News analysis for professionals in the alternative tobacco sector

How tariffs on US imported goods could impact the global nicotine industry

Written by Freddie Dawson | 21st March 2025

The imposition of tariffs on goods entering the US could have unintended knock-on effects elsewhere in the world, the most obvious being a general increase to prices, even in places not involved in current tariff...

US youth use of nicotine pouches is up as FDA talks public health campaign success

Written by Freddie Dawson | 20th March 2025

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently highlighted the success of its Real Cost public health campaign in preventing youth e-cigarette uptake while nicotine pouch use is on the rise ...

Germany’s incoming coalition signals lenient approach to novel tobacco laws

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 18th March 2025

As coalition negotiations advance, a CDU/CSU-led government in Germany is expected to take a more lenient stance on novel tobacco products than the previous SPD-led administration ...

Unchanged rate of tobacco product use in US points to need for effective measures

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 13th March 2025

While cigarette smoking in the US has dropped to its lowest level in 60 years, overall tobacco product use among adults has remained unchanged since 2017 ...

GCC unified standard for electronic tobacco alternatives nears adoption

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 12th March 2025

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is moving closer to adopting unified regulations for electronic alternatives to tobacco products, with a final draft approved by the GCC Standardization Organization in January ...

Turning Point Brands sees triple-digit growth of nicotine pouch sales in 2024

Written by Freddie Dawson | 10th March 2025

Turning Point Brands has announced it made $11.2m in nicotine pouch sales in the fourth quarter of 2024, with the oral segment (which includes moist snuff) representing over 50% of total net sales last year...

New tariffs on China likely to hit US vape sector, but less so other nic alternatives

Written by Freddie Dawson | 7th March 2025

Further price increases will result from the latest round of tariffs imposed by US president Donald Trump on China – though downstream impact from tariffs on North American trading partners has again been delayed ...

Italy is still Europe’s top heated tobacco market as shifts in the industry ramp up

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 6th March 2025

Heated tobacco is rapidly transforming nicotine consumption in Europe, and nowhere is this shift more evident than in Italy, which has led the way in the European heated tobacco market since 2015 ...

Poland seeks to rein in novel tobacco product laws during its EU presidency

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 3rd March 2025

Poland aims to use its position as EU Council president to place measures targeting alternative tobacco products high on the bloc’s legislative agenda just as Warsaw is advancing tax hikes and bans in the sector...

Will policy reversals for US federal staff speed up or slow down FDA efficiency?

Written by Freddie Dawson | 28th February 2025

US HSS decision-makers have been shuttling staff between employment and dismissal, much like the Grand Old Duke of York in the nursery rhyme marches troops up and down a hill ...

Imperial Brands to show harm-reduction evidence for heated tobacco at EVO NXT

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 26th February 2025

Imperial Brands will be presenting evidence to support the potential role of heated tobacco in tobacco harm reduction at the upcoming EVO NXT conference in Milan from 3rd to 4th April ...

German conservative bloc and potential coalition allies diverge on nicotine policy

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 26th February 2025

As the centre-right CDU/CSU prepares for a potential return to power in Germany, its stance on tobacco and nicotine policy is set to be a key point of negotiation with prospective coalition partners ...

France shifts stance on nicotine pouches, paving the way for a potential ban

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 20th February 2025

In a sharp policy reversal, France has dropped plans to tax nicotine pouches. It is now likely to pursue an outright ban through future legislation, following the Senate’s adoption of the 2025 Social Security Budget...

Is European Commission caution on tobacco regulation based on science?

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 20th February 2025

The European Commission is taking a cautious approach to tobacco-related regulations, and key directives might not be revisited until 2026, but is it based on the whole truth? ...

US free-speech challenges may reshape marketing rules for nicotine alternatives

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 18th February 2025

Packaging of US nicotine alternatives could face a major shake-up, thanks to First Amendment challenges against restrictions on what companies can say and do ...

Haypp Group reports strong growth in nicotine pouches, with UK sales surging

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 14th February 2025

Haypp Group, an e-commerce player specialising in nicotine pouches and snus, reported strong performance in 2024, with triple-digit growth in nicotine pouch volume in the UK ...

JTI’s growth driven by Vector Group deal and expansion in reduced-risk products

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 14th February 2025

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) has reported its full-year and fourth-quarter financial results for 2024, highlighting steady progress toward its 2028 reduced-risk product (RRP) ambitions ...

