Tag: news

Report Finds Herbal Heated Sticks Market ‘On Fire’

Photo: cirquedesprit
Herbal heated sticks are rapidly spreading worldwide not only as a replacement for conventional smoking, but also as an alternative to heated tobacco products, according to new research from TobaccoIntelligence.
These products provide an experience similar to using heated tobacco, but unlike heated tobacco products they do not contain any tobacco. Instead, they use a different substance—often tea—to hold flavorings and, sometimes, nicotine.
Now, the new TobaccoIntelligence Herbal Heated Sticks Tracker casts light on this fast-growing but poorly understood market.
It reveals that fruit flavors are the most popular in most countries covered, but nicotine strengths vary greatly. In some countries, such as Japan, only zero-nicotine products are sold.
“Heated herbal sticks are typically cheaper than comparable tobacco products, and are also compatible with some heated tobacco devices. So from the consumer’s point of view, they offer a low-cost alternative—while for manufacturers, they can provide a legal way of providing flavors in countries where heated tobacco flavors are banned,” explains Eva Antal, director of market analysis at TobaccoIntelligence’s publisher Tamarind Intelligence.
“We expect more product launches in more countries–but at the same time, we don’t expect regulators to ignore them forever,” says Antal.
Currently, Japan and Poland have the most products available, although there are far more different brands in Japan.
And Japan is also among the countries where these products are cheapest. By contrast, Germany is the most expensive.
The Herbal Heated Sticks Tracker covers nine major markets: the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, Russia and the U.K.
November 29, 2023
Vaping Industry Leaders Honored at UKVIA Awards

Photo; Feelm
Leaders in product compliance, innovation, sustainability and the prevention of youth access to vaping were among those honored at this year’s UKVIA Industry Recognition Awards.
The annual event was hosted at the QEII Centre in London and saw parliamentarians, public health professionals, enforcement officials, vape manufacturers and others celebrated for their contributions to the progress of the industry and to the ambition for a future without smoking.
There were 16 award categories this year, including Most Responsible Vaping Business, Outstanding Vaper Education Program for Smokers and the Vaping Regulations Enforcement Award.
Colin Mendelsohn, founding chairman of the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association and retired general practitioner of 30 years, received the Most Supportive Public Health Professional/Researcher Award.
Also winning awards were Adam Afriyie, Member of Parliament and vice chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Vaping, and Martin Cullip, international fellow of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance’s Consumer Center, who won Most Supportive Parliamentarian and Outstanding Industry Service Award, respectively.
John Dunne, director general of the UKVIA, said, “Our annual industry recognition awards celebrate the individuals and organizations—both within and outside the industry—who have made outstanding contributions to the vaping sector.
“I hope this year’s winners continue to set a leading example and that the rest of the industry will be inspired to go even further to take our sector to new heights and show the policymakers and regulators that we are committed to the highest standards in helping the government achieve its smoke-free generation.”
Ahead of the Industry Recognition Awards, Chris Kelly, chief executive of headline sponsor Phoenix 2 Retail, said: “More than ever, our industry needs to make a strong statement to the government and regulators by showcasing what it is doing to raise standards across the board.
“It’s good to see the awards this year recognizing innovative solutions that address the big issues of youth vaping and the environmental impact of single-use vapes. Equally, it’s good that those who have been at the forefront of compliance have been held up for what they are doing in this crucial area.”
The full list of winners is available at the UKVIA’s website.
November 28, 2023
ElfBar, Lost Mary Sales Boost Supreme’s Profits

