The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Oct. 22 ended a requirement that aircraft have an off switch for the No Smoking signs in their aircraft, reports The New York Times. The change comes decades after smoking was banned on commercial flights in the U.S.
That obsolete requirement had become “time-consuming and burdensome” for airlines and airplane manufacturers to comply with, the FAA said in a rule enacting the change. In February, for example, United Airlines was briefly unable to use a handful of new Airbus planes because the “No Smoking” signs on board couldn’t be shut off. The issue was resolved after the FAA granted United an exemption.
Despite the fire hazard and health risks, airlines permitted smoking on their flights for decades. In 1973, the federal government required airlines to seat smokers and nonsmokers in separate sections, which did little to protect passengers. In 1988 the FAA banned smoking on domestic flights of less than two hours. Two years later, it expanded the ban to flights under six hours, which covered most domestic routes.
In-flight smoking was at the center of major tobacco lawsuit in the 1990s, when lawyers sued tobacco companies on behalf of flight attendants suffering from the effects of secondhand smoke. In 1997 the tobacco industry agreed to pay out $300 million to fund the establishment of a research institute. It also agreed to support a federal smoking ban on international flights, which the FAA passed in 2000, extending the ban from a decade earlier to permanently block smoking on any flight landing or departing from a U.S. airport.
Other countries took similar steps and, with few exceptions, smoking is now prohibited on almost every flight worldwide. In the rule that took effect Oct. 22, the FAA said the no smoking signs “continue to be an effective reminder for the traveling public.”
Adaptive smoking cessation approaches can help individuals who struggle with traditional methods, according to a new study led by Gal Cohen, head of scientific affairs at Rose Research Center in North Carolina, USA, and conducted in collaboration with researchers from the Center of Excellence for the acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR) at the University of Catania in Italy.
Nearly 40 years after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first smoking-cessation products, the effectiveness of most methods remains low, with smokers requiring an average of 30 attempts for each successful cessation outcome.
The study highlights the complexities of cigarette addiction and innovations in cessation products. By focusing on individual determinants of efficacy—such as sensory preferences and nicotine tolerability—the article offers fresh insights into smoking cessation and advocates for personalized, adaptive treatment plans. It also highlights how emerging approaches, like cytisine and combustion-free nicotine delivery systems, provide new avenues to reduce smoking-related morbidity.
“Quitting smoking is hard; you are trying to extinguish the complex interplay of nicotine delivery, sensorial experience and use ritual that cigarettes provide to people who smoke” said Cohen in a statement. “However, the emerging array of pharmaceutical cessation therapies and nicotine substitution products offer the opportunity to personalize the off-ramp from smoking.”
According to CoEHAR founder Riccardo Polosa, nicotine replacement therapies provide neither the bolus nicotine delivery nor the sensory stimuli and behavioral rituals associated with smoking. Conversely, electronic nicotine delivery systems represent the most prevalent nicotine substitution products and were used every day or some days by 11-17 million U.S. adults.
In a survey of adult vapers in the U.S., U.K. and Canada, 73 percent of respondents said they used e-cigarettes because they wanted quit smoking.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced they seized approximately 3 million units of unauthorized e-cigarette products, with an estimated retail value of $76 million. The seizures were part of a joint operation to examine incoming shipments and prevent illegal e-cigarettes from entering the United States.
“The FDA is on high alert and, in coordination with our federal partners, remains committed to stopping unauthorized e-cigarettes at our nation’s borders,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf in a statement. “These products too often end up in kids’ hands, and the newly formed federal task force is well positioned to collectively combat this unscrupulous activity.”
In June, the FDA and the Department of Justice announced a joint federal task force to curb the distribution and sale of illegal e-cigarettes.
“CBP’s trade enforcement mission places a significant emphasis on intercepting illicit products that could harm American consumers,” said Troy A. Miller, a senior official performing the duties of the commissioner for CBP. “We will continue to work with our enforcement partners to identify and seize unsafe and unlawful goods.”
In preparation for the operation, the joint team worked for several months to review shipping invoices, identify potentially violative incoming shipments and complete other investigative work that led to this successful operation. Upon examining shipments, all of which originated in China, the team found various brands of illegal e-cigarettes, including Geek Bar and others. In an attempt to evade duties and detection, most of these unauthorized e-cigarettes were intentionally mis-declared as items with no connection to vaping products and with incorrect values. Products that are seized and forfeited to the government will be disposed of in accordance with CBP authorities.
