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Category: News This Week

  • Pakistan Bill Would Treat Vape Like Cigarettes

    Pakistan Bill Would Treat Vape Like Cigarettes

    Pakistan’s Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services approved the Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (Regulation) Bill, clearing the way for its introduction in the Senate as authorities move to curb rising youth vaping, particularly in Islamabad. The bill would impose strict controls on the import, sale, marketing, and use of e-cigarettes, including a ban on sales within 50 meters of schools and colleges, a minimum purchase age of 18, and a prohibition on vape use in public transport, government buildings, parks, and other shared spaces.

    The proposed legislation would regulate vapes similarly to traditional tobacco products, banning all advertising—especially marketing aimed at minors—and requiring product standards such as nicotine caps of 40 mg/ml, child-resistant packaging, health warnings, and mandatory age verification for e-commerce sales. Penalties include fines of up to Rs 50,000 ($175) for first offenses, with escalating sanctions for repeat violations and smuggling. The bill is undergoing inter-ministerial review before formal Senate consideration, signaling tighter oversight for the nicotine and vaping market in Pakistan.

  • Altria Pushes to End Juul’s ITC Patent Investigation

    Altria Pushes to End Juul’s ITC Patent Investigation

    NJOY and Altria Group are asking a federal judge in Virginia to immediately halt a U.S. International Trade Commission investigation triggered by Juul Labs’ nicotine-salt patent claims, arguing the ITC lacks constitutional authority to hear the case. In a reply filed Tuesday (January 6) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the companies urged the court to grant summary judgment and permanently enjoin the ITC proceeding rather than allow it to continue while constitutional challenges are litigated.

    The filing argues the investigation violates the Appointments Clause, improperly insulates ITC administrative law judges through double for-cause removal protections, and infringes Article III limits, citing the Supreme Court’s decision in SEC v. Jarkesy. Altria and NJOY contend they are suffering irreparable harm by being subjected to an allegedly unconstitutional process, noting the ITC has scheduled an evidentiary hearing for April 22, 2026.

  • Zimbabwe Tells Tobacco Farmers to Stop Planting, Get Tending

    Zimbabwe Tells Tobacco Farmers to Stop Planting, Get Tending

    This week, Zimbabwe announced that it exceeded its tobacco planting target for the 2025/26 season, surpassing a record 140,000 hectares, prompting the government to urge farmers to halt further planting and focus on crop management to maximize yields and leaf quality. Agriculture Permanent Secretary Prof. Obert Jiri said late-planted dryland tobacco should be curtailed, with emphasis now on pest and disease control, weed management, and split fertilizer application amid heavy rains. A national crop and livestock assessment later this month is expected to confirm strong early performance and yield prospects, with fertilizer supplies largely adequate despite short-term top-dressing delays.

  • Zhilai Sci Collaborates for Nicotine Vending

    Zhilai Sci Collaborates for Nicotine Vending

    Shenzhen Zhilai Sci and Tech Co. and software partner Applestone Solutions have launched a new vending machine system designed specifically for nicotine pouches, vape products, and other age-restricted items. The solution integrates IDscan.net age-verification technology to ensure compliance with federal and local laws, while allowing automated sales in venues such as bars, casinos, sports arenas, and convenience stores. The free-standing machines can hold up to 488 items, support mixed regulated and non-regulated sales in a single transaction, and offer real-time reporting, inventory tracking, and on-screen advertising—positioning the platform as a compliance-focused automation tool for regulated nicotine retail.

  • Cuban Cigar Company Repurposing Tobacco Waste

    Cuban Cigar Company Repurposing Tobacco Waste

    The Lázaro Peña Cigar Company in Holguín, part of Cuba’s Tabacuba Group, is turning industrial waste into a key resource to reduce costs and diversify production, the Cuban News Agency reports. Its reconstituted tobacco plant—Cuba’s first—repurposes cigarette dust and central leaf veins into reusable raw material for cigar blends, adding weight and volume while cutting the need for new inputs.

    The initiative supports sustainability by maximizing industrial byproducts, reducing pressure on agricultural land, and creating environmentally friendly materials. The company is also working with Holguín and Moa universities to develop tobacco-based products like tabaquina insecticide, and uses compost from waste to fertilize gardens that supply its workers’ cafeteria.

    Other recycled materials, such as leftover paper, are repurposed for educational resources at the Los Criollitos Children’s Center. Lázaro Peña’s efforts have earned the company multiple awards, including Cuba’s Quality Award and recognitions in Light Industry and Innovation at Expo Caribe 2025.

