US FDA – Tobacco: News
September 2026: FDA Names Bret Koplow as Director of the Center for Tobacco Products The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has officially appointed Bret Koplow, Ph.D., J.D., as Director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP). Koplow, who previously served as the center’s Acting
Tobacco Regulation: Asia
September 2026: Taiwan to Launch 431 Anonymous Vape Surrender Sites Ahead of Stricter Crackdown Taiwan’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA) announced that it will establish 431 designated collection sites nationwide starting September 8, 2026, allowing citizens to anonymously turn in illegal e-cigarette devices without penalty. The initiative is part of an
Tobacco Regulation: European Union
September 2026: EU Stalled on Nicotine Pouch Tax Debate as Clashing Blocs Block Compromise The European Union’s efforts to overhaul its Tobacco Taxation Directive remain mired in a bitter political stalemate, as member states clash over how to tax emerging non-combustible products like oral nicotine pouches. The European Commission’s proposed
Tobacco Regulation: Australia
September 2026: Australian Coalition Proposes 80% Tobacco Tax Cut to Smash Illicit Cigarette Market Australia’s federal Opposition Coalition has unveiled a policy to slash the national tobacco excise by 80%, proposing a dramatic tax cut designed to destroy the profit margins driving the country’s rampant illicit tobacco market. Under the
USA: Tobacco Regulation – States
September 2026: New York Imposes 75% Wholesale Tax on Nicotine Pouches and Alternative Nicotine Products A major tax shift targeting alternative nicotine products went into effect across New York State on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, extending the state’s traditional tobacco tax structure to non-combustible, tobacco-free nicotine pouches and gums. Enacted
PMTA: Premarket Tobacco Product Application
August 2026: FDA Authorizes Marketing of Next-Generation JUUL2 E-Cigarette System The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the marketing of JUUL Labs Inc.’s next-generation e-cigarette system, the JUUL2, along with its tobacco- and menthol-flavored pods. The decision, delivered through the agency’s premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) pathway, approves three
USA: Tobacco Regulation & Legislation
The regulatory landscape for tobacco in the United States is notably complex, involving multiple layers of authority that sometimes come into conflict. At the federal level, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, heated tobacco and nicotine pouches, under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco
USA: Tobacco & Vape Tax
August 2026: South Carolina Introduces First Statewide Vape Tax Starting October 1, 2026 South Carolina will introduce its first statewide excise tax on vaping products and electronic cigarettes beginning October 1, 2026, following the passage of House Bill 4303 (Act 234). The new law brings e-liquids and disposable vape devices
USA: Nicotine Pouch Tax
June 2026: New York enacts 75% wholesale tax on nicotine pouches The New York Governor signed a 75% wholesale tax on nicotine pouches into law. The measure differs from the state’s cigarette tax, which is set at $5.35 per pack. The state expects the tax to generate an additional $50
Taxation: E-cigarettes
E-cigarette is invented two decades ago in China and became available in Europe and the US as early as 2006/2007. Following years of turbulent growth, e-cigarette sales now surpassed the $20Bn mark (global retail turnover per year). Therefore, the category is no longer under the radar and is a subject
Tobacco & Nicotine Tax: USA – 2026
U.S. States Move to Expand Nicotine Excise Taxes in 2026 With the 2026 state legislative session in full swing, excise taxation on cigarettes, vaping products, nicotine pouches and other tobacco-related items has emerged as a central policy focus across the United States. Faced with persistent budget pressures and declining cigarette
Cigarette Tax: International
Below is the list the most recent tobacco tax changes across the world. Note that there is a separate write-up on e-cigarette taxation. November 2025: Bulgaria to Gradually Increase Tobacco and Nicotine Excise Taxes from 2026 Bulgaria will implement a phased increase in excise duties on all tobacco and nicotine
Synthetic Nicotine Derivatives
Synthetic Nicotine Derivatives Synthetic nicotine is a manufactured form of nicotine, produced in a laboratory, as opposed to being extracted from tobacco leaves. Synthetic nicotine (tobacco-free nicotine) is chemically identical to natural nicotine (tobacco-derived nicotine) but is made in a laboratory using synthetic processes. Several synthetic derivatives of nicotine are being
Research: E-cigarettes
July 2026: Synthetic Cooling Agents in E-Cigarettes Actively Enhance Nicotine Reinforcement and Dopamine Signaling A recently published study is challenging a foundational assumption in the Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) market. Researchers have discovered that synthetic cooling agents – most notably WS-3 and WS-23 – do far more than simply
Research: Nicotine Pouches
July 2026: Questions Raised Over ZYN Safety Review Following Former FDA Scientist’s Claims Questions have been raised over the safety review of Philip Morris International’s ZYN nicotine pouches after a former U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) toxicologist alleged that the agency authorized the products without fully determining the composition
Research: Tobacco Products
October 2025: 70% of Policy Experts Misidentify Nicotine as Primary Cause of Smoking-related Diseases Based to a multi-market survey of 450 policy experts conducted across 15 different markets in 2024/25, British American Tobacco (BAT) stated that 70% of policy experts continue to misidentify nicotine as primary cause of smoking-related diseases.
