New health insurance guidelines in the Netherlands that took effect January 1 allow smokers to receive reimbursement for up to three quit attempts per year, a move public health advocates say could significantly boost long-term cessation rates. Data show smokers enrolled in support programs are six times more likely to remain smoke-free for a year, with success rates rising to nearly 30% in the most intensive programs. Despite decades of decline, smoking still affects about 18% of the population—rising to 30% among those with lower education levels—and experts note it takes an average of six attempts to quit for good. While stop-smoking courses cost around €400 per attempt, campaigners argue the expense is outweighed by potential healthcare savings, with studies estimating billions in avoided medical costs and tens of thousands of cancer cases prevented if smoking rates fall sharply over the next decade.
Category: News This Week
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Hong Kong Ups Public Education in Battle Against Illicits
Hong Kong Customs stepped up its anti–illicit cigarette campaign this week with officers conducting patrols and public education activities focused on the unintended repercussions of the illicit cigarette market, highlighting the increased penalties for illicit cigarette offences and promoting the forthcoming Duty Stamp System. The joint outreach operation teamed Customs Officers with the Sha Tin District Council, the Department of Health’s Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office, police, and the Housing Department.
Officials reiterated that public housing units linked to illicit cigarette crimes may face follow-up action from the Housing Department and warned the public—particularly young people—against buying, selling, or promoting illicit cigarettes, underscoring that violations can carry severe criminal penalties. Recent amendments raise the fixed penalty for failing to declare illicit cigarettes from HK$2,000 to HK$5,000 ($260 to $650), while the maximum punishment for duty-not-paid tobacco offences has increased to a HK$2 million ($260,000) fine and up to seven years’ imprisonment.
Customs also briefed residents and district representatives on the Duty Stamp System, following the conclusion of a three-month pilot run on January 4. Authorities plan to roll out the first phase of the system in the fourth quarter of 2026, with full implementation targeted for the second quarter of 2027, aiming to better distinguish duty-paid products and curb so-called “cheap whites.”
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Cabbacis Hosting Webinar Outlining its $7.5M Offering
Cabbacis announced it will host an investor webinar on January 22 at 11:30 EST as part of its ongoing $7.5 million Regulation A offering. During the session, CEO and chairman Joseph Pandolfino will outline the company’s commercialization strategy for its patented iBlend cigarettes and vaporizer pods, which combine very-low-nicotine tobacco with non-intoxicating hemp and are positioned as harm-reduction products aimed at reducing nicotine dependence and supporting quit attempts.
The company will also update investors on its regulatory pathway with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, leadership team, and plans for an international rollout later in 2026 to generate early revenue and brand validation ahead of U.S. market entry. Cabbacis said proceeds from the offering are intended to support product development and commercialization, positioning the company ahead of a potential FDA rule to cap nicotine levels in cigarettes, while expanding into reduced-nicotine and alternative tobacco formats.
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Indonesia Hopes Simplifying Excises Will Reduce Illicits
Indonesia is preparing to introduce an additional cigarette excise tax layer in 2026 as part of efforts to curb illegal tobacco and draw illicit producers into the formal market. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the proposal is still under discussion but could be confirmed soon, with regulations potentially issued next week. The move is intended to complement the gradual simplification of the cigarette excise (CHT) structure, which has been reduced from 19 tiers in 2009 to eight under the current framework, while pairing incentives with stricter enforcement for non-compliance.
Authorities underscored the scale of the illicit trade challenge, noting that Customs and Excise has seized around 1.4 billion illegal cigarettes through more than 20,000 enforcement actions since the beginning of 2025, including a recent seizure of 160 million cigarettes from a warehouse in Pekanbaru, Riau. In value terms, illegal cigarette seizures reached Rp9.8 trillion ($564 million) in 2025, up 2.1% year on year, highlighting the government’s intensified crackdown alongside planned excise reforms.
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COSH Studies Find Approval of Hong Kong Tobacco Control
As policymakers in Hong Kong continue tightening smoking restrictions, a new survey commissioned by the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health (COSH) says that 89% of residents support expanding smoke-free areas, with 60% supporting a smoking ban in all outdoor areas. The University of Hong Kong-led poll of 5,600 respondents found exposure to secondhand smoke remains a common complaint on pavements and roadsides.
Hong Kong has already doubled fixed penalties for smoking offences to HK$3,000 ($390) and expanded no-smoking zones, with further measures planned, including restrictions on alternative smoking products and potential future steps such as plain packaging, duty stamps, and a ban on flavored tobacco targeted for 2027.
