HEADLINE

St. Petersburg may become the first region in Russia to ban the sale of vapes. Senator Andrei Kutepov announced during a session of the Legislative Assembly that he is working to introduce restrictions on vape sales in the city, in line with President Vladimir Putin’s recent statement supporting a nationwide ban.

As regulations tighten, consumer habits evolve, and new nicotine products reshape the market, the cigar industry is undergoing a quiet but profound transformation. In this exclusive interview, 2Firsts speaks with Cigar Sense — a data-driven sensory analysis firm — to explore what’s really changing in cigars, and what it means for manufacturers, retailers, and smokers around the world.

CSUR—the Research Institute Supporting Juul and NJOY’s successful PMTAs—assessed FDA’s pilot for nicotine pouches. The program expedites premarket review by deferring behavioral data to post-market reporting. CSUR says this could speed authorizations, but manufacturers must still produce behavioral and real-world evidence after a Marketing Granted Order to maintain compliance with public-health standards.

As global delegates prepare for COP11, a leaked EU position paper has sparked fresh debate over the future of nicotine pouch regulation. In an exclusive op-ed submitted to 2Firsts, Dr. Nveed Chaudhary, Chair of GINN’s Scientific Committee, argues that banning nicotine pouches would be a profound public health mistake—one that ignores harm reduction science and risks reversing global progress in smoking cessation.

As Russia’s federal vape policy stalls, regional governors are racing to implement local bans—now with the backing of President Vladimir Putin. The divide between swift local action and delayed national legislation is fueling debate over health, regulation, and the country’s broader approach to nicotine control.