TobaccoReporter logo

Category: News This Week

  • FDA Releases Meeting Materials for Zyn’s MRTP Application  

    FDA Releases Meeting Materials for Zyn’s MRTP Application  

    Today (January 20), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released meeting materials ahead of a virtual meeting of the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC) to review modified risk tobacco product (MRTP) applications submitted by Swedish Match USA, Inc. for 20 Zyn nicotine pouch products. The materials include a draft agenda, background documents from both the applicant and the FDA, and draft questions for committee consideration, and are available on the FDA’s 2026 TPSAC Meeting Materials and Information page.

    The virtual TPSAC meeting is scheduled for January 22. FDA opened Docket No. FDA-2025-N-0835-0020  for public comments related to the meeting, with submissions due by 11:59 p.m. ET on January 21. Comments specific to the ZYN MRTP applications may also be submitted under a separate docket, Docket No. FDA-2025-N-0835-0001, which was established on June 18, 2025.

    Visit the event webpage to learn more about attending the meeting online

  • Withheld Funds Crippling Philippine Tobacco Farmers

    Withheld Funds Crippling Philippine Tobacco Farmers

    Billions of pesos (1 peso currently equals 0.017 USD) in tobacco excise tax shares earmarked for Philippine tobacco-growing provinces from 2023 to 2025 remain unreleased, triggering mounting frustration among industry leaders and farmers in the Ilocos region, according to the Philippine Star. Long regarded as the “Solid North” that underpinned President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s electoral support, tobacco farmers now warn that the government’s failure to remit funds mandated under Republic Act 7171 threatens rural livelihoods amid rising production costs. Industry representatives said the prolonged delay has crippled critical programs intended to support farmer self-reliance and local development.

    Former Ilocos Sur governor Luis “Chavit” Singson, author of RA 7171, said that despite the signing of the P6.79-trillion ($115.4 billion) 2026 national budget, excise tax shares from the previous three years remain unpaid. He warned that the withholding of funds has created service gaps that undermine socio-economic stability in tobacco-producing areas, preventing local government units from addressing urgent needs and advancing infrastructure and agricultural projects. Singson emphasized that tobacco remains a pillar of the national economy and that the law was designed to provide local government units with consistent, predictable resources.

    Singson expressed cautious optimism that the appointment of Acting Budget Secretary Rolando Toledo could help resolve compliance bottlenecks delaying the releases. He urged the national government to honor its commitments, calling for the funds to be released within 30 days to avert further hardship. Pointing to Ilocos Sur’s plans to expand irrigation, road networks, and tourism infrastructure, he described it as ironic that excise tax shares vital to these initiatives remain withheld, despite the province being recognized by the Commission on Audit as the country’s richest.

  • Store Crackdowns Move Hong Kong Illicits Online

    Store Crackdowns Move Hong Kong Illicits Online

    Illicit cigarette sales in Hong Kong have increasingly shifted online following the implementation of tighter enforcement rules targeting duty evasion, according to media reports. After the Tobacco Control Legislation (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 took effect in September, requiring cigarettes priced below the tobacco duty to prove they are duty-paid, many newsstands and retailers stopped selling “cheap whites.” In response, illicit wholesalers moved the products online to social media and messaging platforms to solicit customers directly.

    Reports indicate that some wholesalers are advertising on Facebook and WhatsApp, using discounts, referral incentives, and giveaways to attract buyers. To avoid platform detection, sellers often use “IN” instead of the Chinese word for “cigarette,” relying on images of cigarette packs or smoking imagery to signal the products being offered. Orders are typically handled via private WhatsApp or Telegram groups, with sellers promoting same-day or next-day delivery across Hong Kong.

    Hong Kong Customs said it is monitoring these developments and adjusting enforcement strategies accordingly. Authorities said their approach combines risk assessment and intelligence analysis, including action against cross-border smuggling, storage and distribution centers, and street-level and online peddling.

