REGULATION
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
PMTA: Premarket Tobacco Product Application
October 2026: FDA Grants Marketing Authorization for 24 Velo Nicotine Pouch Products The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the marketing of 24 new nicotine pouch products under the VELO brand, manufactured by British American Tobacco (BAT)’s Modoral Brands Inc. subsidiary, following scientific review through the premarket tobacco product
Tobacco Regulation: South Korea
October 2026: South Korea Detects Group 1 Carcinogens in All 465 Tested Tobacco and Vape Products South Korea’s health authorities have published the country’s first comprehensive public disclosure of toxic chemicals present in commercial tobacco products, revealing that Group 1 human carcinogens – including formaldehyde and benzene – were detected
Tobacco Regulation: Asia
October 2026: Mongolia Overhauls Tobacco Control Laws After 13 Years, Banning Flavored Products and Regulating Vapes Mongolia’s State Great Khural has officially approved sweeping amendments to the Law on Tobacco Control, marking the first major update to the nation’s smoking regulations in 13 years. The newly passed legislation, slated to
USA: Tobacco Regulation – States
October 2026: Iowa Postpones Implementation of New Vape Product Directory and Restrictions The Iowa Department of Revenue has unexpectedly postponed the rollout of its highly anticipated vapor products directory, giving vape shops and distributors a temporary reprieve from strict new sales restrictions. The state directory, which stems from House File
US FDA – Tobacco: News
October 2026: GAO Urges FDA to Systematically Monitor Timeliness of Tobacco Product Application Reviews The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a new report advising the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to overhaul its tracking systems, citing critical data gaps that prevent the agency from evaluating whether it is
Tobacco Regulation: Australia
September 2026: TGA Classifies 6-Methylnicotine as a Schedule 9 Prohibited Substance to Close E-Cigarette Loophole Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has officially decided to list 6-methylnicotine as a Schedule 9 Prohibited Substance in the Poisons Standard, with an implementation date set for October 1, 2026. This regulatory action directly targets
Tobacco Regulation: Russia
September 2026: Russia Rolls Out Mandatory Digital Tracking for Reusable Vapes and E-Cigarette Devices Russia has officially launched its mandatory digital tracking framework for reusable electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and vaping hardware. Formally established under Government Resolution No. 577 (adopted May 21, 2026), the measure transitions the market from
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
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
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,
