
Clive Bates is the director of Counterfactual Consulting and the former director of Action on Smoking and Health (U.K.). On this page we feature a selection of his contributions to Tobacco Reporter.

PMI Posts Strong Fourth Quarter Behind ZYN Demand
Philip Morris International posted better-than-expected fourth-quarter results with net sales rising 7.3% to $9.71 billion, topping the $9.44 billion estimated.

Universal Corporation Announces Quarterly Dividend
Universal Corporation announced a quarterly dividend of $0.81 per share on the common shares.

Lithuanian Customs: Huge Increase in Counterfeit Cigarettes from Latvia
Lithuanian customs officials say there has been a huge increase in the production of counterfeit cigarettes in Latvia, which are ending up on the Western European market.

Nepal Goes All-In on Health Packaging
Nepal announced that all cigarette packs will be required to have 100% pictorial health warnings on both the front and back of the packaging beginning in August.

PM Korea Says Science Demands E-Cigarette Recognition
The head of Philip Morris Korea cited scientific evidence in defense of the global tobacco company’s ongoing efforts to shift from traditional cigarettes to electronic vaping products for healthier living.

Massachusetts: Council Pushes Back on Cigar Hikes
Several city councilors in New Bedford, Massachusetts, are criticizing the mandated increase in cigar prices that are meant to dissuade young smokers, as they are also hurting small businesses.

PTB Dissolution Hurts Farmers, Opens Illicit Market
The decision to dissolve the Pakistan Tobacco Board and hand over the regulatory authority to provincial governments will likely have severe economic, social, and regulatory consequences.

JT Not Adjusting Russian Business
Japan Tobacco announced it was not pulling out of the Russian market despite Ukraine’s efforts to get the lucrative company away from its combative neighbor.

Small Business Owners Fighting Denver’s Flavor Ban
Small business owners in Denver are fighting to send the city’s upcoming ban on flavored tobacco products to a vote in November’s election.

Foreign Company Investing $8.2 Million for Tobacco Processing Machinery in Bangladesh
Lee’s Tobacco Machinery Co. signed an agreement to invest $8.32 million in Bepza to manufacture tobacco processing machinery.

Philippines: Tobacco Orgs Backing Tax Moratorium
Seeking a “sweet spot,” the Philippines’ government is considering a moratorium on tobacco excise tax hikes in order to curb illicit trade and protect its revenue.

Thailand: Despite Ban, Vaping Surges with Teens
Thailand’s government is being urged not to legalize e-cigarettes. Despite being banned in 2014, e-cigarettes are abundantly available in the country

Habanos Introduces Final Limited Edition of 2024
Habanos introduced its Ramon Allones Absolutos last night, the third and final of its Edición Limitada of 2024

Ohio Pushed to Up Cigarette Tax by $1.50
Ohio lawmakers are being pushed to raise the state’s cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack.

Kretek Splash Draws Interest at TPE
One of the products that gained significant interest at TPE 2025 last week was the Splash menthol-filtered smokes that were launched at the end of 2024 by Kretek.

Osaka Tightens Smoking Regs Around World Expo 2025
The city of Osaka imposed a smoking ban on public streets in an attempt to be more “visitor friendly” ahead of this year’s World Expo 2025,

U.K. Stores Debate Definition of “Tobacco Product”
Two of England’s largest supermarkets are being accused of displaying ads for “tobacco products” in their stores, a violation of a law passed in 2002.

Denmark Goes All-In on Action Plan
Denmark has enacted the entirety of a 30-point action plan aimed at protecting youth from using nicotine products.

Illinois: Smokers Get Health Coverage Settlement
UGN Inc. settled a lawsuit saying it wrongly charged tobacco-using workers a penalty for health coverage without providing a valid way to avoid the fee.

Pakistan: Growers Stuck Between Federal and Local Government Row
The row between the Pakistani federal government and the provincial governments over $ 14.4 million of assets from the Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) has growers stuck in the middle.

Study: Airborne Ultrasound Damages Tobacco
Short exposures to ultrasound can damage tobacco plants, meaning growers should evaluate sound pollution effects on the plant’s living status.

Philippines Approves Tobacco Tracking Bill
The Philippines approved a measure to introduce a track-and-trace system for tobacco products to deter illicit products.

Japan Tobacco Investing Heavy on RRPs
Japan Tobacco Group announced that it will be investing $3 billion into reduced-risk products by the end of 2026.

Massachusetts Judge Issues Record-Setting Judgement
A Massachusetts judge turned a $10.6 million verdict into a $105 million award.

Busy Day for BAT Stocks
BAT executed a share buyback, then finished the day on a 52-week high.

Hong Kong Proposes Public Vape Ban
Hong Kong authorities have proposed a citywide ban on the use and possession of e-cigarette cartridges and flavored tobacco products in public places.

Washington: More Tax Hikes Proposed
A deeper look at the details of Washington’s proposed tax hikes on nicotine products.

New Administration Withdraws FDA’s Menthol Ban Bid
The Trump administration issued a setback to health regulators and anti-tobacco activists as it withdrew a plan to ban menthol cigarettes in the United States.

Wall Street Likes Big Tobacco
According to Seeking Alpha, a leading financial research firm, U.S.-listed tobacco companies had a successful year of returns in 2024.

U.K. Vape Market on the Rise
The e-cigarette market in the U.K. is estimated to grow by $1.47 billion from 2025-2029.

Washington State Wants High Taxes Higher
The state of Washington saw two bills proposed this week that would further hike the state’s higher-than-average tobacco taxes.

England: Half a Million Fake Cigarettes Seized
The Hull (England) City Council announced that last week it seized more than 500,000 counterfeit cigarettes and vapor products.

U.K. Nearing Generational Ban
The United Kingdom is poised to implement a generational tobacco ban this year, making it illegal for anyone born after January 1, 2009 to buy tobacco products.

Consilium Sciences Announces Rebrand
Beginning February 1, Consilium Sciences will operate under the name Sapphire Sciences.

Greece Cracking Down on Sales to Minors
The Ministry of Health in Greece is introducing stricter regulations on the sale and use of new tobacco and nicotine-based products.

Philippines: Illicit Trade Hurting Everyone
The Senate Committee on Ways and Means said illicit trade has been a major factor in the rise of smoking prevalence in the Philippines and a drop in revenue from excise taxes on tobacco products.

Tobacco Technology Celebrates 50th
Tobacco Technology is proud to announce its 50th anniversary in 2025. The company began as a small operation specializing in the creation of high-quality tobacco flavorings. Today, it is a leading global supplier of flavor products and a key player in multiple industries.

Regulatory Freeze Pending Review
As the Trump Administration digs in, it has called for a regulatory freeze pending review across all agencies.

Trump Admin Pauses Federal Health Communications
The Trump administration has directed federal health agencies to pause external communications, such as regular scientific reports, updates to websites, and health advisories.

SCOTUS Tapdancing Around Vape-Venue Dispute
“They have circumvented that ability of a court to identify the most convenient forum,” the government said. “By allowing them to use the tactic that they have used, they can unilaterally send the cases to whichever court they prefer.”