BAT’s heated tobacco sales decline, but offset by strong growth in modern oral

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 14th February 2025

British American Tobacco (BAT) reported a drop in its heated tobacco category in 2024, partially offset by significant growth in the modern oral segment – particularly in the US ...

Can the US tobacco sector expect more stability under Trump’s second term?

Written by Freddie Dawson | 13th February 2025

Predictions on what president Donald Trump will do have always been difficult. But some indicators point to a second go-around of the Trump administration providing a degree more stability and predictability ...

Study that fails to link youth vaping with future smoking brings up research issues

Written by Barnaby Page | 13th February 2025

New research “fails to show that youth vaping causes future smoking”, announces the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Should harm-reduction advocates reach for the champagne? ...

Poland moves to extend tax to pouches and heating devices in regulatory shift

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 12th February 2025

The Polish Council of Ministers has adopted a draft bill to extend an excise tax to nicotine pouches and vaping and heating devices, including disposables ...

PMI hikes prices amid Egypt’s economic instability but steps up its investment

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 11th February 2025

Philip Morris International (PMI) raised its prices for heated tobacco products (HTPs) several times in Egypt last year, following a similar trend from 2023 that is likely to continue in 2025 ...

PMI’s growth in 2024 powered by Zyn and Iqos as its smoke-free user base expands

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 6th February 2025

Philip Morris International (PMI) achieved positive results in 2024, driven by the expansion of its nicotine pouch brand Zyn as 2023’s demand acceleration continued alongside Iqos growth momentum ...

A US FDA under Kennedy could impact innovation and nic alternatives in Europe

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 6th February 2025

The nomination of Robert F Kennedy Jr., a prominent environmentalist and vaccine sceptic, as US secretary of health could have indirect implications for the nicotine alternatives industry, even in Europe ...

Pouch-popping overshadows science in Kennedy US health secretary hearings

Written by Freddie Dawson | 4th February 2025

A second Health and Human Services secretary nomination hearing for Robert F Kennedy Jr. devolved into arguments over “science”, overshadowed by news of his alleged use of a nicotine pouch during his first hearing ...

CJEU advocate general backs European Commission’s ban on flavoured HTPs

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 31st January 2025

The advocate general of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has issued a significant legal opinion supporting the European Commission’s decision to ban flavoured heated tobacco products (HTPs) across the EU ...

Kennedy US health secretary hearings: a low-key future for nicotine alternatives?

Written by Freddie Dawson | 31st January 2025

The first fiery hearing for the confirmation of Robert F Kennedy Jr. as US secretary of health and human services went on with plenty of fireworks but little of substance for the nicotine alternatives industry...

Altria reports strong oral tobacco growth and invests further in heated tobacco

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 30th January 2025

Altria released its fourth-quarter and full-year financial results today, highlighting significant growth in its oral tobacco segment and strategic steps forward in the heated tobacco market, despite ongoing challenges ...

Will Trump’s first executive orders impact nic alternatives in the US and abroad?

Written by Freddie Dawson | 23rd January 2025

Nicotine alternatives have gone unmentioned through the initial flurry of actions taken after the inauguration of US president Donald Trump, but several executive orders and proposals will have an impact on the sector ...

Lowering nicotine in cigarettes and the disconnect in US public health policy

Written by Freddie Dawson | 23rd January 2025

In something of a disconnect in US public health policy, the proposal for a rule to limit the nicotine content for most combustible tobacco products represents a major change from years of prior decisions ...

Germany’s 2025 elections: CDU leads with moderate stance on nicotine alternatives

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 21st January 2025

Germany’s elections on 23rd February puts regulation of nicotine alternatives at the heart of the political debate, with major parties offering contrasting policies that could also set the stage for future policies across the EU...

Poland proposes strict regulations on nicotine pouches to close legal loopholes

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 21st January 2025

Under a new draft bill, nicotine pouches – including synthetic nicotine variants – would be classified as related products under Poland’s tobacco laws, subjecting them to the same stringent restrictions as traditional tobacco products and e-cigarettes ...

US FDA nicotine cap proposal: optimism in the face of uncertainty, delays, lawsuits

Written by Freddie Dawson | 20th January 2025

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expects its new proposal for a very low nicotine cap on conventional cigarettes to be a net positive for alternative nicotine products ...

