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Category: Global Regulation

  • NSW to Punish Landlords Who Enable Illegal Tobacco Sales

    NSW to Punish Landlords Who Enable Illegal Tobacco Sales

    Australia’s Minns Labor Government introduced the Public Health (Tobacco) Amendment (Landlord Offences) Bill 2025, creating a new offence for commercial landlords who knowingly allow tenants to sell illicit tobacco or illegal vapes. “These penalties ensure we target landlords who knowingly permit illegal activity while protecting legitimate businesses and communities,” said health minister Ryan Park.

    Once enacted, landlords who are aware of illicit activities but fail to act or report them could face up to one year in prison, a $165,000 fine, or both.

    The move follows months of enforcement action, with New South Wales Health and Police seizing over 11.8 million cigarettes, 2,000kg of tobacco, and 170,000 illegal vapes valued at nearly A$19 million ($12.4 million) between January and October 2025. Courts have imposed $597,200 ($388,180) in fines across 17 prosecutions, with 27 more cases pending.

    The legislation complements recent reforms introducing multi-million-dollar fines and prison terms for possession and sale of illicit tobacco, closure orders for offending premises, and new powers for lease termination and license fraud offences.

  • Russia’s FSB Shuts Down Major Illegal Vape Supplier in Tula Region

    Russia’s FSB Shuts Down Major Illegal Vape Supplier in Tula Region

    Working in Russia’s Tula region, Federal Security Service (FSB) officers dismantled a large-scale operation in a warehouse containing counterfeit nicotine products worth over 500 million rubles ($6 million). Authorities said a 27-year-old resident organized the sale of unmarked electronic cigarettes, vapes, and liquids in violation of labeling laws. A criminal case has been opened against him for trafficking unmarked goods on a particularly large scale. The investigation continues to trace the supply network and distribution channels.

  • Most Shops Comply with Abu Dhabi Tobacco and Vape Regulations

    Most Shops Comply with Abu Dhabi Tobacco and Vape Regulations

    Abu Dhabi authorities report strong compliance among local businesses following inspections of commercial establishments in 2025. Of 1,661 field visits and 21 targeted inspection campaigns, only two shops were shut down and 61 warnings issued for minor violations related to tobacco and e-cigarette sales. The Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA) focused on stores near schools to protect community health and ensure legal adherence. Violations included displaying tobacco at checkout, home delivery, and sales to minors.

    ADRA Director-General Mohammed Muneef Al Mansoori emphasized that the low number of infractions reflects widespread compliance and the success of awareness campaigns.

  • Thailand’s Fast-Tracked Vape Ban Sparks Concerns

    Thailand’s Fast-Tracked Vape Ban Sparks Concerns

    Thailand’s Cabinet approved amendments to the Tobacco Products Control Act, targeting e-cigarettes, on October 28, four days after Queen Sirikit’s passing, raising concerns over rushed policymaking during the national mourning period. Anti-vaping groups proposed a total ban to the House of Senators, which accepted it with minimal scrutiny before forwarding it to the Cabinet, which then tasked the Ministry of Public Health with leading a sub-committee to develop solutions within one month.  

    “Rushing through a total ban during national mourning demonstrates either disorganization or deliberate predatory timing,” said Asa Saligupta, president of Ends Cigarette Smoking Thailand. “Entrusting the process to those with clear biases risks outcomes that sideline evidence.”​ 

    The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) warned that the ban ignores evidence-based approaches, risks driving adults to unregulated products, and overlooks safer alternatives like refillable devices and heat-not-burn options. Vaping users in Thailand have grown from 78,000 in 2021 to over 400,000 in 2024.

    CAPHRA urged policymakers to focus on regulated harm-reduction strategies, environmental considerations, and using taxes on legal vaping products to protect youth, rather than prioritizing strict FCTC compliance at the expense of adult public health.

  • Expert Urges Nigeria to Embrace THR for Health, Economy

    Expert Urges Nigeria to Embrace THR for Health, Economy

    Nigeria could become a hub for Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) product development and export, supporting economic diversification and public health, says Professor Nnanyelugo Martin Ike‑Muonso of ValueFronteira Ltd., stressing that a balanced regulatory framework would protect minors, ensure product quality, and promote responsible marketing, unlocking both health and economic benefits for the country.

