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  • Drought Delaying NC Tobacco Crop

    Drought Delaying NC Tobacco Crop

    Improving rainfall eased drought conditions across North Carolina, but tobacco growers continue to face delayed crop development and higher production costs after months of dry weather disrupted planting. Wilson County extension officials said tobacco plants are running three to four weeks behind normal growth, with insufficient moisture reducing transplant survival, limiting herbicide effectiveness, and increasing weed pressure. Farmers are also encountering challenges with sucker control as uneven plant development complicates field management.

    The delays have raised concerns over harvest timing for North Carolina’s largest cash crop, which contributes nearly $13 billion annually to the state’s economy and generated $818 million in agricultural exports in 2024. With tobacco typically harvested beginning around early July, growers now face a compressed harvest window before the first frost, increasing the risk of yield losses while adding labor and irrigation costs that could further pressure farm profitability.

  • Côte d’Ivoire Implements Plain Packaging for Tobacco

    Côte d’Ivoire Implements Plain Packaging for Tobacco

    Côte d’Ivoire has become the second African country, joining Mauritius, to implement plain packaging requirements for tobacco products, with all cigarettes sold from Aug. 3 required to comply with the new rules. The measure completes implementation of the country’s 2019 Tobacco Control Act and aligns with recommendations under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control by requiring standardized packaging and prohibiting logos, branding and other promotional elements.

  • Pakistan Senate Panel Expands Probe Into Alleged Cigarette Smuggling Case

    Pakistan Senate Panel Expands Probe Into Alleged Cigarette Smuggling Case

    A Pakistani Senate subcommittee widened its investigation into the seizure of 11 trucks allegedly carrying smuggled cigarettes, while rejecting what it described as a media campaign linking committee members to the case. The panel ordered the Federal Board of Revenue to identify officials responsible for media briefings following a July 20 hearing and directed the Federal Investigation Agency to investigate what it called targeted smear campaigns against lawmakers.

    The committee also questioned Customs’ handling of the seizure, including its jurisdiction, the legal basis for the case, conflicting valuations of the seized cargo, and delays in producing arrested truck drivers before a court. As part of a broader review of tobacco tax evasion and smuggling—estimated at about $1 billion annually—the panel called for additional information on tax-exempt imports, quota registrations, and customs procedures, saying it intends to expand scrutiny of potential irregularities across customs posts, dry ports, and revenue agencies.

  • Judge Signals Uphill Battle for Vapes Challenge PA Registry Law

    Judge Signals Uphill Battle for Vapes Challenge PA Registry Law

    A federal judge indicated that vape companies challenging Pennsylvania’s new e-cigarette registry law will need to distinguish their case from recent appellate rulings that largely upheld similar laws in North Carolina and Iowa. During proceedings, the judge directed the plaintiffs to address decisions by the Fourth and Eighth U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals, both of which rejected key arguments that state registry laws tied to the FDA’s premarket authorization process are preempted by federal law.

    Pennsylvania’s law, enacted in 2025, establishes a directory of manufacturers whose products may be legally sold in the state, effectively limiting sales to products meeting specified federal regulatory criteria. Retailers challenging the measure argue it improperly enforces the federal Tobacco Control Act, conflicts with the FDA’s enforcement discretion, and would force the removal of millions of dollars in inventory from store shelves. Similar “PMTA registry” laws have been adopted in more than a dozen states as lawmakers seek to curb sales of unauthorized vaping products.

    The court’s comments suggest Pennsylvania’s case could hinge on whether the plaintiffs can identify meaningful legal distinctions from the North Carolina and Iowa precedents.

  • ASF Launches LOOP in South Africa

    ASF Launches LOOP in South Africa

    Another Snus Factory (ASF), the Swedish nicotine pouch manufacturer acquired by KT&G and Altria in late 2025, launched its flagship LOOP nicotine pouch brand in South Africa through local distributor Venture South (Pty) Ltd. The initial rollout targets the Johannesburg and Cape Town markets with three products — LOOP Jalapeño Lime Hyper Strong, LOOP Red Chili Melon Hyper Strong, and LOOP Habanero Mint Hyper Strong — with plans to expand distribution based on consumer demand.

    ASF said South Africa, the largest nicotine pouch market in Africa, will serve as a strategic base for broader regional expansion. The launch supports KT&G’s strategy to expand its presence in the global nicotine pouch category following its joint acquisition of ASF with Altria, as the company continues to diversify its next-generation product portfolio and international footprint.

