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Nevada Considers Nearly Doubling Tobacco Taxes, With $65 Million in New Revenue Expected From Expanded Nicotine Levies
Nevada Considers Nearly Doubling Tobacco Taxes, With $65 Million in New Revenue Expected From Expanded Nicotine Levies
Health groups in Nevada are urging lawmakers to nearly double the state cigarette tax and extend similar tax changes to other nicotine products, including e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches.
Jul.17
Kaival Brands Explores Nicotine Pouches as Smaller Nicotine Companies Seek Smoke-Free Growth
Kaival Brands Explores Nicotine Pouches as Smaller Nicotine Companies Seek Smoke-Free Growth
U.S. nicotine company Kaival Brands Innovations Group is exploring opportunities in nicotine pouches and other modern nicotine products, reflecting a broader shift among smaller nicotine businesses beyond traditional vaping products.
Jul.17
PMI Expands IQOS and VEEV Presence at Frankfurt Airport Through Travel Retail Pop-Ups
PMI Expands IQOS and VEEV Presence at Frankfurt Airport Through Travel Retail Pop-Ups
According to The Moodie Davitt Report, PMI Global Travel Retail and Frankfurt Airport Retail have launched new IQOS and VEEV retail spaces at Frankfurt Airport. The installations, located inside and outside duty-free areas, showcase IQOS heated tobacco products and VEEV e-vapor products through product education, consumer interaction and brand experiences. Frankfurt Airport Retail, operated by Fraport Group and Gebr. Heinemann, manages key retail activities at Frankfurt Airport. The initiative follows PMI’s broader strategy of expanding smoke-free products through global travel retail channels. PMI has previously introduced VEEV products across multiple European airports while continuing to expand IQOS and VEEV availability in international markets.
Jul.17
Minnesota Sues Loon as State Enforcement Targets U.S. Vape Brand Operators
Minnesota Sues Loon as State Enforcement Targets U.S. Vape Brand Operators
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sued Maduro Distributors, Inc., doing business as Loon, on July 15, 2026, alleging that the company illegally manufactured, distributed and sold flavored vapes that appeal to minors.
Jul.16
Former FDA Scientist Questions ZYN Review Over Pouch Material and Microplastic Risk
Former FDA Scientist Questions ZYN Review Over Pouch Material and Microplastic Risk
A former FDA toxicologist has questioned whether the agency fully assessed the material used in ZYN nicotine pouches before authorizing them for sale, raising concerns over possible microplastic exposure, according to STAT and The Examination.
Jul.16
Seita’s Julia Neumaier Says France Should Target Vape Access, Not Plain Packaging
Seita’s Julia Neumaier Says France Should Target Vape Access, Not Plain Packaging
Julia Neumaier, general manager of Seita, Imperial Brands’ French subsidiary, said France should focus vaping regulation on access control, age verification, online sales and distribution channels, rather than applying tobacco-style plain packaging to vaping products.
Jul.15
Illegal Vape Sellers Still Use TikTok and Other Platforms to Drive Sales Despite Australia’s Ad Ban
Illegal Vape Sellers Still Use TikTok and Other Platforms to Drive Sales Despite Australia’s Ad Ban
Illegal vape sellers are still promoting nicotine products on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube despite Australia’s 2024 advertising ban, while illicit tobacco sales are increasingly moving from physical stores to online marketplaces.
Jul.15
Reuters: India Seeks to Dismiss Adani Nicotine Pouch Challenge as Mumbai Airport Dispute Moves to Court
Reuters: India Seeks to Dismiss Adani Nicotine Pouch Challenge as Mumbai Airport Dispute Moves to Court
Reuters reported on July 13, 2026, that India is seeking to dismiss Adani Airports’ legal challenge over nicotine pouch sales at Mumbai International Airport’s duty-free shops. Adani denies wrongdoing and argues that existing drug and cosmetics regulations do not apply to duty-free sales or nicotine pouches.
Innovation
Jul.14
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2FIRSTS Exclusive Insights
FDA Tobacco Proposal Signals Full-Chain Compliance Test for Global E-Cigarette Supply Chains
Special Report
FDA Tobacco Proposal Signals Full-Chain Compliance Test for Global E-Cigarette Supply Chains
FDA’s proposed foreign tobacco establishment registration and product listing rule remains unfinished, but Accorto told 2Firsts it reflects a shift toward structured oversight similar to medical device and pharmaceutical compliance frameworks. For Chinese and global e-cigarette suppliers, U.S. market access is moving beyond product authorization toward full-chain compliance covering manufacturing, documentation, import control, distribution, retail and marketing discipline.
Jul.09
Global Tobacco Control Faces Regional Adaptation Test as Nicotine Markets Evolve, Asian Specialist Says
Global Tobacco Control Faces Regional Adaptation Test as Nicotine Markets Evolve, Asian Specialist Says
As e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches expand across global markets, a central question is gaining urgency: can tobacco control rely on a universal policy model? In an interview with 2Firsts, Asian public health and addiction medicine specialist Dr. Rashidi Mohamed bin Pakri Mohamed says Western experience remains relevant, but policies must be adapted to local culture, healthcare systems, enforcement capacity, illicit markets and clinical evidence.
Jul.08
Changing Assumptions in U.S. Cigar Consumption: 2Firsts Interviews Cigar Educator Mechelle Merkerson
Special Report
Changing Assumptions in U.S. Cigar Consumption: 2Firsts Interviews Cigar Educator Mechelle Merkerson
U.S. premium cigar culture is shifting toward education, broader choice and deeper links to craftsmanship and origin, cigar educator Mechelle Merkerson told 2Firsts. She sees boutique brands, women consumers and production-region experiences making knowledge central to cigar participation. For global brands, retailers and emerging markets such as China, education may help turn curiosity into sustained engagement.
Jul.06
2Firsts Interview | InterTabac 2026 Adapts to a More Complex Tobacco and Nicotine Market
Special Report
2Firsts Interview | InterTabac 2026 Adapts to a More Complex Tobacco and Nicotine Market
As InterTabac 2026 approaches, Sabine Loos, Managing Director of Westfalenhallen Unternehmensgruppe, tells 2Firsts that global tobacco trade fairs are evolving beyond product display. With new nicotine categories, shifting regulation and more complex supply chains reshaping the industry, InterTabac is positioning itself as a platform for market insight, regulatory discussion and global business connection.
Jul.02
Licensed Chinese Manufacturer Database
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