Philip Morris International announced that Group CEO Jacek Olczak and CFO Emmanuel Babeau will deliver a presentation at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) Conference on February 18, at 10 a.m. ET. The event will be broadcast via live audio webcast, with presentation slides available online, and a replay accessible for six months. The webcast can also be accessed through PMI’s Investor Relations mobile app.
Category: News This Week
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FDA PMTA Roundtable Being Held
Today (February 10), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is hosting its much-anticipated “Roundtable on Premarket Tobacco Application Submissions for Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Products.” Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) director Dr. Matthew Farrelly offered his opening remarks, which led into the “product characterization” panel moderated by deputy director Dr. Todd Cecil.
Dr. Matthew Walters, Dr. Karen Coyne, Dr. Lynn Hull, and Dr. Carolina Ramôa rounded out the early sessions for FDA. Industry representatives said that unclear product characterization standards are limiting the long-term viability for smaller ENDS manufacturers, argued that the absence of objective, measurable benchmarks create uncertainty around PMTA compliance, and raised questions about defining testing ranges for open-system products and the ability to update long-pending PMTAs. FDA said it wants to create a dialogue with manufacturers, but statutory requirements constrain its regulatory flexibility.
The afternoon panels were led by Cecil, Dr. Benjamin Apelberg, Dr. Mollie Miller, Dr. Amy Gross, Dr. Mary Irwin, and Dr. Hans Rosenfeldt, and were still being held at the writing of this article. Tobacco Reporter will update the proceedings as the information becomes available.
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Qnovia Reports Positive Results in Phase 1 NRT Trial
Qnovia reported positive Phase 1 clinical results for RespiRx, a handheld inhalable nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) using a vibrating mesh nebulizer to deliver nicotine via a cool mist without combustion or heating. In a 2025 randomized crossover study involving 25 adult smokers, the device demonstrated cigarette-like nicotine absorption, reaching peak blood nicotine levels in about seven minutes while producing lower overall nicotine exposure than cigarettes and showing meaningful reductions in smoking cravings. No serious adverse events were reported, with only moderate cough noted. The technology aims to address limitations of traditional NRTs, which often deliver nicotine more slowly, and is being positioned as a potential new pharmaceutical smoking-cessation option pending further clinical testing and regulatory review.
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$13M Illicit Vape Factory Uncovered in Russia
Russian authorities shut down an illegal vape liquid production workshop in the Moscow region. During 20 searches of residences, warehouses, and offices, police seized four production lines, 600,000 reusable vape devices, raw materials, and over 2 million rubles plus around $400,000, with a total product value estimated at about 1 billion rubles ($13 million). The operation reportedly ran nonstop, producing up to 75,000 units per shift, which were then distributed regionally or stored in warehouses.
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South Korea Uses Post Office to Recycle Vapes
South Korea’s Postal Service launched a nationwide e-cigarette recycling program in partnership with Philip Morris Korea, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, and the Environment Foundation. Consumers can place used e-cigarette devices in special postal collection bags and drop them at post office counters or mailboxes, after which the devices are sent to recycling companies for safe processing. The initiative, which also collects waste medicines and disposable coffee capsules, aims to reduce environmental pollution, improve recycling rates, and leverage the postal network to provide an accessible, nationwide resource recovery system.
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PMI’s Colorado Zyn Factory Producing During Construction
Philip Morris International gave the media a look inside its $600 million Zyn nicotine pouch manufacturing plant in Aurora, Colorado, this week. The 150-acre facility, which began construction in late 2024 and is part of PMI’s U.S. smoke-free product expansion, is expected to create 500 jobs when fully operational in 2026. Despite ongoing infrastructure work and significant portions of the main building still under construction, the plant produced its first Zyn products in September 2025, which have already reached the market.
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Estonian Groups Want Disposable Vapes Banned by 2027
A coalition of 50 organizations and school leaders, led by the Estonian Green Movement, submitted a public appeal to several Estonian government ministries calling for a nationwide ban on disposable e-cigarettes by 2027. The appeal, sent to the Ministries of Social Affairs, Climate, Economic Affairs and Communications, and Justice and Digital Affairs, argues that single-use vapes pose growing risks to youth health, contribute to nicotine addiction, and create significant environmental waste due to discarded batteries and plastics. The coalition also highlighted public backing for the measure, noting that a related initiative gathered more than 2,000 signatures by the end of 2025, and urged authorities to prohibit disposable devices while allowing stricter regulation of reusable alternatives.
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BAT Extends Chair, Updates Board Movement
British American Tobacco will extend Chair Luc Jobin’s tenure by up to two years, allowing him to remain in the role until the company’s April 2028 annual general meeting (AGM) while the board continues its search for a successor. Jobin, who joined the board in 2017 and became chair in 2021, will continue to stand for annual re-election despite the extension exceeding the UK Corporate Governance Code’s nine-year tenure guideline. The company said the move ensures leadership continuity during its ongoing transformation, following a succession review led by senior independent director Holly Keller Koeppel and the nominations committee. Koeppel will step down after the 2026 AGM, with Karen Guerra set to assume the senior independent director role and oversee the ongoing chair succession process.
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Greece Busts Major European Illicit Cigarette Ring
Greek police dismantled a highly organized criminal network that had been producing and exporting illegal cigarettes across Europe since 2018, causing state losses exceeding €7 million. In a large-scale operation on January 6, 300 officers raided multiple locations, arresting 26 suspects, including the alleged leaders, while investigating two additional individuals. Authorities said the group operated illegal factories and warehouses, used counterfeit packaging, relied on coded communications and strawmen to conceal identities, and handled finances largely in cash. Police seized 14.4 million cigarettes, 20 tons of processed tobacco, €1.2 million in cash, vehicles, weapons, and electronic equipment. The network reportedly shipped products to several European countries, including Slovakia, and suspects now face charges linked to organized crime, smuggling, money laundering, and arms violations.
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NSW Increasing Tobacco-Inspector Staff by 62%
New South Wales (Australia) will recruit 30 additional full-time tobacco inspectors to strengthen the state’s Centre for Regulation & Enforcement, expanding the statewide compliance team to 78 staff as authorities intensify efforts against illicit tobacco and vaping products. Since tougher enforcement laws took effect in November 2025, NSW Health and police have closed 66 retailers, including five Sydney Inner West tobacconists last week, while January inspections seized approximately 560,000 cigarettes, 98 kilograms of illicit tobacco, and more than 6,000 illegal vaping products valued at about A$830,000 ($589,000). The government is advancing further legislative measures, including landlord liability provisions and penalties exceeding A$1.5 million ($1.1 million) and seven years’ imprisonment for commercial-scale illicit tobacco offences, as officials warn high federal excise taxes continue to drive demand for illegal products and fuel evolving retail tactics such as QR code and social media-based sales.