Category: Featured

Firstunion Technology Recognized in Dortmund

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Firstunion’s Alkaid Light heating technology received an HNB innovation award on Sept. 19 at the InterTabac exhibition in Dortmund, Germany, according to a company press release relayed by Vaping360.
That same evening, Firstunion hosted a launch event, showcasing how Alkaid technology addresses consumer concerns such as heating speed, flavor quality, device cleanliness, and health impacts.
Alkaid light-heating method leverages full-spectrum light waves, mimicking the natural power of sunlight to deliver rapid and uniform heating. According to Firstunion’s Alkaid light-heating technical lead Zhu Bin, this enables the device to preheat in just five seconds, offering users instant satisfaction with a smooth, seamless draw.
Firstunion claims the technology also delivers superior taste and health benefits that elevate the smoking experience beyond current standards. According to the manufacturer, Alkaid increases the nicotine release efficiency in aerosols by more than 40 percent and boosts total particulate matter by 20 percent, delivering an experience that closely mimics that offered by traditional cigarettes.
Simultaneously, the technology cuts harmful substance emissions by 20 percent, according to Firstunion. Thanks to its innovative non-contact heating design, Alkaid requires no cleaning, ensuring the device delivers consistent, fresh-tasting flavor even after 5,000 continuous uses, according to the press note.
September 23, 2024
Trump Vows to Save Flavor

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Former U.S. President Donald Trump said he will save flavored e-cigarettes if reelected, according to Newsmax.
“I saved flavored vaping in 2019, and it greatly helped people get off smoking,” Trump wrote in a Sept. 20 post on his Truth Social account. “I raised the age to 21, keeping it away from the ‘kids.’ Kamala and Joe want everything banned, killing small businesses all over the country. I’ll save vaping again.”
In his first term, Trump promised to crack down on sales of flavored products but then backtracked, saying vaping could help people stop smoking. Trump’s watered-down proposal banned the sale of all sweet-flavored and fruity-flavored vape pods and cartridges but allowed gas stations and convenience stores to continue selling menthol cartridges and vapes. It also allowed vape shops to sell a broad range of e-cigarette liquids in open-tank vaping systems.
Free market advocates and small business vape shop owners and vape makers supported the new proposals while anti-tobacco advocates accused Trump of caving to pressure from the nicotine business.

VTA’s meeting with President Trump represents a great day for small businesses across America who fear the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to shut down small businesses and deprive adults who smoke of their flavored vaping products.
Tony Abboud, executive director, VTA
The Vapor Technology Association (VTA) welcomed Trump’s latest comments.
“Today, VTA had the opportunity to meet with President Donald J. Trump,” wrote VTA Executive Director Tony Abboud on Sept. 20. “We had a wide-ranging conversation, and we thanked President Trump for taking two bold and decisive actions in 2019: saving flavored vapes for adults and protecting youth by raising the age to 21.
“Since then, youth vaping has dropped to an all-time low, and many adults have used flavored vaping to quit smoking. VTA’s meeting with President Trump represents a great day for small businesses across America who fear the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to shut down small businesses and deprive adults who smoke of their flavored vaping products. We are pleased that former President Trump is continuing to fight for vapers.”
September 23, 2024
Illicit Cigarette Market Deflates in Ukraine

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The share of illicit products in Ukraine’s tobacco market dropped to 14.6 percent in July, down from 19.1 percent at the start of the year, reports UNN, citing data from the “Monitoring of the illegal trade in tobacco products in Ukraine” study.
According to Kantar Ukraine, the state misses out on an estimated UAH23 billion ($556.01 million) in tax income as a result of duty-avoiding tobacco. The volume of the illicit cigarette market in Ukraine is estimated at 6.65 billion units.
Oleksandr Ruvin, director of the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise, said that despite recent progress, efforts to combat the illicit cigarette trade were not as effective as they could be.
“At one time, we had an idea to create a thematic register of manufacturers. The State Tax Service provided us with a list of companies licensed to sell tobacco products—more than 50 representatives. The companies were supposed to provide us with reference product samples. We received some of the information, but this work is not being used as effectively as it could be,” he was quoted as saying.
September 23, 2024
PMI to Record £220 Million Loss on Vectura Sale

