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  • FDA Urges Child-Resistant Packaging on Nicotine Pouches

    FDA Urges Child-Resistant Packaging on Nicotine Pouches

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is calling on nicotine pouch manufacturers to use child-resistant packaging to prevent accidental exposure among young children, though the agency acknowledges that all 20 FDA-authorized nicotine pouch products currently feature child-resistant packaging, so the news release appears to be aimed at pending or future applications.
     

    “ZYN is the only nicotine pouch authorized by the FDA as appropriate to protect public health,” officials from Philip Morris International said in a response to the FDA announcement. “In making that conclusion, the agency noted that ZYN’s packaging is designed to be child-resistant—and has been since its launch 11 years ago.”


    The concentrated nicotine in pouches can be harmful to children even in small amounts. From April 2022 to March 2025, about 72% of reported nicotine pouch exposure cases involved children under age five.
     
    “The fruity flavors and bright, colorful designs of nicotine pouch products could resemble candy and seem attractive to children,” said FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary. “Manufacturers should consider what steps they can take to prevent accidental exposures and ingestion.”
     
    The news release was paired with consumer information that advises parents to store all nicotine products securely and to contact Poison Control if ingestion occurs.

  • PMI Reaffirms 2025 EPS Outlook on IQOS, ZYN Momentum

    PMI Reaffirms 2025 EPS Outlook on IQOS, ZYN Momentum

    Philip Morris International reaffirmed its 2025 earnings forecast today (September 2) at the Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference, projecting reported diluted EPS of $7.24–$7.37 and adjusted diluted EPS of $7.43–$7.56, representing 13–15% growth versus last year. PMI reported better-than-expected combustible volume recovery in Turkey and Egypt, alongside continued growth in IQOS, ZYN, and VEEV globally.

    “With strong volume momentum over the summer months, including IQOS and ZYN offtake, and despite increasing competition in smoke-free products, we are on track to deliver our full-year guidance of 13% to 15% adjusted diluted EPS growth in dollar terms, the strongest since 2011 excluding the pandemic recovery,” said Jacek Olczak, Chief Executive Officer.

    In the U.S., ZYN posted about 32% growth in the first eight weeks of Q3, prompting PMI to forecast shipment growth in line with offtake through year-end.

    An archived copy of the webcast is available at www.pmi.com/irapp.

  • BAT Rothmans Launches Improved E-Cigarette Sticks in Korea

    BAT Rothmans Launches Improved E-Cigarette Sticks in Korea

    BAT Rothmans, South Korea’s third-largest tobacco company, today (September 2) unveiled new tobacco sticks for its Glo Hyper e-cigarette devices, featuring “StickSeal” technology to prevent tobacco residue from falling inside the device. The company said all 10 Neo stick types now include the innovation, and that packaging has been updated to promote cleanliness and convenience for users.

    BAT Rothmans said it aims to expand its e-cigarette market share with the upgrade. The company’s Glo Hyper Pro devices previously won the European Product Design Award 2024 and the iF Design Award for design and usability. BAT Group distributes to 175 countries and targets 50 million global e-cigarette users by 2030 as part of its carbon-neutral strategy.

  • TPE and PCA Join Forces for TPE26

    TPE and PCA Join Forces for TPE26

    Total Product Expo (TPE) announced a partnership with the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) today (September 2) for TPE26 to “enhance industry advocacy and education.” The collaboration will feature sessions led by PCA Executive Director Joshua Habursky, focusing on regulatory awareness and product knowledge for retailers, manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers.

    “Education is the foundation of effective advocacy,” said Habursky. “By understanding both policy and product, our industry becomes more resilient and united.”

    TPE26 will be held March 31–April 2, 2026, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. PCA26 follows April 17–20, 2026, in New Orleans.

    For more information, visit totalproductexpo.com and pcashow.org.

  • Court Orders the Reopening of 26 Cigarette Factories in Pakistan

    Court Orders the Reopening of 26 Cigarette Factories in Pakistan

    Pakistan’s Peshawar High Court has directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to de-seal 26 cigarette factories in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that were shut for failing to install CCTV cameras under a directive that was issued August 18 and enforced August 25. Petitioners, including Universal Tobacco Company, argued the order was discriminatory as multinationals were exempted, despite already complying with tracking-and-tracing regulations. Their lawyer contended the new CCTV requirement was excessive, with factories already under electronic monitoring and tax office supervision.

