A nationwide Dutch study led by researchers at Leiden University Medical Center said that 7% of emergency department patients had symptoms directly attributable to “nicotine use,” based on survey responses from 2,061 patients across 67 hospitals during a 24-hour period in November 2025. Researchers estimate that equates to 26,000 emergency visits directly related to nicotine, and 193,000 overall cases in which nicotine “played a role,” including lung irritation and breathing problems. Cigarette smoking accounted for 86% of nicotine use among the respondents, while the survey also asked about e-cigarettes, snus, and nicotine pouches.
Category: News This Week
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Vapes a ‘Relentless’ Source of Trash Fires
Ryan Fogelman, a partner at fire suppression firm Fire Rover, said that discarded vape devices are driving a surge in waste and recycling facility fires, as lithium-ion batteries inside the products can ignite when damaged or improperly handled. Fogelman, who tracks fire incidents across the U.S. and Canada, recorded 448 waste and recycling facility fires in 2025—the highest level since he began compiling data in 2016—describing vapes as a “relentless” and growing hazard. He argues that waste operators are increasingly forced to manage safety risks created by improperly disposed vaping products, which are difficult to detect during processing.
In response, several U.S. states are exploring legislative and operational measures to address vape-related waste risks. California lawmakers passed legislation to ban disposable vape pens, partly aimed at reducing litter and fire hazards, while New Jersey has reintroduced an extended producer responsibility proposal that would place disposal and recycling obligations on manufacturers. Meanwhile, pilot take-back and safe disposal initiatives led by the Product Stewardship Institute are underway in states including New York and Missouri, alongside broader industry-backed education and battery recycling programs designed to reduce fire risks and improve end-of-life management of vaping products.
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Following the publication of this story, Ryan Fogelman requested we link a recent article he wrote, titled, “December Fire Report: A Plea to the Tobacco Industry.”
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‘Reverse Spin Bias’ Impacting Vape Studies
A newly published academic commentary highlighted potential inconsistencies in how evidence on vaping for smoking cessation is interpreted, introducing the concept of “reverse spin bias.” Published last month in Research Integrity and Peer Review, authors Renée O’Leary, Giusy Rita Maria La Rosa, and Riccardo Polosa, reviewed 16 systematic reviews published between 2021 and 2025 and found that 13 reported e-cigarettes as significantly more effective than comparators such as nicotine replacement therapy or placebo. However, only three of those reviews ultimately recommended e-cigarettes as a cessation tool, while others either discouraged their use or declined to make recommendations despite reporting positive findings. The authors argue that this disconnect between statistical outcomes and policy-facing conclusions may undermine evidence-based decision-making in public health and clinical guidance.
The paper suggests several mechanisms behind the trend, including discounting positive evidence as low quality without formal evaluation, emphasizing hypothetical long-term risks, and selectively omitting favorable subgroup outcomes. For the vape sector, the findings reinforce concerns that harm-reduction evidence may not be consistently reflected in academic and regulatory discussions. The authors are calling for greater scrutiny from journal editors and peer reviewers to ensure that study conclusions accurately reflect underlying data, warning that failure to address such reporting bias could limit the adoption of potentially effective smoking cessation tools.
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Indian Motorcycle Premium Cigars Enter France
Indian Motorcycle Premium Cigars, produced under licence by Phil S. Zanghi III, launched in France under an exclusive distribution agreement with Volutes et Vitoles, according to Halfwheel. The cigars, manufactured at the De Los Reyes factory in the Dominican Republic and available in three blends, went on sale in the French market last week, marking their first availability in the country. Zanghi described France as a key global premium cigar market and said the partnership with Volutes et Vitoles is intended to strengthen brand presence and support expansion across all Indian Motorcycle cigar lines in the region.
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Morocco Creates Mandatory Standard for Smoke-Free Products
Morocco will implement mandatory standards for smoke-free nicotine products, including e-cigarettes, muassel, and nicotine pouches, from February 2026, under new rules developed by the Moroccan Institute of Standardization, according to Médias24. The framework introduces requirements covering product composition, labelling, traceability, and safety, and will apply to imports as Morocco has no domestic production of these products.
Consumer groups say the regulations strengthen transparency by requiring detailed labelling, including manufacturer information, ingredients, origin, and production date, while supporting broader legal updates covering emerging nicotine categories such as heated tobacco. Authorities stress the measures are intended to improve consumer protection and market oversight rather than promote product use.