  • China Identifies E-Cigarettes as Trade Friction Hotspot

    China Identifies E-Cigarettes as Trade Friction Hotspot

    China’s Global Economic and Trade Friction Index identified the electronics industry — including drones, semiconductors, and e-cigarettes — as one of the sectors facing the highest levels of China-related trade friction in May 2026, according to the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). Speaking at a July 31 press conference, CCPIT said India’s China-related trade friction index ranked highest among monitored markets, while the United States launched 17 trade remedy investigations during the month, more than three times the total initiated by all other countries combined.

  • Experts Recommend Physicians Use Vape to Help Smokers Quit

    Experts Recommend Physicians Use Vape to Help Smokers Quit

    Researchers from the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco Treatment Network published new recommendations in the JAMA encouraging healthcare providers to discuss nicotine e-cigarettes as a potential harm reduction option for adults who smoke and have been unable or unwilling to quit using FDA-approved cessation methods. The guidance, published July 30, emphasizes patient-centered, shared decision-making and is intended only for adults who smoke, not for youth or non-tobacco users. The authors stress that completely quitting combustible cigarettes remains the preferred outcome and that adults who switch to e-cigarettes should fully replace cigarette smoking rather than continue dual use.

    Among the authors is Patricia Cioe, professor and associate dean for research and scholarship at the University of Rhode Island College of Nursing, who was the only nurse scientist on the expert panel. Cioe said her perspective on tobacco harm reduction evolved through years of clinical practice and research, including interviews with adults who described repeated unsuccessful quit attempts despite strong motivation to stop smoking. She said those experiences underscored the need for clinicians to “meet patients where they are” by discussing all evidence-based options that may reduce the harms of continued cigarette smoking.

    The recommendations reflect growing discussion within the medical community around tobacco harm reduction while reaffirming that smoking cessation remains the optimal health goal. The authors say clinicians should individualize treatment conversations based on each patient’s circumstances, particularly for smokers who have not succeeded with conventional cessation therapies.

  • South Korea Scrutinizing ‘Nicotine-Free’ Vape Claims

    South Korea Scrutinizing ‘Nicotine-Free’ Vape Claims

    South Korea is increasing oversight of “nicotine-free” and nicotine analogue vaping products after government tests found some contained nicotine or 6-methyl nicotine despite their labeling. The Korea Times says the market has grown rapidly since April, when synthetic nicotine products became subject to tobacco regulations and higher taxes, driving demand for products marketed as regulatory alternatives. Imports of nicotine-free vapes climbed to 164 tons in 2025 from 95 tons in 2022, with most sourced from China.

    The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said testing of 105 products found nicotine in 13 and 6-methyl nicotine in 12. The government is now conducting toxicity assessments, investigating unlicensed businesses, and preparing broader regulatory measures expected later this year. Industry representatives say the products exploit a legal loophole by avoiding tobacco regulations while being marketed as nicotine-free.

  • PA Defends Flavored Vape Law in Constitutional Challenge

    PA Defends Flavored Vape Law in Constitutional Challenge

    Pennsylvania is urging a federal court to allow enforcement of its statewide restrictions on most flavored electronic cigarettes, arguing that similar laws have repeatedly been upheld by federal appeals courts and are consistent with states’ authority to regulate tobacco and nicotine products. In a recent court filing, the commonwealth said the plaintiffs are unlikely to succeed on their constitutional claims, citing multiple appellate decisions that have upheld comparable restrictions against challenges based on equal protection, due process, and the Commerce Clause.

    Pennsylvania maintains that the law serves legitimate public health objectives and that courts have consistently recognized broad state authority to regulate e-cigarettes, positioning the litigation as another test of the expanding patchwork of state-level vaping regulations.

  • Philippines Requires Nicotine Companies to Register Brands

    Philippines Requires Nicotine Companies to Register Brands

    The Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) gave manufacturers, importers, and exporters of tobacco and vapor products six months to register their brands and product variants under Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 86-2026, published July 31. The requirement covers cigarettes, heated tobacco products, vapor products, novel tobacco products, cigars, smoking tobacco products, and chewing tobacco products, with companies that fail to comply subject to penalties.

    The updated BIR registry includes 192 entries across 14 manufacturer, importer, and exporter classifications, including 84 vapor product entries, 43 cigarette-related entries, and listings for heated tobacco, novel tobacco products, cigars, chewing tobacco, and smoking tobacco. The BIR said registered products must also comply with graphic health warning requirements and, where applicable, the affixing of BIR tax stamps, although IRSIS stamps are not yet available for novel tobacco products, cigars, smoking tobacco, and chewing tobacco products.