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  • Zimbabwe Tops 300M Kg of Tobacco for First Time

    Zimbabwe Tops 300M Kg of Tobacco for First Time

    Zimbabwe set a new tobacco production record after more than 300 million kg of leaf was sold since the marketing season opened in March, the country’s Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) said yesterday (June 18). The TIMB confirmed that 2023’s record of 296 kg was topped, and that its total value exceeded $1 billion.

    TIMB public affairs officer Chelesani Tsarwe said that while the production milestone reflects resilience and hard work across the value chain, the ideal future is not just about record volumes, but also about increased local processing, enhanced farmer earnings, diversified markets, and environmentally sustainable practices in the tobacco sector.

     “This year’s marketing season has been historic,” she said. “We must shift from volume-driven horizontal growth to value-driven growth.” 

  • Australia’s Pharmacy-Only Vape Law Backfires

    Australia’s Pharmacy-Only Vape Law Backfires

    Australia’s strict pharmacy-only vaping law has collapsed the legal vape market and empowered organized crime, with government data showing legal sales make up just 1 in 1,700 vape transactions, according to The Daily Telegraph.

    Documents obtained by the newspaper reveal that pharmacists report fewer than 6,000 legal vape sales per month, while over 10 million vapes flood the black market monthly—mostly Chinese disposables sold in convenience stores and smoke shops.

    The 2024 law allows nicotine vapes to be sold only in pharmacies, without a prescription but under tight restrictions: limited flavors, plain packaging, and no consumer-friendly branding. However, pharmacies were not consulted before the law passed, and as a result, fewer than 700 of 5,900 pharmacies stock the products.

    Health Minister Mark Butler claimed the legislation would “eliminate the black market,” however, since then, “Butler’s ‘world-leading’ vape restrictions—combined with Australia’s astonishingly high cigarette tax—have wiped out the legal vaping sector, expanded the already-huge black market, led to declining tobacco tax revenues, and encouraged organized crime participation in the vape market,” wrote Jim McDonald for Vaping 360.

    Experts and critics now argue that Australia’s approach has failed, calling for full legalization and consumer market regulation to displace the black market and reduce harm.

  • Dutch Health Agency: Cross-Border Tobacco Undermines Tax Strategy

    Dutch Health Agency: Cross-Border Tobacco Undermines Tax Strategy

    The Dutch Public Health Agency called for new policy measures to curb the growing trend of cross-border tobacco shopping, which it says is undermining the effectiveness of the Netherlands’ high tobacco taxes. The Netherlands currently has the second-highest cigarette tax in the EU (€7.66 per pack) behind Ireland (€9.92), but inconsistent tax policies across borders continue to challenge its effectiveness.

    Following significant tax hikes in 2024—24% on cigarettes and 45% on rolling tobacco—about 7% of Dutch smokers quit, while 22% cut down, and 14% switched to cheaper brands, according to the agency’s research. However, the number of smokers buying tobacco abroad surged to 60%, up from 40% in 2023 and double 2020. With neighboring countries offering cheaper options, smokers are evading domestic taxes, weakening the public health impact.

    “Policy must focus on reducing purchases of tobacco products made abroad,” the agency stated, urging limits on how much tobacco can be imported for personal use and recommending excise taxes on e-cigarettes to deter youth addiction.

    While the World Health Organization touts tax hikes as one of the most effective anti-smoking tools, their impact appears stronger in low-income countries. In wealthier nations like the Netherlands, the ease of border shopping reduces their effectiveness, the agency said.

  • 87% of UK Vapers Purchase Online

    87% of UK Vapers Purchase Online

    Despite the proliferation of brick-and-mortar stores, 87% of UK vapers buy at least some of their products online, according to a survey by Haypp. Convenience was the main reason for 43% of online shoppers, while 38% pointed to better pricing.

    Another notable aspect identified by those who vape is the ability to make more informed purchasing decisions when shopping online, with product information immediately available. At brick-and-mortar stores, they said, product information is often limited to simple display advertising or the random knowledge of the staff members working at the time.

    “We expect there to be a lot of change in the industry over the next 18 months, so staying aware of new product innovations and the changing needs of vape users is incredibly important, not just for retailers but for policymakers too,” Markus Lindblad, director of Haypp, said. “Vape education is key in the UK right now.

    “We recommend retailers focus on providing comprehensive product information, educating consumers, and guiding them towards the alternative product that works for them.” 

    The 35–44 age group is the most likely to buy vapes online (93%), citing access to information as their main reason. The 55+ group has the highest proportion (34%) of users buying all their vapes online, mainly because it’s cheaper (64%).

  • Luxembourg Sees 17% Surge in Cigarette Sales as Buyers Cross Border

    Luxembourg Sees 17% Surge in Cigarette Sales as Buyers Cross Border

    Legal cigarette sales in Luxembourg jumped by 740 million units in 2024, marking a 17% year-on-year increase, according to a new KPMG report on illicit cigarette consumption across Europe. Despite the surge, only 12% of the 5.1 billion cigarettes sold were smoked within the country, as the remaining 88% were consumed across the border, mostly in Germany, Belgium, and France, where significantly higher tobacco prices continue to drive cross-border purchases.

