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  • EU Trying to Stop “Tobacco Tourism”

    EU Trying to Stop “Tobacco Tourism”

    As the European Commission considers sweeping tobacco tax reform aimed at narrowing price gaps across the continent, high-income countries like Luxembourg would be hit hardest, RTL Today, Luxembourg’s main television channel, reported. The reform would be meant to deliver a major blow to “tobacco tourism.”

    Most of Luxembourg’s €1.4 billion in 2024 tobacco tax revenue came from foreign buyers, with less than 5% of the tobacco sold in the nation consumed locally. Currently, packs of cigarettes in Luxembourg cost less than €6, far below prices in neighboring France (€13) and the Netherlands (€10), attracting cross-border shoppers and smugglers.

    Though not yet formalized, the WHO’s calls for price hikes on harmful products by 2035 would raise Luxembourg’s prices €3.50 per pack of cigarettes, or 60%. RTL Today said Luxembourg’s Finance Ministry is monitoring the situation.

  • PMI Moving Toward Smoke-Free Goals in Philippines

    PMI Moving Toward Smoke-Free Goals in Philippines

    PMFTC Inc., the combination of Philip Morris International and Fortune Tobacco Corporation in the Philippines, said nearly 150,000 adult Filipino users have switched to cigarette alternatives like IQOS and ZYN nicotine pouches, accounting for 42% of the company’s revenue thus far in 2025.

    PMI’s goal is to have two-thirds of its net revenue come from smoke-free products or alternatives by 2030.

    “This growth underscores our commitment to accelerating the transition away from cigarettes and toward better alternatives,” PMFTC said. “This shift underscores our commitment to accelerating the decline of cigarette consumption by offering scientifically substantiated, less harmful options compared to continued smoking.”

    Tomoko Iida, director of scientific engagement at PMI said the Philippines is still in the early stages of the company’s smoke-free vision, having only seen a slight increase in the use of smoke-free alternative products and a slight decrease in cigarette consumption. She said that consumers receiving accurate information about nicotine products will be key.

    “I really think that having the smoke-free alternative available so that the smokers can move away from cigarettes and switch to this alternative is serving the population, serving the government, and really meeting the public health goal,” she said. “Facts about nicotine, facts about smoke-free products, facts about the data or any of these things have to be accurately communicated so that the Filipino smokers have the right information and they’re able to make a better choice for themselves.”

  • Pakistan Sets Prices to Stabilize Tobacco Crop

    Pakistan Sets Prices to Stabilize Tobacco Crop

    Tobacco growers in Pakistan have welcomed the federal government’s decision to set a Minimum Indicative Price (MIP) for various tobacco types, calling it a crucial step for protecting growers’ incomes. The Economic Coordination Committee approved the MIP, making it mandatory for tobacco companies to buy surplus crop at or above the set prices, in line with tobacco marketing law MLO-487.

    Farmers pointed to rising input costs, with tobacco cultivation costing up to Rs1.9 million ($6,650) per hectare, compared to around Rs300,000 ($1,050) for wheat. “If tobacco prices drop, farmers risk losses in the hundreds of thousands,” said former Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) director Muhammad Ayaz.

    MIP rates include:

    • Flue-cured Virginia: Rs545/kg ($1.91) (plains), Rs615.9/kg ($2.16) (sub-mountainous areas)
    • White Patta: Rs262.6/kg ($0.92)
    • Barley: Rs316/kg ($1.11)
    • Dark air-cured: Rs388.9/kg ($1.36)
    • Naswar/snuff/hookah: Rs262.6/kg ($0.92)
    • Sun-cured Virginia: Rs350.2/kg ($1.23)
  • Jakarta Finalizing Plans to Tighten Public Smoking Rules

    Jakarta Finalizing Plans to Tighten Public Smoking Rules

    Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung said the administration is finalizing new regulations that would prohibit smoking in 10 types of locations, including schools, hospitals, public transport, playgrounds, and places of worship. Smoking would be allowed in venues like bars, nightclubs, and karaoke lounges, so long as it occurs in separate smoking rooms.

    The new regulations would also ban tobacco sales within 200 meters of schools, playgrounds, and healthcare centers; monitor digital tobacco ads; and take away KJP Plus education aid for students caught illegally smoking.

    Anung said, to ensure enforcement, the city will deploy a task force, install airborne nicotine detectors, and launch a public reporting system for violations.

  • Pakistani Vape Vendors Accuse Govt of Harassment as Court Case Proceeds

    Pakistani Vape Vendors Accuse Govt of Harassment as Court Case Proceeds

    On July 3, Pakistan’s Lahore High Court (LHC) disposed of over 100 petitions from vape and e-cigarette vendors across Punjab, barring authorities from taking enforcement action until proper legislation is in place. The petitioners alleged police harassment despite their shops being officially reopened. A government lawyer countered that no formal crackdown was underway and said a draft law to regulate vaping was being prepared, with stakeholder input to be considered.