  • Free Cigarettes at Bangladesh Concert Draw Criticism

    Free Cigarettes at Bangladesh Concert Draw Criticism

    The distribution of free cigarettes at a concert at Bangladesh’s Dhaka University on Saturday night triggered widespread criticism from students and public health advocates, as the Abul Khair Tobacco Company reportedly set up a stall at the venue to hand out complimentary cigarettes. If true, the incident would violate the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, which prohibits the free distribution of tobacco products and the sponsorship of events by tobacco companies. (It is also illegal to sell tobacco products within 100 meters of educational institutions.) Breaches of the law carry penalties of up to three months’ imprisonment, fines of up to Tk100,000 ($820), or both. Separately, the government recently raised fines for smoking in public from Tk300 ($2.46) to Tk2,000 ($16.40).

    The concert was jointly organized by the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and Spirits of July, a student-led nonprofit organization. DUCSU literature and culture secretary Musaddik Ali Ibne Mohammad said he was only aware of a designated “smoking zone” and was unaware of any free cigarette distribution. Neither Spirits of July representatives nor university officials have been available for comment.

  • Taiwan Allows Travelers HTPs Only if Bought Locally

    Taiwan Allows Travelers HTPs Only if Bought Locally

    Taiwan announced revised customs rules that will allow visitors to possess up to 200 heated tobacco product sticks from February 1, but only if the products are purchased in duty-free shops at Taiwan’s airports or outlying islands. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said the change reflects the fact that the only heated tobacco products currently approved for sale in Taiwan are not available overseas, meaning travelers cannot legally import foreign products even within the new allowance.

    Lo Su-ying, head of the Tobacco Control Division at the Health Promotion Administration (HPA), said only two companies have approved heated tobacco products and component combinations in Taiwan. Health authorities warned that travelers attempting to bring in unapproved heated tobacco sticks bought abroad will still be in violation of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act and face fines ranging from NT$50,000 to NT$5 million ($1,600 to $ 160,000).  The HPA said it will step up public communication to ensure travelers understand the rules and avoid penalties.

  • Haypp Tabs De Prado as President of U.S. Market

    Haypp Tabs De Prado as President of U.S. Market

    Today (January 19), Haypp Group announced the appointment of Gabriel De Prado as president of its U.S. market, effective January 9. The parent company of Nicokick.com and Northerner.com, Haypp said the move is intended to accelerate growth in the nicotine pouch category.

    De Prado, who previously served as Chief Commercial Officer, will oversee U.S. business operations with a mandate to strengthen commercial execution, deepen regulatory engagement, and further position Haypp as a leading compliant retailer in the fast-growing U.S. market. Chief Executive Officer Gavin O’Dowd said the appointment comes at a pivotal moment for the company’s U.S. expansion, citing De Prado’s international leadership experience, commercial discipline, and expertise in highly regulated sectors. De Prado brings more than 20 years of experience across Latin America and Europe, including senior roles at British American Tobacco, where he led strategic planning, consumer insights, and commercial execution across multiple markets.

    During his tenure as Haypp Group’s CCO, De Prado led commercial operations across six countries, supported revenues exceeding €300 million, and built the company’s global insights and analytics function.

    “Responsible growth isn’t optional in this category, it’s fundamental,” De Prado said. “My priorities are clear: disciplined growth, top-tier talent, and setting the highest standard for modern oral nicotine in e-commerce, while continuously listening to and adapting for the American consumer.”

  • Tobacco Companies Funding €1.1M to Clean Portugal’s Litter

    Tobacco Companies Funding €1.1M to Clean Portugal’s Litter

    Portuguese municipalities will receive €1.1 million a year from the tobacco industry in 2026 and 2027 to help offset the cost of cleaning discarded cigarette butts from public spaces, under a new government decree. Lisbon will receive the largest allocation, €41,153, while the smallest payment of €325 will go to Alvito. The figures apply to mainland Portugal, with allocations for the autonomous regions still to be determined. According to Jornal de Negócios, the decree sets out for the first time mandatory financial contributions from tobacco producers, calculated according to four territorial categories: urban, semi-urban, rural, and beach areas.