“This isn’t the first joint seizure operation, and it won’t be the last—we will continue to relentlessly pursue those attempting to smuggle illegal e-cigarettes,” said Brian King, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. “The $76 million these bad actors just put in the dumpster should be a sobering reminder that their time and money would be better spent complying with the law.”
The Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina (TGANC) hosted this year’s annual general meeting of the International Tobacco Growers Association (ITGA), Oct.15–18 in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Among other activities, participants visited one of the world’s biggest tobacco processing plants, witnessed a live auction and toured a research farm. ITGA members also re-elected ITGA’s President Jose Javier Aranda for another term.
During the event, leading agronomists shared their insights into global tobacco yields over the past decade. While the U.S., Brazil and several European origins registered increases, the overall picture is one of flat performance or even decline, which goes against trends in other crops like corn, soybeans and cotton.
During the open session conference, delegates had the opportunity to discuss ITGA’s global research in the U.S. context. Moderated by William Snell from the University of Kentucky, a panel comprising local growers revealed that the issues faced by growers worldwide are very similar.
Panelists also discussed the consequences of the U.S. tobacco buyout, which led to the creation of bigger farms and shifted production west but failed to boost yields.
TGANC Executive Vice President Graham Boyd moderated a discussion about the current marketing season, which continues to be characterized by leaf shortages. While some believed that the flue-cured and burley markets will regain equilibrium in 2025 and 2026 respectively, others predicted longer time frames.
Shane MacGuill, Euromonitor International global lead for nicotine and cannabis, presented the latest consumption trends. According to MacGuill, U.S. consumption patterns have been shifting in the context of overall flat nicotine volume evolution. Among the key drivers for the future of consumption, he said, will be a broadening of the nicotine universe and regulatory innovation, including sustainability and cost-of-living concerns.
Ivan Genov, ITGA manager for tobacco industry analysis, examined the key drivers in leading tobacco-sourcing countries. According to him, unfavorable weather patterns in prominent markets such as Brazil, Zimbabwe and the U.S. were a key contributor to decreased total global sales in 2024. The trend was bucked by a few markets, including Malawi, which enjoyed strong sales this year.
The U.S. regulatory perspective was presented by Benjamin Dessart, vice president of external affairs at Universal. Dessart explained the recent U.S. tobacco regulation policy shift and relevant proposed rules, which he said have the potential to impact the entire supply chain.
The global regulatory discussion was moderated by Michiel Reerink, international corporate affairs director and managing director at Alliance One International. Among other topics, Reerink touched on the European Union Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which will require companies to closely examine their own value chains.
The Moroccan government expects to collect more than MAD13.7 billion ($1.32 billion) in tax revenue from tobacco sales, reports Morocco World News, citing data from the 2025 finance bill.
This year’s budget introduces measures to increase tax revenue aimed at supporting economic growth, including domestic taxes on alcohol, beer and tobacco consumption.
The finance bill aims to increase the government’s total tax take by 14.49 percent to MAD657.8 billion, with significant additional contributions expected from smokers and alcohol drinkers.
Ministers met Oct. 18 at the Royal Place in Rabat to discuss key elements of the 2025 finance bill. Among other goals, the legislation aims to strengthen social cohesion, boost “economic sovereignty” and ensure sustainable public finances.
Philip Morris International reported net revenues of $9.91 billion for the third quarter of 2024, up from $9.41 billion in the comparable 2023 quarter.
“We delivered exceptionally strong performance, with record quarterly net revenues and earnings per share,” said PMI CEO Jacek Olczak in a statement.
“This reflects excellent momentum across all regions and categories, with a reacceleration in IQOS adjusted in-market sales growth, strong Zyn volumes, and resilient combustible performance.
“As a result of our strong year-to-date delivery, we are raising our full-year growth outlook for adjusted diluted EPS to a range of 14 percent to 15 percent, excluding currency.”
Quarterly shipments of smoke-free products reached about 40 billion units. The smoke-free business accounted for 38 percent of PMI’s total net revenues and 40 percent of gross profit, up by 1.9 percentage points and 2.2 percentage points, respectively. Net revenues increased by 14.2 percent and gross profit increased by 15.9 percent.
Oral smoke-free shipment volume increased by 24.7 percent in cans (22.2 percent in pouches or pouch equivalents), fueled by Zyn growth in the U.S., where shipments reached 149.1 million cans, an increase of 41.4 percent compared to the prior year. Outside the U.S., nicotine pouch volume in cans grew by about 70 percent, with notable contributions from Pakistan and South Africa.
Combustible net revenues grew by 5.2 percent. Both PMI’s global brands portfolio and Marlboro achieved their highest quarterly market shares since the 2008 spin-off.
