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Category: News This Week

  • USITC Launches Probe Following Juul Complaint

    USITC Launches Probe Following Juul Complaint

    The U.S. International Trade Commission instituted a Section 337 investigation after a complaint filed by Juul Labs, Inc. and VMR Products LLC alleging patent infringement involving certain vaporizer devices, cartridges, and related components. The complaint, filed on September 30 and supplemented in November and December, asserts infringement of two U.S. patents—Nos. 11,134,722 and 11,606,981—through the importation and sale of the accused products in the United States. The investigation covers ENDS devices, pods, and components such as atomizers and subassemblies.

    Juul and VMR, both based in Washington, D.C., are seeking a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders. The named respondents are Glas, Inc. and Glas, LLC of Los Angeles. The USITC said its Office of Unfair Import Investigations will not participate in the case.

  • Oettinger Davidoff Names New SVP of Global Marketing and Innovation

    Oettinger Davidoff Names New SVP of Global Marketing and Innovation

    Oettinger Davidoff AG appointed Javier González as its new senior vice president and head of global marketing and innovation. He succeeds Edward Simon, who has held the role since 2018. Effective Jan. 1, 2026, Simon will focus exclusively on sales and assume the title of SVP chief sales officer, while González will oversee global marketing. González joins from Avolta, formerly Dufry AG, where he served as global marketing and digital innovation officer. His career also includes roles at British American Tobacco, Coca-Cola, and LEGO.

    The company said the leadership change is aimed at strengthening brand development and supporting long-term global growth across its portfolio, which includes Davidoff, AVO, and Camacho.

  • blu Introduces ‘Creamy Tobacco’ Flavor for 2026

    blu Introduces ‘Creamy Tobacco’ Flavor for 2026

    Blu unveiled a new flavor, “Creamy Tobacco,” as part of its 2026 flavor roadmap. The flavor will be available across the rechargeable blu bar kit and compatible blu kit pods, “offering a velvety, richer tobacco experience compared with the existing Golden Tobacco range.” The blu bar kit is sold as a device-and-pod bundle with up to 1,000 puffs per pod, while the blu kit pods are sold in two-pod packs totaling up to 2,000 puffs.

    The new offering complements blu’s current portfolio, which includes six bar kit flavors and 16 pod flavors. blu said it positions Creamy Tobacco as stronger in its 2.0 pod version and smoother in its refillable blu PRO e-liquid, catering to users seeking a heavier, traditional tobacco profile while maintaining the brand’s rechargeable and reusable device format.

  • China Key to Zimbabwe’s Record Tobacco Output

    China Key to Zimbabwe’s Record Tobacco Output

    Zimbabwe’s tobacco sector has surpassed 350 million kg in 2025, thanks in large part to Chinese support, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said. Speaking in Harare after signing agreements on China-aid irrigation projects, Ncube highlighted China’s role in providing both credit facilities and market access through China Tobacco, helping small- and medium-scale farmers grow the sector beyond expectations.

    The assistance has helped Zimbabwe maintain its position as Africa’s top tobacco producer and a significant player globally. The tobacco industry remains a cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s agriculture, supporting over 160,000 households, according to government data.

  • Swedish Match Discontinues Four Zyn Products for 2026

    Swedish Match Discontinues Four Zyn Products for 2026

    Swedish Match announced the retirement of four Zyn products for 2026: Apple Mint Mini Extra Strong, Original Mini Normal, Original Mini Extra Strong, and Cucumber Lime Slim Normal. On the company’s website, it suggested alternative products with similar flavors and strengths. The brand’s remaining portfolio, including about 15 mint and apple-based flavors, will continue to be available on the swedishmatch.se platform.

  • El Septimo 20th Anniversary Cigar Sells Out Worldwide

    El Septimo 20th Anniversary Cigar Sells Out Worldwide

    El Septimo Cigars announced the complete global sell-out of its 20th Anniversary Doble Gran Reserva, marking a historic milestone for the brand. Limited to just 1,000 boxes of 14 cigars—14,000 cigars total—the release sold out worldwide in under seven months, making it the fastest-selling new cigar in the company’s history.