  • Korea Says Tobacco Toll is $30B as Court Ruling Approaches

    Korea Says Tobacco Toll is $30B as Court Ruling Approaches

    South Korea’s long-running lawsuit against tobacco companies is back in focus following new research showing smoking has imposed a major and rising burden on the national health insurance system. A study released January 5 by the National Health Insurance Service and the World Bank estimates smoking-related medical costs at 40.7 trillion won ($29.9 billion) from 2014–2024, with annual costs rising nearly 70% over the period despite declining smoking rates. More than 82% of costs were borne by public insurance, driven largely by cancer treatment, particularly lung cancer, the study said.

    Health officials say the findings strengthen the NHIS’s damages claim against KT&G, Philip Morris Korea, and BAT Korea, ahead of an appellate ruling expected later this month. Filed in 2014, the case is South Korea’s first tobacco lawsuit brought by a public institution seeking compensation for smoking-related health care expenses.

  • Habanos S.A. Co-Owner Extradited to China

    Habanos S.A. Co-Owner Extradited to China

    Billionaire businessman Chen Zhi was extradited by Cambodia to his native China following his arrest over an alleged multibillion-dollar cryptocurrency scam tied to human trafficking and forced labor, a case underscoring growing regulatory and enforcement risks across Southeast Asia’s consumer and logistics sectors. Cambodian authorities said Chen and two other Chinese nationals were detained yesterday (January 6) after a months-long transnational investigation and handed over to Chinese officials.

    Chen Zhi is believed to have extensive ties to the cigar and tobacco industry, owning or having owned stakes in companies such as Habanos S.A., Tabacalera USA, Tabacalera S.L., Tabacalera de García, and La Flor de Copán, among others, either directly or through shell corporations.

    U.S. prosecutors previously charged Chen Zhi with orchestrating global online scams from Cambodia, leading to the seizure of roughly $14 billion in bitcoin, one of the largest financial crackdowns on record. His business empire, Prince Group—previously sanctioned by the U.K.—has denied involvement in scams.

  • Overseas Seizures Show Korea Used as Tobacco Smuggling Hub

    Overseas Seizures Show Korea Used as Tobacco Smuggling Hub

    South Korea’s customs agency said millions of packs of smuggled cigarettes were seized overseas last year through joint operations with foreign authorities, underscoring the country’s growing use as a transshipment hub by international smuggling networks. The Korea Customs Service (KCS) said nearly 5.2 million packs, weighing about 103 tons, were confiscated abroad after being routed through South Korea.

    According to the KCS, major seizures included roughly 760,000 packs in the United States, 380,000 in Hong Kong, 260,000 in the United Kingdom, and 230,000 in Taiwan. The total far exceeds the 3.6 million packs detected overseas between 2019 and 2021, highlighting a sharp rise in cases linked to Korea-based transit routes.

    A KCS official said cigarette smuggling, like drug trafficking, is a key funding source for criminal syndicates. The agency said it will further strengthen international cooperation to prevent South Korea from being exploited as a logistics hub for global illicit trade.

  • Philippines Cracking Down on Illicits, Many Drug Laced

    Philippines Cracking Down on Illicits, Many Drug Laced

    The Philippine National Police (PNP) is stepping up efforts to curb the smuggling and spread of “Thuoc Lao,” or black cigarettes, as part of a broader crackdown on illegal tobacco products. Acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said police are strengthening intelligence operations with the Bureau of Customs, Department of Health, and other agencies, following a directive from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to protect public health.

    Authorities say Thuoc Lao—also known locally as “tuklaw”—is a highly potent tobacco product from northern Vietnam, with nicotine levels reportedly reaching up to 9%, far higher than conventional cigarettes. Some variants are also suspected of being laced with synthetic cannabinoids. The product is not authorized for import by the National Tobacco Administration, and officials raised alarms last year after reports that teenagers experienced seizure-like symptoms after smoking it.

    The crackdown comes amid broader concerns about illicit nicotine products entering the Philippine market. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has warned that some vape products may contain the same synthetic cannabinoids found in Thuoc Lao, prompting closer coordination between law enforcement and health authorities to prevent further spread and protect youth.

  • New Tractors Strengthening Cuba’s Tobacco Production

    New Tractors Strengthening Cuba’s Tobacco Production

    Cuba’s tobacco sector is investing in modern machinery to boost production efficiency, with 300 tractors delivered to individual producers and cooperatives across multiple provinces last year, the Tabacuba Business Group told Granma on Monday. Financed through farmers’ foreign currency earnings and a flexible installment program, Tabacuba provides the equipment at cost, without profit, to expand access for growers.

    José Liván Font, First Vice President of Tabacuba, said the initiative contributes hundreds of millions of dollars annually to the national economy and supports small-scale family operations. In Pinar del Río, which produces 70% of Cuba’s tobacco, 75 tractors were delivered alongside photovoltaic systems for irrigation and lighting, enhancing energy independence and operational efficiency.

    Tabacuba said it plans to import another 300 tractors and related agricultural implements in 2026, aiming to further improve working conditions, increase production, and raise incomes for tobacco producers nationwide.