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Philip Morris International expects to record a record loss of about £220 million ($198 million) on the sale of its inhaled-therapeutics Vectura Group unit to Molex Asia Holdings in the third quarter, reports The Wall Street Journal, citing a securities filing.
On Sept. 17, PMI’s pharmaceutical subsidiary, Vectura Fertin Pharma, announced it would sell its Vectura Group business to Molex. The company acquired Vectura Group in 2021 for $1.24 billion as part of PMI’s drive to diversify beyond nicotine.
The company now says that “unwarranted opposition” to its transformation has affected Vectura Group’s engagement with the scientific community and its commercial relationships.
The remaining units of Vectura Fertin Pharma will continue to operate under a new corporate identity and develop oral consumer health and wellness offerings as well as inhaled prescription products for pain management and cardiovascular emergencies.
September 23, 2024
India Wants Streaming Anti-Tobacco Messages

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India’s central government wants to require over-the-top (OTT) platforms to display non-skippable anti-tobacco health spots for at least 30 seconds when users begin streaming content, reports The Economic Times.
According to the draft guidelines, all films released on or after Sept. 1, 2023, must show anti-tobacco health spots of at least 30 seconds at the beginning and middle of the movie. Additionally, these films must display prominent static anti-tobacco health warnings at the bottom of the screen during scenes that depict tobacco use.
The proposed legislation updates the anti-tobacco regulations issued by the ministry in May 2022.
“Essentially, streaming platforms will now be required to show these health spots and disclaimers not only at the beginning and middle of programs but also as soon as the platform is opened,” an official source told the Economic Times. “Currently, the health spots and disclaimers are not displayed immediately upon opening the platform.”
India became the first country in May 2022 to make it mandatory for OTT platforms to show anti-tobacco warnings and disclaimers similar to those seen in theatrical releases and TV programs, prioritizing public health.
The OTT rules of 2023 took effect on Sept. 1, 2023.
September 23, 2024
Premium Cigar User Fees Top $100 Million

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Premium cigar companies have paid more than $100 million to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in user fees, reports Halfwheel, citing a filing sent to an appeals court on Sept. 18.
The filing was sent to clear up points raised at the end of a Sept. 20 hearing before a U.S. appeals court as part of a lawsuit filed by three cigar trade groups that in August 2023 resulted in a ruling vacating the FDA’s 2016 deeming regulations for premium cigars.
The FDA has appealed the ruling.
User fees are fees paid by cigar companies and others to fund the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. The idea is that tobacco companies and their customers, rather than the general public, should bear the costs of regulations.
Cigarettes account for more than 83 percent of user fees in fiscal year 2024, around $148.7 million per quarter. The cigar category—which includes both premium and mass market cigars—is projected to pay $25.5 million per quarter.
While relatively minor on a per cigar basis, the user fees have been a particular annoyance for many premium cigar companies, according to Halfwheel.
September 23, 2024
Indonesia Urged to Raise Tobacco Taxes

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An Indonesian health ministry official has recommended higher cigarette taxes to deter consumption, reports the Antara news agency. Cigarettes are cheaper and more easily accessible in Indonesia than they are in many comparable countries.
“The urgency of increasing the excise is to prevent the public from easily obtaining cigarettes with a cheap price in Indonesia,” Benget Saragih, a member of the ministry’s working team for tobacco disease control, was quoted as saying.
Nearly 38 percent of Indonesia’s 270 million people smoke—a much higher share than in neighboring countries such as Singapore. With this figure, Indonesia ranks 13th in the world in terms of cigarette consumption, Saragih said.
The number of deaths caused by cigarette consumption has reached 8 million per year, according to Saragih. Seven million of the deaths are due to active smoking and the remaining 1.2 million due to passive smoking, he added.
September 23, 2024
Habanos Celebrates 30th Anniversary

