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Category: News This Week

  • NSW Introduces Harshest-Ever Crackdown on Illicits

    NSW Introduces Harshest-Ever Crackdown on Illicits

    The New South Wales government today (August 6) introduced sweeping new legislation to Parliament aimed at tackling the illegal tobacco and vaping trade, including some of the toughest penalties in Australia. Under the proposed laws, selling tobacco without a license could result in fines of up to A$660,000 ($429,000) for individuals and A$880,000 ($572,000) for corporations.

    Other key measures include:

    • New offenses for commercial possession or sale of illicit tobacco, carrying maximum penalties of over A$1.5 million ($975,000) and seven years’ imprisonment.
    • Closure orders for up to 90 days (short-term) or 12 months (long-term) for premises violating the laws.
    • Offenses for breaching closure orders, including entering or operating from sealed premises.
    • Lease termination powers for landlords and proposed penalties for those knowingly leasing to illegal sellers.
    • New laws against impersonating licensed sellers, resisting product seizure, or attempting to reclaim confiscated goods.

    The crackdown follows the recent rollout of a tobacco licensing scheme, designed to improve regulatory oversight and reduce black market activity.

  • Ireland’s Crackdown on Vape Sales to Minors Sees Few Consequences

    Ireland’s Crackdown on Vape Sales to Minors Sees Few Consequences

    Nearly 15% of retailers across Ireland have been caught violating laws banning the sale of vapes to children, with only a fraction facing legal consequences, according to new figures from the Health Service Executive (HSE). Enacted in December 2023, the law makes it illegal to sell nicotine-inhaling products to those under 18 years old. Since then, the HSE’s National Environmental Health Service has carried out 699 test-purchase inspections and found 102 to be non-compliant.

    Of the 52 cases of non-compliance recorded in 2024, just 19 resulted in court proceedings to date. Only 12 led to convictions and fines, while six were resolved under the Probation Act, and one was dismissed.

    Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly said the low number of prosecutions undermines the law’s credibility: “A law is only as strong as its enforceability. We have to make sure retailers are complying.”

  • PAX Launches New Premium Flower Vaporizer

    PAX Launches New Premium Flower Vaporizer

    Cannabis tech leader PAX unveiled its latest innovation, the Pax Flow, a “high-performance dry herb vaporizer designed for modern consumers seeking a combustion-free smoking experience.”

    “Featuring a hybrid heating system, up to six times more airflow, and a sleek, compact design, Flow delivers smoother, more flavorful vapor and easy maintenance,” the company said. The device also supports USB-C fast charging and offers customizable heat modes for personalized sessions.

    Retailing at $350, Flow is now available globally in Onyx and Greenstone at pax.com and select retailers.

  • Federal Judge Rules FDA Tobacco Penalties Unconstitutional Without Jury Trial

    Federal Judge Rules FDA Tobacco Penalties Unconstitutional Without Jury Trial

    On Friday (August 1), in a landmark ruling, a federal judge sided with vape company Wulferic, LLC in its lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), declaring the agency’s civil penalties process unconstitutional under the Seventh Amendment.

    Wulferic, which operates as Vapor Lab, had been fined by the FDA for selling unauthorized e-liquids. The company challenged the penalty, arguing it was entitled to a jury trial. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor agreed, ruling that the FDA’s administrative process for assessing fines violated the constitutional right to a jury in civil cases. The decision could significantly weaken the FDA’s enforcement powers over tobacco and nicotine products.

    “The Wulferic decision is the first case to find that the FD&C Act’s CMP provision for tobacco products is unconstitutional — but the catch is that it didn’t actually order FDA to stop carrying on as usual with respect to anybody else,” Andrew J. Hull and Peter G. Dickos wrote for the FDA Law Blog. “Wulferic threatens to significantly dismantle FDA’s arsenal of actions to enforce compliance with the FD&C Act’s tobacco provisions, and we expect many more similar challenges to follow if FDA stays on its current course.”

  • Senators Demand Answers from FDA Over Juul Approval

    Senators Demand Answers from FDA Over Juul Approval

    A coalition of Democratic U.S. senators is pressing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for answers after it issued marketing granted orders (MGOs) for Juul e-cigarettes. Led by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, the group—also including Senators Richard Blumenthal, Tammy Baldwin, Ed Markey, Jeff Merkley, Jack Reed, Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren—sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Marty Makary last week expressing deep concern over the agency’s reversal of prior marketing denial orders (MDOs) issued to Juul Labs Inc. in 2022.

    The lawmakers cited potential conflicts of interest, pointing to ties between former Trump administration officials and Juul’s lobbying efforts. They also highlighted Juul’s $1.1 billion settlement with 48 states over allegations of youth-targeted marketing.

    “We are deeply troubled by the appearance of conflicts of interest between the Trump administration and the e-cigarette industry in the United States,” the senators wrote, requesting detailed responses to their questions by August 22.