Credit: JIRSAK
ElfBar and LostMary could be the ones to thank for Supreme’s favorable six months as the firm rings in the half-year mark with record revenues and profit growth.
The ElfBar distribution alone contributed to £26.4 million ($33.3 million) of its £64.6 million revenue in the period, Supreme said today, alongside “strong organic growth” of £8.7 million in areas such as lighting, vaping, nutrition and wellness.
Gross profits for the firm are up 63 percent, from £18.2 million to £28.5 million, according to media reports.
The numbers come after the firm was chosen this summer as the master distributor for two leading UK vaping brands, ElfBar and Lost Mary, which it has begun to supply to major UK retailers such as Tesco, Morrisons and WHSmith Travel.
The London-listed company said at the time it expected the partnership to generate revenues of £25 million to £30 million over the next fiscal year ending March 2024.
In just four months since the partnership was announced, it’s reached over double the goal.
November 28, 2023
New Dates for COP10, MOP3 in Panama Announced
Photo: JeromeMaurice
The World Health Organization has announced the dates for the resumed in-person sessions of the 10th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the third session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP3) to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.
Following communication received from Panama, the host country of COP10 and MOP3, and in consultation with the Bureaus of the Conference of the Parties to the FCTC and of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol, the dates for the resumed in-person sessions of COP10 and MOP3 have now been set as follows:
Resumed COP10: Feb. 5-10, 2024
Resumed MOP3: Feb 12-15, 2024
November 28, 2023
Australia to Ban Single-Use Vape Imports From 2024

Credit: Yavdat
Australia will ban imports of disposable vapes beginning January 1, the Health Minister said on Tuesday. It is the first step in a crackdown aimed at curbing the growing popularity of nicotine-filled vaping devices with young people.
The ban will be expanded in March to include all non-therapeutic vapes, including refillable devices, while importers of vapes for medical purposes will need permit from the Office of Drug control, Health Minister Mark Butler said in a statement, according to Reuters.
The legislative package will also include a total A$75 million in extra funding for the Australian Border Force and the Therapeutic Goods Administration to enforce the new rules.
Additional legislation next year will apply the same prohibitions to domestic manufacturers.
“These are the vapes that have pink unicorns on them, bubblegum flavouring, disguised in order for them to hide them in their pencil cases,” Butler told a news conference.
To ensure the bans don’t limit access for smokers looking to quit, doctors and nurses will be given expanded powers in January to prescribe therapeutic vapes where clinically appropriate.
But therapeutic vapes will be restricted from using flavors, have limited nicotine levels and be sold in pharmaceutical packaging under new rules to be introduced next year, with a transition period for manufacturers to comply.
November 28, 2023
‘Systemic Failures’ Blamed for Panama COP10 Delay

Photo: Unitas Photography
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) blames “systemic failures” at the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) for the postponement of the 10th Conference of the Parties (COP10) that was due to take place last week in Panama.
“While the ‘official’ reason for the postponement of the conference was said to be security issues on the ground in Panama, it has come to light that the unfulfilled COP10 organization contract for which $5 million was allocated by the Panamanian Ministry of Health was terminated by the government at the end of October, finding itself without any service provider to ensure the event took place,” CAPHRA wrote in an e-mailed statement.
“The fact that the WHO FCTC knew in October that they did not have a venue or conference planning underway and waited until the week before the conference was due to begin before cancelling it shows contempt for member states and a blatant disregard and dismissal of the months spent creating and submitting position papers, requesting budget allocations from their governments and planning their attendance—including airfares, visas and hotel reservations,” the tobacco harm reduction group wrote.
“But then again, it seems a nonissue that $5 million disappeared, said the CAPHRA. Money that doctors in Panama said would be better spent on actual healthcare in the country—incubators, medicines and facilities.”
According to CAPHRA, the WHO FCTC’s actions not only threaten public health but also cause economic strain and foster next-generation addiction.
“The WHO FCTC is tone deaf to anything or anyone that questions the work they are mandated to do,” said CAPHRA Executive Coordinator Nancy Loucas. “This includes sabotaging health policies, negatively impacting the environment and using funds from Big Pharma and the Bloomberg Foundation, among others, to promote misleading narratives and undermine tobacco harm reduction efforts.”
November 27, 2023
PMI Names Parman as U.S. Communications Officer

