UAE launches app to crack down on non-compliant tobacco products

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 18th September 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Asia

United Arab Emirates

Heated tobacco

Regulatory briefing

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has created a phone app to help consumers detect non-compliant tobacco products in a bid from Emirati authorities to counter tax evasion and commercial fraud as well as to protect public health ...

The doctor will sue you now: AMA joins court action against FDA on menthol

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 14th September 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Combustibles

Regulatory briefing

The largest doctors’ association in the US has joined a court case accusing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA of failing in its duty to issue regulations to ban menthol in tobacco products ...

Netherlands set to brings HnB under its restrictions on tobacco

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 10th September 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Netherlands

Heated tobacco

Snus and oral

Regulatory briefing

The Dutch government has announced that it is planning to amend the Tobacco Act to include heat-not-burn (HnB) product under the definition of “smokeless tobacco products and related products” ...

Deadline, 4pm Wednesday – time’s almost up for US PMTAs

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 7th September 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

The final countdown is on to Wednesday's deadline for premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs), which the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially set at 4pm Eastern Time (ET) on 9th September ...

Nigeria considers a switch from smoking to tobacco alternatives by 2024

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 3rd September 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Africa

Nigeria

Combustibles

Heated tobacco

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

The Nigerian government is currently studying a new policy for regulations aimed at achieving a transition from combustibles to tobacco alternative products by 2024. ...

Taiwan leaves the door open to include HnB in its Tobacco Hazards Act

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 31st August 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Asia

Taiwan

Heated tobacco

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

A revised draft amendment to Taiwan’s Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act could include regulations for heated tobacco products, TobaccoIntelligence has learned ...

Health claim or no, nicotine pouches are viewed in Canada as ‘medical devices’

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 27th August 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Canada

North America

Nicotine

Snus and oral

Regulatory briefing

Health Canada appears to have changed its mind about nicotine pouches, declaring that they should be regulated as drugs even if no “explicit” claim is made for any health benefit ...

It’s still ‘poison’: Australia confirms the permanent prohibition of heated tobacco

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 25th August 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Australasia

Australia

Heated tobacco

Nicotine

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has issued a final decision not to amend the country’s Poisons Standard – a decision which leaves the sale of heated tobacco products banned in the country ...

Californian bill banning flavours will not allow any exemption for snus

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 21st August 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

California

North America

United States

Snus and oral

Regulatory briefing

California is edging closing to banning flavoured tobacco products – and despite industry lobbying, state lawmakers will not make an exception for tobacco-alternative products that have modified-risk approval ...

Latvia moves to limit tobacco alternatives and ban tobacco-free nicotine

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 18th August 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Latvia

Heated tobacco

Nicotine

Snus and oral

Regulatory briefing

Lawmakers in the Latvian parliament (Saeima) want a ban on tobacco-alternative products and have submitted a draft law that would crack down on nicotine pouches and heated tobacco devices ...

PHE questions whether new UK cigarette brands violate EU menthol ban

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 13th August 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

EU

Europe

UK

Combustibles

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

Public health authorities in England have launched an investigation into a number of cigarette products for possible violation of the menthol ban that came into force in May ...

New Zealand lawmakers reject bid to legalise tobacco-free nicotine pouches

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 7th August 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Australasia

New Zealand

Snus and oral

Regulatory briefing

A proposal to allow the sale of non-tobacco nicotine pouches in New Zealand was left out of the final version of a new bill regulating vaping products that was adopted in parliament ...

Belarus implements “necessary” sale restrictions for tobacco-free snus

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 6th August 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Belarus

Europe

Nicotine

Snus and oral

Regulatory briefing

The Belarus government has made a first firm step towards restricting the sale of tobacco-free nicotine-containing products, including tobacco-free snus (sometimes known as "white pouch"), to minors and in some retailing spaces ...

Philippines proposes new restrictions for HnB online retailers

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 3rd August 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Asia

Philippines

Heated tobacco

Regulatory briefing

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the Philippines proposed new restrictions for vaping and heated tobacco products in the revised draft guidelines regulating their manufacture, importation, sale, packaging, advertising, and distribution ...

New York bill considers expanding flavour ban to nicotine pouches

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 30th July 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Snus and oral

Regulatory briefing

New York state lawmakers are considering a bill that would extend the US state’s ban on flavoured tobacco and vaping products to nicotine pouches ...

Russian Duma passes bill banning tobacco-free white pouches

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 24th July 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Russia

World

Snus and oral

Regulatory briefing

The Russian State Duma, the lower house of the Federal Assembly, has passed a bill prohibiting the sales of tobacco-free nicotine products for oral use ...

Sweden proposes snus tax rise and new rules on distance sales

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 20th July 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Sweden

Snus and oral

Regulatory briefing

Sweden is proposing amendments to increase the tax of snus and create a new tax on raw tobacco from 1st July 2021 to close a tax loophole on this kind of tobacco-alternative...

