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  • Dutch Hospitals Tracking ER Nicotine Cases Today

    Dutch Hospitals Tracking ER Nicotine Cases Today

    Today (November 13), hospitals across the Netherlands are recording the number of patients arriving at emergency rooms with medical problems linked to smoking, vaping, and/or snus, in a nationwide effort to measure nicotine’s impact on emergency care, NOS reports. The initiative, led by Dr. Nicole Kraaijvanger of Leiden University Medical Center, aims to provide concrete data on how nicotine use contributes to acute medical conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and chronic bronchitis.

    The results of the study, supported by medical associations and prevention groups, are expected to guide future smoking and vaping policies in the Netherlands.

  • OTP Driving Q3 Growth for U.S. Convenience Retailers

    OTP Driving Q3 Growth for U.S. Convenience Retailers

    Other tobacco products (OTP) continued to deliver strong performance for major U.S. convenience-store operators in the third quarter of 2025, according to earnings reports from Arko Corp., Murphy USA, and CrossAmerica Partners.

    According to CSP, Arko Corp. CEO Arie Kotler reported OTP sales up 16% year over year, with same-store sales rising 6.6% and category margins improving by more than 300 basis points, driven by store redesigns and enhanced promotions. CrossAmerica Partners also cited OTP as a key contributor to its higher merchandise gross margin, which grew by about 100 basis points. Meanwhile, Murphy USA highlighted strong gains in traditional smokeless and nicotine pouch sales. CEO Andrew Clyde said total merchandise margins rose 11.3%, while COO Mindy West noted nicotine pouch volumes surged 45%, jumping to 120% of prior-year levels in October through aggressive promotions.

  • Yocan Launches Kodo Star with Full Display Technology

    Yocan Launches Kodo Star with Full Display Technology

    Today (November 13), Yocan unveiled the Kodo Star, a compact 400mAh battery device featuring the company’s new Galaxy Full Display system, which the company says is the first of its kind in a pocket-sized vape. The device offers real-time voltage, session, and battery monitoring, with adjustable voltage from 1.8V to 4.2V, a 10-second smart preheat mode, and auto shutoff safety features. Measuring 57×23×18.5mm, the Kodo Star supports Type-C fast charging (0.8 hours) and 510 cartridges.

    Available in five colors—black, white, pink, purple, and blue—the Kodo Star “targets style-conscious, on-the-go users seeking performance, portability, and precision control.”

  • Zimbabwe Boasts 22% Increase in Tobacco Plantings

    Zimbabwe Boasts 22% Increase in Tobacco Plantings

    Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) announced that 27,215 hectares of tobacco have been planted for the 2025-26 season, a 22% increase from last season’s 22,392 hectares that realized $1.2 billion in sales. The increase is especially good news after TIMB announced that only 66% of farmers had registered before the deadline two weeks ago.

    Mashonaland East led the growth with a 41% increase, followed by Manicaland (17%) and Mashonaland West (15.4%). Midlands and Masvingo also recorded significant gains, though on smaller scales. TIMB also announced that a record 23,517 hectares of the crop would be irrigated this year, another accomplishment considering last year small-scale farmers produced over 85% of the crop.

    Zimbabwe remains Africa’s largest tobacco producer and the sixth largest globally, supporting over 160,000 households and contributing more than half of the country’s agricultural exports.

  • UK Crackdown Seizes Millions in Illegal Cigarettes, Tobacco, and Vapes

    UK Crackdown Seizes Millions in Illegal Cigarettes, Tobacco, and Vapes

    More than 4.5 million illegal cigarettes, 600kg of illicit tobacco, and 111,000 illegal vapes have been seized in a nationwide crackdown on criminal activity across UK high streets, officials said. The month-long Operation Machinize 2, led by the National Crime Agency (NCA) with police forces, HMRC, and Trading Standards, targeted businesses being used as fronts for money laundering and illicit sales. Authorities raided 2,734 premises, made 924 arrests, and seized £10.7 million in suspected criminal proceeds.

    Officials said the operation disrupted organized crime networks exploiting small shops for tax evasion and the sale of counterfeit goods. The NCA estimated the haul represents £3.4 million in unpaid duty, while counterfeit and harmful products worth £2.7 million were destroyed.

    Security Minister Dan Jarvis said the coordinated effort was part of a broader drive to “dismantle criminal networks and protect honest business owners,” while NCA officials hailed the operation as a “new standard” in joint enforcement.

    The first phase of Operation Machinize in April yielded far smaller seizures, highlighting the growing scale of illicit trade on UK high streets.