    The court emphasized that the right to trade is constitutionally protected and questioned the legitimacy of enforcing restrictions without a legal basis. It ruled that no action can be taken against vape businesses until relevant legislation is enacted.

    On June 3, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced a provincial ban on e-cigarettes and ordered vape shops to be sealed. Weeks later, LHC Justice Anwar Hussain said the government failed to justify the crackdown legally and issued a stay order, halting further action until a final decision is made.

  • Cambodian Governor Orders Crackdown on Drugs, Smoking, and Vaping

    Cambodian Governor Orders Crackdown on Drugs, Smoking, and Vaping

    Khuong Sreng, the governor of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, directed all 14 district authorities to intensify efforts against drug-related crimes, smoking, vaping, and online scams, aiming to boost safety across villages and communes. Speaking at a Phnom Penh Unified Command meeting, Sreng emphasized that district officials must take full responsibility for local enforcement and request additional resources if needed. He stressed collaboration with the armed forces and urged leaders to stay engaged with residents.

    The governor called for public awareness campaigns, strict enforcement against student vaping and smoking, mandatory anti-vaping signage (especially in French-branded entertainment venues), and inspections of condos and boreys suspected of illegal activity.

  • VOOPOO Unveils Futuristic Argus Matrix Device

    VOOPOO Unveils Futuristic Argus Matrix Device

    ICCPP launched the VOOPOO Argus Matrix, in what the company calls the first pod device with a curved full screen and cyber-inspired design. “Blending futuristic visuals with powerful performance, the Argus Matrix features dynamic lighting, a 1350mAh battery, 30W output, and advanced leak-proof technology for up to 30 days of use,” the company said. Powered by iCOSM CODE 2.0 and compatible with all Argus Pod Family Cartridges, the device offers a customizable, high-end vaping experience that “sets a new standard in design and function.”

  • Indonesia: Two Arrested for Making Narcotic-Laced Vapes in Apartment

    Indonesia: Two Arrested for Making Narcotic-Laced Vapes in Apartment

    Two people were arrested in North Sumatra, Indonesia, for allegedly operating an illegal drug lab that produced vape liquids infused with narcotics. Acting on a public tip, police raided an apartment and uncovered a makeshift factory that was producing up to 300 narcotic-laced vape cartridges per day, each selling for Rp 5 million ($305).

    North Sumatra Police Narcotics Division Chief Sr. Comr. Jean Calvijn Simanjuntak said police seized 2,965 cartridges, along with raw materials, solvents, flavoring agents, and sweeteners used in production.

    Both suspects were reportedly repeat drug offenders and are believed to have been running the illegal lab for at least six months.

  • Study: Nicotine Loop Inhibits Dopamine, Induces Anxiety in Mice

    Study: Nicotine Loop Inhibits Dopamine, Induces Anxiety in Mice

    A recent study published on Nature.com explored how nicotine and ethanol influence dopaminergic activity and anxiety-related behavior through electrophysiology, optogenetics, and behavioral assays in mice. Researchers in France extracted neuronal currents from patch-clamp recordings, identifying signals significantly above noise levels and assessing peak responses following nicotine puffs or optogenetic stimulation. Juxtacellular and whole-cell recorded neurons were post-hoc identified via TH immunohistochemistry to confirm their dopaminergic phenotype.

    Mice showed altered time spent in open arms or traveled distances depending on drug and light conditions. Neuronal firing responses to nicotine and ethanol were quantified in vivo, classifying neurons as excited or inhibited based on significant deviations from baseline, identified using bootstrapping and spike interval shuffling. Correlation analyses explored how ethanol and nicotine modulate overlapping VTA dopamine neuron populations.

    The results highlight the nuanced, bidirectional modulation of VTA dopamine neurons by nicotine and ethanol, with implications for understanding reward, anxiety, and substance co-use.

    Read the entire study here.

  • Haypp Strengthens U.S. Leadership with Legal and Regulatory Hires

    Haypp Strengthens U.S. Leadership with Legal and Regulatory Hires

    Haypp Group, the parent company of nicotine pouch retailers Nicokick.com and Northerner.com , publicized the appointments of Issa Abuaita as head of legal (U.S.), and Laura Leigh Oyler as vice president of regulatory affairs (U.S.). The move from earlier this year bolsters the company’s regulatory leadership as it expands in the U.S. market.

    Abuaita has more than a decade of legal experience, including FDA compliance and product authorization, while Oyler has more than 15 years of tobacco regulation experience from firms like PMI and Juul Labs.

    “We’re not just growing—we’re setting the bar on what a responsible and compliant nicotine pouch retailer looks like in 2025,” said Markus Lindblad, global head of legal and external affairs at Haypp Group. “Issa brings legal discipline, operational sharpness and peerless ability to decode the complex regulatory terrain, while Laura Leigh is a powerhouse in regulatory strategy, external engagement and unmatched credibility as a voice in harm reduction. Together, they enhance our ability to grow responsibly while championing adult access to modern oral nicotine alternatives. Their leadership empowers us to engage regulators, consumers, and the broader public with transparency and integrity.”