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  • Vietnam to Ban Vapes Next Year

    Vietnam to Ban Vapes Next Year

    Vietnam will ban vapes next year, reports VN Express.

    On Nov. 30, the country’s National Assembly approved a measure to prohibit the production, sale, import, storage, transportation and use of e-cigarettes starting in 2025.

    Previously, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan said e-cigarettes need to be banned “due to their harmful health effects.” NA delegates also agreed that policies to ban and tightly monitor illegal sales are necessary.

    World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised Vietnam’s action. “Congratulations, Vietnam, on making this bold decision to protect your citizens, especially the young ones, from vaping and heated tobacco products,” he wrote on social media platform X.

  • ITGA Celebrates 40 Years of Representing Growers

    ITGA Celebrates 40 Years of Representing Growers

    Photo: PMFTC

    The International Tobacco Growers’ Association (ITGA) marked its 40th anniversary this week.

    Established in 1984 by growers’ representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Malawi, the U.S. and Zimbabwe, the ITGA provides a unified voice to tobacco growers worldwide and offers a platform to represent their interests.

    During the 1990s, ITGA expanded its membership to include many more countries from Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe, cementing its presence as a global representative of tobacco growers.

    ITGA played an active role in international discussions about the tobacco industry, emphasizing the importance of balancing regulatory needs with the livelihood of farmers.

    As environmental and economic pressures increased, ITGA launched initiatives promoting sustainable farming practices to help growers adapt to changing conditions and market demands.

    The association actively engaged with governments and organizations, advocating for fair treatment of tobacco growers amid global anti-tobacco campaigns such as the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control that since its entry into force has dramatically influenced the tobacco regulation environment.

    Ever since its foundation, ITGA has served as a unique platform to bring supply chain partners together at regional and global level. Today, ITGA gatherings are fundamental in their role to bring farmers, experts, and other stakeholders to discuss pressing issues, share knowledge, and explore innovations in sustainable agriculture.

    Recognizing shifts in global demand, ITGA began encouraging research and programs to support crop diversification that could potentially benefit farmers in their search for alternative income sources.In addition, ITGA solidified its partnerships with research institutions and NGOs to provide education on sustainable agricultural methods and diversification.

    The association continues to stand as a key representative in policy dialogues, advocating for a balanced approach that considers both public health goals and the economic well-being of growers.

    As ITGA celebrates its 40-year milestone, the organization remains committed to championing tobacco growers’ needs, exploring sustainable solutions, and promoting economic security for farming communities worldwide.

    “I encourage ITGA Members to act as a unified body and carry on the legacy of these 40 years of history that were fundamental to maintain our independent global association raising tobacco farmers voices,” said ITGA President José Javier Aranda.

  • Korea Seeks to Restrict Synthetic Nicotine

    Korea Seeks to Restrict Synthetic Nicotine

    South Korea is working to restrict the use of synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes, reports The Korea Times.

    Korea’s current law defines tobacco products as those made from the leaves of tobacco plants. Some companies saw this as an opportunity to sell products using synthetic nicotine created in a lab rather than from tobacco leaves.

    Recently, BAT Rothmans Far East, launched its synthetic nicotine vape product, Nomad Sync 5000, which currently does not meet the definition of “tobacco-leaf products” and thus avoids multiple taxes and special charges.

    In recent months, lawmakers have filed more than a dozen bills to amend the law.

    The latest bill, proposed by lawmakers of the opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Nov. 26, aims to redefine what constitutes tobacco products, seeking to include vapes that use synthetic nicotine.

    Another group of lawmakers are attempting to require sellers to put warnings on vape packaging just as cigarette sellers do, in addition to the expansion of the legal tobacco definition.

     The Ministry of Health and Welfare has vowed to support such legislation efforts.

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  • IQOS Marks 10th Anniversary

    IQOS Marks 10th Anniversary

    Photo: vfhnb12

    Philip Morris International marked the 10th anniversary of the introduction of its IQOS tobacco heating product.

