Market & legal data of the tobacco alternative sector in Australasia

Heated tobacco and nicotine pouches lead the global shift to safer nicotine products

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 21st November 2024

A major new report shows a pivotal shift in the global smoking landscape, highlighting the growing use of safer nicotine products, such as heated tobacco and nicotine pouches ...

Strong NGP growth keeps Imperial in line with forecasts ahead of November results

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 10th October 2024

Imperial Brands reported trading in line with expectations, driven by robust growth in its tobacco segment and next generation products, as it prepares to give its full-year results in November ...

Banning tobacco sales to youth may curb lung cancer mortality, WHO study finds

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 9th October 2024

Policies that aim to create a tobacco-free generation may significantly prevent mortality from lung cancer across the world, according to recent research led by the World Health Organization ...

Global regulatory response to pouches and heated tobacco products ramps up

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 19th September 2024

As nations worldwide tighten their grip on nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products, a wave of regulatory changes is reshaping the market – driving industry adjustments and prompting further regulatory responses ...

Relative harm beats absolute harm when it comes to aids for smoking cessation

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 30th May 2024

Relative harm is a far more important consideration than absolute harm when it comes to deciding whether to use e-cigarettes to quit smoking, according to addiction specialist Garrett McGovern ...

Sunak’s UK smoking ban on pause, not fast forward, but Labour may press ahead

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 29th May 2024

UK prime minister Rishi Sunak’s smoking ban bill is likely to be scrapped after it was not mentioned in the final business in the House of Commons following Sunak’s call for a snap general election...

Leaked document suggests New Zealand minister wants tax-free heated tobacco

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 12th February 2024

New Zealand’s new coalition government could be considering proposals to regulate tobacco products, as suggested by a document leaked to local press, including removing taxes from heated tobacco products ...

Spotlight on laws, bans and environment as tobacco alternatives trend up in 2023

Written by Freddie Dawson | 28th December 2023

Looking back, 2023 just might be viewed as the turning-point year in alternatives to cigarettes, but in which direction things turn remains to be seen ...

Repeal of New Zealand’s smoke-free laws is ‘massive step back’, say health experts

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 1st December 2023

New Zealand’s radical smoke-free plans look likely to fall victim to savings designed to fund tax cuts by the new government, who are looking to repeal amendments to the Smokefree Environments Act ...

Smoking rates down thanks to lower-risk nicotine products, UK-based study says

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 19th October 2023

Reduced-risk nicotine products are competing with combustibles and lowering smoking rates, rather than encouraging consumers towards them, according to a new international study ...

Potential for convergence of HT and vape technologies discussed at GTNF in Seoul

Written by Freddie Dawson | 13th October 2023

Future innovation in vaping and tobacco alternatives is likely to involve environmental improvements and prevention of youth usage, said speakers at the Global Tobacco and Nicotine Forum ...

GTNF speakers say evidence should drive nicotine legislation, not public pressure

Written by Freddie Dawson | 12th October 2023

Public pressure can drive legislators to make populist decisions on nicotine product regulation that are not based on evidence, warned speakers at the recent Global Tobacco & Nicotine Forum (GTNF) in Seoul ...

More improvement needed – WHO report gives the world 7/10 for tobacco control

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 2nd August 2023

Seven out of ten people worldwide – five times as many as in 2007 – are protected against tobacco-related health issues by sound regulatory policies, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) ...

Belgian ban: nicotine and cannabinoid pouch sales to be illegal this year

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 14th April 2023

The sale of nicotine pouches in Belgium has been banned, effective later this year, on the grounds they pose a danger to public health, particularly due to their potential for addiction ...

22nd Century plans growth in the US and abroad despite overall losses in 2022

Written by Freddie Dawson | 10th March 2023

US-based 22nd Century believes it is set up for a bright future with further expansion of its VLN cigarette range into three new states and plans to be in 18 total by year’s end ...

Measures are ‘being considered’, but no change is likely in Australian HnB policy

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 22nd December 2022

Australian authorities have not announced any change in policy on heated tobacco in the run-up to a new national tobacco plan. This has left the status of heat-not-burn (HnB) products unchanged ...

New Zealand’s world-leading phase-out of smoking won’t affect heated tobacco

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 20th December 2022

A new law preventing those now under the age of 14 from ever obtaining conventional cigarettes in New Zealand will have little impact on heated tobacco as it is not included in the ban ...