The regular quarterly dividend increased by 3.8 percent to $1.35 per share, or an annualized $5.40 per share.
A plan to hike the tax on vapes in the U.K. risks undermining the country’s efforts to reduce smoking rates and would increase smoking-related death and disease, according to tobacco harm reduction advocates.
The U.K. chancellor is reportedly considering the tax increase in the state budget this month. But harm reduction specialists say any rise could drive people who smoke back to far more dangerous cigarettes.
“Vapes are proven to be 95 percent less harmful than combustible cigarettes and are helping millions of people who smoke worldwide transition to a safer option,” says Delon Human, leader of Smoke Free Sweden.
“Both Sweden and New Zealand have dramatically reduced their smoking rates in large part due to the availability and accessibility of alternative nicotine products like vapes. As a result, both countries are now on the verge of being declared smoke-free and are reaping the subsequent public health dividend.
“Any policy that limits access to these alternatives—whether through taxation or other barriers—threatens to reverse such progress.”
Sweden is poised to be the first country to become smoke-free as a result of its progressive policy approach, which includes lowering taxes on reduced-risk products while increasing taxes on more harmful cigarettes.
Compared to the rest of the European Union, Sweden has 44 percent fewer smoking-related deaths, a 41 percent lower cancer rate and 38 percent fewer deaths attributable to any cancer, notes Smoke Free Sweden
“At Smoke Free Sweden, we advocate for sensible regulations that protect adult access to safer alternatives while discouraging underage uptake,” Human said. “This includes restrictions on youth-oriented packaging and clear communication about the risks of nicotine.
“However, excessive taxation of harm reduction products is a step in the wrong direction. Rather than penalizing vapers, governments should focus on creating an environment where adults have easy access to safer alternatives and are supported in their efforts to quit smoking.
“We urge the U.K. government to reconsider this proposed tax increase and to look toward evidence-based policies that have been successful in Sweden and other progressive nations. The world now has the tools to create a healthier, smoke-free future. We must not sacrifice those tools, which are already helping millions of people quit smoking for good.”
Illegal cigarette consumption in Cyprus reached 11 percent of the total market in 2023, reports Philenews, citing a KPMG report commissioned by Philip Morris International.
Despite a slight decrease in the percentage of illegal cigarette consumption since the previous report, the government still missed out on €18 million ($19.49 million) in tax receipts due to illicit tobacco trade in 2023.
Cypriots smoked an estimated 100 million illegal cigarettes during 2023, most of which were believed to originate from the northern part of the island, where the Republic of Cyprus does not exercise control.
Outflows of illicit cigarettes from Cyprus rose by 3 percent compared to 2022, with increased outflows to smaller markets.
This increase was partially offset by reduced outflows to the United Kingdom, although it remains the primary destination for illegal cigarette outflows from Cyprus in 2023.
At the EU level, smokers consumed more than 35 billion illegal cigarettes in 2023, accounting for 8.3 percent of the trading bloc’s consumption.
Illegal cigarette consumption has been increasing for five consecutive years in Europe, reaching 52.2 billion cigarettes in the 38 countries included in the study.
EU governments lost an estimated €11.6 billion in tax revenue in 2023 compared to €11.3 billion in 2022.
The report notes that the increase in counterfeit cigarette consumption across Europe, primarily driven by the U.K. and Ukraine, is now combined with growth in all other categories of illegal trade.
The recovery of legal cross-border quantities following the lifting of Covid-19 travel restrictions in 2022 has pushed overall nondomestic consumption in the 38 European countries studied to its highest recorded level (15.5 percent), equating to more than one in six cigarettes.
Flonq introduces its solution to address the lack of ability to control nicotine consumption.
Contributed
A range of studies suggests that e-cigarettes can be an effective tool for helping conventional tobacco smokers quit. However, once individuals switch from tobacco smoking to e-cigarettes, there is no clear baseline for before and after comparison, since most users are unable to track how frequently they vape. Vape companies and manufacturers should propose solutions as part of their responsibilities. How can this be achieved? Alfabet Labs, the company behind the Flonq brand, offers its perspective on this issue.
One of the most recent studies on the effectiveness of electronic cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool was conducted by the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. The report concluded that there is high-certainty evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective than other methods, such as nicotine-replacement therapy—like patches or gum.
However, the goal after switching to e-cigarettes is to control, decrease or quit nicotine consumption. This presents a challenge, as it’s hard to accurately measure e-cigarette use to control nicotine intake. The main issue is figuring how to measure usage intensity, given the wide range of products and user behaviors.
