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  • JT Expanding Nordic Spirit Line  

    JT Expanding Nordic Spirit Line  

    Japan Tobacco (JT) will expand its Nordic Spirit refresh pouch portfolio beginning October 6 with three new variants—Sweet Mint Medium, Sweet Mint Strong, and Cool Mint X-Strong—available through the CLUB JT online shop at ¥500 ($3.10) per pack. The launch broadens the brand’s offering across three stimulation levels, targeting consumers seeking smoke- and odor-free oral nicotine products that can be used hands-free.  

    At the same time, JT will expand distribution of the previously limited Tropical Mix Medium and Cool Mint Strong variants nationwide through retailers including Seven-Eleven, Lawson, and NewDays. JT said the wider rollout signals its continued investment in expanding Nordic Spirit’s retail presence and product range in Japan, while leveraging customer demand for its existing limited-channel products.  

  • PMI CEO Speaking at Barclays  

    PMI CEO Speaking at Barclays  

    Philip Morris International announced it will participate in the 2026 Barclays Global Consumer Conference on September 8, with Group CEO Jacek Olczak scheduled to take part in a live fireside chat at approximately 9:45 a.m. ET. The session will be webcast live, with an archived version available for six months following the event.  

    The appearance will provide investors and the broader market with an opportunity to hear directly from PMI’s CEO on the company’s business outlook and strategic priorities. The webcast will be accessible through PMI’s investor relations platform and its mobile IR app.  

  • Swedish Election Threatens EU Tobacco Tax Talks 

    Swedish Election Threatens EU Tobacco Tax Talks 

    According to a Euractiv article today (Aug. 31), EU diplomats expect limited progress on the Tobacco Excise Directive (TED) at the September 14 meeting, as Sweden’s national election the day before could leave Stockholm without a firm position while coalition negotiations take place. The proposed TED would raise tobacco taxes across the EU and is linked to plans to generate €11.2 billion annually for the bloc’s next long-term budget. The file stalled after Sweden objected to proposed taxation of nicotine pouches, with Stockholm seeking to protect its traditional snus market. 

    Prolonged talks could also complicate Ireland’s efforts to secure a Council agreement in October and potentially lead Sweden to abstain from a key vote expected at the October 9 ECOFIN meeting. According to Euractiv, Ireland expects September discussions to focus mainly on technical issues rather than resolving political differences. The next Swedish government is likely to face continued pressure over snus and nicotine taxation, while EU officials remain focused on the bloc’s longer-term ambition to become both smoke-free and nicotine-free. 

  • Kutsaga Promotes Drought-Ready Tobacco Ahead of El Niño 

    Kutsaga Promotes Drought-Ready Tobacco Ahead of El Niño 

    Kutsaga Research is promoting drought-tolerant and fast-maturing tobacco varieties as Zimbabwe prepares for an expected El Niño-induced drought in the 2026/27 season. The regional outlook from SARCOF-33 forecasts below-normal rainfall and above-normal temperatures across much of Southern Africa from October 2026 to March 2027. 

    Kutsaga’s portfolio includes KRK71 and KRK75, which have deep-rooting characteristics that help plants access moisture, and T78–T81, which mature rapidly to escape late-season moisture stress. The institution is also promoting float seedbed technology and T77, a Trichoderma harzianum-based biological solution supporting root health. 

    Kutsaga is testing LPG- and biogas-fueled curing systems to reduce reliance on conventional energy sources. The broader strategy combines climate-resilient varieties, improved seedlings, water management and alternative energy to help tobacco farmers shift from reacting to drought to planning for climate risks. 

  • Africa’s Tobacco Production Rises Despite Global Decline 

    Africa’s Tobacco Production Rises Despite Global Decline 

    Africa’s tobacco-leaf production increased nearly 9% between 2012 and 2024, even as global production fell by almost 19%, according to a new WHO analysis. Africa accounted for around 11% of global output in 2024, with Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Uganda producing most of the continent’s tobacco. East Africa alone accounts for nearly 90% of African tobacco-leaf production. 

    At the same time, Africa’s cigarette import bill more than doubled, from $833 million to $1.8 billion, highlighting a growing imbalance between raw-leaf exports and manufactured cigarette imports. WHO is calling for greater investment in crop diversification and economically viable alternatives for tobacco farmers, alongside stronger tobacco-control measures. 

