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Category: News This Week

  • Pakistan to Digitally Monitor Tobacco Manufacturing

    Pakistan to Digitally Monitor Tobacco Manufacturing

    Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) directed all tobacco manufacturing units to install IP-based CCTV cameras at designated points in factories and green leaf threshing stations to monitor production and reduce tax evasion, according to Sales Tax General Order No. 7 of 2025. The move requires that finished goods cannot leave factory premises unless the production process is fully recorded and monitored in real time. The measure applies to both local and multinational manufacturers and covers all stages from green leaf processing to cigarette production.

    The FBR collects 18% sales tax and federal excise duty on domestic cigarette sales, ranking the sector among the top revenue generators. Authorities believe current collections fall short of potential, estimating that proper monitoring could increase revenues to approximately Rs600 billion ($2.1 billion).

  • Philippines: Tobacco Farmers Warn of Livelihoods Threatened by WHO 

    Philippines: Tobacco Farmers Warn of Livelihoods Threatened by WHO 

    Filipino tobacco farmers are voicing strong concern ahead of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) COP11, warning that proposed measures under Agenda Item 4.1 could devastate rural livelihoods and the wider tobacco economy. The Philippine Tobacco Growers Association (PTGA), representing 50,000 farmers, said the recommendations — including ending government support for tobacco cultivation, restricting profits, and imposing manufacturing and import quotas — could “destroy farms and entire communities.” The sector supports more than 2.1 million workers, according to the National Tobacco Administration.

    PTGA President Saturnino Distor urged COP delegates to balance public health goals with economic realities, highlighting the role of the Sustainable Tobacco Enhancement Program (STEP) in promoting sustainable cultivation and linking local production to the demand for reduced-risk alternatives such as vapes and e-cigarettes.

    Farmers also cited challenges from illicit trade and declining local demand, with 80% of Philippine tobacco output now exported. Distor called on policymakers to reject prohibitionist measures and instead pursue “practical, harm-reduction-based solutions,” noting the successes seen in the UK, Japan, and Sweden through regulated smoke-free products.

  • BAT Zambia Defends ‘Utter Hypocrisy’ Criticism

    BAT Zambia Defends ‘Utter Hypocrisy’ Criticism

    British American Tobacco (BAT) was criticized for lobbying against elements of Zambia’s proposed Tobacco Control Bill, which includes restrictions similar to those already in place in the UK, home to BAT’s global headquarters. According to The Guardian, a letter from BAT Zambia to government ministers requested delays or amendments to proposed bans on advertising and sponsorship, reductions in the size of graphic health warnings, and the removal of restrictions on flavored tobacco products. The company also suggested lighter penalties for industry violations.

    Health advocates, including campaigner Master Chimbala, called the company’s stance “utter hypocrisy,” noting that similar measures have long been enforced in the UK. The draft bill would expand Zambia’s regulations to include e-cigarettes and require graphic warnings covering 75% of packaging.

    In response, BAT Zambia said it supports “progressive regulation” and participates in the legislative process in line with local law, emphasizing the need to balance public health goals with concerns about illicit trade and market realities.

    “The company participates in the country’s legislative process in line with the relevant frameworks which provide for stakeholder participation in policymaking,” a BAT Zambia spokesperson said. “We advocate for progressive regulation to achieve intended public health goals, while acknowledging the spectrum of rights and obligations on industry, consumers, and related stakeholders.”

  • Dutch Hospitals Tracking ER Nicotine Cases Today

    Dutch Hospitals Tracking ER Nicotine Cases Today

    Today (November 13), hospitals across the Netherlands are recording the number of patients arriving at emergency rooms with medical problems linked to smoking, vaping, and/or snus, in a nationwide effort to measure nicotine’s impact on emergency care, NOS reports. The initiative, led by Dr. Nicole Kraaijvanger of Leiden University Medical Center, aims to provide concrete data on how nicotine use contributes to acute medical conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and chronic bronchitis.

    The results of the study, supported by medical associations and prevention groups, are expected to guide future smoking and vaping policies in the Netherlands.

  • OTP Driving Q3 Growth for U.S. Convenience Retailers

    OTP Driving Q3 Growth for U.S. Convenience Retailers

    Other tobacco products (OTP) continued to deliver strong performance for major U.S. convenience-store operators in the third quarter of 2025, according to earnings reports from Arko Corp., Murphy USA, and CrossAmerica Partners.

    According to CSP, Arko Corp. CEO Arie Kotler reported OTP sales up 16% year over year, with same-store sales rising 6.6% and category margins improving by more than 300 basis points, driven by store redesigns and enhanced promotions. CrossAmerica Partners also cited OTP as a key contributor to its higher merchandise gross margin, which grew by about 100 basis points. Meanwhile, Murphy USA highlighted strong gains in traditional smokeless and nicotine pouch sales. CEO Andrew Clyde said total merchandise margins rose 11.3%, while COO Mindy West noted nicotine pouch volumes surged 45%, jumping to 120% of prior-year levels in October through aggressive promotions.