    Luxembourg’s average cigarette pack price of €5.10 undercuts neighboring countries by up to €3, and is less than half of the cost in France.

    While cigarette consumption is booming, illicit trade remains low. Fewer than 9 million cigarettes consumed in Luxembourg were illicit—just 2% of total consumption. By contrast, France’s illicit cigarette rate has climbed to 38%, among the highest in the EU, as high prices fuel a parallel underground market.

  • Louisiana Caps Cigar Taxes at 50 Cents Each

    Louisiana Caps Cigar Taxes at 50 Cents Each

    Louisiana joined Arkansas and North Carolina in implementing a cigar tax cap, putting a 50-cent ceiling on each cigar. Passed by the state legislature and signed into law by Governor Jeff Landry, the measure will take effect January 1, 2026.

    Sponsored by Rep. Marcus Bryant, the law applies to cigars wholesale priced at $2.50 or more, which includes virtually all premium handmade cigars. Those under that threshold will continue to be taxed at 20% of the wholesale price.

    The Premium Cigar Association (PCA) praised the legislation, calling it a victory for small businesses and cigar consumers. PCA, which held its annual trade show in New Orleans in 2025 and returns for 2026, provided testimony and advocacy support alongside local Louisiana tobacconists and distributors.

    “This positive development in Louisiana is yet another indicator of how the state is supporting its small business community and their patrons,” said PCA executive director Joshua Habursky. “The economic impact of the New Orleans-based trade show was shared with the legislature, as was the positive impact of cigar tax caps throughout the nation. We appreciate the support of the legislature and Governor Landry with this positive step.”

  • Philippines Planning Track-and-Trace System for Consumer Use

    Philippines Planning Track-and-Trace System for Consumer Use

    The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in the Philippines is set to roll out a digital track-and-trace system next year that will enable the public to verify the legitimacy of cigarette and vape products using QR codes, BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said.

    The new system, being developed through a public-private partnership, will allow consumers to scan QR codes on product packaging using their mobile phones. The scanned information will link to a secure website providing detailed data on product origin, legitimacy, and tax compliance.

    Currently, the BIR uses its Internal Revenue Stamp Integrated System exclusively, which only government devices can verify. The planned QR tracker expands verification capabilities to the public, helping expose illicit cigarette and vape products and address loopholes such as fake export claims used to evade excise taxes.

    The rollout faced delays due to procurement and budget concerns, requiring approval from the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (formerly NEDA) and the Department of Finance. A feasibility study and revised terms of reference are currently under review.

  • Momentum Urging Texas Governor to Veto Hemp Ban Grows

    Momentum Urging Texas Governor to Veto Hemp Ban Grows

    In late May, the Texas Legislature sent Senate Bill 3 to Gov. Greg Abbott for signature, a bill that aims to eliminate the manufacture, delivery, and possession of any consumable hemp product containing THC or other psychoactive cannabinoids. Since then, a grassroots movement of small business owners, farmers, and citizens has been calling on the Governor to veto it.

    Two weeks ago, the Texas Hemp Business Council (THBC) and advocates delivered 5,000 handwritten letters and more than 118,000 petition signatures to the Governor’s office, and today (June 19), the THBC announced that its petition is up to 147,979 signatures.

    “There have been well over 200,000 Texans who have voiced their opposition to SB 3 via email, letter, petition, social media, and text,” said Mark Bordas, executive director of the THBC. “It didn’t work for alcohol in the 1920s, and it won’t work for hemp in 2025.”

    The THBC said the legislation will eliminate $4.3 billion in annual revenue and 53,000 jobs from the state, and also flood Texas with unregulated, unsafe products. A poll conducted by Baselice & Associates in March found that 68% of Texans support legal, regulated THC hemp products.

  • UAE Approves Tobacco-Free Nicotine Pouches

    UAE Approves Tobacco-Free Nicotine Pouches

    Starting July 29, tobacco-free nicotine pouches will be legally available in the UAE under a new Cabinet resolution aimed at supporting smoking cessation.

    Dr. Sanam Mallick of Burjeel Hospital Abu Dhabi said nicotine pouches may offer similar benefits to traditional nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) like patches and gum, which can potentially boost quit rates by 50–70%, but that more studies are needed to confirm their effectiveness.

  • Pakistan Shifting Toward Open Market Tobacco Pricing

    Pakistan Shifting Toward Open Market Tobacco Pricing

    Pakistan’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) directed the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to prepare a roadmap for moving away from the current practice of setting Minimum Indicative Prices (MIPs) for tobacco and transition toward open market pricing, sources told Business Recorder.

    While MIPs serve as a price floor to protect tobacco farmers—particularly when supply exceeds demand—they are not support prices and do not involve government subsidies.

    The ECC noted that shifting to market-driven pricing aligns with the broader government policy of phasing out price controls in favor of demand-and-supply dynamics. However, concerns were raised that cess (a local tax on tobacco), calculated as a percentage of MIPs, could be reduced if open market prices rise above government-set minimums.

    Despite approving revised MIPs for various tobacco types for the 2025–26 fiscal year, the ECC emphasized the need for further deliberation before dismantling the current system. The Ministry was instructed to develop a comprehensive transition plan and present it to the ECC in due course.