Photo: PMI
Philip Morris International has appointed Travis Parman as vice president and chief communications officer of the U.S.
“We are thrilled that Travis is joining us in our bold ambition to deliver a smoke-free future in the United States. We’re on a mission to replace cigarettes—the most harmful form of nicotine consumption—as soon as possible with science-based smoke-free alternatives that are a better choice than continued cigarette use,” said Stacey Kennedy, president of the Americas region and CEO of PMI’s U.S. business, in a statement. “With his passion for positive change and deep communications experience in the U.S. and internationally, Travis will be a valuable addition to our leadership team.”
Parman joins PMI from AppHarvest, a tech-driven sustainable food company based in Kentucky, where he served as chief communications officer since 2020. He previously held multiple roles with the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance in Paris; Nashville; and Yokohama, Japan—most recently as vice president of international communications and global engagement.
Prior to his work with the alliance, he held public relations and communications leadership roles at General Motors, Ally Financial and PulteGroup. Parman holds a master’s degree in communications management from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Tennessee.
“Joining PMI at such a pivotal moment in the company’s journey toward a smoke-free future provides the perfect opportunity to drive meaningful change, which has been a hallmark throughout my career as a communicator,” said Parman.
November 27, 2023
Supreme to Announce 2023 Earnings, Record Revenues

Investors will be laser-focused on regulatory pressures when prominent vape distributor Supreme plc reports its audited interim results on Tuesday, November 28.
The AIM-listed company is expected to post record sales but forward guidance will be paramount amid a crackdown on underage vaping single-use next-generation products, according to Proactive Investors.
U.K.-based Supreme supplies a range of formats across several vaping brands, including 88Vape, Liberty Flights, KiK and T-Juice.
The company has expressed enthusiasm for greater oversight in the vaping industry but bearish share price performance following Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s hawkish comments in October pointed to concern among Supreme stakeholders.
According to Supreme’s chief financial officer Suzanne Smith, the negative press surrounding underage vaping is doing considerable harm to what she sees as a device whose primary purpose is getting adults off the smokes.
“If we can nip that in the bud, vaping can be celebrated again for what it was there to do, which was to get people off smoking,” Smith told Proactive in October.
Since then, Supreme has announced changes to its products, including plainer packages, age-appropriate flavors, suitable locations in stores, and in-store vape-disposal bins.
Some of these changes will come with costs and concerns over alienating existing customers.
Nevertheless, Tuesday’s interim earnings call is expected to be bullish, with company guidance citing interim revenues exceeding £100 million ($126 million), with underlying earnings of no less than £15 million.
The disposable vaping brand ElfBar distributions are expected to comprise around half of all sales and gross profits for Supreme.
November 27, 2023
BAT Calls for ‘More Stringent’ Regulations on Vaping

BAT has called for “more stringent” regulations on vaping, including a licensing regime similar to alcohol and cigarettes.
The London-based e-cigarette and traditional tobacco manufacturer also wants a ban on flavors that “uniquely” target children.
The UK government is already considering new regulations amid concerns that many young people are vaping, according to the BBC.
It has promised legislation following a public consultation that is currently underway.
BAT is the third-largest seller of vapes in the UK, according to market research firm NielsenIQ.
It sells Rothmans and Lucky Strike cigarettes and is the most successful of the big western tobacco companies in the UK’s booming market for disposable vapes, thought to be worth at least £3 billion ($3.78 billion) a year.
BAT is calling for vape sellers to be licensed and for licenses to be taken away from firms caught selling to minors. You must be 18 to buy vapes in the UK legally.
The company also wants a ban on soft drinks and sweet or dessert flavors such as gummy bears or cotton candy, which it says appeal “uniquely” to the young.
BAT doesn’t sell these flavors, though they have been a factor in the success of market leader Elfbar, the number two, SKE, and other brands.
November 27, 2023
Foundation for a Smoke-Free World Severs Nicotine Ties

Credit: Akeeris
The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, which was originally funded by Philip Morris International (PMI), announced that it would no longer accept any monetary support from the nicotine industry to gain the trust of tobacco control groups.
PMI had pledged to give tens of millions of dollars each year to keep the foundation afloat between 2022 and 2029. In September, they provided a final grant of $122.5 million, equivalent to around three and a half years of their original commitment.
The foundation will now rebrand and find new funders from outside of the industry, Cliff Douglas said in an interview with Reuters.
Douglas, a long-time tobacco control advocate who joined the foundation in October, said he wants to see it re-established as a credible actor in ending smoking.
“Any skepticism around our independence can be laid to rest,” he said.
Douglas pointed to several tobacco control advocates who have sounded positive about the foundation’s new direction. However, other groups remained skeptical about whether it can reset its image.
November 27, 2023