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Tag: Nicotine

  • French-Speaking Countries Gather to Discuss THR Strategies

    French-Speaking Countries Gather to Discuss THR Strategies

    The 3rd Francophone Forum on Nicotine was held yesterday (June 9) in Paris, bringing together doctors, researchers, economists, and public health experts from multiple French-speaking countries to discuss smoking addiction and harm reduction strategies. Organized as an annual public health and academic forum focused on tobacco control, the event centered on improving understanding of nicotine dependence and expanding evidence-based cessation approaches beyond abstinence-only models.

    Speakers emphasized craving-driven addiction, gaps between clinical guidelines and real-world quitting experiences, and the need for broader use of harm-reduction tools such as nicotine alternatives. The forum concluded with the signing of a manifesto calling for stronger science-based tobacco policy, improved smoker support systems, and stricter protections for minors while integrating harm reduction into national and regional public health strategies.

  • BoA Data Shows Shift from Cigarettes to Oral Nicotine Products

    BoA Data Shows Shift from Cigarettes to Oral Nicotine Products

    Bank of America’s latest four-week scanner data through May 30 showed continued volume declines across most U.S. tobacco categories, while oral nicotine products remained the industry’s strongest growth segment, according to Investing.com. It said industry cigarette sales fell 3.3%, with volumes down 7.4%, while vapor sales declined 17.2%. In contrast, oral tobacco sales increased 5.8%, driven by a 0.4% rise in volume and a 5.4% improvement in price mix.

    Among major manufacturers mentioned in the article, British American Tobacco delivered the strongest oral nicotine performance, with sales up 28.3% and share gains of 590 basis points, while vapor sales increased 8.8%. Altria gained 20 basis points of cigarette share despite a 6.9% volume decline, but continued to lose share in vapor and oral products. Philip Morris International reported modest 0.6% growth in oral tobacco sales ahead of the U.S. rollout of Zyn Ultra, while Imperial Brands posted 34.6% growth in smokeless and oral products. Japan Tobacco was the only major manufacturer to record cigarette volume growth, with cigarette sales rising 2.6% and share increasing by 70 basis points.

  • FDA Targets ‘Disguised’ Nicotine Products in Retail Crackdown

    FDA Targets ‘Disguised’ Nicotine Products in Retail Crackdown

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued warning letters to eight retailers for selling unauthorized nicotine pouches and dissolvable tobacco products designed to resemble candy, breath strips, and cough drops, raising concerns that the items could both appeal to children and be accidentally ingested by young kids. According to the agency, the products’ labeling, advertising, and design mimic everyday consumer goods, “disguising” them and making it easier for youth to conceal their use from adults.

    Acting Center for Tobacco Products Director Bret Koplow said no tobacco product should look like candy and described the practice as a tactic to mask the products’ true nature. The retailers were cited for violating the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by selling products without FDA authorization and were ordered to correct the violations or face potential penalties, including seizures, injunctions, and/or fines. The action follows recent FDA guidance outlining enforcement priorities for unauthorized electronic nicotine delivery systems and nicotine pouch products, part of a broader push to remove youth-appealing products from the market.

    The agency noted it has now issued more than 800 warning letters to manufacturers and distributors and over 1,000 to retailers over unauthorized tobacco sales, and reminded retailers to consult its updated list of legally marketed products and use available compliance materials.

  • Survey Finds Widespread Confusion Over Nicotine Risks

    Survey Finds Widespread Confusion Over Nicotine Risks

    A survey of 1,973 U.S. adults commissioned by Haypp Group, parent of Nicokick.com and Northerner, found most respondents do not distinguish between the health risks of cigarettes and non-combustible nicotine products. According to the Nicotine Product Harm Perception Report 2026, 73% said vaping is as harmful as, or more harmful than, smoking; 60.6% said the same of nicotine pouches, and 64.9% incorrectly believed nicotine causes cancer.

    While 68.9% of respondents said they feel informed about nicotine risks, many answers conflicted with established evidence that combustion, not nicotine, is the primary cause of smoking-related disease. The survey also found that younger adults perceive smoking as more culturally visible, with 36.3% of those aged 25–34 saying smoking is “back in fashion,” even as U.S. smoking rates have fallen to about 9.9% in 2024.

  • Nicokick, Northerner Expand GOVX Discount for Military Appreciation Month

    Nicokick, Northerner Expand GOVX Discount for Military Appreciation Month

    Nicokick and Northerner announced a promotion offering a 35% discount to verified GOVX members in recognition of Military Appreciation Month. The offer, available from May 20 through May 25 on both retailers’ websites, expands on an existing year-round 25% discount program for eligible adults aged 21 and over, including military personnel, veterans, first responders, healthcare workers, and government employees who use nicotine products.

