Tobacco Regulation: New Zealand
November 2026: New Zealand Moves Toward Legalizing Nicotine Pouches Despite Public Health Opposition New Zealand is considering legalizing the commercial sale of nicotine pouches and other oral nicotine products as part of broader reforms to its tobacco and nicotine regulatory framework. The initiative follows a September 2026 Cabinet decision to
Tobacco Regulation: Europe
November 2026: Major European Cities Call for EU-Wide Ban on Cigarette Filters Major European cities are calling on the European Union (EU) to introduce a complete ban on cigarette filters, arguing that they provide no proven health benefits and represent one of the largest sources of plastic pollution and urban
Generational Tobacco Ban
Generational Tobacco Ban, or Lifetime Tobacco Ban, refers to banning cigarette or tobacco sales to anyone born after a certain date (at any point in their lifetime regardless of how old they are) to make smoking “a thing of the past”. Technically speaking, it could also be defined as steadily
Tobacco Regulation: European Union
November 2026: EU Tobacco Tax Reform Nears Agreement as Sweden Drops Opposition, Malta Remains Sole Holdout European Union finance ministers moved closer to an agreement on the proposed overhaul of the EU Tobacco Taxation Directive (TTD) on November 9, 2026, after a series of last-minute compromises helped overcome opposition from
Tobacco Regulation: Latin America
November 2026: Colombia Proposes Steep New Tax Hikes on Tobacco and Vaping Products to Fund Healthcare The Colombian government has submitted a sweeping “Economic Rescue Bill” to Congress proposing steep tax hikes on vaping products, tobacco, and alcoholic beverages. Designed to close fiscal deficits while generating dedicated revenue for the
Tobacco Regulation: United Kingdom
November 2026: Tens of Thousands of Bot Responses Removed from UK Vape Consultation A recent analysis of a UK government public consultation on tobacco and vaping has highlighted what researchers describe as the first documented instance of large-scale automated interference in a British public policy process. According to findings published
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
November 2026: Reynolds Seeks Dismissal of Philip Morris USA Lawsuit Over $112 Million Tobacco Settlement Dispute Reynolds American and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, subsidiaries of British American Tobacco (BAT), have asked the Delaware Court of Chancery to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Philip Morris USA, a subsidiary of Altria Group, concerning
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
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: 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
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 Highlights: November 7 – November 13, 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 Regulation: Europe Major European cities, including Brussels, Munich and Dublin, are calling for an EU-wide ban on cigarette filters, citing plastic pollution and a
Tobacco Industry: Acquisitions
Since the 1990s, the fall of the Iron Curtain in the East and the rapid decline in cigarette market volumes in the West have triggered a series of acquisitions in the tobacco industry, as leading companies have sought to maintain economies of scale, drive revenue and profit growth, and, more
Tobacco Industry Highlights: October 31 – November 6, 2026
Stay on top of the tobacco industry. Get weekly highlights straight to your inbox. Become a Free member today: Tobacco Insider – Free Membership — Haypp Group: Q3 2026 Results Haypp Group reported strong sales momentum in its Q3 2026 results, with net sales increasing by 28% year-over-year to SEK
Tobacco Industry Highlights: October 24 – October 30, 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 granted marketing authorization for 24 VELO nicotine pouch products manufactured by BAT’s Modoral Brands subsidiary through the
Tobacco Industry Highlights: October 17 – October 23, 2026
Stay on top of the tobacco industry. Get weekly highlights straight to your inbox. Become a Free member today: Tobacco Insider – Free Membership — Altria: News Altria Group is set to report its Q3 2026 earnings on October 29, with consensus estimates indicating modest growth – revenue is projected
Tobacco Industry Highlights: October 10 – October 16, 2026
Stay on top of the tobacco industry. Get weekly highlights straight to your inbox. Become a Free member today: Tobacco Insider – Free Membership — India: Cigarette Market The Indian government is considering a proposal to ban foreign brand licensing, franchising, and technology agreements in the tobacco sector to close
