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Category: Global Regulation

  • Malaysian Tobacco Control Groups Pushing for 5% Tax Increases

    Malaysian Tobacco Control Groups Pushing for 5% Tax Increases

    Tobacco control organizations in Malaysia are calling for annual 5% increases in tobacco taxes following survey findings showing broad public support for higher excise rates. Research conducted by the Social and Economic Research Initiative (Seri) found that 80% of 3,200 respondents supported yearly tax hikes, while 72% believed higher tobacco taxes could help ease broader cost-of-living pressures.

    Groups backing the proposal include the Malaysian Anti-Drug Association, Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control, and the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia. Seri senior researcher Muhammad Daniel Kittu said tobacco excise duties have remained largely unchanged since 2015 despite rising prices for staple goods, arguing that higher cigarette prices could reduce smoking rates while redirecting household spending toward essentials such as food, healthcare, and education.

    Responding to concerns that higher taxes could fuel illegal sales, Kittu said weak enforcement — rather than pricing — remains the primary driver of illicit tobacco activity.

  • France Sets Steep Fines in Pouch Ban

    France Sets Steep Fines in Pouch Ban

    France implemented a broad ban on oral nicotine products, including nicotine pouches, with violations carrying penalties of up to five years in prison and fines reaching €400,000. The restrictions cover the use, possession, acquisition, and sale of nicotine pouches and certain nicotine lozenges, while exempting cigarettes, vaping products, and approved smoking-cessation products such as nicotine gums and inhalers.

    French health authorities said the measure was driven by concerns over nicotine addiction, youth marketing, and potential health risks linked to high-dose nicotine products. The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety previously warned that nicotine pouch promotion had become widespread on social media platforms targeting younger consumers. France is the first European country to criminalize possession and use of nicotine pouches, going beyond restrictions already introduced in countries including Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria.

  • Vietnam Considering Generational Ban

    Vietnam Considering Generational Ban

    Vietnam’s Ministry of Health proposed banning people born on or after January 1, 2010, from purchasing or using tobacco products as part of broader amendments to the country’s tobacco control law. The proposal was presented during a workshop tied to World No Tobacco Day 2026 and forms part of efforts to create a “smoke-free generation” in the country.

    The proposed revisions would also prohibit the production, sale, transport, advertising, promotion, sponsorship, and use of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and other next-generation nicotine products, and would additionally ban tobacco product displays at wholesale and retail outlets. Health officials said the measures are intended to reduce smoking rates, limit secondhand smoke exposure, and address rising youth nicotine use.

  • EU Requests Feedback on New Tobacco Control Rules

    EU Requests Feedback on New Tobacco Control Rules

    The European Commission launched a public consultation on plans to update the EU’s tobacco control framework, reflecting changing market dynamics, evolving consumption trends, and the growing role of digital marketing in nicotine product promotion. The proposed directive aims to strengthen public health protections, improve the functioning of the EU internal market, and support implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in line with Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. The feedback period for the initiative runs from May 18 to June 15, and is expected to inform future regulatory changes affecting traditional tobacco products as well as emerging nicotine categories.

  • South Australia Reports Record-Low Smoking, Rising Illicit Concerns

    South Australia Reports Record-Low Smoking, Rising Illicit Concerns

    South Australia reported record-low smoking rates as part of its Tobacco Strategy 2023–2027, with daily smoking falling to 7.5% in 2025 from 10.6% in 2020, according to the latest government progress report. Declines were also recorded among younger adults, middle-aged populations, and people living with mental illness, while the average age of smoking initiation increased to 17 years. State officials credited legislative reforms, public health campaigns, and expanded enforcement efforts for progress, while emphasizing ongoing investment in anti-vaping initiatives and illicit tobacco crackdowns.

    However, the report also highlights significant ongoing challenges for the tobacco and nicotine sector. Rising youth vaping rates remain a concern despite stricter regulations, and authorities estimate illicit tobacco and e-cigarette products now account for roughly 55% of Australia’s total market, underscoring the scale of illegal trade and enforcement difficulties. The government signaled that additional reforms targeting illicit supply chains and organized crime are under consideration, suggesting further regulatory pressure ahead for both legal tobacco and alternative nicotine product markets.

  • FDA Targets ‘Disguised’ Nicotine Products in Retail Crackdown

    FDA Targets ‘Disguised’ Nicotine Products in Retail Crackdown

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued warning letters to eight retailers for selling unauthorized nicotine pouches and dissolvable tobacco products designed to resemble candy, breath strips, and cough drops, raising concerns that the items could both appeal to children and be accidentally ingested by young kids. According to the agency, the products’ labeling, advertising, and design mimic everyday consumer goods, “disguising” them and making it easier for youth to conceal their use from adults.

    Acting Center for Tobacco Products Director Bret Koplow said no tobacco product should look like candy and described the practice as a tactic to mask the products’ true nature. The retailers were cited for violating the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by selling products without FDA authorization and were ordered to correct the violations or face potential penalties, including seizures, injunctions, and/or fines. The action follows recent FDA guidance outlining enforcement priorities for unauthorized electronic nicotine delivery systems and nicotine pouch products, part of a broader push to remove youth-appealing products from the market.

