meeting of Parties to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products will convene in Yerevan, Armenia, in 2027.

  • NYC, Vape Companies Settle Flavor Dispute

    NYC, Vape Companies Settle Flavor Dispute

    New York City reached a settlement with two e-cigarette wholesalers accused of distributing flavored vapes in violation of the city’s ban, according to Law 360. Under the agreement, EnviroMD Group and GT Imports will stop pushing these products within the five boroughs, facing $1,000 fines for any future violations. The move comes as part of a broader crackdown by the NYC Law Department, which has filed lawsuits against multiple distributors for illegally supplying disposable flavored e-cigarettes.

    This settlement is one piece of the city’s aggressive enforcement effort against flavored nicotine products. The administration has pursued both civil penalties and court orders to block sales and distribution, emphasizing its commitment to protecting youth from flavored vape devices.

  • QR Tags to Help UK’s Fake Vape Crackdown

    QR Tags to Help UK’s Fake Vape Crackdown

    The UK government is set to introduce tough new penalties for illegal vape sales, including £10,000 fines and potential prison sentences, as part of a major crackdown to be detailed in Wednesday’s (November 26) budget. All apes will soon require digital tax stamps with QR codes, giving His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and Border Force expanded powers to seize unlicensed products.

    The measures follow rapid growth in vape use and mounting concerns over black-market devices, coming alongside the Tobacco and Vapes Bill’s restrictions on advertising, flavors, and packaging. Officials say the plan will disrupt criminal networks and protect consumers from unregulated goods. Health groups, Trading Standards, and industry representatives welcomed the move, saying stricter enforcement will help reduce youth access while supporting legitimate businesses and smokers using vapes to quit.

  • Good Cop 2.0 Concludes with Focus on Prohibitionist Policies

    Good Cop 2.0 Concludes with Focus on Prohibitionist Policies

    The final day of Good COP 2.0 highlighted the global consequences of strict, prohibitionist tobacco control measures. Speakers drew attention to the rise in illicit trade, gang violence, and punitive enforcement, attributing these outcomes to policies like heavy taxation and rigid pre-market approval systems promoted under WHO guidelines, which often overlook scientific evidence and consumer behavior.

    “There is a portion of people that you’ll never reach by only appealing to the evidence,” said author Jacob Grier. “It’s also important to change the framing and shift the culture.”

    Panel discussions explored the real-world harms of fundamentalist approaches and stressed the importance of including consumer perspectives in policymaking. Experts also outlined frameworks for effective, humane nicotine regulation, including suggestions that U.S. reforms might require a partial repeal of the Tobacco Control Act and a more measured FDA approach.

    The event concluded with an open forum, allowing participants to reflect on the week’s discussions and emphasizing the urgent need for reform within the WHO’s FCTC framework to create balanced, evidence-based global tobacco policy.

    “Of the funds that are contributed to the WHO, a significant percentage goes to the FCTC Secretariat,” said professor Tikki Pangestu. “Only a small amount goes toward running the programs. Meanwhile, a growing percentage of WHO funding comes not from member nations, but from outside groups with dubious agendas.”

  • Tabacalera USA Announces Executive Changes

    Tabacalera USA Announces Executive Changes

    Tabacalera USA recently announced several key leadership moves across its retail and distribution businesses, as first reported by Halfwheel. Brad Winstead, former CEO of JR Cigar, has been named CEO of Casa de Montecristo and Santa Clara, Inc., replacing Sherri Sieminski, who, according to Halfwheel, is no longer with the company. Nicolas Maslowski, previously JR Cigar’s e-commerce COO, now serves as CEO of JR Cigar.

    JR Cigar remains the company’s flagship retail brand, while Casa de Montecristo represents its higher-end physical store network, and Santa Clara, Inc. handles wholesale distribution to other retailers.

    Javier Estades, Tabacalera USA’s president and CEO, said the changes reflect the “success and versatility of these leaders” and reaffirm the company’s focus on delivering premium products, innovative programs, and strong service across its retail and trade operations.

