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West Virginia Senate Backs Vape Tax Increase to Offset Income Tax Cut
West Virginia Senate Backs Vape Tax Increase to Offset Income Tax Cut
The West Virginia Senate approved a 10% personal income tax cut on February 22, 2026, with part of the revenue offset coming from increased excise taxes on vape and e-cigarette products.
News
Feb.23
Haypp Reports 15% Q4 Sales Growth as Nicotine Pouch Volumes Rise
Haypp Reports 15% Q4 Sales Growth as Nicotine Pouch Volumes Rise
Haypp Group announced that net sales for October–December 2025 rose 15% year-on-year to SEK 1,052.2 million, or 19% in constant currency terms. The company recorded 28% volume growth in the nicotine pouch category during the quarter. The number of orders increased to 1.34 million, and active consumers rose to 630,000, marking the highest level in the company’s history. CEO Gavin O’Dowd said the company’s accelerating topline performance in the US and UK positions it for a strong 2026.
Market
Feb.22
South Dakota Senate Committee Advances Bill Tightening Nicotine Retail Rules
South Dakota Senate Committee Advances Bill Tightening Nicotine Retail Rules
South Dakota Senate Bill 221 (SB 221), which seeks to regulate the retail sale of nicotine products, has passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee with a unanimous 7–0 recommendation. The bill was significantly amended, expanding from three to nine pages and shifting its focus from vapor products alone to all nicotine products.
Regulations
Feb.22
UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill Enters House of Lords Report Stage
UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill Enters House of Lords Report Stage
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has entered the report stage in the UK House of Lords, with further examination scheduled to begin on February 24, 2026. The legislation aims to create the first “smoke-free generation” by ensuring that individuals who are 15 years old or younger in 2026 can never legally be sold tobacco.
Regulations
Feb.22
PMI Launches Mass Production of ZYN at $600M Aurora Manufacturing Hub
PMI Launches Mass Production of ZYN at $600M Aurora Manufacturing Hub
Philip Morris International (PMI), through its subsidiary Swedish Match, has started large-scale production at a 600,000-square-foot ZYN nicotine pouch facility in Aurora, Colorado. The $600 million investment makes the site one of three ZYN manufacturing plants in the United States and the company’s second U.S. facility after Owensboro, Kentucky.
PMI
Feb.21
Nicotine Becomes Second-Largest Revenue Source for Couche-Tard in Fiscal 2025
Nicotine Becomes Second-Largest Revenue Source for Couche-Tard in Fiscal 2025
Alimentation Couche-Tard reported that nicotine products accounted for 9% of total revenue in fiscal 2025, making it the company’s second-largest revenue source after fuel, according to its latest Business Strategy Update.
Market
Feb.19
Imperial Brands Forms Global AI Partnership with Capgemini, Reinforcing Artificial Intelligence as Core Infrastructure in the Nicotine Industry
Imperial Brands Forms Global AI Partnership with Capgemini, Reinforcing Artificial Intelligence as Core Infrastructure in the Nicotine Industry
Industry Insight
Feb.19
KDCA youth panel: health indicators worsen with grade level; liquid e-cigarette use tops cigarettes among 11th-grade students
KDCA youth panel: health indicators worsen with grade level; liquid e-cigarette use tops cigarettes among 11th-grade students
Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s Youth Health Panel Survey (2025) Final Results Report says key adolescent health indicators worsen as students move up grade levels. By 11th grade, lifetime tobacco experience rose to 9.59%. Among 11th-grade girls, current use of liquid e-cigarettes (1.54%) surpassed conventional cigarettes (1.33%) for the first time.
Feb.10
Interview
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2FIRSTS Exclusive Insights
Special Report|Russia scales back anti-vaping drive, limits ban to single-region trial
Special Report|Russia scales back anti-vaping drive, limits ban to single-region trial
After months of debate, Russian lawmakers have retreated from plans for a nationwide vaping ban, opting instead for a single-region pilot. The shift reflects pressure from business groups and fiscal authorities, amid warnings that sweeping prohibitions could fuel illegal trade while undermining efforts to regulate the market.
Jan.22
2Firsts Interview | Bengt Wiberg: Why the Oral Health Risks of Nicotine Pouches Merit Further Study
2Firsts Interview | Bengt Wiberg: Why the Oral Health Risks of Nicotine Pouches Merit Further Study
As nicotine pouches gain global traction as a lower-risk alternative to smoking, questions are emerging about their potential oral health effects. In a 2Firsts interview, Stingfree AB founder Bengt Wiberg discusses why gum irritation and oral lesions warrant closer scrutiny within the broader framework of tobacco harm reduction.
Jan.06
Special Report | Belarus to centralize vaping market under state supervision
Special Report | Belarus to centralize vaping market under state supervision
Belarus is preparing to overhaul its vaping market under tight state control — from monopolizing imports to banning online sales and restricting retail licenses. Officials say nearly 77% of the disposable e-cigarette market is supplied illegally, prompting sweeping regulatory measures that have already sparked strong pushback from consumers and vape retailers.
Dec.03
Special Report|With Charlie’s US Line Online, the US-Filled Vape Supply Chain Model Enters a New Phase
Industry Insight
Special Report|With Charlie’s US Line Online, the US-Filled Vape Supply Chain Model Enters a New Phase
Charlie’s Holdings has activated its first US-based manufacturing and filling line, enabling the company’s Pachamama 25K vape series to meet Texas’ new domestic manufacturing requirements. As state-level rules tighten, the move signals a broader industry shift toward US-filled supply chains and marks an inflection point for brands historically reliant on China-based prefilled production.
Dec.02
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