HEADLINE

Philip Morris International (PMI) said IQOS, via its “IQOS Curious X” platform, has entered a global partnership with the Zamna music festival in Tulum, Mexico, with the collaboration making its on-site debut during Zamna 2026 and targeting adult nicotine users. PMI said IQOS has more than 34 million users worldwide, while the number of adult consumers in Mexico has surpassed 140,000.

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) Malaysia has appointed Didier Ellena as managing director, effective Jan 5. Ellena has spent more than 30 years with JTI and has held leadership roles across multiple countries and regions. His predecessor, Juliana Mohd Yahaya, will become vice president of sales and marketing for JTI North Asia.

According to the Guam Department of Education (GDOE), police officers will now assist in handling incidents involving minor students who vape or use tobacco products on public school campuses, and cases may be forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General.

A Kentucky state senator has filed Senate Bill 74 to steer settlement money the Commonwealth received from vaping manufacturer Juul Labs into youth vaping prevention and cessation efforts.

Philip Morris Japan announced the launch of a new TEREA heated tobacco stick for the IQOS ILUMA series, “TEREA Stellar Pearl,” featuring a crushable capsule mint profile. The product will go on sale in Japan through offline retail channels from Jan. 19 and will be rolled out on the company’s official e-commerce store from Jan. 29, priced at 580 yen (about $3.6) per pack.

According to UNN, law enforcement in Ukraine’s Khmelnytskyi region disrupted a group accused of selling illegally produced nicotine-containing mixtures and e-cigarette e-liquids without licenses or permits. The Prosecutor General’s Office said the overall value of the seized items exceeds UAH 12 million (about US$276,000). Motions were filed to arrest the seized property, and decisions are pending on necessary forensic examinations. (FX used: 1 UAH = US$0.023, as provided by the user.)

Scottish retailers, through the Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF), are calling for tougher action and more investment to tackle a “deepening black market” in illegal vapes, including illegal sales to children. SGF warns the problem will worsen, with negative health impacts, if incoming regulations on vaping product sales are not carefully crafted and if shopkeepers’ views are not heard.