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Category: News This Week

  • Pseudonicotine Up, Synthetic Nicotine Down in Korea

    Pseudonicotine Up, Synthetic Nicotine Down in Korea

    Imports of pseudonicotine into South Korea’s surged after the government expanded tobacco regulations to cover synthetic nicotine, according to data from the Korea Customs Service. From April through August 2026, 12,126 kg of pseudonicotine valued at $463,422 was imported, with imports reaching 10,222 kg in April compared with 364 kg when customs began separately tracking the product category in October 2025.

    By comparison, synthetic nicotine imports fell sharply after regulation took effect in April. Imports totaled 231,663 kg from April through August, down from 1.28 million kg in the first three months of 2026. National Assembly member Moon Jin-seok said the shift raises concerns about tax avoidance because pseudonicotine is not currently subject to the same taxation as synthetic nicotine, and called for changes to the legal definition of tobacco.

  • Taiwan to Raise Penalties for Bringing in E-cigarettes

    Taiwan to Raise Penalties for Bringing in E-cigarettes

    Taiwan’s Ministry of Finance announced plans to raise penalties for illegally bringing e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and related components into the country. Amendments to customs anti-smuggling rules will remove the existing exemption from fines for tobacco-related products with a customs value of NT$5,000 ($160) or less, while fines for violations involving these products will be higher than those for most other controlled goods.

    Customs data show 1,346 e-cigarette seizures last year involving about 120,000 devices and 33,000 bottles or cartridges of e-liquid. In the first eight months of 2026, authorities recorded 726 cases involving 35,000 devices and 40,000 bottles or cartridges of e-liquid. Seized products will be confiscated, and individuals may be referred to local health bureaus, which can impose fines of at least NT$50,000 ($1,600) under Taiwan’s Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act.

  • PMI Publishes First TNFD Report

    PMI Publishes First TNFD Report

    Today (September 22), Philip Morris International published its first Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) Report, providing an assessment of nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities across its global value chain. The report examines how natural capital and ecosystem services affect areas including agricultural production, manufacturing, and access to raw materials.

    The report is part of PMI’s broader environmental disclosure efforts and follows its 2025 Climate Transition Plan. Nature is one of six strategic priorities under PMI’s Value Plan 2030+, alongside Consumers, Circularity, Climate, Our Workforce, and Workers in Our Value Chain. The report also includes examples of projects addressing water stewardship, biodiversity, soil restoration, and product circularity.

  • Surveys Show Strong Support for Tobacco Controls in Türkiye

    Surveys Show Strong Support for Tobacco Controls in Türkiye

    Surveys by Turkish Green Crescent (Yeşilay) found broad support for proposed tobacco-control measures focused on protecting children and young people from tobacco and nicotine use. The digital survey included 1,461 participants, while 5,481 people participated in a face-to-face survey conducted across Türkiye’s seven regions. In the digital survey, 91.4% supported new regulations aimed at protecting young people from tobacco and nicotine addiction.

    Support for a proposed “Tobacco-Free Generation” policy, which would prohibit tobacco sales to people born in 2015 or later, reached 89.3% in the digital survey and 83.2% in the field survey. Meanwhile, 84.5% supported limiting the visibility of tobacco products at points of sale, 89.6% backed stronger restrictions on tobacco products on digital platforms, and 91.6% favored measures to reduce tobacco use and visibility in public spaces. Respondents also widely viewed newer nicotine products as harmful, with 96.3% describing e-cigarettes as harmful, compared with 92.9% for disposable vapes, and 91.5% for heated tobacco products. Yeşilay President Mehmet Dinç said the organization supports the Health Ministry’s proposed tobacco-control measures, emphasizing regulation rather than a ban and calling for legislation to advance through Parliament.

  • Germany Busts Ring that Imported 7.6M Illegal Vapes

    Germany Busts Ring that Imported 7.6M Illegal Vapes

    German customs investigators announced over the weekend that they are investigating an alleged international network accused of illegally importing nicotine-containing disposable e-cigarettes from China and selling them on Germany’s black market. Authorities said the manufacturer structure allegedly imported more than 7.6 million disposable vapes between January 2024 and March 2025, resulting in an estimated €33.3 million in unpaid excise taxes.

    The investigation covers 23 defendants, including four employees of a Chinese e-cigarette manufacturer and 19 Germany-based individuals allegedly involved in receiving and reselling the products. Authorities executed 13 arrest warrants and seized more than 100 pallets containing about 600,000 illegal vapes, with estimated tax losses of €4 million. Investigators also seized four properties, a vehicle, luxury watches, gold jewelry, gold bars, cash valued at more than €2.25 million, and 37 bank accounts. The investigation is being led by the Essen Customs Investigation Office on behalf of the Düsseldorf Public Prosecutor’s Office. All defendants are presumed innocent unless convicted.

