News analysis for professionals in the alternative tobacco sector

Altria announces delay in US Iqos rollout, posts revenue boost for oral tobacco

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 29th July 2021

Altria has presented positive numbers for the first half of the year, while also announcing a delay in further expansion of Iqos consumables in the US until a patent infringement case is resolved ...

Why is the boss of Marlboro maker PMI talking up the end of smoking days?

Written by Barnaby Page | 29th July 2021

Jacek Olczak, CEO of Philip Morris International (PMI), says the company could stop selling combustible cigarettes in the UK within a decade ...

BAT reports slight slip in global revenue while modern oral growth accelerates

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 28th July 2021

British American Tobacco (BAT) has posted a 0.8% global decrease in revenue for the first half of the year, while the performance of its new category portfolio rose by 40.4% ...

WHO report hits out at 'same old tactics' promoting 'new and emerging products'

Written by Aidan Semmens | 27th July 2021

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published its eighth report on “the global tobacco epidemic”, which places a new emphasis on “new and emerging products” ...

MPs urge UK government to be ambitious in aiming for a 'smoke-free' England

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 27th July 2021

MPs have called on the UK government to present “ambitious plans”, involving novel tobacco alternatives, if they want a smoke-free country by 2030 – a target many public health experts consider unreachable ...

U-turn in Mexico as HnB import ban is scrapped after less than 18 months

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 26th July 2021

Mexico’s president Andrés Manuel López Obrador has issued a decree lifting the import and export ban on heated tobacco devices and consumables, less than 18 months after the prohibition was approved ...

Stricter or looser: battle lies ahead over nature of new EU tobacco product rules

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 22nd July 2021

An intense period of negotiations on a revision of EU regulation of tobacco-alternative products is coming, following the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) implementation report presented by the European Commission ...

Is plain packaging all it's cracked up to be when it comes to stubbing out smoking?

Written by Aidan Semmens | 22nd July 2021

A new study by researchers from the Luiss Business School in Rome and Deloitte comes to an unexpected and counterintuitive conclusion ...

Estonian millennials are into heated tobacco, while zoomers prefer snus

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 21st July 2021

While politicians in Estonia are currently weighing up the possibility of softening regulations for tobacco-alternative products, a new survey has unveiled new figures about the consumption of these products ...

PMI raises its sights for 2021 as Europe leads the rush towards heated tobacco

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 20th July 2021

Philip Morris International (PMI)’s net revenues were up by 10% in the first half of 2021, with smoke-free products accounting for 28.5% of the total ...

Pouches drive accelerating sales and revenue for confident Swedish Match

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 20th July 2021

The latest figures from Swedish Match show continued momentum in smoke-free tobacco alternatives, with nicotine pouches “the driving force” ...

PMI is busy reinventing itself as Big Tobacco prepares for life after smoking

Written by Barnaby Page | 15th July 2021

Philip Morris International (PMI) has always been one of the frankest tobacco companies when it comes to speaking of the smoke-free future – now it is taking positive steps in a bold new direction ...

Japanese health ministry denies plan to widen access to tobacco-free pouches

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 14th July 2021

Regulations governing nicotine pouches in Japan are unlikely to change in the near future despite rumours to the contrary ...

PMI acquisition of gums manufacturer 'shows company strategy on alternatives'

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 12th July 2021

PMI’s acquisition of Fertin Pharma, a Danish manufacturer of gums and other oral products, indicates the company’s strategy to ensure “corporate survival” in the tobacco-alternatives sector, experts believe ...

Estonian MPs aim to soften regulations for snus and heated tobacco

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 9th July 2021

The Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu) is considering a new bill amending the country’s Tobacco Act with the aim of clarifying the regulations for snus and heated tobacco and bringing down the country's smoking rates ...

BAT pulls Velo out of German market due to uncertainty over legality of pouches

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 8th July 2021

British American Tobacco (BAT) is removing its Velo nicotine pouches from the German market because of a lack of clarity over their regulation both nationally and in the country's regional states ...

