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  • Indonesia Sounds Alarm on Drug-Laced Vapes

    Indonesia Sounds Alarm on Drug-Laced Vapes

    On December 16, Indonesia’s National Narcotics Agency (BNN) warned of the growing circulation of drug-laced vape cartridges containing the anesthetic etomidate, following a major seizure at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. Authorities intercepted 8,500 illicit vape refill cartridges smuggled through air cargo routes on November 12 and arrested a distributor in a joint operation by BNN and the National Police.

    BNN said etomidate, now classified as a Schedule II narcotic, poses serious health risks when inhaled through vaping due to the lack of dosage control. Officials warned that repeated use can lead to dependency. BNN cited national data showing 1.73% of Indonesia’s population (about 3.3 million people) have been exposed to drugs, and claimed that the country’s estimated 70 million smokers increase vulnerability to drug-laced vape products.

  • South Korea to Define All Nicotine Products as ‘Cigarettes’

    South Korea to Define All Nicotine Products as ‘Cigarettes’

    South Korea’s Cabinet moved to close regulatory and taxation gaps surrounding liquid e-cigarettes, including those using synthetic or nicotine-substitute substances, amid what is says are growing safety concerns. At a Cabinet meeting today (December 16) chaired by President Lee Jae-myung, the government approved the promulgation of amendments to the Tobacco Business Act that legally classify liquid e-cigarettes as tobacco products. The revised law expands the definition of cigarettes from products made from tobacco leaves to all products containing tobacco or nicotine, bringing synthetic-nicotine liquid e-cigarettes under formal regulation.

    President Lee highlighted concerns that nicotine substitutes have been distributed without adequate safety verification and called for stronger institutional oversight. Reports of suspected lung damage linked to liquid e-cigarettes were also raised during the meeting.

    Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yoon-cheol said products released four months after the law takes effect will be regulated and taxed as cigarettes. However, he noted regulatory limits regarding so-called “nicotine-free” products manufactured before the law’s implementation, stressing the need for separate management and hazard assessments.

    The revision aims to eliminate regulatory and taxation blind spots while gradually strengthening safety management for nicotine substitutes.

  • JT Launches EVO Honey Lemon for Ploom

    JT Launches EVO Honey Lemon for Ploom

    Japan Tobacco (JT) introduced the EVO Honey Lemon Crystal, a new flavored smoke stick for its Ploom heated tobacco brand, that will be available in Japan beginning today (December 16) through the CLUB JT online shop and Ploom Shops, followed by a nationwide rollout in convenience stores and tobacco retailers on January 16, 2026.

    The EVO Honey Lemon Crystal “combines lemon-flavored capsules with honey sweetness to offer a balanced, dual-profile sensory experience.” It is compatible with all Ploom devices, sold in packs of 20 sticks at a retail price of JPY 550 ($3.70).

    The launch follows recent additions to the Ploom EVO lineup, including Evo Black Menthol and Evo Fresh Mint (released December 1) and a formula upgrade for Evo Cold Menthol in November, expanding the EVO mint range. JT’s Ploom smoke stick portfolio now totals 27 variants, catering to diverse flavor preferences in Japan’s heated tobacco market.

  • Malaysia Banning Vapes in 2026

    Malaysia Banning Vapes in 2026

    Malaysia is moving toward a nationwide ban on vaping, with the Health Ministry aiming to finalize and implement the policy by the end of 2026, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad said. He said the Cabinet has already agreed in principle to ban vape products, stressing that the issue is no longer whether vaping will be banned, but when. The ministry is expected to bring the matter back to the Cabinet early next year to complete regulatory and legislative processes.

    Dzulkefly cited growing public health concerns, particularly cases of drug-induced psychosis linked to adulterated vape liquids and synthetic substances. He said such cases are being monitored by a special Health Ministry task group in collaboration with medical experts.

  • Dutch Study Finds Fewer People Seeing GPs to Stop Smoking

    Dutch Study Finds Fewer People Seeing GPs to Stop Smoking

    Fewer people in the Netherlands are visiting general practitioners for help quitting smoking since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research by health services institute Nivel. Nivel said smoking rates dropped only slightly—from 21.7% in 2019 to 19% in 2023—while vaping increased during the same period, and that changes in reimbursement cannot explain the decline.

