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Category: News This Week

  • Turning Point to Host Q3 Call on November 5

    Turning Point to Host Q3 Call on November 5

    Turning Point Brands, Inc. announced it will host a conference call November 5 at 8:30 a.m. EST to review Q3 2025 results. Listeners in the U.S. can call 800 715-9871, while international listeners call +1 646 307-1963. The event ID is 6640134.

    Participants should call at least 10 minutes in advance and follow the audio prompts to register. The call will also be broadcast live as a listen-only webcast from the investor relations section of the company’s website. The replay of the webcast will be available on the site two hours following the call.

  • Taiwan NGOs Accuse Tobacco Firm of Breaking Law Over Labeling

    Taiwan NGOs Accuse Tobacco Firm of Breaking Law Over Labeling

    Today (October 22), more than a dozen non-governmental organizations in Taiwan accused a “major tobacco company” of deliberately violating Taiwan’s Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act by failing to label nicotine content on its newly released heated tobacco products, according to CNA English News. While the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) has not officially banned the media from disclosing the company’s name, news sources are withholding it to avoid inadvertently promoting the brand and violating advertising restrictions under the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act.

    Last week, the HPA ordered eight product types from the same company pulled from shelves on their first day of sale after inspectors found the required nicotine labeling missing. Lin Ching-li, director of the Tobacco Control Division at the John Tung Foundation, questioned why the company “would prefer being fined NT$5 million ($162,600) rather than labeling the nicotine content and complying with the law.”

    Health Minister Shih Chung-liang said the company submitted samples for pre-market review that did include nicotine labels, and authorities are now investigating why the approved samples differed from retail products. Shih said fines would be imposed once responsibility is determined and noted that the products are being tested to confirm whether their nicotine content meets the legal limit of 1 milligram per stick. Research cited at the press conference by Dr. Guo Fei-ran of National Taiwan University Hospital found that heated tobacco products in other countries contained an average of 4.7 milligrams of nicotine per stick, well above Taiwan’s legal threshold.

    Lin suggested the company may have intentionally avoided labeling because the products exceed legal nicotine limits, calling it an “unspeakable secret.” She added that multinational tobacco firms generate around NT$180 billion annually in Taiwan’s tobacco market, making the NT$5 million fine insignificant by comparison. The NGOs urged tougher enforcement to prevent companies from exploiting loopholes and to ensure that public health laws are upheld.

  • UK Vape Ban Fails as Black Market Booms, New Report Reveals

    UK Vape Ban Fails as Black Market Booms, New Report Reveals

    A new report from Haypp shows that the UK’s disposable vape ban, introduced in June 2025, is failing to curb use, with 62.5% of vapers still using the banned devices. Among 25–34-year-olds, that figure jumps to 82%, while 35% of disposable vape users admit they are still buying them, pointing to a widespread black market.

    The data reveals that illegal sales are not limited to underground sellers, with 55% of users buying disposable vapes from local corner shops, 37% from vape stores, and 34% from supermarkets, and 28% online. Experts warn that this shows a thriving illicit trade involving mainstream retailers, making enforcement increasingly difficult.

    Safety concerns are also growing, as 78.5% of users report using vapes purchased before the ban, meaning that products may now be unstable due to aging batteries and poor storage. Haypp’s Markus Lindblad said the findings prove “the ban is not yet working as expected” and welcomed government plans for a retail licensing scheme to help tackle the illegal market.

  • BAT to Raise Prices of Heated Tobacco Sticks in Japan

    BAT to Raise Prices of Heated Tobacco Sticks in Japan

    BAT announced that it will increase the retail selling prices (RSPs) of its Lucky Strike and Kent heated tobacco sticks in Japan by ¥20 ($0.13) beginning January 1, citing higher manufacturing costs rather than tax-related reasons. Designed exclusively for use with the glo Hyper series, the adjustments will apply to 11 Lucky Strike and five Kent variants, setting new prices at ¥450 and ¥500 ($2.97 and $3.30), respectively.

    Prices for BAT’s other heated tobacco lines — Neo and Virto, for exclusive use with the glo Hilo series — will remain unchanged at ¥500 and ¥580 ($3.83). The company says that even after the increase, Lucky Strike will continue to be the lowest-priced tobacco stick among the three major heated tobacco platforms in Japan: IQOS, glo, and Ploom.

    The upcoming change follows a series of price revisions in recent years. Lucky Strike, originally launched at ¥450, was reduced to ¥400 ($2.64) in October 2023 and restored to ¥450 in April 2024. Kent, initially ¥500, dropped to ¥450 in August 2023 before rising to ¥480 ($3.17) in October 2024. Analysts suggest that the latest increase reflects BAT’s renewed confidence in its market position, emphasizing product innovation and the success of the glo Hilo series and Virto sticks, rather than relying on price competition.

  • Detroit Bans Smokeless Tobacco Use in Sports Venues, Vapes Not Included

    Detroit Bans Smokeless Tobacco Use in Sports Venues, Vapes Not Included

    Yesterday (October 21), the Detroit City Council voted 7–2 to ban the use of smokeless tobacco products, including chewing tobacco and nicotine pouches, inside the city’s sports venues. Violations will be treated as a misdemeanor offense with a $100 fine, though offenders will first be given the chance to stop before being penalized.

    Supporters said the move is part of the national “Knock Tobacco Out of the Park” campaign, which has the backing of the Detroit Tigers. Detroit now joins 18 other U.S. cities with full smokeless-tobacco bans in professional sports venues, according to the Michigan Chronicle.