    A bench led by Justice Wiqar Ahmad and Justice Mohammad Ijaz Khan ruled that no further action be taken against the petitioners until the next hearing on September 11.

  • Asia Forum on Nicotine Pushes for Harm Reduction Ahead of COP11

    Asia Forum on Nicotine Pushes for Harm Reduction Ahead of COP11

    The inaugural Asia Forum on Nicotine (AFN25) was hailed as a success by its host, the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA), which gathered experts and advocates urging the adoption of tobacco harm reduction across the Asia-Pacific, home to 781 million smokers.

    Speakers criticized the WHO FCTC for rejecting safer alternatives like vaping and heated tobacco, despite evidence that they are 95% less harmful than cigarettes. They warned that bans drive black markets and stall progress, citing successes in Sweden, Japan, and New Zealand.

    With COP11 approaching in November, CAPHRA cautioned that excluding THR voices risks condemning millions to preventable deaths.

  • Geneva Bans Disposable E-Cigarettes

    Geneva Bans Disposable E-Cigarettes

    Geneva’s cantonal parliament voted almost unanimously to ban disposable e-cigarettes, citing health risks for youth and environmental harm. The measure, passed with an emergency clause, takes effect immediately.

    Several Swiss cantons, including Valais, Bern, and Jura, have already adopted similar bans, while a nationwide ban is underway after both houses of parliament backed legislation to outlaw single-use “puff bars.” Rechargeable e-cigarettes remain exempt.

  • Two Sentenced, Tanker Seized in Bahrain Over 4 Tons of Illegal Tobacco

    Two Sentenced, Tanker Seized in Bahrain Over 4 Tons of Illegal Tobacco

    The Second Minor Criminal Court in Bahrain sentenced two people and seized a tanker, all connected to an attempt to smuggle four tons of tembak into the country. The first defendant was sentenced to three years in prison and fined BD 60,000 ($159,000) and the second defendant was sentenced to six months in prison for attempting to import the banned tobacco.

    Customs officials discovered the tobacco “cleverly hidden inside the tanker” being brought through the seaport. The Tax Evasion Crimes Unit launched an investigation, and the second defendant admitted they had falsified documents in an attempt to bypass import restrictions.

  • STG Posts Mixed Q2, Reaffirms 2025 Outlook

    STG Posts Mixed Q2, Reaffirms 2025 Outlook

    Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S (STG) reported Q2 2025 net sales of DKK 2.4 billion ($384 million), down 0.2% year-on-year, with organic sales slipping 4.1%. EBITDA before special items was DKK 499 million ($79.8 million), reflecting a margin of 21.1%, compared with 24.5% a year earlier.

    CEO Niels Frederiksen said performance was affected by tariffs, product mix, and the discontinued distribution of ZYN in the U.S., but noted gains in handmade and machine-rolled cigars, as well as double-digit growth in nicotine pouch brand XQS.

    Despite margin pressure, STG reaffirmed its full-year 2025 guidance, targeting net sales of DKK 9.1–9.5 billion ($1.46 billion to $1.52 billion), an EBITDA margin of 18–22%, and free cash flow of DKK 0.8–1.0 billion ($128 million to $160 million).

  • Bangladesh: Couple Jailed for Fake Bidi Band-Rolls

    Bangladesh: Couple Jailed for Fake Bidi Band-Rolls

    A court in Rangpur, Bangladesh, on Wednesday (August 27), sentenced a couple to 14 years in prison for possessing counterfeit bidi band-rolls, a key tax stamp for the country’s cheap cigarette market. The 28-year-old man and his 23-year-old wife were arrested in January 2021 with a large haul of fake rolls. Judge Md Moshiur Rahman Khan also fined each Tk 10,000 ($7,200), with two months’ additional jail if unpaid.

    Authorities said the case highlights ongoing enforcement against counterfeit tobacco products, which undermine government revenue and fuel the illicit trade.