Dutch tobacco advertising restrictions likely to pass despite objections

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 5th July 2021

Some Dutch lawmakers have expressed concern about the consequences of an amendment to the Tobacco and Smoking Products Act and the introduction of new advertising restrictions on tobacco-alternative products ...

Los Angeles bids to join California-wide assault on menthol and other flavours

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 5th July 2021

Los Angeles is in the early stages of preparing to ban flavoured tobacco products, the local government having authorised the drafting of a measure to end the sale of such products in the city’s 4,500...

The Japanese innovation that could help normalise heated tobacco everywhere

Written by Barnaby Page | 1st July 2021

A new development in Japan sets an example which proponents of harm reduction could do well to advocate elsewhere – the increasing trend toward heated-tobacco-only areas in public spaces ...

WHO warns governments to beware tobacco firms' attempts to dodge rules

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 30th June 2021

A report from the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends governments and health officials around the world to pay attention to attempts by the tobacco industry to avoid product regulations ...

From the ski slopes to the karaoke bar, Japan goes smoke-free with HnB

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 28th June 2021

A growing number of leisure facilities in Japan are going smoke-free by allowing only heated tobacco products to be used, or establishing dedicated areas for them, in response to stricter rules on indoor smoking ...

Did Philippines FDA break the law hiring tobacco staff with Bloomberg cash?

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 23rd June 2021

The Philippines Food and Drug Administration is under public scrutiny after being accused of acting unlawfully in accepting foreign donations from a non-government organisation funded by the anti-tobacco Bloomberg Initiative ...

Pakistan proposes its first ever tax on imported heated tobacco products

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 22nd June 2021

Pakistan has included a proposal to tax heated tobacco products in its annual national budget for the first time. It comes after several calls to take a harsher approach towards tobacco products generally ...

Italian Ministry of Health evaluates future regulation for nicotine pouches

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 18th June 2021

Health officials in Rome are considering regulation of nicotine pouches in the country after they seized and banned the sale of a brand of such products following a Higher Health Institute (ISS) laboratory analysis ...

Could legalising snus tap into a huge potential for smoking cessation?

Written by Barnaby Page | 18th June 2021

Two startling statistics emerge from a recent survey of smokers in Europe: nearly one in three (31%) of current smokers would be interested in trying snus if it became legal, but less than 3% are...

Germany has second thoughts, lowering the tax pressure on heated tobacco

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 16th June 2021

The German Bundestag has approved the country’s Tobacco Law, lowering the level of tax on heat-not-burn (HnB) products proposed by the government to apply from January 2022 ...

MPs say UK policy on smoking cessation should include HnB and nicotine pouches

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 14th June 2021

The British government must step up efforts to promote tobacco alternative products if it is to achieve its goal of a smoke-free society by 2030, a cross-party parliamentary committee agreed ...

Three in ten smokers would try snus if it was legalised in the EU, survey finds

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 11th June 2021

More than 31% of current European smokers would be interested in trying snus if it was legalised in the region, according to a major survey ...

BAT faces a fine of up to €5m over alleged covert heated tobacco advertising in Italy

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 11th June 2021

Italy’s antitrust regulator has opened formal procedures against British American Tobacco (BAT) for using influencers to promote an advertising campaign for Glo Hyper, and it could cost the manufacturer millions ...

BAT forecasts a 'pivotal' year for business with rise in HnB and modern oral sales

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 9th June 2021

British American Tobacco (BAT) has upgraded its annual forecast with an expectation of strong growth in new categories in post-pandemic times and a planned further rollout of its heated tobacco portfolio ...

Bosnia and Herzegovina set to regulate heated tobacco, ban oral products

Written by Marija Obradovic | 8th June 2021

Bosnia and Herzegovina has passed a bill that will harmonise the country’s tobacco regulation with the provisions of the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) and establish a regulatory framework for tobacco alternatives ...

The WHO, the where and the why

Written by Barnaby Page | 4th June 2021

Advocates for novel tobacco products often get infuriated with the oppositional stance taken by the World Health Organization – but might there be some fair reason behind the WHO’s less-than-enthusiastic view? ...

