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Category: News This Week

  • 87% of UK Vapers Purchase Online

    87% of UK Vapers Purchase Online

    Despite the proliferation of brick-and-mortar stores, 87% of UK vapers buy at least some of their products online, according to a survey by Haypp. Convenience was the main reason for 43% of online shoppers, while 38% pointed to better pricing.

    Another notable aspect identified by those who vape is the ability to make more informed purchasing decisions when shopping online, with product information immediately available. At brick-and-mortar stores, they said, product information is often limited to simple display advertising or the random knowledge of the staff members working at the time.

    “We expect there to be a lot of change in the industry over the next 18 months, so staying aware of new product innovations and the changing needs of vape users is incredibly important, not just for retailers but for policymakers too,” Markus Lindblad, director of Haypp, said. “Vape education is key in the UK right now.

    “We recommend retailers focus on providing comprehensive product information, educating consumers, and guiding them towards the alternative product that works for them.” 

    The 35–44 age group is the most likely to buy vapes online (93%), citing access to information as their main reason. The 55+ group has the highest proportion (34%) of users buying all their vapes online, mainly because it’s cheaper (64%).

  • Luxembourg Sees 17% Surge in Cigarette Sales as Buyers Cross Border

    Luxembourg Sees 17% Surge in Cigarette Sales as Buyers Cross Border

    Legal cigarette sales in Luxembourg jumped by 740 million units in 2024, marking a 17% year-on-year increase, according to a new KPMG report on illicit cigarette consumption across Europe. Despite the surge, only 12% of the 5.1 billion cigarettes sold were smoked within the country, as the remaining 88% were consumed across the border, mostly in Germany, Belgium, and France, where significantly higher tobacco prices continue to drive cross-border purchases.

    Luxembourg’s average cigarette pack price of €5.10 undercuts neighboring countries by up to €3, and is less than half of the cost in France.

    While cigarette consumption is booming, illicit trade remains low. Fewer than 9 million cigarettes consumed in Luxembourg were illicit—just 2% of total consumption. By contrast, France’s illicit cigarette rate has climbed to 38%, among the highest in the EU, as high prices fuel a parallel underground market.

  • Louisiana Caps Cigar Taxes at 50 Cents Each

    Louisiana Caps Cigar Taxes at 50 Cents Each

    Louisiana joined Arkansas and North Carolina in implementing a cigar tax cap, putting a 50-cent ceiling on each cigar. Passed by the state legislature and signed into law by Governor Jeff Landry, the measure will take effect January 1, 2026.

    Sponsored by Rep. Marcus Bryant, the law applies to cigars wholesale priced at $2.50 or more, which includes virtually all premium handmade cigars. Those under that threshold will continue to be taxed at 20% of the wholesale price.

    The Premium Cigar Association (PCA) praised the legislation, calling it a victory for small businesses and cigar consumers. PCA, which held its annual trade show in New Orleans in 2025 and returns for 2026, provided testimony and advocacy support alongside local Louisiana tobacconists and distributors.

    “This positive development in Louisiana is yet another indicator of how the state is supporting its small business community and their patrons,” said PCA executive director Joshua Habursky. “The economic impact of the New Orleans-based trade show was shared with the legislature, as was the positive impact of cigar tax caps throughout the nation. We appreciate the support of the legislature and Governor Landry with this positive step.”

  • Philippines Planning Track-and-Trace System for Consumer Use

    Philippines Planning Track-and-Trace System for Consumer Use

    The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in the Philippines is set to roll out a digital track-and-trace system next year that will enable the public to verify the legitimacy of cigarette and vape products using QR codes, BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said.

    The new system, being developed through a public-private partnership, will allow consumers to scan QR codes on product packaging using their mobile phones. The scanned information will link to a secure website providing detailed data on product origin, legitimacy, and tax compliance.

    Currently, the BIR uses its Internal Revenue Stamp Integrated System exclusively, which only government devices can verify. The planned QR tracker expands verification capabilities to the public, helping expose illicit cigarette and vape products and address loopholes such as fake export claims used to evade excise taxes.

    The rollout faced delays due to procurement and budget concerns, requiring approval from the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (formerly NEDA) and the Department of Finance. A feasibility study and revised terms of reference are currently under review.

  • Momentum Urging Texas Governor to Veto Hemp Ban Grows

    Momentum Urging Texas Governor to Veto Hemp Ban Grows

    In late May, the Texas Legislature sent Senate Bill 3 to Gov. Greg Abbott for signature, a bill that aims to eliminate the manufacture, delivery, and possession of any consumable hemp product containing THC or other psychoactive cannabinoids. Since then, a grassroots movement of small business owners, farmers, and citizens has been calling on the Governor to veto it.

    Two weeks ago, the Texas Hemp Business Council (THBC) and advocates delivered 5,000 handwritten letters and more than 118,000 petition signatures to the Governor’s office, and today (June 19), the THBC announced that its petition is up to 147,979 signatures.