  • NPR Article Explores the THR Debate

    NPR Article Explores the THR Debate

    A new article by Gabrielle Emanuel and Arundathi Nair for NPR—titled Can Vaping Help Wean People Off Cigarettes? Anti-Smoking Advocates are Sharply Split—explores the debate over e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches as the WHO Tobacco Control Treaty meeting in Geneva concludes. The story examines the clash between advocates of harm reduction, who see these products as less harmful alternatives for smokers, and WHO and public health experts, who warn of risks to youth and non-smokers and accuse the industry of promoting nicotine addiction.

    The article highlights perspectives from prominent figures like Dr. Derek Yach, founder of the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, and Professor Mike Cummings, both supporting harm reduction strategies, alongside WHO officials who stress potential harms and the need for strict regulation. It also explores the historical context of tobacco industry tactics and the ongoing tensions between science, policy, and ideology.

    “We ought to get the evidence and weigh it and debate it — and help guide the policies based on evidence, not on ideology,” Cummings concludes.

  • Virginia Defends Ban on Unauthorized Flavored E-Cigarettes in Federal Court

    Virginia Defends Ban on Unauthorized Flavored E-Cigarettes in Federal Court

    Virginia is pushing back against a challenge to its statewide ban on unauthorized flavored e-cigarettes, arguing in federal court that the restriction is both legally sound and critical to protecting youth from nicotine addiction. The law prohibits the sale of any flavored vaping product that has not been specifically authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration—effectively barring nearly all flavored e-cigarettes currently on the market.

    In newly filed briefs, the state contends it has broad authority to regulate retail tobacco and nicotine sales to safeguard public health, pointing to rising youth vaping rates and the popularity of flavored disposable products. Virginia argues that the plaintiffs—primarily vape shop owners and industry groups—are seeking to bypass the FDA’s national regulatory framework, which requires companies to obtain marketing authorization for every product. Because the vast majority of flavored e-cigarettes have been denied or have not received FDA authorization, the state says the ban simply enforces existing federal law at the retail level.

    Plaintiffs claim the measure is unconstitutional, asserting it infringes on interstate commerce, unfairly harms small businesses, and effectively imposes a de facto prohibition. But Virginia maintains the law is narrowly tailored, does not conflict with federal authority, and is necessary to prevent youth from accessing high-nicotine flavored products that remain widely available despite federal restrictions. The case is being closely watched as the outcome could set a significant precedent for state-level enforcement of federal tobacco regulations.

  • FDA Schedules TPSAC Review of ZYN Applications

    FDA Schedules TPSAC Review of ZYN Applications

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a January 22, 2026, virtual meeting of the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC) to review modified risk tobacco product (MRTP) applications submitted by Swedish Match USA for 20 ZYN nicotine pouch products. These products—already authorized for sale through the PMTA pathway in January 2025—include flavors such as Cool Mint, Citrus, Coffee, Peppermint, and Wintergreen, each in 3 mg and 6 mg strengths. The company is seeking permission to market the pouches with the claim: “Using ZYN instead of cigarettes puts you at a lower risk of mouth cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.”

    Under federal law, MRTP applications must demonstrate that a product, as actually used by consumers, reduces individual health risks and benefits overall population health. TPSAC’s review will focus on scientific evidence regarding ZYN’s relative health risks, consumer comprehension of the proposed claim, and the potential public health impact of granting a modified risk order. The meeting will be held virtually, open to the public, captioned, and recorded.

    Public comments may be submitted to Docket No. FDA-2025-N-0835 through January 21, 2026, with comments received by January 7 provided directly to TPSAC. The FDA is also inviting individuals to request oral presentation slots during the meeting’s public comment period. Redacted MRTP application materials are available on the FDA’s website, and the agency will consider all public input and TPSAC recommendations before issuing a final decision.