DTI Lifts Trade Ban on AEROGIN and RELX, FLARE and Others Still Need PS Certification

Nov.26.2024
DTI Lifts Trade Ban on AEROGIN and RELX, FLARE and Others Still Need PS Certification
The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has lifted the trade ban on AEROGIN and RELX, while products from brands like FLARE, NIXX, and VAPENGIN still require Philippine Standards (PS) certification before they can be sold.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has officially lifted the suspension on the sale of vape products produced by AEROGIN and RELX.

 

At the same time, the DTI has removed the Preliminary Order/Preventive Measure Order against FLARE, NIXX, and VAPENGIN products. However, the sale of these products will remain prohibited until they secure the necessary Philippine Standard (PS) certification.

 

DTI emphasizes its commitment to ensuring the safety and quality of vape products in the Philippine market through strict enforcement of regulatory standards. Under Republic Act No. 11900 (RA11900), also known as the "Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act," and related regulations, the Office for the Special Mandate on Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products (OSMV) has the authority to take immediate action, including the recall, restriction, or confiscation of non-compliant vape products, devices, or novel tobacco products, following due process.

China’s Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute develops end-to-end heated tobacco analysis to trace aerosol compound origins
China’s Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute develops end-to-end heated tobacco analysis to trace aerosol compound origins
The Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of China National Tobacco Corporation has filed a patent application for an end-to-end method to analyze the migration and transformation of chemical compounds in heated tobacco products. Using GC-Orbitrap/MS non-targeted analysis, the method compares tobacco substrate and aerosol samples to distinguish compounds transferred directly from the substrate from those newly formed during heating, while also calculating transfer rates. In an example involving nine heated tobacco products, the patent identified 17 newly formed thermal decomposition compounds and 38 transferred compounds.
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Zhang Xiaotang Appointed Deputy Director of China’s Tobacco Regulator, Adding Another Finance-Background Official to Top Leadership
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China’s State Council has appointed Zhang Xiaotang as deputy director of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, with the regulator’s official website now listing him as a Party leadership group member and deputy director. Zhang previously led Hebei China Tobacco and earlier headed the STMA’s finance and audit department. His appointment follows the elevation earlier this year of former tax official Yao Laiying to head the STMA, adding another senior official with a strong fiscal or financial-management background to China Tobacco’s top leadership in 2026.
News
Sep.20
On-Site Report | CTP Details PMTA Backlog, 180-Day Review Goal and sPMTA Process
On-Site Report | CTP Details PMTA Backlog, 180-Day Review Goal and sPMTA Process
FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products detailed new PMTA review data and process changes at the 2026 FDLI conference. Pending PMTAs fell from about 450,000 at the start of 2025 to 135,000 by September 2026. CTP also discussed its 180-day review goal, current sPMTA pilot, alternate-supplier planning, more than 50,300 pending SE reports, and lessons from the nicotine pouch pilot already being applied to ENDS review.
Regulations
Oct.07
China Tobacco Plans CNY 60 Billion Investment in ICBC, Agricultural Bank as Strategic Ties Extend Beyond Equity
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China National Tobacco Corporation and several subsidiaries plan to invest a combined CNY 60 billion ($8.7 billion) in share placements by Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Agricultural Bank of China as strategic investors. The agreements extend beyond equity investment to corporate governance, banking services and supply-chain finance. The filings also disclose 2025 data on China Tobacco’s tax and profit contributions and industry scale.
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Altria’s USSTC Starts $250 Million Kentucky Expansion, Adding More Than 200 Jobs
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U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company, an Altria Group company, has broken ground on an approximately $250 million manufacturing expansion in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The roughly 270,000-square-foot facility is expected to create more than 200 jobs and absorb processing, manufacturing and packaging operations currently split between Hopkinsville and Nashville, Tennessee. USSTC previously said production at its Nashville facility is expected to wind down by early 2028. The project forms part of Altria’s broader effort to modernize and consolidate its U.S. smokeless tobacco manufacturing network.
Sep.10
After Apple Business Decline, South Korea’s ITM Semiconductor Expands KT&G Vape Supply Chain as Vape Revenue Rises 24.8%
After Apple Business Decline, South Korea’s ITM Semiconductor Expands KT&G Vape Supply Chain as Vape Revenue Rises 24.8%
South Korean electronics component supplier ITM Semiconductor is reshaping its business portfolio after a decline in Apple-related protection circuit business, expanding its supply of vape devices and cartridges to KT&G. According to News1 on August 18, 2026, ITM’s vape-related revenue rose 24.8% year on year to 75.5 billion won in the first half of 2026. The company began mass production of vape devices at its Cikarang, Indonesia facility in January 2026, strengthening export manufacturing capacity. Meanwhile, Samsung-related protection circuit sales continued to grow, providing support during the transition.
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