  • Yocan Launches Kodo Star with Full Display Technology

    Yocan Launches Kodo Star with Full Display Technology

    Today (November 13), Yocan unveiled the Kodo Star, a compact 400mAh battery device featuring the company’s new Galaxy Full Display system, which the company says is the first of its kind in a pocket-sized vape. The device offers real-time voltage, session, and battery monitoring, with adjustable voltage from 1.8V to 4.2V, a 10-second smart preheat mode, and auto shutoff safety features. Measuring 57×23×18.5mm, the Kodo Star supports Type-C fast charging (0.8 hours) and 510 cartridges.

    Available in five colors—black, white, pink, purple, and blue—the Kodo Star “targets style-conscious, on-the-go users seeking performance, portability, and precision control.”

  • Zimbabwe Boasts 22% Increase in Tobacco Plantings

    Zimbabwe Boasts 22% Increase in Tobacco Plantings

    Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) announced that 27,215 hectares of tobacco have been planted for the 2025-26 season, a 22% increase from last season’s 22,392 hectares that realized $1.2 billion in sales. The increase is especially good news after TIMB announced that only 66% of farmers had registered before the deadline two weeks ago.

    Mashonaland East led the growth with a 41% increase, followed by Manicaland (17%) and Mashonaland West (15.4%). Midlands and Masvingo also recorded significant gains, though on smaller scales. TIMB also announced that a record 23,517 hectares of the crop would be irrigated this year, another accomplishment considering last year small-scale farmers produced over 85% of the crop.

    Zimbabwe remains Africa’s largest tobacco producer and the sixth largest globally, supporting over 160,000 households and contributing more than half of the country’s agricultural exports.

  • UK Crackdown Seizes Millions in Illegal Cigarettes, Tobacco, and Vapes

    UK Crackdown Seizes Millions in Illegal Cigarettes, Tobacco, and Vapes

    More than 4.5 million illegal cigarettes, 600kg of illicit tobacco, and 111,000 illegal vapes have been seized in a nationwide crackdown on criminal activity across UK high streets, officials said. The month-long Operation Machinize 2, led by the National Crime Agency (NCA) with police forces, HMRC, and Trading Standards, targeted businesses being used as fronts for money laundering and illicit sales. Authorities raided 2,734 premises, made 924 arrests, and seized £10.7 million in suspected criminal proceeds.

    Officials said the operation disrupted organized crime networks exploiting small shops for tax evasion and the sale of counterfeit goods. The NCA estimated the haul represents £3.4 million in unpaid duty, while counterfeit and harmful products worth £2.7 million were destroyed.

    Security Minister Dan Jarvis said the coordinated effort was part of a broader drive to “dismantle criminal networks and protect honest business owners,” while NCA officials hailed the operation as a “new standard” in joint enforcement.

    The first phase of Operation Machinize in April yielded far smaller seizures, highlighting the growing scale of illicit trade on UK high streets.

  • Vietnam Moves to Ban E-Cigarettes and Heated Tobacco

    Vietnam Moves to Ban E-Cigarettes and Heated Tobacco

    Vietnam’s Ministry of Health proposed adding e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products to the list of prohibited business activities in the draft amended Law on Investment, aligning with National Assembly Resolution No. 173/2024/QH15, which bans production, trade, import, storage, transport, and use of these products from 2025.

    National Assembly Deputy Lê Hoàng Anh said that leaving e-cigarettes unregulated would expose youth to highly addictive nicotine products and provide a cover for criminals to smuggle narcotics. He emphasized the health risks, citing evidence that the devices contain carcinogens and toxic chemicals, and noted that teenagers using e-cigarettes are more likely to transition to conventional smoking.

    Anh urged lawmakers to include the prohibition in Article 6 of the Investment Law, framing it as a matter of public health and national responsibility.

  • Malaysian Teens Recruited by Syndicate to Sell Vapes

    Malaysian Teens Recruited by Syndicate to Sell Vapes

    Authorities and parents in Malaysia are being warned about unscrupulous syndicates recruiting teenagers to sell vapes at schools for lucrative commissions, reported China Press. Students are allegedly being hired as “runners,” and then encouraged to get their peers addicted so they can sell them devices. One independent Chinese school reportedly took action against a student caught selling vapes on campus, and staff “members were shocked when a syndicate member boldly called the school board pleading for leniency on behalf of the student.” Educational sources urged parents to monitor their children closely.