Habanos of Cuba celebrates its 30th anniversary this month. Founded Sept. 14, 1994, the company has established itself as a benchmark in the worldwide promotion and sales of Habanos, which are considered by many to be the best handmade cigars.
With a presence in over 130 territories across five continents, Habanos boasts a portfolio of 27 premium cigars, including iconic names such as Cohiba, Montecristo and Partagas. Since its creation, the company has tripled its consolidated turnover.
Every year since 1999, the company’s Habano Festival, attracts distributors, aficionados and celebrities from around the world. The event has evolved into a key platform for presenting new products, exchanging ideas and celebrating activities and experiences related to the Habano culture.
Meanwhile, the La Casa del Habano franchise network has expanded to more than 155 boutiques in over 60 countries.
“Over the past 30 years, we have traveled a path filled with tradition, passion and dedication, bringing the Habano to over 130 territories and solidifying our position as leaders in the premium tobacco industry. All of this has allowed us to reach a record revenue figure of $721 million in 2024,” wrote Habanos Copresidents Maritza Carrillo Gonzalez and Luis Sanchez-Harguindey in a joint statement.
“However, beyond the numbers and achievements, what truly defines us are the relationships we have built. Each satisfied customer represents a shared success, and we are grateful for their loyalty and support over the years. Today, we celebrate the past, but we also look to the future with the same entrepreneurial spirit that has guided us here.”
September 21, 2024
Tucker Carlson to Launch Nicotine Pouch

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Tucker Carlson plans to introduce a nicotine-pouch brand called Alp in November, reports The Wall Street Journal.
The conservative U.S. political commentator said he decided to enter the tobacco business because of the way Zyn manufacturer Philip Morris International responded to an off-color remark he made in 2023 about America’s bestselling nicotine pouch.
Until recently, Carlson styled himself as an unofficial spokesman for Zyn. He talked up the brand on frequent podcast appearances. “The truth is, Zyn is a powerful work enhancer and also a male enhancer, if you know what I mean,” Carlson told comedian Theo Von in an interview last October.
Carlson’s representatives then pitched PMI on forming a partnership with the brand. The multinational declined, citing Carlson’s commentary.
“While we understand that these may be Mr. Carlson’s views or made in jest, these statements lack a scientific foundation,” the tobacco company wrote. “Given Mr. Carlson’s popularity and reach, these statements could promote a misunderstanding and misuse of our products.”
Carlson said the message enraged him.
“Of course I wasn’t making a medical claim about their product. I was just joking,” he told The Wall Street Journal. “So I thought: ‘I’m going to launch my own product that’s not controlled by, you know, humorless, left-wing drones.’”
Last month, a Turning Point Brands subsidiary filed a trademark application for the Alp brand name and its logo, which depicts a winking man in a cowboy hat. The company currently sells a moist nicotine pouch called Fre.
Alp will come in three nicotine strengths—3 mg, 6 mg and 9 mg. Zyn in the U.S. is only available in 3 mg and 6 mg versions. Another key difference is that Alp pouches are moist while Zyn pouches are dry, like tiny tea bags, until they are tucked into the cheek, according to Carlson.
September 20, 2024
Italian Lawmakers Examine Tobacco Legislation

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Italian lawmakers have started investigating the country’s taxation and concessionary system for the retail sale of tobacco and next-generation products, reports Sigmagazine.
On Sept. 18, the Chamber of Deputies’ finance committee heard from three tobacconist organizations. The exchange will likely be followed by hearings of vapor industry representatives.
This marks the first formal occasion where politicians acknowledge the nicotine sector, thus recognizing it as a legitimate interlocutor.
Italy’s tobacco market has been in flux as traditional tobacco products, particularly cigarettes, have lost ground to next-generation products, which jumped from 4 percent to 18 percent of the market between 2019 and 2023.
In response to the shifting sales trends and tax receipts, Italian lawmakers have adjusted the fiscal framework for smoking products. For example, during the 17th legislature, they extended excise duties to noncombustible tobacco products. E-liquids made from substances other than tobacco used in e-cigarettes were also subjected to taxes.
In addition to analyzing the tax framework, the finance committee wants to assess whether the system is consistent with EU rules and gather insights into the illicit trade.
According to the Italian Tobacconist Federation, the illegal market for smoking products and inhalable products is worth €1 billion ($1.11 billion), causing the state and tobacconists to miss out on income of €620 million and €120 million, respectively.
The commission’s work must be completed by Dec. 31, 2024.
September 19, 2024