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  • ACHE Cites Evidence That Youth Tobacco Measures Are Working

    ACHE Cites Evidence That Youth Tobacco Measures Are Working

    Today (May 27), the Asian Coalition for Health Empowerment (ACHE) shared its outlook based on the FDA’s 2025 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) data that was released earlier this year, pointing to continued declines in youth tobacco and nicotine use while calling for more balanced, evidence-based regulation. The FDA data showed overall youth tobacco use fell to 7.5% in 2025 from 8.1% in 2024, while youth e-cigarette use dropped to 5.2% — the lowest level recorded in a decade. Use of nicotine pouches remained relatively low and stable at 1.7%, while use of other oral nicotine products, such as gums and lozenges, declined sharply to 0.6%.

    Following the release of the data, ACHE brought together public health experts and policy voices to discuss implications for tobacco harm reduction and future regulation. Dr. Anjum Datta said the results highlight the value of sustained public health strategies that combine awareness, regulation, and behavioral interventions, while cautioning against policies that could unintentionally limit harm reduction options for adult smokers. Dr. Dewesh Kumar said the findings support targeted regulation and youth protections without relying on “extreme prohibitive measures,” adding that adult smoking cessation efforts should remain part of the broader public health discussion.

  • Malaysian Tobacco Control Groups Pushing for 5% Tax Increases

    Malaysian Tobacco Control Groups Pushing for 5% Tax Increases

    Tobacco control organizations in Malaysia are calling for annual 5% increases in tobacco taxes following survey findings showing broad public support for higher excise rates. Research conducted by the Social and Economic Research Initiative (Seri) found that 80% of 3,200 respondents supported yearly tax hikes, while 72% believed higher tobacco taxes could help ease broader cost-of-living pressures.

    Groups backing the proposal include the Malaysian Anti-Drug Association, Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control, and the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia. Seri senior researcher Muhammad Daniel Kittu said tobacco excise duties have remained largely unchanged since 2015 despite rising prices for staple goods, arguing that higher cigarette prices could reduce smoking rates while redirecting household spending toward essentials such as food, healthcare, and education.

    Responding to concerns that higher taxes could fuel illegal sales, Kittu said weak enforcement — rather than pricing — remains the primary driver of illicit tobacco activity.

  • CVA Touts Vaping as Path to Canada’s Smoke-Free Future

    CVA Touts Vaping as Path to Canada’s Smoke-Free Future

    Ahead of World Vape Day 2026 on May 30 and World No Tobacco Day on May 31, the Canadian Vaping Association said that declining youth vaping rates in Canada show that current regulations are working, while warning against proposed federal flavor bans. Citing data from Canada’s Third Legislative Review of the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act, the group noted past-30-day vaping among youth ages 12 to 17 fell from 13.2% in 2019 to 5.8% in 2024, a decline of nearly 60%.

    Association President Sam Tam said policymakers should rely on current evidence rather than “outdated statistics” when considering additional restrictions. The group also pointed to newly published studies supporting vaping as a smoking cessation tool for adults and argued that broad flavor prohibitions could undermine Canada’s goal of reducing smoking rates below 5% by 2035 while fueling illicit markets.

  • Tennessee Expands Vapor Product Definitions

    Tennessee Expands Vapor Product Definitions

    Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed legislation broadening the state’s definitions of “consumable material” and “vapor product” to explicitly include natural and synthetic liquid nicotine solutions and nicotine analogues used in e-cigarettes and related products. The measure, enacted under HB 2359, updates state tobacco and vapor product laws covering taxation, regulation, and enforcement.

    The law clarifies that vapor products include noncombustible devices using heating elements, batteries, or electronic mechanisms to produce vapor, including electronic cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, pipes, and associated cartridges or containers. It also expands taxable consumable materials to include synthetic nicotine and nicotine analogue formulations.

    In addition, the legislation gives Tennessee’s Alcoholic Beverage Commission authority to issue fines for violations involving the retail sale or offering of vapor products to individuals under the age of 21. The law took effect immediately upon approval and amended multiple sections of the Tennessee code related to tobacco, taxation, and retail enforcement.

  • BAT Encouraging Participation in EU’s Call for Evidence

    BAT Encouraging Participation in EU’s Call for Evidence

    British American Tobacco launched an initiative aimed at encouraging adult consumers and retail partners to participate in the European Commission’s Call for Evidence on future EU tobacco and nicotine legislation. The campaign, titled “Share Your Voice,” is designed to drive engagement with the EU’s ongoing review of its Tobacco Products Directive and direct stakeholders to the Commission’s “Have Your Say” consultation platform during the current feedback period.

    The company said the initiative is intended to provide practical insight into how proposed regulatory changes could affect real-world product use and retail operations, arguing that better-informed policymaking requires input from consumers who have switched to smokeless alternatives. BAT estimates that more than 30 million adults in Europe now use smokeless nicotine products and warns that parts of the Commission’s policy direction could restrict or ban categories of reduced-risk products.

    The European Commission has indicated in its April 2026 evaluation report that it is considering tighter restrictions on tobacco and nicotine products as part of an updated regulatory framework. The consultation process remains open to stakeholders as part of the legislative review process.

