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  • Study Finds Nicotine Pouches May Aid Smokers in Quitting

    Study Finds Nicotine Pouches May Aid Smokers in Quitting

    Nicotine pouches may be helping some smokers and vapers quit more harmful tobacco products, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open. An article today (September 15) in U.S. News & World Report cited the study of 110,000 Americans that found people who had recently quit smoking were nearly four times more likely to use nicotine pouches daily than current smokers. Use was virtually nonexistent among people who had never used tobacco.

    According to the article, the findings suggest that pouches are being used as harm-reduction tools, even though they are not officially authorized as smoking cessation aids. Smokeless tobacco users were more than 10 times as likely to use the pouches, while occasional smokers and vapers were also significantly more likely to adopt them, the study said.

    The article acknowledged that while nicotine is addictive and carries cardiovascular risks, switching from combustible tobacco to pouches could represent a net public health benefit.

  • Tanzanian President Pledges to Strengthen Tobacco Sector in Re-Election Campaign

    Tanzanian President Pledges to Strengthen Tobacco Sector in Re-Election Campaign

    Campaigning in Tabora Region on September 11, Tanzanian President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan vowed to strengthen the country’s tobacco sector if reelected, promising expanded subsidies, improved access to farm inputs, and reliable international markets. She cited recent gains, with Urambo District’s tobacco output doubling from 11,208 tons in 2022 to 20,492 tons in 2025, generating $50 million in earnings in the 2024/25 financial year. Samia highlighted government efforts to attract buyers, raise farmer incomes, and secure long-term growth in what she called the region’s main cash crop.

    Addressing concerns from growers, she pledged to resolve delayed payments by some purchasing companies and reiterated that subsidies on fertilizers and inputs will continue under her administration. While pushing for even greater output, she also urged farmers to adopt modern, sustainable curing methods, warning against tree cutting for tobacco drying. Samia framed tobacco as both a national economic driver and a livelihood lifeline for rural communities, positioning her re-election bid as key to unlocking “even more profitable markets” for Tanzanian farmers.

  • Pakistan’s Illegal Cigarette Market Surges to 42.4%

    Pakistan’s Illegal Cigarette Market Surges to 42.4%

    The illegal cigarette trade in Pakistan surged to 42.4% of the market, leading to major losses for the national exchequer, according to an ARY News report. The market for illicit cigarettes has grown 171% since 2019, outpacing the 154% increase in taxes and duties on legal cigarettes. The highest shares of illegal consumption were recorded in Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura, and Nankana.

    Experts attribute the growth in smuggling and illegal sales to the rising Federal Excise Duty on legal cigarettes, which has pushed consumers toward cheaper, unregulated alternatives.

  • Cuba Customs Scores Second Major Bust in a Month

    Cuba Customs Scores Second Major Bust in a Month

    Cuban Customs intercepted an attempt to smuggle more than 4,500 counterfeit cigars through Havana’s international airport this weekend, marking the second such bust in less than a month. Authorities discovered the fake products, disguised with branded boxes and labels, in the possession of two passengers. Officials also seized dozens of unused cigar bands, underscoring the sophistication and scale of the operation.

    The seizures highlight the persistent challenge of the illicit cigar trade, which continues to undermine Cuba’s premium cigar industry abroad. With repeated incidents surfacing at Havana’s airport, including last month’s seizure of 4,400 counterfeit cigars, authorities are tightening enforcement in collaboration with the National Revolutionary Police to curb a trade that generates significant profits in global black markets.

  • Chinese Tobacco Heading to Dominican to Boost Cigar Exports

    Chinese Tobacco Heading to Dominican to Boost Cigar Exports

    Dominican Tobacco International Ceiba general manager Bob López announced a “landmark collaboration” that will bring Chinese cigar tobacco to a new Dominican factory in Villa González in an effort to produce “cigars with unique flavors, greater consistency, and stronger market differentiation.”

    “By uniting Dominican craftsmanship with Chinese cigar tobacco, we are creating opportunities that not only increase the industry’s international competitiveness but also enrich the diversity of production styles and techniques in the Villa González region,” López said.

    The Chinese tobacco will be sourced from Sichuan, Hainan’s Danzhou Cigar Base, and Tianhe Company, and will be blended with Dominican craftsmanship. Positioned within a free trade zone, the factory is equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and large-scale capacity, ensuring compliance with international standards and efficient worldwide distribution.

    According to López, the venture will not only reinforce the Dominican Republic’s position as a leader in premium cigar manufacturing but also expand export opportunities to North America, Europe, and Asia. By fusing tradition with innovation, the project seeks to accelerate the internationalization of new brands, drive economic growth in Villa González, and diversify global cigar offerings. The first production phase is scheduled for early 2026, supported by ongoing recruitment of local talent.