New UK health agency likely to maintain good will towards tobacco alternatives

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 3rd June 2021

The recent shake-up of the UK’s health sector with the replacement of Public Health England (PHE) is not expected to substantially change the country’s support of novel tobacco products as aids to quit smoking ...

Logista defies the pandemic to increase HnB distribution in France and Italy

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 1st June 2021

Heated tobacco distributor Logista enjoyed an increase in business in the first six months of fiscal year 2021 despite the economic challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic ...

UK physicians suggest raising the legal tobacco age while lowering tax pressure

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 28th May 2021

The Royal College of Physicians has recommended the UK government reduce the VAT on tobacco-alternative products to 5% to encourage smokers to make the switch, and to increase the minimum legal age for sales ...

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 ...

British government review of tobacco rules won't be coming any time soon

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 26th May 2021

The UK government’s post-implementation review of the 2016 Tobacco and Related Products Regulations (TRPR) won’t be ready before the end of the year ...

PMTAs – the US FDA's long-awaited list contains over 6m new tobacco products

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 24th May 2021

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has posted a list of over 6m deemed new tobacco products for which it received Premarket Tobacco Product Applications (PMTAs) by the 9th September 2020 deadline ...

Politicians and regulators just can't stop thinking of the children

Written by Barnaby Page | 21st May 2021

News that Florida is planning to increase the purchase age for tobacco products to 21 is another clear indication of just how much the issues of youth smoking and youth vaping dominate the minds of...

Brussels plans to close 'legal loopholes' on heated tobacco and modern oral

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 20th May 2021

The European Commission is planning strong action to enhance the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) and warns that the current legislation “does not fully capture” some new products, such as nicotine pouches ...

German Bundestag remains divided over how tobacco alternatives should be taxed

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 20th May 2021

Talks on a proposed amendment to Germany's Tobacco Act have revealed divisions within parliament and beyond on whether taxation of tobacco alternatives should be based on health promotion or tax income ...

Imperial enjoys an increase in revenue while planning for Pulze expansion

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 19th May 2021

Imperial Brands’ earnings in the first half of the year jumped 6.1% to £15.57bn in the midst of a process to implement a new company strategy towards tobacco alternatives ...

Judge believes PMI HeatSticks infringe two BAT patents in the US

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 18th May 2021

A judge of the US International Trade Commission (ITC) believes Philip Morris International (PMI)’s Iqos heated tobacco sticks infringe patents owned by British American Tobacco (BAT) ...

Iqos 3 MRTP approval gets closer as US FDA starts substantive review

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 14th May 2021

The US FDA considers that the Modified Risk Tobacco Product Application (MRTP) for Philip Morris International (PMI)’s Iqos 3 holder and charger is “sufficiently complete” to start a substantive review ...

Pakistan: prime minister’s withdrawal from webinar reveals tensions over tobacco products

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 13th May 2021

Pakistan’s prime minister Imran Khan cancelled a few days ago the country’s attendance at an event sponsored by Philip Morris Japan, after health advocates protested violation of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco...

Swedish MEP calls on EU commissioner to clarify position on snus and cancer

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 12th May 2021

A Swedish MEP asked EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides to clarify her position after she said that oral tobacco has adverse effects “including cancers” ...

Will nicotine be the next menthol?

Written by Barnaby Page | 7th May 2021

The big news from the US Food and Drug Administration last week was a ban on menthol in combustible cigarettes, closing off a loophole that had allowed this one flavour to be marketed even after all others...

Scientists and industry divided over access to harm reduction information

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 7th May 2021

The information the public receives on tobacco harm reduction and whether it contributes to improving the role of tobacco-alternatives is a hot topic that divides the industry and the scientific community ...

French MPs to recommend boosting tax revenues from tobacco products

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 7th May 2021

A working group created by the French National Assembly to analyse the taxation of tobacco products in France is expected to deliver proposals to the government to increase the tax revenues from tobacco products ...

Jordan rolls out licences for businesses to deal in legalised tobacco alternatives

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 4th May 2021

At least 184 establishments have been licensed to trade in heated tobacco and other tobacco alternatives in Jordan since they were legalised in 2019 ...

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