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Tag: tobacco control

  • 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.

  • France Sets Steep Fines in Pouch Ban

    France Sets Steep Fines in Pouch Ban

    France implemented a broad ban on oral nicotine products, including nicotine pouches, with violations carrying penalties of up to five years in prison and fines reaching €400,000. The restrictions cover the use, possession, acquisition, and sale of nicotine pouches and certain nicotine lozenges, while exempting cigarettes, vaping products, and approved smoking-cessation products such as nicotine gums and inhalers.

    French health authorities said the measure was driven by concerns over nicotine addiction, youth marketing, and potential health risks linked to high-dose nicotine products. The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety previously warned that nicotine pouch promotion had become widespread on social media platforms targeting younger consumers. France is the first European country to criminalize possession and use of nicotine pouches, going beyond restrictions already introduced in countries including Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria.

  • Vietnam Considering Generational Ban

    Vietnam Considering Generational Ban

    Vietnam’s Ministry of Health proposed banning people born on or after January 1, 2010, from purchasing or using tobacco products as part of broader amendments to the country’s tobacco control law. The proposal was presented during a workshop tied to World No Tobacco Day 2026 and forms part of efforts to create a “smoke-free generation” in the country.

    The proposed revisions would also prohibit the production, sale, transport, advertising, promotion, sponsorship, and use of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and other next-generation nicotine products, and would additionally ban tobacco product displays at wholesale and retail outlets. Health officials said the measures are intended to reduce smoking rates, limit secondhand smoke exposure, and address rising youth nicotine use.

  • BAT Kenya Says Proposed Laws Threaten 100K Jobs

    BAT Kenya Says Proposed Laws Threaten 100K Jobs

    British American Tobacco Kenya warned that proposed amendments to Kenya’s tobacco control laws could cost the government an estimated Sh12 billion ($92 million) in annual revenue and threaten more than 100,000 jobs across the tobacco supply chain. In a memorandum submitted to Kenya’s National Assembly, BAT Kenya said provisions in the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill, 2024, could worsen the illicit cigarette trade, which the company estimates already accounts for about 45% of the country’s cigarette market.

    The proposed legislation includes bans on flavors in tobacco and nicotine products, tighter regulation of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, expanded graphic warning requirements, potential plain packaging rules, additional licensing obligations for retailers, restrictions on single-use plastics, and a proposed 100-metre limit on tobacco sales locations. BAT Kenya also objected to plans to classify electronic cigarettes and oral nicotine pouches as tobacco products, arguing the bill does not distinguish between combustible and non-combustible nicotine products.

    BAT Kenya Managing Director Crispin Achola said the company supports public health goals but called for a more balanced and evidence-based regulatory framework. The company urged lawmakers to conduct broader stakeholder consultations and pointed to countries including the United Kingdom, Sweden, and New Zealand as examples of markets using differentiated regulation for alternative nicotine products.

  • EU Requests Feedback on New Tobacco Control Rules

    EU Requests Feedback on New Tobacco Control Rules

    The European Commission launched a public consultation on plans to update the EU’s tobacco control framework, reflecting changing market dynamics, evolving consumption trends, and the growing role of digital marketing in nicotine product promotion. The proposed directive aims to strengthen public health protections, improve the functioning of the EU internal market, and support implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in line with Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. The feedback period for the initiative runs from May 18 to June 15, and is expected to inform future regulatory changes affecting traditional tobacco products as well as emerging nicotine categories.

  • Argentina Lifts Alternative Product Ban, Imposes New Regs

    Argentina Lifts Alternative Product Ban, Imposes New Regs

    Argentina introduced a comprehensive regulatory framework for nicotine products under Resolution 549/2026, establishing legal pathways for vapes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches while imposing strict requirements on registration, traceability, and product standards. The new rules replace a previously prohibitive regime and aim to bring a largely informal market under formal oversight, with mandatory ingredient disclosure, limits on nicotine content, and enforcement mechanisms targeting unregistered products.

    The framework also includes a ban on vape flavorings and is intended to strengthen inspection and taxation while addressing youth use and unregulated sales. Officials said the move seeks to formalize a market currently dominated by illicit trade, improve regulatory control, and integrate nicotine products into the legal and tax system, while maintaining public health safeguards.

  • Saint Lucia Launches National Anti-Smoking Campaign

    Saint Lucia Launches National Anti-Smoking Campaign

    Saint Lucia has launched a national anti-smoking campaign led by the Substance Abuse Advisory Council Secretariat (SAACS) under the Ministry of Health, aimed at raising awareness of the risks associated with smoking and secondhand smoke. The initiative targets changing consumption patterns, including increased vaping and public use of tobacco and cannabis, and seeks to promote prevention and healthier behaviors, particularly among youth. The campaign will be delivered through schools, workplaces, community outreach, and digital platforms, with trained peer educators supporting messaging as part of broader efforts to reduce smoking-related illnesses and chronic disease.

  • Cigarettes to Return to Belgian Supermarkets in 2027

    Cigarettes to Return to Belgian Supermarkets in 2027

    Belgium will allow supermarkets to resume cigarette sales from January 1, 2027, following a Constitutional Court ruling that struck down the current ban on larger retail outlets. The court found that restricting tobacco sales in shops over 400 square meters while allowing smaller retailers to continue was discriminatory, giving the government until 2027 to revise the law. Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke has opted not to introduce a replacement ban, meaning tobacco products can return to supermarket shelves, though they must remain out of sight.

    The decision has drawn mixed reactions, with supermarket groups welcoming the change while newsagents criticized the return of competition. The policy shift comes alongside other tobacco control measures, including a planned ban on flavored e-cigarettes from 2028 aimed at reducing youth uptake.

  • Survey Says Pakistan’s Tobacco Control Not Working

    Survey Says Pakistan’s Tobacco Control Not Working

    A nationwide survey in Pakistan found widespread non-compliance in the cigarette market nearly four years after the introduction of the Track and Trace System. Conducted across 1,520 retail outlets in 19 districts, the study found that only 22 of the 477 identified brands in circulation were consistently compliant, with 455 failing to meet at least one regulatory requirement, including missing tax stamps, health warnings, or printed retail prices.

    The survey also found that 392 brands were being sold below the government’s minimum price of PKR 162.25 ($0.58) per pack, with some as low as PKR 50 ($0.18), indicating a significant presence of untaxed and non-compliant products. Both smuggled and locally produced duty-unpaid cigarettes were widely available, with higher non-compliance rates in rural areas. The findings point to ongoing challenges in enforcement, monitoring, and market control, despite the formal rollout of digital tracking systems.

  • Indonesian Groups Reject Tobacco Tier Tax Proposal

    Indonesian Groups Reject Tobacco Tier Tax Proposal

    A coalition of Indonesian civil society groups rejected a government proposal to expand the country’s tobacco excise system by adding a new tariff tier, arguing it could undermine public health objectives and increase corruption risks. The Coalition Save Our Surroundings (SOS), which includes CISDI, Seknas FITRA, and Indonesia Corruption Watch, said the plan contradicts the primary purpose of excise policy of controlling consumption, and instead prioritizes revenue generation. Officials proposed adding a ninth tier to the existing structure to encourage illegal producers to enter the formal market, with potential implementation as early as May 2026.

    Critics argue the move could complicate the system and enable “downtrading,” where consumers shift to cheaper products, while also creating opportunities for manipulation and weak enforcement. CISDI recommended simplifying the current structure rather than expanding it, and ICW warned that additional tiers could open new avenues for corruption through product misclassification. Government officials maintain the policy could help increase revenue and curb illicit trade, but civil society groups say it does not address underlying enforcement challenges.