  • Belgium Smoking/Vaping Ban Starts in 2027, Smoking Rooms Closed

    Belgium Smoking/Vaping Ban Starts in 2027, Smoking Rooms Closed

    Belgium’s federal government confirmed that smoking and vaping will be banned on and near terraces, as well as in all public smoking rooms, starting January 1, 2027. The move, approved by the Council of Ministers on September 12, extends existing smoking restrictions to outdoor hospitality spaces such as café and restaurant terraces, while also eliminating smoking rooms in bars, airports, cigar clubs, and shisha bars. The government delayed the rollout by one year from the original 2026 target to give businesses time to adapt.

    The hospitality sector, which had resisted the measure, will now be responsible for enforcing the ban with clear signage and by actively intervening if customers smoke or vape. Establishments risk penalties for insufficient signage, ignoring violations, or even placing items that could encourage smoking, such as ashtrays.

  • Mexico Proposes 200% Tobacco Tax Hike in Sweeping Health Push

    Mexico Proposes 200% Tobacco Tax Hike in Sweeping Health Push

    Today (September 11), Mexico’s Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit proposed steep new levies on products considered to be unhealthy as part of a broad “healthy tax” initiative aimed at curbing harmful consumption and boosting revenue. The plan would raise the Special Tax on Production and Services (IEPS) on junk food, processed food, and fast food. It would also gradually increase tobacco taxes “by 200% through the year 2030,” alongside new per-cigarette quotas, VAT, and higher duties on hand-rolled cigars. The proposal also introduces taxes on nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes, tied to nicotine content.

    Mexico is also considering increasing the taxes on online gambling, and taxing digital services and video games with violent content. Officials say the measures could generate 140 billion pesos ($757 million) annually while advancing President Claudia Sheinbaum’s goal of promoting healthier lifestyles.

  • BAT Announces Management Board Changes

    BAT Announces Management Board Changes

    BAT today (September 11) announced upcoming changes to its management board. After 23 years with the group, including 11 as general counsel and board member, Jerome Abelman will step down as Director, Legal and General Counsel on effective December 31. Paul McCrory, currently Director, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs, will become Director, Legal and General Counsel Designate on October 1 before assuming the role fully on January 1, 2026. McCrory has been with BAT for over 18 years and joined the board in 2023.

    From October 1, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs will transfer to Kingsley Wheaton, Chief Corporate Officer. CEO Tadeu Marroco thanked Abelman for his leadership and welcomed McCrory to his new role, citing his deep experience and collaborative leadership.

  • Midwest Goods Responds to FDA Seizure, Says Actions are ‘Troubling’

    Midwest Goods Responds to FDA Seizure, Says Actions are ‘Troubling’

    Following yesterday’s (September 10) news that federal officials seized $86.5 million worth of illicit vapes in Chicago, Midwest Goods confirmed that agents from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Marshals executed a civil seizure warrant at its facilities, targeting more than 75 brands of bottled e-liquids used in refillable vaping devices. The company said it is fully cooperating with authorities.

    In a statement, Midwest emphasized that the products cited in the warrant are manufactured in the U.S. by companies employing “hundreds, if not thousands,” of American workers. Many of the e-liquids, the company said, are tied to premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) that have been pending with the FDA since as far back as September 2020, despite a statutory requirement for review within 180 days. Midwest noted that the FDA has previously allowed these products to remain on the market during the prolonged review process.

    “Midwest has always attempted to work cooperatively with FDA,” the company said in its statement. “After a recent FDA inspection in August, we advised FDA that we had removed from our product catalog and inventory several ENDS products about which FDA inspectors had inquired. We also offered to remove other ENDS products from our product catalog if FDA was concerned about our continuing to offer them for sale. FDA acknowledged receipt of our correspondence, but did not request that we stop selling any other products.”

    The company called the enforcement action “troubling,” particularly in light of reports that FDA is preparing to expedite reviews of products tied to larger companies with more recent applications, while seizing long-pending independent products. It pledged to continue cooperating with federal authorities while reserving the right to challenge the seizure in court.

    Read the full statement here.

  • Jordan Customs Seizes Smuggled Cigarettes, Vapes, and More

    Jordan Customs Seizes Smuggled Cigarettes, Vapes, and More

    Jordan Customs Department’s Anti-Smuggling Directorate, working with security agencies, announced the seizure of a large haul of contraband tobacco and nicotine products in two separate cases today (September 11). Authorities confiscated 13,100 cartons of smuggled cigarettes, 2,130 e-cigarettes, 13,800 packs of e-liquids and vape juices, 610 kilograms of hookah tobacco, and 8,250 cigars, placing the items under custody pending legal action.

    Officials said the goods pose serious health risks and undermine the national economy by entering the market without meeting Jordanian health and safety standards.