    The FDA has not yet responded publicly to the letter.

  • Australia’s Illegal Tobacco Trade Surges to 50%

    Australia’s Illegal Tobacco Trade Surges to 50%

    “Australia’s illegal tobacco problem has made the proverbial transition from tragedy to farce,” wrote Alan Kohler for ABC Radio New Zealand, commenting on a new report that suggests Australia’s crackdown on tobacco through high excise taxes and strict regulations has backfired, with illegal cigarettes now making up half of all the nation’s sales.

    A study published earlier this year by FTI Consulting said 39.4% of cigarettes sold in the country were illicit in 2024, up from 14% six years ago. However, the firm updated its numbers in June and put the new figure at 50%.

    “We can now conclude that the strategy of taxing and banning nicotine addiction out of existence is a complete failure,” Kohler wrote. “The result is that organized crime is making about A$10 billion ($6.5 billion) a year in revenue. Who needs narcotics? With them, you risk lengthy jail time; with smokes and vapes, it’s a fine, but only if you’re very unlucky.”

    The federal government has seen tobacco excise revenue collapse from A$16 billion ($10.4 billion) in 2019 to just A$7.4 billion ($4.8 billion) this year. Experts blame excessive taxation, menthol bans, and the lack of coordinated enforcement. Only 1% of shipping containers are inspected, and selling illegal tobacco often isn’t even a criminal offence.

  • Experts Urge South Korea’s Government to Raise Cigarette Prices

    Experts Urge South Korea’s Government to Raise Cigarette Prices

    Anti-smoking experts are calling on South Korea’s new government to double cigarette prices and strengthen tobacco regulations to curb smoking rates and protect public health. In a new report, Professor Cho Hong-joon of Ulsan University and Lee Sung-kyu of the Korea Tobacco Control Research Education Center outlined seven key policy recommendations, including raising cigarette prices to 10,000 won ($7.20), enforcing plain packaging, and banning tobacco advertising in convenience stores.

    South Korea currently sells cigarettes at around 4,500 won ($3.24) per pack—less than half the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development average. The researchers argue the price hike is overdue and would bring Korea in line with international standards, noting that cigarette prices are significantly higher in other countries, like Australia’s 45,000 won ($32.40) and France’s 20,000 won ($14.40).

    The report also highlights the widespread presence of tobacco ads in stores, including near schools, and urges stricter enforcement of existing laws.

  • Scandinavian Raises U.S. Cigar Prices, Discontinues 34 SKUs

    Scandinavian Raises U.S. Cigar Prices, Discontinues 34 SKUs

    Yesterday (August 4), Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) announced a price increase on cigars sold in the U.S., effective immediately, marking its annual adjustment for General Cigar Co. and Forged Cigar Co. brands. According to Halfwheel, unlike other recent hikes driven by tariffs, STG clarified that this increase is unrelated to the Trump administration’s tariff policies. However, the existing 5% tariff surcharge will remain, as the tariffs have not been lifted.

    STG also revealed the discontinuation of 34 SKUs, primarily from the Alec Bradley line, which it acquired in 2023.

  • Queensland Seizes 45M Cigarettes, 350K Vapes in Black Market Crackdown

    Queensland Seizes 45M Cigarettes, 350K Vapes in Black Market Crackdown

    Queensland Health (Australia) seized 45 million illegal cigarettes, 350,000 vapes, and over six tons of loose-leaf tobacco since November 2024, as part of a statewide crackdown on the illicit tobacco trade. Authorities say new laws introduced in May have strengthened penalties and enforcement powers, aiming to dismantle the growing illicit tobacco network.

    The surge in black market activity comes despite recent government efforts to tighten enforcement. A 2024 Brisbane Times investigation found widespread illegal sales across Brisbane, with foreign brands like Manchester, Double Happiness, and ESSE openly sold at half the price of legal products.

  • Pakistan’s National Assembly Panel Calls for Reforms to Support Tobacco Growers

    Pakistan’s National Assembly Panel Calls for Reforms to Support Tobacco Growers

    Pakistan’s National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security met last week to address challenges facing tobacco growers, urging immediate reforms and greater inclusion of farmers in policymaking. Committee Chairman Syed Tariq Hussain emphasized the need to modernize agriculture and expand tobacco cultivation, citing global advances like drone technology.

    Officials revealed that general sales tax is applied to cigarettes but not raw tobacco, and that Rs949 million ($3.3 million) in research funds remain unused due to a key vacancy at the Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB). The committee demanded swift appointments to all vacant PTB posts to unblock stalled development projects.

    Lawmakers also criticized the exclusion of tobacco growers from PTB committees overseeing local tax funds, corporate social responsibility programs, and crop development. The committee directed the ministry to ensure growers are included, calling their involvement essential for meaningful reform.