  • KT&G Partners with Lamborghini on 3-Second HTP 

    KT&G Partners with Lamborghini on 3-Second HTP 

    KT&G announced it is partnering with the Italian high-end lifestyle brand to launch the Lil Tonino Lamborghini heated tobacco device in South Korea on Sept. 15, featuring new “flashwave heating technology” that uses microwaves to heat the stick internally. Its three-second preheating time is more than five times faster than existing products. 

    The premium device features a full-metal aluminum body, color display, and dedicated interface showing heating status, battery level, and remaining puffs. It will be offered in four colors, with sales through 8,300 Seoul convenience stores and Lil’s online and flagship stores. 

    KT&G will also introduce five dedicated NAU stick variants. The launch marks the first major Lil brand platform update since 2022, as KT&G seeks to strengthen its position in next-generation tobacco products. 

  • Thailand Simplifying Cigarette Tax, Tightening Controls 

    Thailand Simplifying Cigarette Tax, Tightening Controls 

    Thailand’s Excise Department is preparing to replace the current two-tier cigarette tax with a single rate, aiming to improve revenue collection and remove pricing distortions. Cigarettes priced up to THB72 ($2.16) per pack currently face a 25% tax, compared with 42% above the threshold, resulting in more than 95% of cigarettes being priced at the low end. The proposal is under review before submission to the Finance Ministry, with the policy direction expected by October 2026. 

    Separately, the department plans to require excise tax to be paid upfront on cigarettes for export, with refunds issued after Customs confirms the goods left Thailand. The measure is intended to prevent tax-exempt export cigarettes from being diverted into the domestic market and is expected to take effect by end-2026. 

    Thailand is also expanding data-led enforcement against illicit tobacco. In the first 11 months of fiscal 2026, the Excise Department recorded 35,739 enforcement cases, up 5.8%, while estimated fines rose nearly 15% to THB6.27 billion ($188 million). Tobacco offences increased 32.7%. 

  • Filipino Lawmakers Weigh Unified Vape Tax  

    Filipino Lawmakers Weigh Unified Vape Tax  

    Philippine lawmakers are considering a single excise tax for vape products, as health advocates push for a rate of at least P80 ($1.28) to discourage youth access and curb nicotine addiction. The House committee on ways and means is studying a unified rate for salt-nicotine and freebase products, citing existing tax disparities and their potential impact on consumer behavior and illicit trade. 

    The Department of Finance and Department of Health have proposed a unified P72.93 ($1.17) tax by 2027 covering cigarettes, heated tobacco, and vape products. Health groups argue this is too low, while a proposal by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez would set the vape rate at P15 ($0.24) per milliliter, with the aim of balancing revenue collection against the risk of driving consumers toward illegal products. 

  • Illegal Cigarette Trade Costs Suriname $40M 

    Illegal Cigarette Trade Costs Suriname $40M 

    Illegal cigarette trading remains a major challenge in Suriname, with government revenue losses estimated at $40 million per year, according to a presentation to the parliamentary committee overseeing the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The presentation linked the expansion of smuggling to tax increases introduced in 2006, noting that illicit trade persists despite periods of improvement. Smugglers are moving both genuine cigarettes and counterfeit “cheap whites” into the country. 

    Authorities also highlighted links between cigarette smuggling and other criminal activities, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, weapons trading, and money laundering. Free-trade zones remain an important enforcement challenge, with importers and traders continually developing new methods to evade detection. 

    The presentation called for greater coordination among finance, trade, security and public-health authorities to address the illicit market and protect government revenues. 

  • FDA Authorizes Three Juul2 Products

    FDA Authorizes Three Juul2 Products

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it has authorized three products in the Juul2 e-cigarette system made by Juul Labs through the premarket tobacco product application pathway. The authorization covers the Juul2 device and 18 mg/mL tobacco- and menthol-flavored pods, equivalent to roughly 1.5% to 1.6% nicotine concentration. The FDA previously authorized several Juul products in tobacco and menthol flavors at 3% and 5% nicotine concentrations in July 2025.

    The FDA said its review found that a substantial proportion of adults who smoke completely switched from cigarettes to the authorized Juul2 products. At six weeks, 19.9% to 34.6% of users of the tobacco-flavored pod and 28.4% to 49.3% of users of the menthol pod had stopped smoking completely, with the menthol product showing the higher switching rate. Adults who switched completely were exposed to lower levels of harmful chemicals than if they had continued smoking.

    The FDA determined that the population-health benefits for adults who smoke outweighed the risks of the menthol product, including its potential appeal to youth. The agency stressed that complete switching provides greater health benefits than dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. The three authorizations bring the total number of e-cigarette products authorized by the FDA to 48.