    The payments are based on a proposal by Único – Associação de Gestão de Plásticos de Uso Único, a non-profit body licensed since late 2024 to operate Portugal’s first extended producer responsibility system for waste from filtered tobacco products. Único, whose members include BAT, Imperial Brands, JTI, Landewick, Tabaqueira, and Electrão, said the reform makes companies financially accountable for tobacco-related litter. Beyond funding, producers are also expected to support measures to reduce improper disposal, including public awareness campaigns. The decree further requires Único to submit a national study on urban cleaning waste in 2026, in line with EU guidelines, to help determine whether current cost estimates should be revised under existing European legislation that obliges tobacco producers to finance the clean-up and management of discarded filtered products.

  • Lithuania Destroys Record Amount of Illicit Tobacco

    Lithuania Destroys Record Amount of Illicit Tobacco

    Lithuania’s Customs Department said it destroyed a record volume of seized goods in 2025, including large quantities of illicit tobacco and alcohol as well as narcotic and psychotropic substances. Customs officials destroyed more than 150 million cigarettes, nearly 40,000 kg of tobacco, and about 1,600 liters of alcoholic beverages, along with 755 kg of narcotic and psychotropic substances, including 498 kg of heroin, underscoring an intensified crackdown on threats to public health and market integrity.

    In addition to drugs and excisable goods, customs authorities destroyed nearly 113,000 items infringing intellectual property rights, such as counterfeit clothing and footwear. Officials said the scale of the destruction reflects sustained enforcement efforts aimed at reducing health and safety risks while protecting fair competition. Separately, Lithuanian Customs sold non-EU goods that had not been cleared for free circulation, raising a total of €973,000 through 33 tenders and 132 electronic auctions, with proceeds split between auctions, tenders, and smaller trust transfers.

  • Cambodian Police Bust ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ of Illicit Vapes

    Cambodian Police Bust ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ of Illicit Vapes

    Cambodian authorities seized more than 300,000 vaping and smoking-related devices and arrested a shop owner following a high-profile raid on an illegal vape outlet described by police as an “Aladdin’s cave.” The operation targeted a location known as the “Mystery House” in Daun Penh district, a nightlife area of the capital.

    Authorities arrested the owner and confiscated 268,504 electronic smoking devices, 69,615 cigarette heads, 792 bottles of vape liquid and 443 marijuana grinders. Police estimated the value of the seized items at more than $1 million. Court documents show that 58-year-old Taing Sok Heng has been charged with possession and trafficking of electronic cigarettes, an offence that carries a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years.

    Officials said the shop was deliberately targeting schoolchildren and young people, with authorities acting on tips from youth in the area.

  • Retailers Push New Welsh Govt. to Focus on Illicit Crime

    Retailers Push New Welsh Govt. to Focus on Illicit Crime

    Members of the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) are urging the next Welsh government, due to be formed after the May election, to introduce a £6,500 grant to help independent retailers install modern CCTV systems to tackle rising retail crime. The organization argues that better enforcement would help curb the sale of illicit tobacco and vapes, protect legitimate retailers, and disrupt organized crime networks linked to the black market.

    The call mirrors a similar request the Fed made recently to the Scottish government and forms part of three manifesto proposals submitted to Welsh political parties ahead of the vote. The Fed is also seeking the creation and funding of a dedicated Retail Crime Taskforce in Wales, modeled on Scotland’s, alongside ring-fenced funding for trading standards officers to crack down on rogue trading.

    Fed Welsh president Clive Birkby said the organization wants small independent shops placed “at the heart” of the next government’s agenda, with urgent action on retail crime, business rates, and the fair rollout of Wales’ deposit return scheme.