    Tobacco harm reduction advocates credit the availability of heated tobacco products such as IQOS with lowering rates of traditional smoking. In Japan—the first market where IQOS was launched in 2014—cigarette smoking prevalence dropped from 19.6 percent of all adults in 2024 to 10.6 percent in 2022. According to PMI, the country continues to have the highest number of heated-tobacco-product users, and tobacco prevalence has not increased since they were introduced.

    A decade after it was launched in Japan, IQOS now generates over $10 billion of PMI’s annual net revenues, the product is available in over 70 markets worldwide, and 30.8 million adults use it.

    “With the debut of IQOS, we launched PMI’s vision of a smoke-free company, creating an opportunity to solve the problem of smoking,” said PMI CEO Jacek Olczak in a statement.

    “Every day, IQOS demonstrates its potential for this, as evidenced by the approximately 22 million adults around the world who have fully switched to it and stopped smoking. IQOS is the world’s leading smoke-free product, and we are committed to continuing to lead the way to a future where better alternatives have completely replaced cigarettes, while moving forward to become a predominantly smoke-free company by 2030.”

  • UK Generational Smoking Ban Clears First Hurdle

    UK Generational Smoking Ban Clears First Hurdle

    TR Archive

    A landmark bill in the United Kingdom to ban its younger generation from smoking has cleared its first hurdle in the House of Commons.

    If it becomes law, the legislation, backed by a 415 to 47 vote, would prevent anyone born after January 1, 2009, from buying tobacco.

    Before then, the bill must go through further parliamentary stages, with MPs able to suggest amendments to any aspects they don’t like.

    The legislation includes powers to introduce a licensing scheme for retailers to sell tobacco, vape, and nicotine products in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

    Other proposed measures include a total ban on vaping product advertising and sponsorship, with a possible ban on the sale of sweet vape flavors, subject to consultation.

    While the numbers indicate large cross-party support, there was strong criticism from Conservative, Liberal Democrat, and Reform UK MPs, who raised concerns about “civil liberties.”

    The division list showed Tory leader Kemi Badenoch voted against the measure, having previously said “people born a day apart will have permanently different rights,” reports Sky News.

    Former home secretary Suella Braverman, shadow immigration minister Robert Jenrick, and Sir Iain Duncan Smith were among the other high-profile Conservatives who didn’t back the bill.

    While most Liberal Democrats did vote to support the bill, the party’s health spokeswoman Helen Morgan said: “The introduction of a phased smoking ban is problematic and not because Liberal Democrats want to see people smoke themselves into an early grave – far from it – but because it raises issues of practicality and raises issues of civil liberties.”

  • Korea Expands E-cigarette-Only Lounges

    Korea Expands E-cigarette-Only Lounges

    Image: Yakobchuk Olena

    South Korea is expanding the number of vaping-only lounges to accommodate the growing popularity of e-cigarettes, reports Korea Bizwire.

    E-cigarette-exclusive lounges have emerged at airports and commercial hubs, catering to vapers who wish to avoid the strong odors and cramped conditions of traditional smoking booths.

    Incheon Airport, for instance, has converted three existing smoking areas to vaping-only lounges by, among other things, removing ashtrays.

    According to the airport, these lounges serve an average of 4,000 users daily, with a satisfaction rate of 4.2 out of 5, as measured by a September survey. Incheon Airport is the only top-10 international airport to provide exclusive e-cigarette smoking lounges.

    “We prioritized convenience for both traditional and e-cigarette smokers by considering accessibility and foot traffic in our lounge locations,” an airport spokesperson said.

     Lotte World Tower offers dedicated e-cigarette areas, as do shopping centers like Starfield Suwon and Starfield City Wirye. Local governments in districts such as Gangnam and Seongdong have also piloted separate smoking booths for traditional and e-cigarette users.

  • EU Lawmakers to Vote on Outdoor Smoking

    EU Lawmakers to Vote on Outdoor Smoking

    Photo: Taco TUinstra

    Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will vote on a draft resolution on smoke-free and aerosol-free environments this week, according to Euractiv.

    The resolution proposes extending the ban to key outdoor areas such as outdoor restaurants and cafes, workplaces, surroundings of healthcare facilities, educational institutions, care facilities and public transport, including bus stops and tram stops as well as train stations. Railway platforms, airports, recreational areas and other areas of high congregation would also be included in the rule.

