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Category: Global Regulation

  • BAT France Wants Coordinated EU Approach on Nicotine Pouch Regulation

    BAT France Wants Coordinated EU Approach on Nicotine Pouch Regulation

    In response to the European Commission’s proposal last month to include nicotine pouches under the Tobacco Excise Duty Directive, BAT France said it welcomed the initiative, marking the first time these tobacco-free alternatives were recognized in EU taxation. However, while acknowledging the move as a positive step for adult smokers seeking reduced-risk products, BAT France warns against two major risks: disproportionate taxation that could limit access, and the possibility of some member states, including France, acting unilaterally to ban these products.

    “It is important that nicotine pouches are recognized in European law,” said Sébastien Charbonneau, director of public affairs at BAT France. “But it is essential to adopt a differentiated tax approach that reflects their potential role in reducing risks for smokers.”

    BAT France highlighted Sweden’s experience, where nicotine pouches have contributed to one of the lowest smoking rates in Europe. The company stressed that excessive excise duties and unilateral bans could undermine public health goals, create trade barriers, and fuel illicit markets.

    The company called for risk-proportionate taxation, transparent parliamentary debate in France, and a coordinated EU-wide regulatory approach to support reduced-risk alternatives while respecting the single market and democratic process.

  • Malaysia Rules Out Generational Endgame, Focuses on Regulation

    Malaysia Rules Out Generational Endgame, Focuses on Regulation

    Malaysia’s Health Ministry confirmed it has no plans to reinstate the Generational Endgame (GEG) policy, which would have banned tobacco and vape sales to those born after 2007. Instead, the ministry said its focus is on enforcing strict regulatory measures under the Smoking Products Control for Public Health Act 2024.

    These measures include mandatory product registration, bans on advertising and sponsorship, tighter sales controls, and expanded smoke-free zones. Officials said the priority is to shield young people from smoking harms through regulation rather than a generational ban. The GEG policy, first proposed in 2022, was dropped before the bill passed Parliament.

  • Roanoke Weighs $20K Annual Fee for Vape, Tobacco Shops

    Roanoke Weighs $20K Annual Fee for Vape, Tobacco Shops

    The City Council in Roanoke, Virginia, is considering a $20,000 annual operational fee for specialty tobacco and vape shops operating within the city limits. The fee would specifically target businesses primarily profiting from vape, tobacco, THC, and related products, meaning gas stations and convenience stores would be exempt.

    Councilman Phazon Nash says the measure would promote public health and fund economic development programs, while Councilman Peter Volosin cautions against possible discrimination if minority-owned businesses are disproportionately affected.

    The proposal is under review by the city manager and city attorney, with Nash confident it will gain enough support to pass.

  • Belgium Extends Plain Packaging to All Tobacco Products from 2026

    Belgium Extends Plain Packaging to All Tobacco Products from 2026

    Belgium will require cigars, cigarillos, cigarette papers, filters, tubes, and all other “herbal products intended for smoking” to adopt standardized green-brown packaging with uniform fonts and health warnings, Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke announced. Effective June 1, 2026, the measure expands existing plain packaging rules for cigarettes and rolling tobacco, in place since 2020, to close loopholes that allow tobacco companies to market via other products. “Small retailers” would receive a one-year exception until June 2027.

    Vandenbroucke said the move aims to curb youth appeal and counter industry tactics, such as packaging cigarillos to resemble old cigarette packs. The government is also considering a ban on smoking on terraces from January 2026.

  • Nigeria Urged to Double Tobacco Tax

    Nigeria Urged to Double Tobacco Tax

    Nigerian advocacy group CAPPA has urged the government to raise excise taxes on tobacco products to 100%, saying the move could save thousands of lives and recover ₦526 billion ($347 million) annually in health and productivity losses.

    CAPPA said the tobacco industry continues to target youths with cigarettes, vapes, and e-cigarettes despite nearly 30,000 tobacco-related deaths a year. The group called for swift action on a delayed 50% tax proposal and alignment with stronger tobacco controls seen in other African countries.

  • Malaysia Moving Toward Vape Ban

    Malaysia Moving Toward Vape Ban

    Malaysian Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said he will present an expert committee’s recommendation to ban electronic cigarettes and vape to the Cabinet once its study is complete. He said the move is “no longer a matter of if” and follows the enforcement of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024, which has cut the number of smoking product variants in the market by nearly 60%.

    “With strict enforcement, I am confident we can effectively regulate cigarette and vape sales,” Dzulkefly said. “Most importantly, we must protect non-adults, students, and our children from exposure to vape. The Act will be enforced firmly to regulate all smoking products, including vape, for public health.”