  • PMI to Present at the dbAccess Global Consumer Conference

    PMI to Present at the dbAccess Global Consumer Conference

    Philip Morris International Inc. said it will host a live webcast of remarks and a Q&A session with CEO Jacek Olczak at the 2026 dbAccess Global Consumer Conference on June 2, at 11:15 a.m. CET. The session will be streamed live and made available for replay for one year via the company’s investor relations channels, including its mobile app and website.

    The event will provide an update on PMI’s strategy as it continues to position itself as a “smoke-free” consumer goods company, with a portfolio spanning cigarettes and reduced-risk products such as heat-not-burn devices, nicotine pouches, and e-vapor products. The company also highlighted ongoing regulatory milestones, including U.S. FDA authorizations for products such as Zyn nicotine pouches and IQOS devices, as it continues to expand its investor communications around its long-term transition strategy.

  • Vendix Expands Tobacco Vending Machine Technology

    Vendix Expands Tobacco Vending Machine Technology

    Tobacco retail technology company Vendix is continuing its market rollout with a presentation at the T2000 on Tour exhibition in Rome, June 6–7, following its debut in Catania earlier this year. The company, founded in 2025 as a joint venture between Microhard and FAS International, is positioning its latest-generation vending machines for tobacconists seeking expanded sales capabilities outside traditional store hours.

    Vendix will showcase touchscreen-enabled vending systems with capacities ranging from 300 to 1,400 packs, designed for indoor and outdoor installation and equipped with remote monitoring and management functions. The machines support both cash and cashless payments and include integrated services such as bill payments and digital transactions, alongside real-time performance tracking for operators.

    CEO Andrea Montanari said the systems are intended to support sales after closing time, highlighting a shift toward more digital, service-oriented retail models for tobacconists. The company said its platform is designed to combine operational control with expanded consumer access, reflecting broader trends in automation and retail tech within tobacco distribution channels.

  • Pakistan Intensifies Illegal Tobacco Crackdown

    Pakistan Intensifies Illegal Tobacco Crackdown

    Pakistan continues to step up enforcement actions against illicit cigarette manufacturing and non-duty-paid tobacco products, with advocacy group ACT Alliance Pakistan praising recent government efforts led by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). The group said ongoing operations targeting smuggled brands, counterfeit tax stamps, and violations of the Track and Trace Systems are aimed at protecting tax revenue and formal businesses, estimating that the illegal cigarette trade costs the country more than Rs300 billion ($1.1 billion) annually.

    ACT Alliance Country Director Mubashir Akram said sustained enforcement is essential to prevent tax evasion networks from undermining the formal economy, adding that illicit trade is increasingly structured across manufacturing, distribution, and retail channels. He also warned that regulatory pressure must be consistent rather than episodic and called for stronger coordination among enforcement agencies, including Customs, Inland Revenue, and provincial authorities. The group further argued that tackling illicit tobacco is linked to broader investor confidence, stating that perceptions of enforcement effectiveness influence both domestic and foreign investment decisions.

  • Bidi Workers Form Human-Chain Protest in Bangladesh

    Bidi Workers Form Human-Chain Protest in Bangladesh

    Bangladesh bidi workers staged a human chain protest in Pabna on May 24, opposing proposals to raise bidi prices and increase supplementary duty in the country’s 2026–27 national budget. Members of the Pabna District Bidi Workers Union objected to recommendations from Atma-Pragya and Ahsania Mission to increase bidi prices from Tk 18 to Tk 30 ($0.15 to $0.24) and raise supplementary duty from 30% to 50%.

    During the demonstration, workers presented a five-point demand that included maintaining current bidi tax rates, increasing working days for bidi workers, enforcing bandroll use only for licensed factories, raising prices on low-tier cigarette packs, and cracking down on counterfeit bidi production and sales. Leaders from the Bangladesh Bidi Workers Federation participated in the protest and warned that higher taxes could further pressure workers employed in the sector.

  • BAT Malaysia Reports First-Ever Loss

    BAT Malaysia Reports First-Ever Loss

    British American Tobacco Malaysia reported its first quarterly loss since the company’s formation through the 1999 merger of Rothmans of Pall Mall (Malaysia) and Malaysian Tobacco Company, citing rising regulatory costs and worsening illicit cigarette trade in Malaysia. The company posted a net loss of RM35.2 million ($8.8 million) for the first quarter ended March 31, compared with a net profit of RM23.3 million ($5.8 million) a year earlier, while revenue declined to RM160.3 million ($40 million) from RM322 million ($80.5 million).

    Operating expenses increased 74.7% year-over-year to RM64.68 million (16.2 million), driven largely by one-off costs tied to the implementation of Malaysia’s retail tobacco display ban and restructuring linked to a new route-to-market strategy. BAT Malaysia said legal combustible cigarette volumes fell 4.5% during the quarter, while illicit cigarette incidence rose to 56.7% of total industry volume from 54.4% in the prior quarter, marking the first increase since 2021.

    The company declared a first interim dividend of five sen ($0.0125) per share, down from 7.5 sen ($0.0188) a year earlier. Management said the first quarter represented a transition period as the company implemented operational changes intended to improve long-term competitiveness and efficiency.