US FDA allows marketing of Zyn nicotine pouches and flavours other than tobacco

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 17th January 2025

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorised the marketing of 20 Zyn nicotine pouch products, marking the first time the agency has approved such products through its rigorous premarket tobacco product application process...

Could 2025 be the year for heated tobacco regulation in Argentina and the EAEU?

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 16th January 2025

TobaccoIntelligence analysts make two riskier predictions: Argentina will move to legalise and regulate nicotine alternatives, and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will take steps to regulate them in 2025 ...

US FDA’s proposal to cap nicotine in cigarettes approaches final hurdles

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 15th January 2025

The US Food and Drug Administration’s proposed rule to slash nicotine levels in combusted tobacco products has cleared White House review, although it is still far from certain that the rule will come into force...

UK nicotine pouch market expands with innovation and rising consumer demand

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 15th January 2025

Despite a landscape dominated by regulatory uncertainty, the UK nicotine pouch market is witnessing rapid growth, driven by rising consumer demand for harm-reduction products and healthier alternatives to smoking ...

Could nicotine pouches be next in the crosshairs for stricter EU regulation?

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 9th January 2025

As Europe tightens its grip on disposable vapes with bans and restrictions addressing environmental and public health concerns, attention is beginning to shift to another rapidly growing nicotine product: nicotine pouches ...

Tougher laws, EU TPD3 and first-time pouch regulations: what 2025 may bring

Written by Freddie Dawson | 8th January 2025

TobaccoIntelligence predicts 2025 will be very important for nicotine alternatives, with key decisions to be made and regulation expected to become tougher overall ...

Did we get it right? TobaccoIntelligence’s industry predictions for 2024 reviewed

Written by Freddie Dawson | 31st December 2024

We look back at predictions TobaccoIntelligence published at the start of 2024 to see how well we did in calling events that would occur in the nicotine alternatives industry throughout the year ...

Finland tightens up flavour and content rules for planned nicotine pouch market

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 30th December 2024

Finnish authorities plan to create a legal nicotine pouch market. However, the government has reversed a previous bill that would have permitted a greater range of flavours, and a new bill proposes tighter restrictions ...

Mexico’s new constitutional vape ban means PMI’s Iqos is on shaky ground

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 27th December 2024

Philip Morris International (PMI)’s judicial permission to sell heated tobacco products in Mexico is in jeopardy following the approval by Mexico’s Senate to ban vapes in the nation’s constitution ...

Australian study: tobacco and cannabis are both complements and substitutes

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 27th December 2024

A new study examining the economic relationship between cannabis and tobacco consumption in Australia has shown striking differences in how the two substances interact across age groups ...

UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill approved in its latest version, overcoming party politics

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 23rd December 2024

The UK passed an amended version of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill at the end of November, imposing new restrictions on the two industries ...

Nicotine alternatives were hit with bans in 2024, but markets continued to grow

Written by Freddie Dawson | 19th December 2024

The year that was 2024 saw the start of an inevitable regulatory pushback against increasing sales of nicotine alternatives, with multiple countries continuing to implement flavour bans on heated tobacco, and more restrictions on nicotine pouches...

US FDA’s plan to lower nicotine levels in cigarettes faces an uncertain timeline

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 17th December 2024

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s ambitious proposal to slash nicotine levels in cigarettes unexpectedly reached a critical new milestone as it entered the Office of Management and Budget for review on 10th December...

Minor Trump nominees could have major impact on future of US nic alternatives

Written by Freddie Dawson | 16th December 2024

Several minor nominations by US president-elect Donald Trump could have a major impact on the future of nicotine alternatives in the country ...

Study results could keep panic at bay over arrival of HTPs and nic pouches in the US

Written by Barnaby Page | 12th December 2024

A new study sheds some welcome and thought-provoking light on US CDC data, which ought to help to forestall undue panic about the arrival of nicotine pouches and heated tobacco ...

US surgeon general nominee vocal on vaping but not on other nic alternatives

Written by Freddie Dawson | 11th December 2024

In many ways more of a ceremonial position than a leader in policy creation, the US surgeon general has, nonetheless, had an outside impact on tobacco control for quite some time ...

Iraqi bill proposing legal ENDS definition could mark turning point for regulation

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 9th December 2024

An Iraqi bill that would define electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) – including heated tobacco devices – and bring them under the tobacco regime is now overdue for a vote ...

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