  • NSW Introduces Harshest-Ever Crackdown on Illicits

    NSW Introduces Harshest-Ever Crackdown on Illicits

    The New South Wales government today (August 6) introduced sweeping new legislation to Parliament aimed at tackling the illegal tobacco and vaping trade, including some of the toughest penalties in Australia. Under the proposed laws, selling tobacco without a license could result in fines of up to A$660,000 ($429,000) for individuals and A$880,000 ($572,000) for corporations.

    Other key measures include:

    • New offenses for commercial possession or sale of illicit tobacco, carrying maximum penalties of over A$1.5 million ($975,000) and seven years’ imprisonment.
    • Closure orders for up to 90 days (short-term) or 12 months (long-term) for premises violating the laws.
    • Offenses for breaching closure orders, including entering or operating from sealed premises.
    • Lease termination powers for landlords and proposed penalties for those knowingly leasing to illegal sellers.
    • New laws against impersonating licensed sellers, resisting product seizure, or attempting to reclaim confiscated goods.

    The crackdown follows the recent rollout of a tobacco licensing scheme, designed to improve regulatory oversight and reduce black market activity.

  • Federal Judge Rules FDA Tobacco Penalties Unconstitutional Without Jury Trial

    Federal Judge Rules FDA Tobacco Penalties Unconstitutional Without Jury Trial

    On Friday (August 1), in a landmark ruling, a federal judge sided with vape company Wulferic, LLC in its lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), declaring the agency’s civil penalties process unconstitutional under the Seventh Amendment.

    Wulferic, which operates as Vapor Lab, had been fined by the FDA for selling unauthorized e-liquids. The company challenged the penalty, arguing it was entitled to a jury trial. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor agreed, ruling that the FDA’s administrative process for assessing fines violated the constitutional right to a jury in civil cases. The decision could significantly weaken the FDA’s enforcement powers over tobacco and nicotine products.

    “The Wulferic decision is the first case to find that the FD&C Act’s CMP provision for tobacco products is unconstitutional — but the catch is that it didn’t actually order FDA to stop carrying on as usual with respect to anybody else,” Andrew J. Hull and Peter G. Dickos wrote for the FDA Law Blog. “Wulferic threatens to significantly dismantle FDA’s arsenal of actions to enforce compliance with the FD&C Act’s tobacco provisions, and we expect many more similar challenges to follow if FDA stays on its current course.”

  • Catalonia Pushes to Ban Smoking on Beaches

    Catalonia Pushes to Ban Smoking on Beaches

    Catalonia’s public health secretary, Esteve Fernández, is advocating for a nationwide ban on smoking at beaches to be included in Spain’s upcoming tobacco control law. Still in its early stages, the proposed legislation includes bans on smoking on bar and restaurant terraces, university campuses, and in work vehicles, but Fernández wants it to go further.

    Fernández argues the ban is crucial to protect public health and reduce secondhand smoke exposure, and that cigarette butts contribute significantly to environmental pollution, as they contain toxic chemicals and decompose very slowly. Although Barcelona has banned smoking on its beaches since 2022, enforcement was initially lax. Across Catalonia, about 20 seaside municipalities already restrict smoking on 80 beaches.

    Fernández stressed the need for decisive action to “denormalize” smoking in public spaces and foster a healthier society.

  • New Jersey Increases Taxes on Vaping and Cigarettes

    New Jersey Increases Taxes on Vaping and Cigarettes

    As of today (August 1), smokers and vapers in New Jersey are paying more for their products following a new tax hike. The state has increased the tax on cigarettes by 30 cents, bringing the total to $3 per pack, and has tripled the tax on liquid nicotine from 10 cents to 30 cents per cartridge. 

    For a person who smokes a pack a day, the new tax increase will add an extra $109.50 to their yearly costs, for a total of $1,095 in state taxes alone. When the national tax of $1.01 per pack is included, the total yearly tax burden on a pack-a-day habit reaches nearly $1,464. Vapers, who do not pay a federal tax, will see their state tax costs on each nicotine-filled pod triple.

    The tax hikes are expected to generate an additional $51 million in revenue for the state, with $2 million from the tax on vape products going into the Health Care Subsidy Fund.

    According to the American Lung Association, a 10% increase in tobacco taxes can lead to a 4% reduction in adult consumption and a 7% reduction among younger people. New Jersey’s cigarette tax now ranks as the 12th highest in the nation. This is a smaller increase than what Governor Phil Murphy had proposed in 2020, which would have made New Jersey’s tax among the highest in the country.

    The tax hike comes as the state continues to see a decline in cigarette smoking. In 2022, about 10% of New Jersey adults smoked, a significant drop from the 17% who smoked in 2011.

    Despite the high tax on cigarettes, the American Lung Association gives New Jersey an “F” for its tobacco taxes, noting that the state does not tax large cigars, smokeless or loose tobacco, or e-cigarettes.