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Category: Global Regulation

  • EU Commissioner Accuses Tobacco Industry of Misleading Policymakers 

    EU Commissioner Accuses Tobacco Industry of Misleading Policymakers 

    EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra accused the tobacco industry of recycling old tactics, comparing claims that vapes are less harmful than cigarettes to past efforts promoting “light” cigarettes.

    “They mislead policymakers about the risks of these new products, just as they did with light cigarettes in the past,” Hoekstra wrote on LinkedIn, saying that nicotine in alternative products also damages blood vessels, impairs vascular function, and stimulates tumor growth.

    His comments come as the European Commission prepares its first assessment of the health effects of new tobacco and nicotine products, with a focus on preventing youth uptake. Hoekstra has also pushed for higher taxation, backing the proposed Tobacco Excise Duty Own Resource (TEDOR), which could contribute €11.2 billion annually to the EU budget by taking 15% of member states’ tobacco tax revenues.

    However, the plan faces resistance as 14 countries, including Italy, Greece, and Sweden, have already voiced opposition.

  • NSW Tobacco Licensing Enforcement Kicks In

    NSW Tobacco Licensing Enforcement Kicks In

    The three-month grace period for Australian retailers and wholesalers in New South Wales to apply for a license to sell tobacco and smoking products ends today (October 2). Enforcement of the Minns Labor Government’s new Tobacco Licensing Scheme begins tomorrow, meaning all businesses selling tobacco or non-tobacco smoking products must hold and display a valid license. Those trading without one risk heavy penalties, although applicants who lodged a valid application before the deadline can continue operating until their outcome is confirmed.

    The new Center for Regulation and Enforcement within NSW Health will oversee compliance, working with state and federal agencies. Under recently passed reforms, penalties for unlicensed sales will increase dramatically, with fines of up to A$660,000 ($435,600) for individuals and A$880,000 ($580,800) for corporations. New offenses also target illicit tobacco trade, carrying maximum penalties of A$1.54 million ($1 million) and/or seven years’ imprisonment.

  • Trinidad & Tobago Considers Harm Reduction in Tobacco Policy

    Trinidad & Tobago Considers Harm Reduction in Tobacco Policy

    Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Health said it is laying the groundwork for a new approach to tobacco control, with officials confirming they are collecting data to regulate reduced-risk products such as vaping, nicotine pouches, and heat-not-burn devices. The move signals a shift away from policies focused solely on bans and restrictions, toward strategies that emphasize harm reduction.

    Despite years of regulation, smoking rates remain high in the country, with nearly one in five adults still smoking. The absence of laws specific to vaping has left products in a legal grey area, creating uncertainty for smokers looking to switch to less harmful alternatives. Advocates argue that clear regulation could help reduce smoking-related disease and deaths, pointing to examples from Sweden and the U.K.

    Public health voices in Trinidad and Tobago say the country has an opportunity to chart its own course, using evidence-based regulation to give smokers safer choices. “Now is the moment to act,” one health advocate said, urging policymakers to put harm reduction at the center of the nation’s tobacco strategy.

  • Indonesia’s Tobacco Excise Policy is Public Health Puzzle

    Indonesia’s Tobacco Excise Policy is Public Health Puzzle

    Indonesia’s tobacco excise system is generating record revenue but struggling to curb smoking, highlighting a policy at odds with itself, wrote Hafiz Arfyanto for The Jakarta Post. The government employs a complex nine-tier excise structure designed to balance four national goals: reduce cigarette consumption, maximize revenue, protect tobacco industry jobs, and combat the illegal cigarette trade. While well-intentioned, this multilayered approach has led to unintended consequences, undermining health objectives and limiting revenue growth, he said.

    Last year, tobacco excise brought in Rp 215.3 trillion ($12.9 billion), accounting for nearly 96% of total excise revenue, yet the country still has one of the highest numbers of smokers worldwide. A major challenge is “downtrading,” where smokers switch from premium brands to cheaper cigarettes in lower excise tiers instead of quitting. This behavior keeps consumption high despite higher prices and creates wide price gaps between products, weakening the excise system’s ability to improve public health.

  • FDA’s Makary Wants Retailers to Crack Down on Illegal Nicotine Products

    FDA’s Makary Wants Retailers to Crack Down on Illegal Nicotine Products

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary issued a statement today (September 30) announcing that the organization is launching a nationwide initiative to boost compliance among retailers that sell vaping products, part of a broader effort to address the rise of youth vaping. The campaign is scheduled to reach more than 300,000 stores, including vape shops, gas stations, and convenience stores.

    According to the FDA, as much as 54% of vaping products sold in the United States are illegal, many flavored with fruit or candy, or packaged with gimmicks like built-in video games and Bluetooth speakers. None of these products are authorized for sale, and regulators warn they often contain toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, lead, and acrolein.

    To help retailers comply, the FDA is mailing educational packets that include a list of the 39 e-cigarettes and 20 nicotine pouches legally allowed on the market, along with QR codes linking to real-time updates online. Retailers will also receive information about the new Searchable Tobacco Product Database, covering more than 17,000 authorized products across all categories, plus a calendar of compliance reminders such as enforcing the minimum age of 21 and checking photo IDs.