Post-Brexit Britain may be prepared to scrap the prohibition of snus

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 15th July 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

UK

Snus and oral

Regulatory briefing

The UK government will assess the possibility of allowing the sale of snus in the country once the Brexit transitional period ends and the European Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) no longer applies ...

‘Level playing-field’ for tobacco taxation on EU Council agenda

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 13th July 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

EU

Europe

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

The upcoming presidencies of the Council of the European Union have agreed to include the revision of the Directive 2011/64 on the structure and rates of excise duties applied to manufactured tobacco in their strategic agenda ...

US FDA grants modified risk orders to PMI’s IQOS and Marlboro HeatSticks

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 7th July 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Heated tobacco

IQOS

Regulatory briefing

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Philip Morris International (PMI) modified risk tobacco product (MRTP) status for IQOS and its associated HeatSticks ...

Japan hits Philip Morris with record $5.1m fine for misleading IQOS ads

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 7th July 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Asia

Japan

Companies

Heated tobacco

IQOS

Regulatory briefing

The Japanese Consumer Affairs Agency has imposed a fine of JPY552m ($5.1m) on Philip Morris Japan (PMJ) for misleading advertising of IQOS when discounts were extended beyond the allotted date ...

South African high court dismisses application to reverse cigarette ban

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 3rd July 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Africa

South Africa

Politics & policy

Vapour

Regulatory briefing

The Pretoria High Court has dismissed the application by the Fair-Trade Independent Tobacco Association (FITA) to reverse the government ban on the sale of tobacco, including vapour products, following the outbreak of COVID-19 ...

Germany votes on outdoor ad ban that will cost estimated €2.27m a year

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 2nd July 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Germany

Heated tobacco

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

Germany’s anticipated decision to ban outdoor advertising of tobacco, including heat-not-burn (HnB) and vapour products, could cost the public finances an estimated €2.27m a year ...

South Korea prepares to crack down on tobacco alternatives advertising

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 2nd July 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Asia

South Korea

Heated tobacco

Politics & policy

Vapour

Regulatory briefing

South Korea’s health minister Park Neung-hoo has announced a fresh plan to ban advertising and promotional activities for tobacco-alternative products ...

Colorado voters to decide in November ballot whether to increase tobacco tax

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 1st July 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Colorado

North America

United States

Heated tobacco

Nicotine

Politics & policy

Snus and oral

Vapour

Regulatory briefing

Voters in the US state of Colorado will decide in November whether to support a bill to increase taxes on tobacco after lawmakers put forward a plan for rises to be phased in over the next seven years...

Hong Kong will consider tobacco alternatives ban after September

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 29th June 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Asia

Hong Kong

Heated tobacco

Nicotine

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

Hong Kong will reintroduce a bill to ban tobacco-alternative products after local elections in September. The Legislative Council ended discussions on the existing bill due to lack of time before its term ends in July ...

Netherlands aims to bring heated tobacco under smoking regulations

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 25th June 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Netherlands

Heated tobacco

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

The Dutch government intends to regulate heated tobacco further by expanding the current tobacco restrictions to heat-not-burn (HnB) products ...

Italian lawmakers propose HnB tax increase to help out health service

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 22nd June 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Italy

Heated tobacco

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

Representatives from different political parties in Italy have put forward various proposals to increase tax on tobacco-alternative products as the government seeks urgent financial responses to the COVID-19 crisis ...

Philippines FDA lookening to tighten the screw on alternative products

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 18th June 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Asia

Philippines

Heated tobacco

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

The Philippines Food and Drug Administration (FDA) appears to be tightening its grip on tobacco alternatives with a detailed proposal to regulate heat-not-burn (HnB) and vapour products ...

State of North Carolina considers rule change on tax advantage for MRTPs

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 16th June 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

North Carolina

United States

Heated tobacco

Regulatory briefing

Lawmakers in the US state of North Carolina are considering amending the rules on tax breaks for approved tobacco alternatives ...

Australia looks like keeping the door shut on ‘poisonous’ heated tobacco

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 11th June 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Australasia

Australia

Heated tobacco

Regulatory briefing

Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has issued an interim decision against amending the country’s Poisons Standard on nicotine – leaving heated tobacco banned as dangerous poison ...

Italian health ministry says IQOS ‘reduced-risk’ claim is unproven

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 9th June 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Italy

Heated tobacco

IQOS

Regulatory briefing

The reduced-risk potential of IQOS compared with combustible cigarettes cannot be ascertained, according to Italy’s Ministry of Health ...

Proposed regulation in Taiwan leaves room for interpretation over HnB

Written by Marija Obradovic || 8th June 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Asia

Taiwan

Heated tobacco

Regulatory briefing

The Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare has released a draft proposal amending the country’s Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act which leaves the regulation of heated tobacco still in a state of uncertainty ...