    Created by CEO Zaya Younan to commemorate El Septimo’s 20th anniversary, the cigar was produced with extensively aged tobaccos and positioned as the company’s most personal and ambitious release to date. Younan said the rapid sell-out reflects the brand’s focus on extreme patience, uncompromising quality, and craftsmanship. The company said it will not be reproduced.

  • Cannabis Co. Says NY’s Seed-to-Sale Regs Create Undue Costs

    Cannabis Co. Says NY’s Seed-to-Sale Regs Create Undue Costs

    Cannabis company Veterans Holdings, Inc filed a lawsuit this week in New York Supreme Court against the state, challenging its seed-to-sale tracking system, arguing it significantly increases operating and compliance costs for licensed businesses. The program, overseen by the Office of Cannabis Management, requires cannabis products to be tracked from cultivation through retail sale using the “Metrc” platform.

    According to the company, and echoed by other growers and processors, the program’s tagging, reporting, and data-entry requirements sharply increase compliance expenses, particularly for smaller operators. Businesses say costs associated with mandatory tags, system integration, staff training, and ongoing reporting could erode already thin margins in the state’s developing legal cannabis market.

  • Morocco Plans Cigarette Hikes January 1

    Morocco Plans Cigarette Hikes January 1

    Morocco is set to increase cigarette prices at the beginning of 2026 following the completion of a report by the commission responsible for approving tobacco prices, according to Le360. The report has been submitted to the Minister of Economy and Finance, ahead of a ministerial decree expected to be published in the Official Bulletin. The measure is part of the government’s gradual reform of tobacco taxation aimed at narrowing price gaps between cigarette categories and boosting state revenues.

    The price increase could reach up to MAD 2 ($0.22) per pack for widely consumed “popular” cigarette brands, including Marquise, Casa, and Fortuna. Gauloises may see a smaller adjustment, while premium brands are not expected to be affected at this stage. The increase is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, and is likely to have the greatest impact on lower-income consumers, who predominantly purchase popular brands.

    Under this plan, the specific Internal Consumption Tax component will rise from MAD 100 ($11) in 2022 to MAD 550 ($60.50) by 2026, while the minimum tax on 1,000 cigarettes will increase from MAD 710.2 ($78.12) to MAD 953 ($104.83), adding continued upward pressure on retail prices.

  • Van Stopped with Nearly $500K in Illicits in Australia

    Van Stopped with Nearly $500K in Illicits in Australia

    A man has been charged after cigarettes and tobacco worth A$752,000 ($496,000) were seized during a road stop in Australia’s south yesterday (December 18). Officers stopped a van on the southbound lane of the Hume Highway, Gundagai, for the purpose of random testing. Police searched the van and seized 400 kg of loose-leaf tobacco and 235,000 illicit cigarettes.

    The man was issued with a field court attendance notice for goods in custody, to appear in Gundagai Local Court in February.

  • Trump Reclassifies/Downgrades Marijuana

    Trump Reclassifies/Downgrades Marijuana

    President Donald Trump signed an executive order today (December 18) directing the reclassification of marijuana as a less dangerous drug, marking a significant shift in U.S. federal drug policy. The move would downgrade cannabis from a Schedule I substance—alongside heroin and LSD—to Schedule III, a category that includes ketamine and some anabolic steroids. While the change would not legalize recreational marijuana nationwide, it could ease regulations, lower tax burdens on the cannabis industry, and expand opportunities for medical research.

    The order is expected to accelerate a review process already underway at the Drug Enforcement Administration, which typically involves extensive public consultation. A similar reclassification effort was proposed under former President Joe Biden, but Trump’s decision has drawn mixed reactions within his own party. Some Republicans strongly oppose any change, arguing marijuana remains harmful to public health and safety, while public opinion has shifted sharply in favor of legalization, with recent polling showing more than two-thirds of Americans support a less restrictive approach.

    Trump’s order also calls for expanded research into cannabis and increased access to CBD products. While the president has emphasized a tough stance on drugs such as fentanyl, he has framed marijuana policy as an area where federal rules should better reflect state-level changes. More than 20 states have legalized recreational marijuana or allow medical use, though federal law has continued to impose stricter limits and potential criminal penalties.