    The companies said the promotion will be automatically applied at checkout for verified users, with eligibility confirmed through GOVX at no cost. The initiative is positioned as an extension of ongoing discount programs aimed at public service workers, with the temporary discount intended to coincide with Memorial Day observances.

  • South Korea Bans Online Sales of Synthetic Nicotine Vapes

    South Korea Bans Online Sales of Synthetic Nicotine Vapes

    South Korea will ban online sales of liquid e-cigarettes made with synthetic nicotine starting this week, as part of broader regulatory changes under the revised Tobacco Business Act, the finance ministry announced. The update expands the definition of tobacco to include nicotine—whether natural or synthetic—bringing these products under full tobacco regulation.

    Manufacturers and importers will now be required to obtain government approval, register with local authorities, and comply with taxation rules, including a temporary 50% tax reduction for two years. Sales to minors, promotional activities, and product modification for resale will also be prohibited, while use of these products will be banned in designated non-smoking areas.

    The rules also mandate graphic health warnings, ingredient disclosure, and regular testing for harmful substances. Vendors must be licensed as tobacco retailers to sell directly to consumers, while authorities are also reviewing how to regulate emerging “nicotine analog” products not yet formally classified as tobacco.

  • Researchers Map Final Steps of Nicotine Biosynthesis

    Researchers Map Final Steps of Nicotine Biosynthesis

    Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences identified the complete biochemical pathway responsible for nicotine formation in wild tobacco, publishing the findings in Cell. Led by Prof. Li Dapeng, the work clarifies long-unknown steps in nicotine’s biosynthesis and provides new insight into how plants build complex alkaloids, with potential implications for synthetic biology and controlled production of high-value natural compounds.

    Working in Nicotiana attenuata, the researchers uncovered a five-enzyme “dynamic metabolon” that coordinates the final assembly, stabilization, and transport of nicotine inside plant cells. Using multi-omics analysis, the group identified key enzymes and a transporter that enable a tightly controlled glycosylation and deglycosylation process, allowing the plant to safely produce and store nicotine without self-toxicity.

  • Black Buffalo Named Official Dip of Major League Fishing

    Black Buffalo Named Official Dip of Major League Fishing

    Black Buffalo Inc. announced that it has been named the “Official Dip of Major League Fishing” under a yearlong marketing partnership spanning the Bass Pro Tour, Fishing Clash Team Series, Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit, Toyota Series, and Phoenix Bass Fishing League. The agreement integrates the brand across MLF’s social, broadcast, livestream, newsletter, and on-site event channels, including logo placement on 2026 Team Series boat wraps and a major presence at REDCREST 2026 and the Outdoor Sports Expo at Table Rock Lake near Springfield.

    Executives from both organizations said the partnership aligns with the outdoor lifestyle of MLF’s fanbase and Black Buffalo’s adult consumer audience aged 21+, with brand visibility planned across the league’s 360-degree media platform throughout the 2026 season.

  • FRE Sponsors Four Races for Taylor Reimer Racing

    FRE Sponsors Four Races for Taylor Reimer Racing

    FRE Nicotine Pouches partnered with Taylor Reimer Racing as the Official Nicotine Sponsor for four marquee events in the 2026 ARCA Menards Series season. FRE will serve as the primary sponsor for Taylor Reimer at Talladega Superspeedway (April 25), Berlin Raceway (June 20), Elko Speedway (June 27), and Phoenix Raceway (October 17), with branding featured on the car, driver suit, and helmet. The company said the collaboration aligns its performance-focused nicotine pouch brand with one of stock car racing’s rising drivers, extending beyond race weekends into integrated content and appearances.

  • Malaysian Health Groups Challenge Legality of Moot Nicotine Exemption

    Malaysian Health Groups Challenge Legality of Moot Nicotine Exemption

    Counsel for several Malaysian public health organizations told the High Court that former health minister Dr. Zaliha Mustafa acted unlawfully in 2023 when she removed liquid nicotine from the Poisons Act list, arguing the move was made without meaningful consultation with the Poisons Board. A lawyer for the Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control, the Malaysian Green Lung Association, and Voice of the Children, said the exemption left vape products effectively unregulated and accessible to minors for nearly 17 months, until the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 took effect in October 2024.

    Government counsel argued the case is now academic because the 2024 law regulates vaping and smoking products, and said the minister acted within powers granted under Section 6 of the Poisons Act after consultation with the board. Opposing attorneys countered that the issue remains live because the court must determine whether the minister erred at the time, adding that consultation must be substantive rather than procedural. The applicants are seeking declarations that the 2023 exemption order was irrational, unlawful, and beyond ministerial authority. The court set May 15 for its decision.