    The draft resolution also calls for research on the risks of secondhand exposure to heated tobacco and aerosols, including from e-cigarettes. The document highlights the need to combat illicit sales, stating that “the Commission and member states should commit to taking stricter measures.”

    MEPs expect the Commission to provide member states with necessary funding to implement health policies, and the MEPs are likely to call on the Commission to present a report to Parliament and the Council on the progress and implementation of the Council Recommendations in EU countries no later than four years after the resolution is adopted.

  • Supreme Court Won’t Hear Graphic Warning Challenge

    Supreme Court Won’t Hear Graphic Warning Challenge

    The U.S. Supreme Court won’t hear a challenge to a federal requirement that cigarette packages and advertising include graphic images demonstrating the effects of smoking.

    The nation’s top court declined to hear the case in a brief written order handed down Monday.

    R.J. Reynolds appealed to the high court after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found the warnings do not violate the First Amendment, the AP reports.

    They include pictures of smoke-damaged lungs, feet blackened by diminished blood flow and a picture of a woman with an immense growth on her neck and the caption “WARNING: Smoking causes head and neck cancer.”

    Nearly 120 countries worldwide have adopted more prominent, graphic warning labels. Studies from those countries suggest that image-based labels are more effective than text warnings at publicizing smoking risks and encouraging smokers to quit. The U.S. has not updated its labels since 1984.

    It’s not clear when new labels might appear. Some legal claims remain, and the FDA has said it doesn’t plan to enforce any new requirements until at least December 2025.

  • Lawmakers Urged to Reject Generational Ban

    Lawmakers Urged to Reject Generational Ban

    Image: magicbones

    Campaigners are urging British lawmakers to reject plans to ban the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to future generations of adults.

    Ahead of the second reading of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill on Nov. 26, the smokers’ rights group Forest says the proposal is “unnecessarily divisive” and is not supported by the majority of the public.

    According to a recent poll commissioned by Forest and conducted by Yonder Consulting, 60 percent of respondents said that if people are allowed to drive a car, join the army, purchase alcohol, and vote at 18, they should also be allowed to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products.

    Fewer than a third (31 percent) said they should not be allowed to purchase tobacco when legally an adult, while 9 percent said, “don’t know.”

    MPs need to think very carefully about the unintended consequences of raising the legal age of sale of tobacco.

    Simon Clark, director, Forest

    “A generational ban on the sale of tobacco is unnecessarily divisive because it will create a two-tier society in which some adults have different rights to others,” said Forest Director Simon Clark.

    “Eventually it will create the absurd situation whereby a 40-year-old can purchase cigarettes and other tobacco products, but someone born a few days later could be denied the same right.

    “MPs need to think very carefully about the unintended consequences of raising the legal age of sale of tobacco.

    “Denying future generations of adults the right to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products legally won’t stop people smoking.

    “Creeping prohibition will simply drive the sale of tobacco underground and into the hands of criminal gangs and illicit traders.”

  • Top Court to Hear Triton Vaping Case

    Top Court to Hear Triton Vaping Case

    The U.S. Supreme Court will next week hear the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s defense of the agency’s rejection of two companies’ premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) to sell flavored vape products that it has determined pose health risks for young consumers.

    The live audio of the hearing can be found here.

    The justices took up the FDA’s appeal filed after a lower court ruled that the agency had failed to follow proper legal procedures under federal law when it denied the applications to bring their nicotine-containing products to market.

    The Supreme Court is due to hear the case in its next term, which begins in October, according to Reuters.

    Two e-cigarette liquid makers, Triton Distribution and Vapetasia, filed premarket tobacco product applications in 2020 for products with flavors such as sour grape, pink lemonade, and crème brulee and names such as “Jimmy The Juice Man Strawberry Astronaut” and “Suicide Bunny Bunny Season.”

    The FDA rejected the companies’ applications, along with more than 1 million other products.

    Triton and Vapetasia in 2021 asked the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review the FDA’s denial of their applications.

    In January, the 5th Circuit ruled that the FDA had been arbitrary and capricious by denying the applications without considering plans by the companies to prevent underage access and use.