    “We know that most businesses want to follow the law,” Makary said in the statement. “The purpose of this initiative is to help retailers better understand relevant laws and regulations, removing any excuses for noncompliance. We are particularly interested in increasing compliance around the distribution and sale of illegal vaping products, which are often marketed to, and widely consumed by, American teens.”

    Mailings will begin this fall, and additional free resources are available through the FDA’s Tobacco Education Resource Library.

    “Retailers are on the front line of protecting youth and young adults from the dangers of nicotine addiction, and we urge them to take this responsibility seriously by swiftly pulling illegal e-cigarettes from their store shelves,” said Kathy Crosby, CEO of Truth Initiative, who points out that illicit products are cheap and easier to get than ever. “Voluntary compliance is important, but it’s imperative that the FDA do more to hold those retailers, distributors and manufacturers who continue to break the law accountable.”

    Read the entire FDA statement here.

  • Malaysia to Enforce Tobacco Display Ban This Week

    Malaysia to Enforce Tobacco Display Ban This Week

    Restaurants and retail outlets across Klang Valley, Malaysia, are racing to comply with the upcoming tobacco display ban that takes effect October 1 under the Control of Public Health (Control of Sale) Regulations 2024. Operators have been covering cigarette shelves with shutters, tinted glass, and steel panels, while some businesses have chosen to stop selling tobacco products altogether.

    Industry associations say most members are on track, though challenges remain for smaller operators. “Some smaller operators may face challenges in terms of space and storage, but overall, members are aware that enforcement begins October 1, and are preparing accordingly,” said Datuk Jawahar Ali Taib Khan, president of the Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners’ Association, which represents about 3,500 operators. The Petaling Jaya Coffeeshop Association added that shutters supplied by tobacco companies helped speed compliance, though design preferences vary.

    While operators brace for the ban, some anticipate a dip in cigarette sales and call for clearer guidelines and enforcement against illicit products. “Hopefully, the government will conduct frequent inspections to prevent the sale of illegal cigarettes as well,” Jawahar said. More than 51,000 shops nationwide will be affected by the new ruling.

  • Ireland to Ban Tobacco and Vape Vending Machine Sales

    Ireland to Ban Tobacco and Vape Vending Machine Sales

    Beginning today (September 29), Ireland will ban the sale of tobacco and nicotine inhaling products from self-service and vending machines under new rules contained in the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023. Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said the measure will cut off a source of easy access for minors, calling it “another significant milestone” in the government’s tobacco control policy and Tobacco Endgame strategy.

    Minister of State for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drug Strategy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor stressed that the legislation aims squarely to protect children. “We are cutting off an avenue of easy access that has been shown to contribute to early experimentation and long-term addiction,” she said, adding that prevention is central to building a healthier Ireland. The Health Service Executive confirmed that Environmental Health Officers will conduct nationwide inspections to monitor compliance.

    The measure aligns Ireland with two-thirds of Parties to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which recommends banning vending machine sales as a form of advertising and promotion.

  • Arizona Raises Tobacco Age to 21

    Arizona Raises Tobacco Age to 21

    A new law taking effect today raises Arizona’s minimum age to buy or possess tobacco products from 18 to 21, aligning the state with federal law passed in 2019. Lawmakers approved SB 1247 in June after federal officials warned Arizona risked losing funding if it failed to comply. Until now, Arizona was one of just seven states that had not updated its laws, leaving some retailers still selling to 18-year-olds.

    The law covers cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, vaping products, and hookah. Retailers who sell to under-21 customers face a Class 3 misdemeanor, while possession or distribution by those under 21 is a petty offense. A military exemption was included, but public health experts say base commanders are unlikely to honor it.

  • Russia to Require Licenses for Tobacco and Vape Sales From 2026

    Russia to Require Licenses for Tobacco and Vape Sales From 2026

    The Russian government approved a bill that will require licenses for the sale of all cigarettes and vaping products beginning March 1, 2026, in a bid to tighten market oversight and curb youth consumption. The bill now moves to the State Duma for debate and adoption.

    The law, modeled on alcohol industry rules, will mandate licenses for wholesale, retail, and delivery sales, with penalties including license revocation for violations such as selling to minors. Authorities are also weighing tougher measures, including mandatory registration in the national “Chestny Znak” digital tracking system and criminal liability for large-scale illegal trade.

  • U.K. Vape Industry Warns ‘Pride in Place’ Plan Could Backfire

    U.K. Vape Industry Warns ‘Pride in Place’ Plan Could Backfire

    The U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) has branded Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s new Pride in Place program “seriously flawed,” warning it risks driving ex-smokers back to cigarettes and fueling the illicit vape trade. The plan would allow residents to block new vape shops on their high streets. UKVIA Director General John Dunne said this wrongly equates specialist vape stores with betting shops and other “unwanted” outlets, despite vaping being “the most effective method of helping adult smokers quit.”

    Instead, UKVIA is urging the government to introduce a compulsory vape retail licensing scheme, funded by retailers, to keep vapes out of unsuitable venues and support tougher enforcement against rogue sellers. Dunne argued that blocking legitimate vape stores undermines the U.K.’s smoke-free targets and risks strengthening the black market.