Future of HnB remains unclear as Taiwan debates possible e-cigarette ban

Written by Tao Hong || 26th November 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Asia

Taiwan

Heated tobacco

Politics & policy

Regulation and Legislation

Vapour

Regulatory briefing

A proposed amendment to Taiwan’s Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act could ban e-cigarettes but leave the way open for a large heated tobacco market to develop ...

Expected increase in HnB tax is dropped from Italy’s proposed budget for 2021

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 24th November 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Italy

Heated tobacco

Regulatory briefing

Italy’s draft budget for 2021 does not include any provision – for now – on taxing heated tobacco products, despite calls from health authorities and members of the country’s Senate ...

Netherlands bans the sale of tobacco products in supermarkets from 2024

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 23rd November 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Netherlands

Combustibles

Heated tobacco

Politics & policy

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Supermarkets in the Netherlands will no longer be allowed to sell tobacco, including heated tobacco products, from 2024, health minister Paul Blokhuis has announced ...

Spain to unveil soon new regulations equating HnB with combustibles

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

Europe

Spain

COVID-19

Heated tobacco

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

The Spanish Ministry of Health has prepared an amendment to the Tobacco, Act including provisions on tobacco-alternative products, but implementation will depend on the COVID-19 pandemic situation ...

EU Parliament endorses Commission’s new health programme

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

EU

EU

Europe

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

The European Parliament approved by an overwhelming majority the EU health policy programme for the period 2021-2017 aimed at tackling some of the main health issues in Europe, including tobacco policy ...

Australian Senate committee ready to hear both sides on harm reduction

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

Australasia

Australia

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

An Australian Senate committee to inquire into tobacco harm reduction strategies will meet for the first time in Canberra on Friday, and again week later in Sydney ...

Hungary set to increase tax on tobacco alternatives after EU call on cigarettes

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

EU

Europe

Hungary

Heated tobacco

Snus and oral

Regulatory briefing

The Hungarian government is proposing to increase taxes on tobacco-alternative products after Brussels called on the country to apply the minimum EU threshold for excise duty on cigarettes ...

Norway seeks political support to increase snus excise duties in 2021

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

Europe

Norway

Snus and oral

Regulatory briefing

The Norwegian government is proposing an increase of 3.7% in the tax applied to snus from 2021 with the aim to “limit health problems”, but the minority government must find an ally in the national Parliament (Storting) to...

US elections: the uncertain landscape for the tobacco-alternatives industry

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

North America

United States

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

Just a few days ahead of the US elections there is a lot of uncertainty about the approach that next White House leader will have towards the tobacco-alternatives industry ...

Brussels planning ahead for harmonised EU taxation of HnB late next year

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 21st October 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

EU

Europe

Regulatory briefing

The tax authorities in Brussels are to give a final decision on introducing a new harmonised tax scheme for heated tobacco products in a year’s time, amid calls for action from top EU institutions ...

Indonesia prepares new national standard for tobacco alternatives

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 19th October 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Asia

Indonesia

Heated tobacco

Vapour

Regulatory briefing

Indonesia’s Ministry of Industry is working towards a new national standard for e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, which it beleives will benefit the tobacco-alternatives industry ...

French Assembly rejects call to reduce tax on heated tobacco from 2021

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

Europe

France

Heated tobacco

Regulatory briefing

The Finance Committee of the French National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) has rejected a proposal to cut the taxes on heated tobacco to make tobacco-alternative products more attractive to smokers ...

Ukraine proposes to include HnB by definition in its national tax code

Written by TobaccoIntelligence || 8th October 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Ukraine

Heated tobacco

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

The Ukrainian government has proposed an amendment to the country’s tax code that would add heat-not-burn (HnB) products to the definition of traditional tobacco in a bid to build “fair tax rules” ...

Denmark holds back on planned flavour ban after European Commission says no

Written by David Palacios Rubio || 5th October 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Denmark

EU

Europe

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

Denmark has put on hold a proposal to extend the ban on flavours in tobacco products to hookah and chewing tobacco after the European Commission issued a negative opinion on the plan ...

Slovakia justifies 50% HnB tax increase proposal amid broad opposition

Written by Lenka Hajnovicova || 2nd October 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Slovakia

Heated tobacco

Regulatory briefing

Concern within the industry and other areas of government could lead the Slovak Ministry of Finance to water down a proposal to increase excise duties on heated tobacco by 50% ...

UK to set new post-Brexit limit on HnB duty-free purchases from January

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

EU

Europe

UK

Heated tobacco

Politics & policy

Regulatory briefing

The UK government is to impose a cap from next year on the number of heated tobacco consumables that air passengers can import into the country – including from countries within the European Union ...

German Bundesrat passes outdoor and cinema ads ban without further ado

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

EU

Europe

Germany

Heated tobacco

Vapour

Regulatory briefing

After years of discussions within the governing coalition and campaigning by health bodies, Germany is to further restrict tobacco advertising after the Bundesrat approved the new rules without further debate ...

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 ...