  • Turning Point Appoints Glazek as New CEO

    Turning Point Appoints Glazek as New CEO

    Turning Point Brands announced the appointment of David E. Glazek as CEO, effective Oct. 1. Glazek, who currently serves as Executive Chairman, will succeed Graham Purdy, who is stepping down as CEO for personal reasons and will be assisting with the transition of his responsibilities.

    TPB reaffirmed its full-year 2026 Modern Oral gross sales guidance of $330 million to $350 million and net sales guidance of $260 million to $270 million. The company narrowed its full-year EBITDA guidance to $70 million to $80 million, from $70 million to $90 million, citing the assumption that onshoring manufacturing will provide no margin benefit until 2027, along with prolonged higher freight costs.

  • PMI Increases Dividend 8.8% to Annualized Rate of $6.40 per Share

    PMI Increases Dividend 8.8% to Annualized Rate of $6.40 per Share

    Philip Morris International’s (PMI) Board of Directors increased the company’s regular quarterly dividend by 8.8% to $1.60 per share, or an annualized rate of $6.40 per share, up from $1.47. The dividend is payable Oct. 26, to shareholders of record as of Oct. 2, with an ex-dividend date of Oct. 2.

    PMI said it has increased its annual dividend every year since becoming a publicly traded company in 2008. The latest increase brings the company’s cumulative dividend increase since its IPO to 248%, representing a compound annual growth rate of 7.2%.

  • Zambian-Owned Cigarette Brand Plans November Launch

    Zambian-Owned Cigarette Brand Plans November Launch

    Rastaman, a Zambian-owned cigarette brand, announced it is preparing for a November launch in Lusaka, with a planned retail price of ZMW25 ($1.28) per pack. The company said it secured local contract manufacturing after eight months of rejections, describing the arrangement as the first local contract manufacturing agreement for a Zambian-owned cigarette brand in the country’s history.

    The company says its trademark, ZM/T/2026/002422, has been registered with the Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA). The brand’s packaging features a Lion of Judah, Ethiopian green, yellow, and red colors, and Rastafari cultural elements. Rastaman also reported pre-launch interest from Jamaica, Guyana, Suriname, and South Africa, and said it is developing distribution plans for the brand.

  • Relaunched NicoLeaks.com Expands Product Info, Test Results 

    Relaunched NicoLeaks.com Expands Product Info, Test Results 

    Haypp Group announced that it has relaunched NicoLeaks.com, a publicly available database of independent nicotine pouch testing results, marking the platform’s fifth anniversary. The redesigned site includes dedicated product pages, expanded product information, and tools to filter and compare laboratory results by nicotine content, pH, moisture levels, and market. Each entry identifies the source and date of analysis, while laboratory reports are available to view and download.

    Testing is conducted by Eurofins and covers compositional parameters including nicotine content, pH, moisture, tobacco-specific nitrosamines, and trace metals. Haypp said the testing evaluates product composition only and does not assess health effects. The relaunch coincides with the Tobacco Science Research Conference in Charlotte, N.C., where Haypp scientists are presenting findings from independent testing of more than 400 nicotine pouch products in 2025. The company said it plans to add scientific articles, presentations, and other educational resources to NicoLeaks in the coming months.

  • Half of Cig Packs Collected in Belgium Were Foreign or Counterfeit

    Half of Cig Packs Collected in Belgium Were Foreign or Counterfeit

    More than half of cigarette packs collected in Belgium in the second quarter of 2026 contained cigarettes that were either intended for foreign markets or counterfeit, according to figures from Cimabel. The share reached 50.6%, up from 44.4% at the end of 2025 and 33.1% a year earlier. Foreign-market cigarettes accounted for 46% of the total, while counterfeit cigarettes represented 4.6%. The survey covered 2,800 empty packs, representing 59,320 cigarettes, collected across 18 cities by WSPM Group.

    The share of foreign and counterfeit cigarettes increased in 14 of the 18 cities compared with the end of 2025 and exceeded 50% in eight cities. Leuven recorded the highest share at 61.7%, followed by Genk at 57.3% and Charleroi at 54.8%. Bulgaria was the largest identified country of origin, accounting for 30% of the cigarettes, compared with 15.7% a year earlier, followed by Luxembourg at 5.3% and Turkey at 2.1%. Cimabel estimated the market represents a theoretical €2.6 billion in Belgian tax revenue, while noting that the survey could not determine whether foreign cigarettes entered Belgium legally within travelers’ allowances or through illicit trade.