    Council members Coleman A. Young II and Gabriela Santiago-Romero opposed the measure, citing enforcement concerns and arguing that adults should have the freedom to use tobacco products. Santiago-Romero said that tobacco use is already prohibited at venues such as Ford Field and Little Caesars Arena, but those rules are rarely enforced. “I just don’t see the enforcement,” she said. “There are many other things we should be doing.”

  • Dagestan Proposes Retail Vape Ban as Part of Russian Pilot Project

    Dagestan Proposes Retail Vape Ban as Part of Russian Pilot Project

    The Republic of Dagestan may become one of the first regions in Russia to ban the retail sale of vapes, as part of an experimental pilot program. The proposal was made by the republic’s head, Sergey Melikov, in an address to the State Duma, according to the administration’s press service on Telegram.

    “I believe that such a measure will reduce the level of diseases associated with the use of vapes,” Melikov said. He also noted that President Vladimir Putin has supported initiatives allowing regions to impose restrictions on vape sales, paving the way for Dagestan to participate in the program.

  • Cambodia Reinforces Ban on E-Cigarettes and Shisha

    Cambodia Reinforces Ban on E-Cigarettes and Shisha

    Cambodia issued a directive today (October 22) enforcing bans on e-cigarettes and shisha pipes, “aiming to safeguard public health and maintain social order.” Prime Minister Hun Manet said the move comes in response to the widespread use of these products among children and youth, which he described as a threat to both health and social stability.

    The directive prohibits the import, distribution, sale, advertisement, use, possession, production, and storage of electronic smoking devices and shisha in all forms. Hun Manet also instructed the Ministry of Education to ensure these products are banned in and around schools, teacher training institutions, dormitories, community learning centers, gyms, and sports facilities.

    Cambodia first restricted shisha and e-cigarettes in 2014, citing serious health risks. The Ministry of Health warns that e-cigarettes contain high levels of nicotine and can be used with marijuana and other drugs, while shisha contains significant toxins.

  • Indonesian DM Calls for Worker Protection Amid Tobacco Industry Regulation

    Indonesian DM Calls for Worker Protection Amid Tobacco Industry Regulation

    Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Manpower, Afriansyah Noor, said the country needed new regulations in the tobacco industry that prioritized the welfare of workers and farmers. Speaking today (October 22), Noor said the industry must deliver tangible benefits to the nation and its workforce, rather than serving only business interests.

    Highlighting the sector’s labor-intensive nature, Noor pointed out that millions of workers are involved, from farmers to factory employees. He stressed that any policy changes causing layoffs must guarantee workers’ rights, severance pay, and social protection. Noor also proposed allocating a portion of cigarette excise tax funds to create a social protection scheme for tobacco workers affected by industrial shifts.

    Addressing emerging products like e-cigarettes, Noor emphasized that regulations must ensure workers are not sidelined by market changes. He called for inter-ministerial coordination in drafting tobacco industry policies that balance economic, health, agricultural, and labor considerations, ensuring the sector remains sustainable while safeguarding livelihoods.

  • Ireland to Introduce Europe’s Highest Vape Tax

    Ireland to Introduce Europe’s Highest Vape Tax

    Beginning November 1, the Irish government will impose a new €0.50 per milliliter tax on all vaping e-liquids—regardless of nicotine content—making it the highest vape tax in the European Union. The measure comes alongside planned restrictions on flavors, packaging, advertising, and disposable vapes. Officials say the tax aims to curb youth vaping and strengthen prevention efforts following Ireland’s 2023 ban on vape sales to minors. However, public health and harm reduction advocates argue the policy will backfire, driving consumers toward the black market and undermining Ireland’s stalled “Tobacco Free Ireland” goal of reducing smoking to below 5% by 2025.

    Advocates from the New Nicotine Alliance Ireland (NNAI) warn the new tax will make quitting smoking harder for low-income groups, with prices for a typical 10ml e-liquid expected to triple from €3 to €9. They argue vaping has been a key tool in helping smokers quit—38% of quitters in Ireland reportedly used vapes—yet misinformation and punitive taxes have reversed progress. Addiction specialist Dr. Garrett McGovern criticized the policy for equating vaping’s risks with those of smoking, calling it “a dreadful public health policy.” Research shows that vape restrictions and higher costs often lead to increased smoking rates, a trend advocates fear could repeat in Ireland if affordability and access continue to shrink.

  • Swedish Innovator Eyes U.S. Launch with Fast-Acting Nicotine Pouch

    Swedish Innovator Eyes U.S. Launch with Fast-Acting Nicotine Pouch

    As nicotine pouch use soars in the United States, Swedish biotech firm Emplicure AB announced plans to seek U.S. regulatory approval for its patented nicotine delivery system, Seratek. Designed to deliver nicotine more rapidly at lower strengths, the company says the technology could mark a new chapter in smokeless alternatives for adult nicotine users.

    According to a 2025 pharmacokinetic study, Seratek released 80% of its nicotine within five minutes under controlled conditions, outperforming existing pouch brands even at lower strengths. In a consumer taste test in Sweden, 123 adult pouch users preferred Seratek over international leaders for flavor, comfort, and discretion. Emplicure says it will file a Premarket Tobacco Application (PMTA) to authorize sales in the U.S.

    Emplicure CEO Mattias Josander, a former executive at Swedish Match, Red Bull, and L’Oréal, said the company’s goal is to “accelerate the transition to a smokeless world.” He added, “If vaccines were the breakthrough of the 20th century, nicotine pouches could represent the public-health breakthrough of the 21st.”