In a separate modelling likewise commissioned by COSH, the Chinese University of Hong Kong estimated that increasing the tobacco tax to 75% of the retail price, followed by annual hikes, could lower smoking rates below 10% by 2037.
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KT&G Says lil on Track to Top $3B in Cumulative Sales
KT&G said its heated tobacco brand lil has emerged as a major next-generation product (NGP) player within a decade of launch, driven by rapid device innovation and an aggressive patent strategy. Introduced in 2017 with initial sales of KRW 7.8 billion ($5.3 million), lil has now recorded cumulative sales of about KRW 4.3 trillion ($2.9 billion) as of the third quarter of 2025 and is on track to reach KRW 5 trillion ($3.4 billion), with average annual sales topping KRW 800 billion ($544 million) over the past three years. The brand holds more than 60% share of South Korea’s e-cigarette market and now operates three device platforms with frequent upgrades, supported by a sharp rise in NGP-related patent filings. Overseas momentum is also building, with international NGP sales up about 35% year over year to KRW 110.8 billion ($75.3 million) and products now sold in more than 30 markets, including through partnerships with Philip Morris International.
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Vietnam Looking to Tighten Tobacco Control, Include Vape and HTP
A draft revision released today (January 13) to Vietnam’s Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms signals a tougher regulatory stance on cigarettes and next-generation products, with measures aimed at strengthening public-health protections and limiting industry and special-interest influence. The proposal would require health warnings to cover at least 85% of cigarette packaging and expand smoking-cessation and detoxification provisions to include e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, reflecting reported rising nicotine dependence from alternative products. The amended law is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2027, providing a transition period for regulators, local governments, and consumers, and marks a shift toward more proactive risk control—particularly for youth—by tightening definitions, advertising rules, retail practices, and cessation requirements across the tobacco and NGP categories.
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Digital Connectivity, Collaboration Helping PMI Evolve in Saudi Arabia
Philip Morris International (PMI) says rapid shifts in consumer behavior are reshaping the tobacco and nicotine market in Saudi Arabia, driven by greater digital connectivity, global exposure, and rising expectations around transparency and product experience. In an interview with the Saudi Gazette, Christian Akiki, managing director of Philip Morris Saudi Arabia Trading, said Saudi consumers are increasingly informed, vocal, and open to alternatives, pushing brands to better understand local preferences while maintaining clear and authentic communication. This evolution, he said, has supported growing interest in smoke-free products such as heated tobacco devices, nicotine pouches, and e-cigarettes, which have become more established in the Kingdom over the past decade.
Akiki said PMI’s smoke-free strategy in Saudi Arabia relies heavily on cooperation with regulators, particularly the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, emphasizing that progress depends on science-based dialogue and aligned oversight. He pointed to the earlier launch of nicotine pouches by Badael, a Public Investment Fund company, as evidence of regulatory openness to alternative products. PMI also highlighted the importance of local talent and market-specific strategies, noting that approaches successful in other countries do not automatically translate to Saudi Arabia. According to Akiki, Saudi Arabia’s advanced digital infrastructure and Vision 2030 agenda provide a favorable environment for innovation, positioning the market as a potential benchmark for science-driven tobacco harm reduction initiatives globally.
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Philippines Seizes $1.9M in Counterfeit Cigarettes
The Philippine Bureau of Customs seized an estimated P105.58 million ($1.9 million) worth of illicit cigarettes in Bataan, uncovering more than 1,000 master cases transported in 12 vehicles and traced to shipments originating from China, Vietnam, and South Korea. Authorities said the cigarettes—bearing brands including Modern, RGD, Nise Baisha, and President—were intended for distribution in northern and central Luzon, underscoring ongoing enforcement challenges as Customs intensifies its anti-smuggling campaign amid revenue shortfalls and a higher 2026 collection target.
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JT Introduces ‘Purple Dusk’ for Ploom AURA
JT released the fourth offering in its limited color series for the Ploom AURA today (January 13), introducing “Purple Dusk.” It joins “Amber Haze,” “Bronze Royal,” and “Aqua Green.”
Regarding Purple Dusk, JT says, “the deep colors reminiscent of the night scene and the accented patterned front panel create a mysterious atmosphere and presence. It contains the desire to be close to the moment to enjoy the night in your own way and to encourage the time you spend with your sensibility.”
A limited quantity is available in Japan for pre-sale at CLUB JT online shop and Ploom Shop for 2,980 yen ($18.77). It will be available at convenience stores and some tobacco stores beginning January 20.