So what should be the basis for comparing the consumption dynamic after switching to e-cigarettes? Should industry professionals measure the number of times an e-cigarette is used per day, the number of puffs taken, or the volume of e-liquid consumed? A consensus on measurement standards has yet to be established.
Vaping vs. cigarettes
The Eurobarometer study, which revealed key trends in smoking behavior in the EU, clearly illustrates the issue of accurate vape measurement. According to the report, the average daily consumption of tobacco was slightly higher than 14 units.
The data also reveals insights into e-cigarette usage. Among smokers who use e-cigarettes, the range resulted to be the following: 60 percent reported using them less than 10 times per day, 28 percent less than 20 times and approximately 11 percent over 21 times. A similar pattern was observed among ex-smokers who used e-cigarettes.
However, what is particularly important is that nearly half of the respondents reported being unsure about their previous daily usage of e-cigarettes. This uncertainty among former smokers about their past usage highlights the need for more research in this area.
Measuring consumption
The Nicotine & Tobacco Research journal conducted a study asking young adults who vape to provide suggestions for improving the scientific measurement of vaping.
Participants reported that they don’t actively monitor the number of puffs they take during a vaping session or over the course of a day. One participant remarked, “I would never count how many [puffs] I take.”
Additionally, several respondents noted that it is challenging for them to estimate how many times they vape during the day. They also expressed uncertainty about the amount of nicotine they consume per session. One participant said: “I wish that I could measure how much I’m [vaping]. I have no idea how much nicotine I’m taking in … I’m probably taking in more than a pack [of cigarettes] a day.”
Another respondent added, “No one can count how many times or how many hits in an hour. It’s pretty subconscious.”
It’s clear that using vapes to quit smoking or manage nicotine dependence won’t be effective without devices that include features for monitoring consumption. Whether it tracks the number of puffs, daily usage or other patterns, the device should provide a comparison point for the user.
Practical solutions
The Flonq vaping brand recently introduced its solution to address the lack of controlling the nicotine consumption in the industry. The brand presented META by Flonq—an advanced pod system designed for tracking and managing nicotine use. The device features a wide range of features that respond to the market demand for consumption transparency.
The real-time tracking system
The device monitors data such as the number of puffs, usage time and nicotine index level, all displayed on a single touch screen. The device collects data throughout the entire period of vape usage.
META Smart AI assistant
The integrated AI assistant helps to analyze nicotine usage patterns. With built-in behavioral therapy techniques, META is designed to offer personalized guidance.
Nicotine index
A key highlight of the device is the nicotine index developed by Flonq, which measures estimated nicotine saturation and determines the optimal timing for the next puff. It updates in real time, allowing users to follow a suggested plan to reduce nicotine intake or quit smoking.
“Whether you want to vape, reduce your nicotine intake or move toward a smoke-free life, the choice is yours,” says Marlen Nazarov, Flonq’s founder and CEO. “Our company’s focus is to respect your decision to vape while encouraging mindful choices.”
Overall, it seems that META offers consumers a straightforward and user-friendly way to track their nicotine usage—something the market needs to implement right away. This can be achieved through smart technologies such as integration with mobile apps, Bluetooth connectivity and alerts to notify users of excessive consumption. As the industry evolves and expands, these efforts will be essential in helping users manage their nicotine intake, make positive changes to their health and, what’s also important—to improve the industry’s overall image.
The economic damage caused by tobacco far outweighs the revenue generated from taxes on tobacco products in Vietnam, reports VN Express.
According to statistics, the country spends about VND108 trillion ($4.28 billion), or nearly 1.5 percent of its gross domestic product, on tobacco-related healthcare every year. A study conducted by K Hospital revealed that 97 percent of lung cancer patients are tobacco users. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization reported that tobacco-related diseases account for around 104,300 deaths in Vietnam annually, including 19,000 deaths caused by secondhand smoking.
“Tobacco is placing a significant burden on both Vietnam’s economy and public health,” said Nguyen Thi Thu Huong from the Tobacco Control Fund under the Ministry of Health at a conference on Thursday.
She called for increased taxes on tobacco and the creation of more non-smoking spaces as key measures to combat the harmful effects of smoking. Vietnam currently taxes tobacco at 38.8 percent of the sale price, far below the 70 percent rate recommended by the WHO. The low tax rate makes tobacco easily accessible to young people and those with lower incomes, Huong added.
The WHO has been urging the country to implement a flat tobacco tax to reduce the number of smokers.