    In Nigeria, the 2015 Tobacco Control Act regulates traditional tobacco but does not cover alternative nicotine products, creating regulatory gaps that allow illicit trade and hinder public health progress. Ike‑Muonso argues that structured THR regulation could boost MSME entrepreneurship, generate tax revenue, and expand Nigeria’s non-oil industrial base, while aligning the country with global best practices.

    Ike‑Muonso points to global evidence that shows THR strategies have driven record declines in smoking rates in countries such as the UK, New Zealand, Japan, and Norway. Adult smoking in the UK dropped to 12.9% in 2022, while Norway’s daily smoking rate fell to 7% in 2023, largely due to regulated alternative nicotine products.

  • Bhutan Implements 115% E-Cigarette Tax

    Bhutan Implements 115% E-Cigarette Tax

    Bhutan’s Ministry of Health (MoH) announced a major fiscal crackdown on e-cigarettes, introducing a combined 115% tax on vaping products, including 100% excise, 10% customs duty, and 5% GST, all effective January 2026. Devices will also face a 20% excise tax alongside customs duty and GST.

    The MoH said the move aims to curb rising youth use of e-cigarettes and align vaping products with traditional tobacco under the country’s regulatory framework. The Tobacco Control Rules and Act are also being updated to explicitly cover e-cigarettes, vapes, and heated tobacco products.

    The government continues to enforce bans on advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of all tobacco and nicotine products.

  • Maldives Implements First Generational Tobacco Ban

    Maldives Implements First Generational Tobacco Ban

    The Maldivian government enacted landmark amendments to its Tobacco Control Act, introducing a generational ban on tobacco use. Effective immediately, individuals born on or after January 1, 2007, are prohibited from using tobacco, and vendors are barred from selling tobacco to anyone under 21 or within the generational cutoff. Maldives becomes the world’s first nation to permanently prohibit a generation from smoking.

    The legislation also imposes a nationwide ban on electronic cigarettes and vaping products, including their use, possession, importation, and manufacture. President Mohamed Muizzu said the measures reflect his vision of fostering a “competent, morally upright, and diligent citizenry.”

  • WVA Holds Light Protest Ahead of COP11

    WVA Holds Light Protest Ahead of COP11

    The World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) staged a light show protest by projecting messages on the Geneva International Conference Centre, home to the upcoming COP11 meetings that begin November 17. The WVA said it was drawing attention to what the group calls misinformation and exclusion of consumer voices in global tobacco control debates. The WVA criticized the World Health Organization’s stance on vaping and nicotine alternatives, arguing that restrictive policies could undermine harm reduction efforts, particularly in the Caribbean.

    The protest is part of the WVA’s “Voices Unheard – Consumers Matter” campaign, which urges Caribbean governments to pursue evidence-based approaches rather than blanket bans.

  • EU’s Tobacco Tax Harmonization Would Cost Luxembourg €1 Billion

    EU’s Tobacco Tax Harmonization Would Cost Luxembourg €1 Billion

    While the EU’s proposed Tobacco Tax Directive aims to align minimum rates across member states, experts say the harmonization would present a delicate fiscal balance for Luxembourg, where tobacco tourism funds a significant part of the budget. Cigarette prices in Luxembourg could jump from €5.10 to around €8.30, erasing its advantage over neighboring countries, costing the Grand Duchy close to €1 billion, as 95% of the country’s tobacco tax revenue comes from non-residents. At €50 million, tobacco taxes would drop from 69% to 3.5% of Luxembourg’s national budget.

    Public health officials argue the tax losses would be offset by saved healthcare costs and reduced productivity losses.

  • Pakistan Sees Cigarette Revenue Fall Despite Huge Tax Hike

    Pakistan Sees Cigarette Revenue Fall Despite Huge Tax Hike

    Despite a 200% increase in duty rates, Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) reported a 4.1% drop in Federal Excise Duty (FED) collection from the cigarette sector, falling to Rs225.5 billion ($789.3 million) in FY2024-25 from Rs235 billion ($822.5 million) the previous year. Officials attributed the decline to a growing illicit cigarette market, which continues to undermine tax collection.

    The sector’s share in total FED revenue plunged from 40.7% in FY24 to 29.4% in FY25, highlighting enforcement challenges and the government’s struggle to curb illegal production and sales. Higher taxes have reportedly pushed consumers toward untaxed brands, further reducing formal industry revenue.

    FBR officials warned that without stronger enforcement against illicit cigarette trade, the formal tobacco industry will continue to shrink, depriving the government of vital revenue for development and public health programs.