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  • Indonesia Adding, Not Subtracting Tobacco Tax Tiers

    Indonesia Adding, Not Subtracting Tobacco Tax Tiers

    Indonesia’s government plans to expand the country’s tobacco excise tax structure with additional tax tiers this year, according to Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa. The proposal remains under discussion with the House of Representatives, but the minister said implementation would proceed after budget deliberations are completed. The government has said the additional tiers are intended to reduce illicit cigarette circulation and increase state revenue.

    The plan has faced criticism from public health and civil society groups, which argue that adding more tiers to Indonesia’s already complex tobacco tax system may not effectively address illegal cigarette sales. Indonesia currently has eight excise tax groups covering machine-made and hand-rolled kretek cigarettes, and industry observers have called for simplification rather than expansion. Supporters of reforming the structure say a more balanced approach is needed to limit illicit trade while maintaining government revenue from the legal tobacco market.

  • Health Advocates Renew Call to Ban Vapes in Malaysia

    Health Advocates Renew Call to Ban Vapes in Malaysia

    Public health and anti-smoking advocates in Malaysia are renewing calls for a nationwide ban on vaping products amid growing concerns over the use of drug-laced vapes. Consumer advocates and mental health experts argue that e-cigarettes are increasingly being used to consume synthetic drugs such as ketamine and etomidate, citing government data showing that 73% of drug abuse cases in the country involve synthetic drugs.

    The renewed push follows similar concerns across Southeast Asia, with Indonesia also considering stricter restrictions on e-cigarettes.

  • Canada Rolling Out New Graphic Warning Campaign

    Canada Rolling Out New Graphic Warning Campaign

    Canada will introduce 13 new graphic health warnings on cigarette packages beginning Aug. 1 as part of its effort to reduce tobacco use below 5% by 2035. The warnings, covering smoking-related cancers, second-hand smoke, and other health risks, will appear on cigarettes, little cigars, and cigarette tobacco for two years, with additional warnings required on individual cigarettes.

    Health Canada said smoking rates have declined to an estimated 13% in 2024 from 29% in 2001. The government said it is reviewing international tobacco control measures, including the UK’s generational smoking ban, but has no plans to adopt a similar policy.

  • JTI Backs Philippines’ Market Stabilization Strategy

    JTI Backs Philippines’ Market Stabilization Strategy

    Japan Tobacco International (JTI) endorsed the NTA’s Strategic Tobacco Production Information Campaign (STRATPIC), which aims to align tobacco production with global demand and discourage oversupply ahead of the 2026-2027 planting season. JTI said the initiative will support the industry’s long-term sustainability by helping farmers avoid market disruptions, while emphasizing that data-driven planning, stakeholder collaboration, and a stable policy environment are essential to protecting farmer livelihoods and encouraging continued investment in the Philippine tobacco sector.

  • PMFTC Remains Top Buyer of Philippine Tobacco

    PMFTC Remains Top Buyer of Philippine Tobacco

    Philippines’ National Tobacco Administration (NTA) recognized Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation as the largest buyer of Philippine-grown tobacco for the third consecutive year, highlighting the company’s continued support for the country’s tobacco farming sector. In 2025, PMFTC purchased 8.3 million kg of locally grown tobacco — 69% of the 12.1 million kilograms delivered to domestic manufacturers. NTA Administrator Belinda Sanchez said PMFTC’s sustained buying provides tobacco farmers with a stable and reliable market, particularly as the industry prepares for a challenging growing season.

    PMFTC said it remains committed to investing in long-term partnerships with farmers, trading partners, and government agencies to strengthen the Philippine tobacco value chain and help keep locally grown tobacco competitive in domestic and international markets.

  • Turning Point Hosting Q2 2026 Call Aug. 4

    Turning Point Hosting Q2 2026 Call Aug. 4

    Turning Point Brands announced it will report its second-quarter 2026 financial results on Aug. 4, with management scheduled to host a conference call and webcast at 9 a.m. ET to discuss quarterly performance and answer questions from the investment community. A live webcast will be available through the company’s investor relations website, with a replay posted approximately two hours after the call.

  • Annual Tobacco Trade Golf Day Set for Sept. 10

    Annual Tobacco Trade Golf Day Set for Sept. 10

    JTI and British American Tobacco will co-host the 2026 Tobacco Trade Golf Association (TTGA) Golf Day on Sept. 10 at The Berkshire Golf Club in Ascot, England, to raise funds for GroceryAid, the charity supporting workers across the UK grocery industry. Following a sold-out event in 2025, organizers are encouraging early registration for this year’s 18-hole tournament, which will include a charity raffle and sponsorship opportunities to maximize fundraising for GroceryAid’s emotional, practical and financial support services.

  • Spain Looks to Include Most Nicotine Products as It Extends Smoking Ban

    Spain Looks to Include Most Nicotine Products as It Extends Smoking Ban

    Spain’s government unveiled draft legislation that would ban smoking on outdoor bar and restaurant terraces while significantly expanding the country’s smoke-free areas and applying the same public-use restrictions to vaping products, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches, hookahs, and herbal inhalation devices as conventional cigarettes. The proposal, which still requires parliamentary approval, would also prohibit smoking within 15 meters of entrances to public buildings, schools, healthcare facilities, and playgrounds, as well as at sports venues, universities, public swimming pools, work vehicles, and public events.

    The hospitality sector has opposed the terrace smoking ban, warning it could shift smoking into private homes and negatively affect businesses.

  • Zimbabwe Tobacco Farmers Deliver More, But See 24% Revenue Drop

    Zimbabwe Tobacco Farmers Deliver More, But See 24% Revenue Drop

    Zimbabwe’s 2026 tobacco marketing season closed with farmers delivering 353.8 million kg of tobacco, a 2% increase from the previous season, driven primarily by contract sales, according to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB). Despite higher production, industry revenues fell 24% year over year to $882.5 million as the average selling price declined from $3.33/kg to $2.49/kg.

    The season also saw a 46% increase in rejected bales, highlighting quality challenges that TIMB said will be a key focus ahead of the next production cycle as the industry works to improve farmer returns and support Zimbabwe’s long-term goal of expanding the tobacco sector into a $7 billion industry.

  • Vape Group Says UK Retailers Face £330M in Losses from New Packaging Rules

    Vape Group Says UK Retailers Face £330M in Losses from New Packaging Rules

    Vaping advocacy group We Vape warned that proposed UK restrictions on the packaging, appearance, and display of vaping products could cost retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers more than £330 million while providing no proven social benefit, according to Asian Trader. Citing the government’s impact assessment, the group said the measures — including plain packaging, restrictions on device colors and flavor names, and requirements to keep vaping products out of sight in stores — would result in an estimated £328 million in lost profits and £2.8 million in compliance costs for approximately 76,000 retailers. We Vape also criticized the government’s planned £100,000 enforcement budget as inadequate and argued that stronger enforcement of existing underage sales laws would be more effective than imposing additional regulatory burdens on legitimate businesses.