Council of Europe stamps tobacco product tax harmonisation ‘Urgent’

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 3rd June 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

EU

Europe

Heated tobacco

Regulatory briefing

The Council of the European Union considers it “urgent and necessary” to harmonise the definitions and tax treatment of novel tobacco products such as heated tobacco and vaping products ...

Bundestag debate brings Germany’s outdoor tobacco ads ban closer

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 2nd June 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Germany

Heated tobacco

Regulatory briefing

Germany has moved a step closer to a comprehensive ban on outdoor advertising of tobacco products, with a first debate in the Bundestag of a proposal put forward by the ruling coalition parties ...

World No Tobacco Day 2020: opposing views on tobacco alternatives

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 31st May 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

EU

Europe

Heated tobacco

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

World No Tobacco Day provides a good opportunity to consider the approach that public health authorities, policymakers, and advocates around the world have towards the role of tobacco-alternative products ...

Nations urge European Commission to include HnB in revised EU tax directive

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 28th May 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

EU

Europe

Heated tobacco

Regulatory briefing

EU nations are to recommend to the European Commission that heat-not-burn products should be included in the forthcoming revised structure and rates of tax applied to manufactured tobacco products ...

Indian state of Uttar Pradesh partially lifts ban on nicotine-free pan masala

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 26th May 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Asia

India

Snus and oral

Regulatory briefing

India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, has partially lifted its ban on the oral product pan masala following industry pressure and due to the state government’s need for cash ...

California quitline offers free nicotine patches during coronavirus crisis

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 20th May 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

California

North America

United States

Nicotine

Regulatory briefing

Smokers in the US state of California can get free nicotine patches by mail to help them quit, as part of a research project on public health during the COVID-19 crisis ...

Estonia establishes new packaging warnings and excise stamps for HnB

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 14th May 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Estonia

Europe

Heated tobacco

Regulatory briefing

The Estonian Parliament has approved a bill that relaxes one of the toughest regulatory regimes for tobacco-alternative products such as e-cigarettes, and imposes a new health warning for heated tobacco packaging ...

US FDA requests four-month delay on graphic cigarette health warnings

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 11th May 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Combustibles

Heated tobacco

Regulatory briefing

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked a judge to postpone the effective date of its new rule imposing graphic health warnings on cigarette packaging ...

Users in Finland strive to change law that stops them accessing snus

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 6th May 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

EU

Europe

Finland

Sweden

Snus and oral

Regulatory briefing

Finnish snus users have expressed concern that restrictions related to the current COVID-19 pandemic are limiting their access to snus, mainly because of the closure of borders between Finland and Sweden ...

Bid to raise funds for Italian health system by reducing HnB tax discount

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 4th May 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Italy

Heated tobacco

Regulatory briefing

A number of patients’ and doctors’ associations, as well as political parties, are proposing an increase in tax on heated tobacco products to help finance Italy’s hard-pressed public health system ...

France limits sale of nicotine patches as study hints at COVID-19 treatment

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 28th April 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

France

Nicotine

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

The French government is temporarily restricting sales of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products following research suggesting nicotine patches could be used in treatment for COVID-19 ...

Indonesian president urged to clamp down on tobacco to fight coronavirus

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 27th April 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Asia

Indonesia

Heated tobacco

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

A group of non-profit and health organisations has called on Indonesian president Joko Widodo to take a stricter stance against tobacco products in the battle against COVID-19 ...

Kentucky senators reject proposed tax increase for snus and snuff

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 15th April 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Kentucky

North America

United States

Politics & policy

Snus and oral

Regulatory briefing

Lawmakers in Kentucky have passed a new bill setting out taxes for tobacco products – but a proposal to increase tax on smokeless products was left out of the final wording ...

Tobacco giants go to law in bid to stop US FDA imposing graphic warnings

Written by Barnaby Page || 10th April 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Companies

Heated tobacco

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

The US tobacco industry is resisting another attempt by the FDA to impose graphic health warnings, claiming in a lawsuit that mandatory warnings would violate their rights under the First Amendment ...

PMTA deadline put back as US judge grants FDA the extra time it asked for

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 7th April 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Regulatory briefing

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been granted a 120-day extension to the deadline for premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) ...

Pandemic causes US state legislatures to shut down or shut the doors

Written by Freddie Dawson || 1st April 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

Legislative measures are on hold in half the states of the US due to the COVID-19 emergency, with most suspending activity until at least mid-April ...

US FDA prepares to extend PMTA deadline – if court agrees to it

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 31st March 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Heated tobacco

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has requested a 120-day extension to the deadline for premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) due to the challenges that the coronavirus outbreak is posing to companies ...