    “There have been well over 200,000 Texans who have voiced their opposition to SB 3 via email, letter, petition, social media, and text,” said Mark Bordas, executive director of the THBC. “It didn’t work for alcohol in the 1920s, and it won’t work for hemp in 2025.”

    The THBC said the legislation will eliminate $4.3 billion in annual revenue and 53,000 jobs from the state, and also flood Texas with unregulated, unsafe products. A poll conducted by Baselice & Associates in March found that 68% of Texans support legal, regulated THC hemp products.

  • UAE Approves Tobacco-Free Nicotine Pouches

    UAE Approves Tobacco-Free Nicotine Pouches

    Starting July 29, tobacco-free nicotine pouches will be legally available in the UAE under a new Cabinet resolution aimed at supporting smoking cessation.

    Dr. Sanam Mallick of Burjeel Hospital Abu Dhabi said nicotine pouches may offer similar benefits to traditional nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) like patches and gum, which can potentially boost quit rates by 50–70%, but that more studies are needed to confirm their effectiveness.

  • Pakistan Shifting Toward Open Market Tobacco Pricing

    Pakistan Shifting Toward Open Market Tobacco Pricing

    Pakistan’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) directed the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to prepare a roadmap for moving away from the current practice of setting Minimum Indicative Prices (MIPs) for tobacco and transition toward open market pricing, sources told Business Recorder.

    While MIPs serve as a price floor to protect tobacco farmers—particularly when supply exceeds demand—they are not support prices and do not involve government subsidies.

    The ECC noted that shifting to market-driven pricing aligns with the broader government policy of phasing out price controls in favor of demand-and-supply dynamics. However, concerns were raised that cess (a local tax on tobacco), calculated as a percentage of MIPs, could be reduced if open market prices rise above government-set minimums.

    Despite approving revised MIPs for various tobacco types for the 2025–26 fiscal year, the ECC emphasized the need for further deliberation before dismantling the current system. The Ministry was instructed to develop a comprehensive transition plan and present it to the ECC in due course.

  • South Africa Debating Vape’s Role in Harm Reduction

    South Africa Debating Vape’s Role in Harm Reduction

    South Africa’s Parliament is reviewing the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, which proposes strict regulations on all nicotine products—treating e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and traditional cigarettes the same. Proponents of harm-reducing products warn that treating all nicotine products equally could stifle innovation and keep safer alternatives out of reach.

    The debate comes at a critical juncture for South Africa’s public health and economy. The current bill includes plain packaging, graphic health warnings, a ban on advertising, public vaping restrictions, and limits on vape flavors. Industry leaders like Philip Morris International (PMI) argue this approach ignores scientific evidence showing reduced harm from smoke-free products, urging a differentiated regulatory framework like those in the UK and Japan.

    PMI says equal restrictions discourage smokers from switching to less harmful alternatives. But health groups and some lawmakers remain cautious, citing youth vaping risks and insufficient long-term safety data.

  • ZMR Introduces Two AI-Powered Vapes in Dubai

    ZMR Introduces Two AI-Powered Vapes in Dubai

    ZMR unveiled two AI-powered vaping devices at World Vape Show Dubai today, The Cube and The Motor. Both products integrate built-in AI-driven technology and self-developed app connectivity to personalize vape modes and usage analytics, and to enable the real-time monitoring of the battery level and liquid volume.

    “The Cube features groundbreaking design as the world’s first 3-in-1 system compatible with ‘disposable, refillable and CBD’ pods,” the company said. “The Motor adopts a module system with a 2.4-inch touchscreen, offering large capacity customization through single-pod, dual-pods, multi-pods, and open system configurations – significantly reducing users’ long-term expenses.”

    Each device is assigned a unique ID, enabling traceability of products and users, optimizing partner sales channel management, and providing robust digital analytics.

  • FDA Begins Review of Zyn’s Modified Risk Claim

    FDA Begins Review of Zyn’s Modified Risk Claim

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially begun its scientific review of modified risk applications for 20 Zyn nicotine pouch products, submitted by Swedish Match USA, Inc.

    Already authorized for sale in January 2025, the company is now seeking permission to market Zyn with a health-related claim: “Using Zyn instead of cigarettes puts you at a lower risk of mouth cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.”

    FDA’s review will assess whether this claim is scientifically and legally justified under the Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP) process. The agency will issue a final decision after reviewing scientific evidence, public comments, and recommendations from its Tobacco Product Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC).

    “It is a positive development that FDA is progressing the MRTP applications and we hope for an expeditious review,” a PMI spokesperson said. “Swedish Match has presented the agency with a substantive scientific package that the company believes supports authorizing ZYN as appropriate to promote public health. Providing accurate information on the relative risk of different nicotine products to America’s 45 million legal-age nicotine consumers will help accelerate switching to better alternatives than continued cigarette use—the most harmful form of nicotine consumption.”

    Public comments open June 18 at regulations.gov under docket FDA-2025-N-0835. The comment period will remain open for at least 180 days after publication of the Federal Register notice.

    TPSAC meeting details and redacted application materials will be released on a rolling basis at the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products website.