    The agency noted it has now issued more than 800 warning letters to manufacturers and distributors and over 1,000 to retailers over unauthorized tobacco sales, and reminded retailers to consult its updated list of legally marketed products and use available compliance materials.

  • Imperial Backs UK’s Push to Fight Organized Crime

    Imperial Backs UK’s Push to Fight Organized Crime

    Imperial Brands backs new Government crackdown on illicit trade to protect honest retailers

    Imperial Brands has welcomed the UK Government’s new £30m High Street organised crime unit[1], designed to tackle illicit trade and support law-abiding retailers across the UK.

    The move follows growing concern around the scale of criminal activity operating through some high street outlets, with illegal products undercutting legitimate businesses and distorting fair competition amongst retailers.

    Under the plans, offending premises will face increased enforcement action, including raids, closures and asset seizures, with additional funding provided to Trading Standards teams.

    Imperial Brands believes this step will help level the playing field for responsible retailers who operate within the law and serve their local communities.

    James Hall, Anti-Illicit Trade Manager, Imperial Brands, said:

    “Honest retailers are being undermined every day by illegal operators selling illicit and unregulated products.

    “Stronger enforcement is essential to protect those doing the right thing and to restore a fair playing field across the high street.

    “We welcome this action and will continue working with retailers and authorities to help tackle illicit trade.”

    He continued: “As a business committed to the highest possible standards in manufacture and retail practice, we have always stood with ethical retailers who do the right thing when it comes to sourcing and selling tobacco and nicotine products.”

    Illicit tobacco and nicotine products are increasingly being sold through a range of outlets, including some convenience stores, vape shops and other high street premises.

    This impacts not only customers, suppliers and government revenues but also the viability of legitimate local retailers, many of whom are already operating in a challenging economic environment.

    Imperial Brands continues to work closely with Trading Standards, law enforcement agencies and retailers to raise awareness, support compliance and help identify illegal activity.

    The company says sustained enforcement, combined with retailer education and collaboration, will be key to tackling the issue long term and protecting responsible businesses. As illicit trade becomes increasingly organised and sophisticated, robust enforcement and meaningful penalties are essential to protect legitimate retailers and local communities.

    Imperial Brands has long called for stronger enforcement action, tougher penalties, and greater support for Trading Standards to help tackle illicit trade and protect responsible retailers.

    Imperial Brands strongly encourage retailers to report any potential illicit trade activity in their area to our sales teams, who can then report it on our dedicated trade platform. Alternatively, retailers can contact us directly through email suspectit.reportit@uk.imptob.com or our anti-illicit trade hotline on 0800 049 5992. 

    [1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce3pzwx449no

  • Singapore’s Illicit Vape Trade Generated $8.1M Despite Ban

    Singapore’s Illicit Vape Trade Generated $8.1M Despite Ban

    A new report by the EU-ASEAN Business Council and Euromonitor International estimates Singapore’s illegal vape market generated S$10.4 million ($8.1 million) in revenue between 2024 and 2025, contributing to roughly S$156 million ($121.7 million) in lost government revenue from illicit tobacco sales. Despite Singapore’s 2018 vaping ban and stricter penalties, authorities continue to intercept large shipments, including a February seizure of e-vapes worth over S$1.1 million ($858,000). Singapore Customs also reported sharp rises in duty-unpaid cigarette seizures in 2024 and 2025, underscoring the persistence of illicit trade even as the country maintains one of the region’s lowest rates of illegal cigarette consumption.

  • Philippines Flagged ‘Elevated Risk’ for Illicit Cigarettes as Price Gaps Grow

    Philippines Flagged ‘Elevated Risk’ for Illicit Cigarettes as Price Gaps Grow

    The Philippines has been identified as an “elevated risk” market for illicit cigarettes, with illegal products accounting for 25.3% of total sales last year and projected to rise to 28.9% by 2028, according to a Euromonitor International study commissioned by the EU-ASEAN Business Council. The report estimates the government lost nearly $980 million in 2024 and about $1.1 billion last year due to the illicit cigarette trade, while illegal e-vapes, which make up 86% of the market, caused an additional P23 billion ($400 million) in losses from 2024 to 2025.

    Researchers cited price-sensitive consumers, porous maritime borders, established regional smuggling routes, annual excise tax hikes of 5%, and enforcement challenges as key drivers, with illicit products increasingly imported from neighboring ASEAN states and China. The study also highlighted the growing role of digital platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, and Facebook Marketplace in distributing illegal tobacco, alongside traditional sari-sari stores and street vendors, and warned that paper-based tax stamps are easily counterfeited, recommending a shift toward digital tax verification systems to better protect revenues and track the trade.

  • Maldives Customs Seizes 2.3M Smuggled Cigarettes

    Maldives Customs Seizes 2.3M Smuggled Cigarettes

    Authorities at the Maldives Customs Service intercepted more than 2.3 million smuggled cigarette sticks during an operation at the Malé Commercial Harbor last week, uncovering over 230 cases of illicit tobacco products with an estimated street value exceeding MVR 32 million ($2.1 million). Officials did not disclose further operational details, but the seizure comes amid a noted surge in cigarette smuggling following recent hikes in tobacco import duties. The case also follows earlier incidents involving charges over the theft of a container holding previously confiscated cigarettes, underscoring growing enforcement challenges tied to the expanding black market for tobacco in the Maldives.