  • Vietnam Moves to Ban E-Cigarettes and Heated Tobacco

    Vietnam Moves to Ban E-Cigarettes and Heated Tobacco

    Vietnam’s Ministry of Health proposed adding e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products to the list of prohibited business activities in the draft amended Law on Investment, aligning with National Assembly Resolution No. 173/2024/QH15, which bans production, trade, import, storage, transport, and use of these products from 2025.

    National Assembly Deputy Lê Hoàng Anh said that leaving e-cigarettes unregulated would expose youth to highly addictive nicotine products and provide a cover for criminals to smuggle narcotics. He emphasized the health risks, citing evidence that the devices contain carcinogens and toxic chemicals, and noted that teenagers using e-cigarettes are more likely to transition to conventional smoking.

    Anh urged lawmakers to include the prohibition in Article 6 of the Investment Law, framing it as a matter of public health and national responsibility.

  • Malaysian Teens Recruited by Syndicate to Sell Vapes

    Malaysian Teens Recruited by Syndicate to Sell Vapes

    Authorities and parents in Malaysia are being warned about unscrupulous syndicates recruiting teenagers to sell vapes at schools for lucrative commissions, reported China Press. Students are allegedly being hired as “runners,” and then encouraged to get their peers addicted so they can sell them devices. One independent Chinese school reportedly took action against a student caught selling vapes on campus, and staff “members were shocked when a syndicate member boldly called the school board pleading for leniency on behalf of the student.” Educational sources urged parents to monitor their children closely.

  • New Indonesian Factory Fuels KT&G’s Expansion

    New Indonesian Factory Fuels KT&G’s Expansion

    KT&G told Hankooki.com today (November 12) that its Indonesian factory is scheduled to be completed within the month and should begin full-scale operations in February 2026. The 190,000-square-meter facility, which will produce cigarettes and capsule products for export across Southeast Asia and beyond, is expected to boost KT&G’s annual production capacity in Indonesia to 35 billion cigarettes, making it the company’s largest overseas manufacturing base.

    The move follows the launch of KT&G’s Kazakhstan plant in April, which can produce 4.5 billion cigarettes annually and serves as a key export hub for the Eurasian market. With both sites operational, KT&G aims to produce over half of its total output overseas in the medium to long term, improving global supply efficiency.

    The company also plans to expand into new markets like Jordan and Bangladesh, while growing its next-generation product (NGP) segment and nicotine pouch business through a strategic partnership and joint acquisition with Altria.

  • Pyxus Posts Strong Margins, Higher Guidance for Q2 2026

    Pyxus Posts Strong Margins, Higher Guidance for Q2 2026

    Pyxus International reported solid results for the second quarter 2026 ended September 30, with sales rising to $570.2 million from $566.3 million a year earlier. CEO Pieter Sikkel said the performance reflects strong execution and positions the company for a robust second half of fiscal 2026. Gross margin improved to 15.4% from 13.3%, “driven by a better product mix and higher returns on current crops.” Operating income rose to $46.7 million from $33 million, while adjusted EBITDA increased to $54.8 million from $44.3 million. Net loss narrowed to $900,000, compared to $3.2 million a year ago.

    Sales and other operating revenues for the first half of fiscal 2026 decreased $122.2 million, or 10.2%, when compared to $1.2 billion for the same period last year. “The decrease was due to the impact of lower carry-over sales from the prior fiscal year not being fully offset by the acceleration of shipments from the current crop.”

    Tobacco inventory rose to $1.1 billion, reflecting larger crops in Africa and South America, while uncommitted inventory remained low at 2.7% of total processed stock, signaling steady demand. The company reduced its operating cycle to 167 days from 179 days last year and reported strong liquidity with no borrowings on its $150 million credit line.

    Based on its performance and improved visibility, Pyxus raised its full-year sales guidance to $2.4–$2.6 billion (from $2.3–$2.5 billion) and tightened its adjusted EBITDA range to $215–$235 million.

  • BAT Launches Year-End Vape Promotion in Korea

    BAT Launches Year-End Vape Promotion in Korea

    Today (November 12), BAT Rothmans announced a promotion for its Glo Hyper series in South Korea, running both online and in-store through the end of the year. First-time buyers can purchase devices from the Glo Hyper Series, including the flagship Glo Hyper Pro, at special discounted prices. “The Hyper Pro features an EasyView screen and TasteSelect Dial for personalized heating control, while all neo sticks use StickSeal technology to prevent tobacco leaf residue.”

    A BAT Rothmans spokesperson said the year-end promotion aims to let more consumers experience the brand’s “innovative technology and differentiated experience at a reasonable price,” at the time of the year when colder weather drives people indoors. The company said surveys show odor reduction is a leading reason for smokers switching to vapes.  

    Government data shows e-cigarette sales in South Korea rose 8.3% year-on-year, capturing 18.4% of the total tobacco market in 2024—up from just 2.2% in 2017.