News analysis for professionals in the alternative tobacco sector

New coalition government may ease taxes on tobacco alternatives in Poland

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 26th October 2023

A coalition of centre-right, liberal, and left-wing forces is the most likely to form a new government in Poland before the end of the year, following elections held on 15th October ...

Nearly half of Finns want to ban nicotine pouches amid fears of a rise in teen usage

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 26th October 2023

Three out of four people in Finland are concerned about the increasing popularity of nicotine pouches among young users, and nearly half of Finns are in favour of a ban, according to a recent survey...

PMI urges FDA to prioritise review of Iqos Iluma modified risk tobacco products

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 23rd October 2023

Philip Morris International (PMI) has submitted premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) and modified risk tobacco product applications (MRTPAs) to the US FDA for its Iqos Iluma heated tobacco products (HTPs) ...

EU heated tobacco flavour ban enters into force amid controversy and criticism

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 23rd October 2023

The EU’s ban on flavours in heated tobacco applies from today, amid criticism from harm reduction advocates, tobacco companies and some European politicians who believe that it could discourage smoking cessation ...

Swiss parliament may water down ban to allow tobacco advertising in print media

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 20th October 2023

Some tobacco advertising will likely be allowed to continue in Swiss print media, after legislators voted against a proposed complete ban and approved amendments suggested by SGK-S ...

PMI accelerates smoke-free growth in Q3, fuelled by Zyn nicotine pouch sales in US

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 20th October 2023

Strong sales momentum behind PMI’s Zyn nicotine pouches in the US helped drive the company’s growth in the third quarter, with US sales volume up nearly 66% on the same quarter in 2022 ...

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 ...

Dutch government rebuilding following collapse could affect tobacco regulations

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 17th October 2023

The nearly 18m people of the Netherlands face uncertainty following the collapse of the government this summer. The cabinet is currently overseeing the nation with a “caretaker” status until the 22nd November general election ...

Among England’s smokers, northerners are the biggest quitters, new study says

Written by Freddie Dawson | 16th October 2023

The north of England has the country’s highest level of success in quitting smoking, despite being severely underserved by cessation services, according to a new analysis of quitters who self-reported sucess to the NHS ...

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 ...

Panama Supreme Court to hear lawsuit on ‘unconstitutional’ heated tobacco ban

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 11th October 2023

Panama’s Supreme Court has agreed to hear a lawsuit that claims the country’s 2022 heated tobacco and e-cig ban is unconstitutional – a move seen as a positive first step by tobacco harm reduction groups...

UK generational smoking ban could lead to unintended results, harm experts say

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 10th October 2023

The UK’s plan to introduce a progressive age ban for tobacco products has been welcomed by many in the public health world, but others warn that it and other government-proposed measures might have unintended results...

Debate on future of banned tobacco alternatives splits opinion in Brazil

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 6th October 2023

A debate has started on the future of tobacco alternatives regulation in Brazil, where many products such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco are fully prohibited ...

UK government proposes generational tobacco ban to reach smoke-free goal

Written by Barnaby Page | 5th October 2023

The UK government is considering a generational ban for most tobacco products — but not e-cigarettes — as well as restrictions on disposable vapes and flavours, according to proposals issued this week ...

Possible EU ban on nicotine pouches may jeopardise smoke-free goal, say critics

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 5th October 2023

The European Commission (EC) reportedly wants to extend the EU-wide ban on snus to tobacco-free nicotine pouches. An EC report revealed on social media by an MEP says the oral tobacco ban has been successful...

Launch of PMI’s first non-tobacco stick raises regulatory questions

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 2nd October 2023

Philip Morris International (PMI) has launched a zero-tobacco stick called Levia for use with its heated tobacco device, Iqos. PMI is the first Big Tobacco to introduce these sticks, though others have marketed similar products...

Dutch officials foresee conservative TPD that’s unlikely to take effect before 2027

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 26th September 2023

Dutch officials believe a revised EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) will not come into force before 2027 at the earliest and, when it does, will reflect a conservative approach to novel tobacco products ...

Oklahoma governor won’t ‘give an inch’ on tribal nations tobacco tax revenues

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 26th September 2023

The governor of Oklahoma, Republican Kevin Stitt, says losing a disagreement over tobacco tax will force him to give up half his state to tribal nations ...

Canadian tobacco regulation review may include requiring manufacturers to pay

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 22nd September 2023

The Canadian government has begun a legislative review of the country’s tobacco legislation, saying it wants to reduce the number of smokers nationwide ...

Sweden’s stance on snus and cigarettes seen in upcoming tax cuts and hikes

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 19th September 2023

The Swedish government has proposed a tax reduction on snus of about 20% while increasing the tax on cigarettes and smoking tobacco by 9% ...

Russia starts implementing changes as part of its tobacco regulatory overhaul

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 15th September 2023

Suppliers of novel nicotine products to the Russian market face new licensing requirements and tax increases over several years as the government overhauls its regulatory system ...

PMI ups its investment in its Romanian plant for smoke-free products to $730m

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 13th September 2023

Global tobacco group Philip Morris International (PMI) is scaling up the investment in its Romanian smoke-free product factory to $730m (€680m) ...

UK smoking rates keep decreasing while vaping on the rise, national survey says

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 12th September 2023

Less than 13% of adults smoke cigarettes in the UK, the lowest figure ever recorded by the country’s Office for National Statistics (ONS). This represents a small decrease from the 13.3% recorded for 2021 ...

Looking into nicotine – non-tobacco sources for research and even benefits

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 6th September 2023

Despite increasing interest in synthetic nicotine, most nicotine still comes from tobacco. But could other plants also be a commercially viable source of the substance? ...

