REGULATION
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
Tobacco Regulation: Russia
August 2026: Russia Imposes Up to Five Years in Prison for Smuggling Vapes Russia has officially tightened penalties on illicit cross-border trade, adding e-cigarettes, vaping liquids and nicotine salts to its official list of “strategically important goods.” Under the regulation taking effect August 20, 2026, individuals caught smuggling these products
Tobacco Regulation: United Kingdom
August 2026: UK Government Outlines New Fixed Penalty Notices and Operational Guidance for Tobacco and Vaping Violations The UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published detailed guidance on the rollout of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) and related enforcement rules for offences related to tobacco, vaping, and nicotine
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: Europe
August 2026: One in Six Europeans Use Tobacco or Related Products Daily, Survey Shows 16.5% of people aged 16 and older across the European Union used tobacco and related products on a daily basis in 2025, according to Eurostat survey data. Representing roughly one in six EU residents, this figure
Global Tobacco Control
July 2026: Industry Watchdog Highlights Common Legislative Issues for Heated Tobacco Products The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a tobacco industry watchdog, has published a guidance document outlining common regulatory and legislative drafting issues related to heated tobacco products (HTPs). The resource is intended to help policymakers assess whether existing tobacco
MRTP: Modified Risk Tobacco Product
June 2026: FDA Authorizes 20 ZYN Nicotine Pouches to Be Marketed with Specific Modified Risk Claim The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued modified risk granted orders to Philip Morris International (PMI) for 20 ZYN nicotine pouch products. This decision allows these specific products – which have been
Tobacco Regulation: South Korea
June 2026: South Korea Reconsiders Cigarette Tax Hike as Public Support Grows South Korea is once again considering raising cigarette taxes after the Health & Welfare Minister said the government needs to review tobacco pricing as part of broader tobacco control efforts. While no formal proposal has been introduced, the
Lifetime Tobacco Ban: USA
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
USA: Federal Tobacco Regulation
May 2026: A Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Fund FDA Oversight of E-Cigarettes Through Manufacturer User Fees The Resources to Prevent Youth Vaping Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation, aims at strengthening the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) capacity to oversee the e-cigarette industry by requiring manufacturers of nicotine-containing vaping
Tobacco Regulation: Latin America
May 2026: Argentina Transitions from Prohibition to Regulation of Nicotine Alternatives Argentina has enacted Resolution 549/2026, establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework for vaping products, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches – marking a clear shift away from its longstanding prohibitionist approach. The move reflects a more pragmatic policy stance, as authorities
USA: Tobacco Regulation in 2026
What to Watch in U.S. Tobacco Regulation in 2026: Key Developments for Industry and Policy As the tobacco and nicotine product landscape continues to evolve, 2026 promises to be a pivotal year for regulatory developments in the United States. Federal, state, and local actions are converging to reshape market access,
Tobacco Regulation: New Zealand
September 2024: New Zealand Escalates Youth Vaping Crackdown with New Amendment Bill The coalition government in New Zealand introduced the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Bill (No 2), signalling a further tightening of its vaping framework with a clear focus on reducing youth uptake. The proposal builds on the