Research: Cannabis
Cannabis potency Potency Monitoring Program, a project led by the US National Institute on Drug Abuse, reports that the average amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC: the plant’s main psychoactive component) in cannabis almost quadrupled over the last 25 years, mainly due to US growers selecting more potent strains. In the same
Tobacco Lawsuits: USA
September 2026: U.S. Cities Sue Tobacco Companies over Cigarette Litter A growing wave of municipal legal actions across the United States is seeking to hold major tobacco companies financially responsible for the toxic environmental toll of cigarette butts. Local governments are asserting the “polluter pays” principle, demanding that manufacturers cover
Patents Wars: USA
Patent wars, long associated with the technology and software sectors, refer to legal battles between companies seeking to protect, challenge, or leverage intellectual property rights. The tobacco industry’s rapid transition toward reduced-risk products has triggered a similar wave of patent disputes in recent years, particularly since 2018, with no clear
Tobacco: Investor Lawsuits
September 2026: British American Tobacco Faces Third UK Investor Claim Over Historical North Korea Disclosures British American Tobacco (BAT) is facing a third UK shareholder lawsuit in the High Court of England and Wales over allegations that it failed to adequately disclose its historical North Korean operations and associated sanctions
Patents Wars: International
Patent wars, long associated with the technology and software sectors, refer to legal battles between companies seeking to protect, challenge, or leverage intellectual property rights. The tobacco industry’s rapid transition toward reduced-risk products has triggered a similar wave of patent disputes in recent years, particularly since 2018, with no clear
Tobacco Lawsuits: International
August 2026: JUUL Labs and Altria Appeal B.C. Court Decision Certifying Mass Class Action JUUL Labs and Altria Group have launched a formal appeal against a British Columbia court decision that certified a nationwide class-action lawsuit accusing the companies of deceptively marketing vaping products to Canadian consumers. The companies filed
Canadian Tobacco Lawsuit & Settlement
August 2025: Imperial Tobacco Canada exits bankruptcy protection British American Tobacco (BAT)’s Canadian affiliate, Imperial Tobacco Canada (ITCAN) formally exited protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA). ITCAN stated that the Court-approved Plan of Compromise and Arrangement concludes the tobacco litigation provides maximum recovery for claimants while bringing stability
Tobacco Industry: Acquisitions
Since 1990s, the fall of the Iron Curtain in the East and the fast decline of cigarette market volumes in the West have triggered a series of acquisitions in the Tobacco Industry as the leading companies try to maintain the economies of scale and boost the top-/bottom-line growth. As a result,
Tobacco Industry Highlights: August 29 – September 4, 2026
Stay on top of the tobacco industry. Get weekly highlights straight to your inbox. Become a Free member today: Tobacco Insider – Free Membership — PMTA: Premarket Tobacco Product Application The FDA has authorized the marketing of JUUL Labs’ next-generation JUUL2 e-cigarette device, equipped with a user-authentication system, alongside tobacco-
Tobacco Industry: Leaf
Main Trend: Global tobacco leaf markets were tight between mid-2022 and 2024, with limited supply driving higher leaf prices. At the same time, rising agricultural input costs further increased procurement expenses, inflating tobacco companies’ cost of goods sold (COGS) and putting pressure on gross profit margins. Since 2025, improved crop
Tobacco Industry Highlights: August 22 – August 28, 2026
Stay on top of the tobacco industry. Get weekly highlights straight to your inbox. Become a Free member today: Tobacco Insider – Free Membership — USA: Tobacco Products U.S. adult nicotine use remained persistently elevated in 2025, with the market continuing to shift away from cigarettes toward vaping and nicotine
Tobacco Industry Highlights: August 15 – August 21, 2026
Stay on top of the tobacco industry. Get weekly highlights straight to your inbox. Become a Free member today: Tobacco Insider – Free Membership — Tobacco Lawsuits: USA In two major decisions, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against key aspects of federal tobacco and vape regulations. First, the
Tobacco Industry Highlights: August 8 – August 14, 2026
Stay on top of the tobacco industry. Get weekly highlights straight to your inbox. Become a Free member today: Tobacco Insider – Free Membership — USA: Tobacco Products Traditional cigarette smoking in the U.S. has fallen to historic, all-time lows, signaling a major generational shift in substance consumption patterns. In