No tobacco tax hike in France for 2024, but ‘other measures’ are on the horizon

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 4th September 2023

France will not include a tax increase in its tobacco control plan for 2024, prime minister Élisabeth Borne has promised, though she said “other measures” would be taken ...

Italy implements EU HTP flavour ban, but ambiguity could cause misinterpretation

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 1st September 2023

Italy’s parliament has passed a law implementing the EU ban on flavours in heated tobacco – but ambiguity in its definition of the category may lead to difficulties in interpretation ...

South Africa’s bill to toughen tobacco rules elicits mixed reactions from public

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 31st August 2023

South Africans have expressed mixed reactions to the country’s Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, which aims to strengthen the law and would create new rules affecting tobacco products ...

Lithuania works on draft nicotine pouch legislation amid shadow market fears

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 29th August 2023

Nicotine pouch sales are currently banned in Lithuania, but that could soon change, as amendments are in the works to the country’s Law I-1143 on the control of tobacco, tobacco products and related products ...

Young US adults are smoking less, while upping their use of e-cigs and cannabis

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 28th August 2023

Young adults in the US are more likely to vape or use cannabis than to smoke cigarettes, according to a new Gallup poll, as the national smoking rate hovers near a historical low ...

Education on smoking alternatives justified but not top priority, says US FDA

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 25th August 2023

Educating consumers about reduced-risk alternatives to smoking is worthwhile – but encouraging them to use smoking-cessation methods should still take priority, according to the US Food and Drug Administration ...

Israel proposes tough measures and tax hikes to curb youth nicotine use

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 24th August 2023

The Israeli Ministry of Health has published plans for stricter measures that would apply to all smoking and tobacco products, in advance of a public consultation aimed at amending the Tobacco Law ...

F1 Velo sponsorship in the Netherlands: is McLaren pulling a fast one?

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 23rd August 2023

Health organisations in the Netherlands are protesting against promotion of the nicotine pouch brand Velo by the UK's McLaren Formula 1 team ...

ITGA calls for understanding of the challenges faced by tobacco growers

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 23rd August 2023

The world’s tobacco growers are facing urgent economic, social and environmental challenges, from rising production costs and stagnating prices to labour shortages, unseasonable weather, soil degradation and deforestation ...

KT&G’s next-generation products enjoy over 70% sales growth worldwide

Written by Freddie Dawson | 21st August 2023

KT&G anticipates that alternative nicotine products will continue to make up greater proportions of its sales, the company said during a presentation of its second-quarter results ...

FDA issues warning letter over corn-husk-based product containing nicotine

Written by Freddie Dawson | 18th August 2023

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning letter to Amarillo Snuff over its smokeless nicotine product that uses corn husks instead of tobacco leaves ...

UK government launches consultation on inserts in tobacco products

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 17th August 2023

The UK government has launched a public consultation on adding inserts to cigarette packs to encourage smokers to quit ...

White House opposes bill preventing FDA's proposed menthol ban in the US

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 17th August 2023

The US government is opposing a bill that would prevent the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from enforcing a ban on menthol cigarettes it proposed last year ...

22nd Century adjusts its 2023 revenue outlook after a rocky second quarter

Written by Freddie Dawson | 16th August 2023

22nd Century will focus on streamlining operating costs and making the marketing and sales push for its VLN cigarette products more cost efficient to address issues that have forced it to revise full-year profit guidance...

With new law Italy is set to prohibit the direct online sale of nicotine pouches

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 14th August 2023

Italy has stepped back at the last minute from imposing a formal permanent ban on the online sale of nicotine pouches ...

Venezuela joins the list of countries outlawing heated tobacco and vapes

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 11th August 2023

Venezuela is the latest Latin American country to issue a government decree banning nationwide sales, consumption, exports and distribution of heated tobacco and vapes ...

BAT’s Zonnic approval ‘could open a path into Canada for other nicotine pouches’

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 8th August 2023

Health Canada has approved the first nicotine pouch authorised for sale in Canada as an over-the-counter cessation aid – a move some say could open the door to other nicotine pouches hitting the market ...

Are herbal heated sticks set to replace heated tobacco products in Europe?

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 7th August 2023

Tobacco-free herbal sticks are expected to continue growing in popularity thanks to potential price and flavour range advantages over heated tobacco products ...

WHO report says products like heated tobacco are ‘re-normalising smoking’

Written by Sergi Riudalbas | 4th August 2023

New and emerging nicotine products, including heated tobacco, may threaten the achievements of decades of tobacco control, according to a new report from the World Health Organization ...

Where does political deadlock in Spain leave alternative tobacco product laws?

Written by Laura Garay Gómez | 4th August 2023

Spain’s surprise inconclusive election result has left the future of alternative tobacco product and vaping regulation in the country up in the air, with everything depending on what government eventually emerges ...

Japan Tobacco ready to put unexpected revenue boost back into heated tobacco

Written by Freddie Dawson | 3rd August 2023

Japan Tobacco (JT) is to ramp up investment in its production of heated tobacco sticks over the second half of 2023 after reporting better than expected results for the first six months of the year...

Altria reports solid oral tobacco segment performance despite lower revenues

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 2nd August 2023

Altria reported a solid performance in the first half of 2023 despite lower net revenues, partially offset by higher revenue in the oral tobacco segment ...

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) ...

HeatSticks could be Philip Morris’s silver lining after court ruling on cigarettes

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 1st August 2023

Sales of HeatSticks could ironically end up benefitting from a US legal battle lost by their manufacturer Philip Morris and other leading tobacco companies ...

RJ Reynolds wants judge’s rejection of US FDA’s graphic health warnings upheld

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 31st July 2023

Lawyers for RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company call the US Food and Drug Administration’s defence of its graphic cigarette warnings “half-hearted” in a new legal brief ...

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