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Secondhand Vape Plumes May Form Lung-Damaging Free Radicals: Study
A laboratory study published in Environmental Science & Technology raised new questions about the potential risks of secondhand exposure to e-cigarette aerosols, finding that aged vape emissions may contain ultrafine particles, metals, and highly reactive compounds capable of generating free radicals linked to lung tissue damage. Researchers from the University of California, Riverside, led by Ying-Hsuan Lin, simulated indoor vaping conditions and found that aerosol particles contained metals including iron, aluminum, zinc, and trace levels of lead, arsenic, and tin. The study also reported that ultrafine particles, which can penetrate deep into the lungs, showed significantly higher concentrations of reactive peroxide compounds and produced substantially greater levels of free radicals when exposed to simulated lung fluid.
The findings add to the growing body of research examining indoor air chemistry associated with vaping, particularly interactions between aerosol emissions and environmental ozone. While conducted under controlled laboratory conditions using simplified e-liquid formulations without nicotine, the researchers said the results highlight the need for further real-world and epidemiological studies to better understand potential health impacts of secondhand vape exposure.
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Swedish Match Closing Richmond Office
According to a letter to the Commonwealth of Virginia, Swedish Match will be closing its Richmond office April 17, offering the majority of employees the opportunity to relocate to a location aligned with their role and function. Virginia Business magazine reported yesterday (Feb. 2) that Thomas G. Hayes, president of Swedish Match North America, sent a letter last week notifying Virginia Works of the imminent closure as part of a larger restructuring by its parent company, Philip Morris International.
In November 2025, PMI announced plans to restructure in 2026, dividing into two main business units, PMI International and PMI U.S.—along with Aspeya, its wellness business—as it continues to expand its smoke-free portfolio. In a statement, PMI said the Richmond closing is related to changes in its U.S. geographical footprint.
“This decision was not made lightly, and we recognize the impact it will have on our employees and the local community,” the company said. “Centralizing key capabilities and functions in strategic location hubs will help us operate with greater speed, agility, and consumer focus—driving momentum behind our category-redefining brands, ZYN and IQOS as we work to accomplish a smoke-free America.”
Headquartered in Stockholm, Swedish Match AB employs about 1,300 people in the United States. “According to Hayes’ letter, employees of PMI subsidiaries and affiliates Triaga Retail, PMI Global Services Unit, Swedish Match Cigars, Swedish Match North America, and Pinkerton Tobacco Co. are impacted,” Virginia Business reported.
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BAT CEO Talks Investment in Italy
British American Tobacco CEO Tadeu Marroco was recently in Rome meeting with stakeholders, and spoke with Milano Finanza about how the company views Italy as a strategically important market, citing its stable regulatory and taxation framework, strong supplier base, and growing adoption of next-generation products, which now account for around 45% of BAT’s Italian revenue compared with 18% globally.
“Italy represents one of the most strategic markets for BAT and [is] one of the countries in which the group can concretely realize its vision for the future,” he said. “From Italy, we continue to buy tobacco up to 15 thousand tons, which will be purchased in the three-year period 2026-2028, supporting over 400 small and medium-sized enterprises that employ 6,000 people.”
Marroco said BAT is reinforcing its European innovation and production footprint through its Trieste Innovation Hub, where the company is investing €500 million through 2027 to expand non-combustible product manufacturing. The facility is expected to reach full capacity with 16 production lines and generate employment growth linked to BAT’s broader supply chain investments, including continued tobacco sourcing agreements supporting domestic agriculture and SMEs. The company maintains its target of deriving 50% of global revenue from smoke-free products by 2035, while also navigating regulatory complexity and illicit market growth in key regions, which BAT argues can hinder innovation and undermine public health and fiscal outcomes.
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Korea to Regulate Synthetic Nicotine as Tobacco
South Korea announced today (Feb. 3) that it will extend full tobacco regulatory controls to synthetic nicotine liquid e-cigarettes from April 24, bringing them in line with conventional tobacco products following amendments to the Tobacco Business Act and National Health Promotion Act. The measures require manufacturers and distributors to include graphic health warnings on packaging and restrict advertising to limited channels, while banning promotional content targeting women or minors or highlighting flavors. The revised framework also prohibits the use of all tobacco and nicotine products, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, in designated smoke-free areas, with violations subject to fines of up to 100,000 won ($69). The regulatory expansion, the first major update to the tobacco definition since 1988, aims to close loopholes that previously allowed synthetic nicotine products to be marketed and sold with fewer controls, particularly amid concerns around youth access and public health risks.
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India Withdraws 18% Duty on Unmanufactured Tobacco
India’s Union government withdrew the 18% central excise duty on unbranded, unmanufactured tobacco and tobacco refuse for retail sale, according to a gazette notification issued on Feb. 1, 2026, the same day the Union Budget for 2026–27 was presented. The move revokes a duty imposed in December 2025 and follows representations from tobacco farmers and industry stakeholders, including a delegation led by the Tobacco Board chairman, who warned the tax would burden growers and disrupt the market. The withdrawal does not affect existing excise duties on cigarettes, which remain unchanged and continue to be levied based on stick length.