    While GP services largely recovered after an initial drop during the pandemic, requests for smoking cessation support did not rebound. Although the study did not provide the exact number, it stated that consultations for quitting smoking in 2023 reached their lowest level since records began in 2014, despite the expansion of insurance coverage for cessation support since 2020. The study also found that patients have been visiting GPs less frequently for education-, work-, and social-related issues since the pandemic.

  • Federal Judge Allows Deceptive Claim in Zyn Case

    Federal Judge Allows Deceptive Claim in Zyn Case

    A federal judge in Florida has allowed deceptive practices claims against Philip Morris International (PMI) and its subsidiaries to move forward, according to Law360. On December 12, U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas of the Southern District of Florida denied the companies’ motion to dismiss claims brought by plaintiff Kovadis Palmer under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA).

    Palmer alleges that PMI and Swedish Match North America LLC misleadingly marketed Zyn nicotine pouches as “tobacco-free,” suggesting a lower addiction risk even though the nicotine is derived from tobacco. He claims he developed nicotine dependence as a result. While the court previously dismissed Palmer’s common-law fraud claims for failing to meet heightened pleading standards, it found that the amended FDUTPA claims advance a distinct legal theory.

    The judge ruled that FDUTPA claims do not require proof of intent to deceive and are not subject to the stricter fraud pleading rules. As a result, the court held that the claims are not merely a repackaging of dismissed fraud allegations and may proceed.

  • Bangladesh Labels Cig Filters as Single-Use Plastic

    Bangladesh Labels Cig Filters as Single-Use Plastic

    Bangladesh has become the first country in Asia to classify cigarette filters as single-use plastic (SUP), aligning the move with Article 18 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which focuses on environmental protection in tobacco production. The announcement was highlighted at a webinar yesterday (December 14), organized by PROGGA and the Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA).

    The development follows Bangladesh’s participation at COP-11 in Geneva, where the government presented its tobacco control achievements and reaffirmed its commitment to amend national tobacco laws and strengthen anti-tobacco measures.

  • Nepal Says Failed Enforcement Leading to Rising ‘Tobacco Toll’

    Nepal Says Failed Enforcement Leading to Rising ‘Tobacco Toll’

    Nepal says it is facing a worsening public health crisis as tobacco-related deaths have nearly doubled in five years, despite strong laws, which it says are poorly enforced. Experts speaking at an Action Nepal event in Kathmandu said rising consumption reflects deep policy failures and strong tobacco industry influence within state institutions.

    Official data show deaths linked to tobacco rose from 24,800 in 2019 to 39,200 in 2023, costing Nepal Rs 12.2 billion ($84.2 million) annually in healthcare and draining around 1.2% of GDP through medical and productivity losses. Health experts claim that firm enforcement could save over 1.1 million lives in the next 15 years.

    Activists accused industry-linked actors of weakening regulation and raised conflict-of-interest concerns involving Industry Minister Anil Kumar Sinha over legal ties to tobacco companies. Speakers said stalled reforms, weak warning labels, and poor compliance with bans highlight urgent need for accountability and stronger action.

  • Pakistan Seizes $68M in Illicit Raw Tobacco

    Pakistan Seizes $68M in Illicit Raw Tobacco

    Pakistan’s Regional Tax Office (RTO) Peshawar sealed several warehouses in District Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and seized non-duty-paid raw tobacco as part of a tax evasion crackdown. Authorities estimate the operation exposed tax evasion worth Rs19 billion ($68.4 million), marking a major enforcement action by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

    According to an official statement, the RTO confiscated around 2.75 million kg of raw, non-duty paid tobacco from the Khyber Tobacco Company. The evaded Federal Excise Duty on the recovered stock is estimated at Rs1.1 billion ($4 million), and further action is expected against the company.

  • Philippines Simultaneously Destroys $22.8M in Illicit Vapes

    Philippines Simultaneously Destroys $22.8M in Illicit Vapes

    Today (December 15), the Philippines Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) simultaneously destroyed 448,494 illicit vape products nationwide, involving an estimated PHP1.34 billion ($22.8 million) in unpaid taxes and penalties. The destruction formed part of a three-day anti-illicit trade campaign and was publicly live-streamed to demonstrate transparency and enforcement.

    BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza said the action sends a clear message that the government will not tolerate the sale of vape products without proper excise tax stamps. He stressed that excise taxes on vape and other “sin products” are meant both to discourage consumption and to fund government healthcare programs.

    Mendoza said enforcement will intensify to remove unstamped products from the market and prevent risks to consumers.