FLER at APE

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.

Police in Malaysia detained 51 individuals and seized over RM1 million worth of electronic cigarettes and liquid refills in a five-state operation dubbed “Op E-CIG,” conducted by the GOF Central Brigade on February 10. The report said the operation involved 30 raids across Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Melaka, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. Authorities seized 2,263 vape units and 165.463 litres of liquid.

Concerns about the effects of vaping on young people and public health were raised at County Hall, the report said, with Cllr Chris Jarman saying it may one day be viewed as “akin to asbestos.” Jarman cited NHS-related research and a case highlighted by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust: a 15-year-old admitted with chest pain and breathing difficulty who reported cannabis use and vaping about 500 puffs per day and was diagnosed via CT with “air leak syndrome.”

Georgia lawmakers are weighing new education bills that would tighten classroom phone rules, introduce firearm safety education from an early age, and require vape detectors in all high schools. Supporters argue the measures are needed to address mounting concerns around student safety, mental health and the growing presence of vaping on campuses.

India has reaffirmed its 2019 ban on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco devices, effectively blocking Philip Morris International (PMI) from launching IQOS in the country despite years of lobbying. Together with Taiwan, China’s conditional opening of heated tobacco products, and Japan’s planned 2026 excise tax hikes, these moves highlight increasingly divergent national regulatory pathways—an external uncertainty shaping PMI’s smoke-free growth trajectory.

Andy Tan, Ph.D., has been named a 2026 Fellow of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT), an international professional association dedicated to advancing nicotine and tobacco research. Fellows are selected for outstanding research contributions as well as leadership, mentoring, and policy engagement within the field.