Nicotine pouches don't escape WHO's World No Tobacco Day campaign debate

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 3rd June 2022

On international World No Tobacco Day tobacco alternatives such as pouches were not excluded from the criticisms ...

New Zealand’s cunning birthdate-based scheme to wipe out smoking for good

Written by Aidan Semmens | 22nd December 2021

New Zealand has designated a cohort of young people – those who will be 14 or younger when the government’s proposed law comes into effect – who will never be old enough to smoke ...

F1 moves on from tobacco promotion as PMI and Ferrari go their separate ways

Written by Aidan Semmens | 16th December 2021

It’s the end of an era as tobacco sponsorship of Formula One racing comes to an end – again. Or does it and is it? ...

Corner shops threatened as New Zealand plans to license and limit tobacco retail

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 27th May 2021

A proposal by the New Zealand government to limit the number of shops that can sell tobacco products is causing concern among the country’s retailers, who would need to apply for new business licences ...

Australian Senate committee ready to hear both sides on harm reduction

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 11th November 2020

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 ...

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

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 25th August 2020

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 ...

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

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 7th August 2020

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 ...

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

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 11th June 2020

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 ...

New Zealand puts forward new regulations for smokeless products

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 4th March 2020

A new amendment put before the New Zealand Parliament aims to tighten current regulations on heated tobacco and other smokeless tobacco products – but the country’s attorney general has distanced himself from the proposals ...

Is Australia ready to rethink its approach to reduced-risk products?

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 19th February 2020

For several decades, Australia’s political and medical establishments have taken a hard line against smoking; but do developments like heated tobacco call for a different approach? ... ...

IQOS accounts for 20% of PMI’s net revenues in Q2 2019

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 19th July 2019

PMI considers almost hitting $1.5bn revenue for its reduced risk portfolio in the second quarter of 2019 a “positive top-line momentum” ...

Ferrari drops Mission Winnow team name and logo for Australian GP

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 13th March 2019

PMI and Ferrari have been forced to cancel their partnership for this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, the opening race of the Formula 1 season. The Mission Winnow branding will, however, reappear for the rest of...

New Zealand minister puts forward plan for e-cigarette regulation

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 10th December 2018

The minister charged with drawing up proposed regulation of e-cigarettes in New Zealand has done so, based on the stated belief that vaping and smokeless tobacco are “highly likely to be much less harmful than...

New Zealand gives the all-clear to vaping and HnB – but ads are out

Written by Freddie Dawson | 16th May 2018

E-cigarettes and heated tobacco can continue to be sold in New Zealand under current regulations, the country’s government has formally...

Legal victory means PMI can sell Heets in New Zealand after all

Written by Freddie Dawson | 29th March 2018

Philip Morris International (PMI) has won the right to sell and market heat-not-burn Heets sticks in New Zealand in a surprise legal ruling against the Ministry of...

New Zealand’s change of government unlikely to derail e-cig legalisation

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 6th November 2017

The recent change of government following the general election in New Zealand should not derail attempts to legalise the domestic sale of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes in the...

New Zealand’s pathway towards legal alternatives gets a cautious welcome

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 28th August 2017

The New Zealand government’s plan to create a “pathway” to the legal sale of alternative tobacco products has been broadly welcomed by harm reduction advocates – but with...

New Zealand clears a legal path for alternative tobacco products

Written by Freddie Dawson | 4th August 2017

New Zealand is to introduce an amendment to existing laws that will enable the legal introduction of alternative tobacco products such as snus and heat-not-burn...

Australian government e-cig inquiry receives mixed messages on health

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 1st August 2017

Major Australian public health organisations have submitted evidence to a government inquiry on e-cigarettes, with many taking a negative...

New Zealand ready to allow e-cigs but still stands firm against HnB

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 7th June 2017

New Zealand looks set to amend the law to allow nicotine-containing e-cigarettes to be sold in the country – but not to permit HnB...

PMI faces legal challenge to its right to sell iQOS in New Zealand

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 23rd May 2017

Philip Morris International (PMI) has run into legal trouble in New Zealand, where the health ministry has taken the company to court for attempting to sell its iQOS heat-not-burn device in the...

Asia Pacific warms to heat-not-burn, but it’s not an easy road

Written by Freddie Dawson | 20th February 2017

Japan Tobacco and Philip Morris International are attempting to widen their distribution of heat-not-burn (HnB) products throughout Pacific Asia, but there have been problems along the...

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