FLER at APE

According to China’s patent office records, a patent owned by China Tobacco Hubei Industrial Corporation (CTHB) for “cigarette paper and a cigarette for microwave heating” was granted on May 19, 2026. The patent describes cigarette paper with an outer wrapping layer, a heating layer, and an isolation heat-conducting layer, allowing it to absorb microwave energy, convert it to heat, and transfer that heat to the aerosol-generating substrate.

Philip Morris Japan announced on April 23 at a product briefing that ZYN by IQOS, an oral tobacco pouch previously launched in selected areas, will expand sales in Tokyo. The company said the product will be released progressively from May 11 through IQOS shops, Lawson and other outlets in the city. The launch will include four flavors, each offered in Low and Medium intensity levels, for a total of eight products.

Turning Point Brands reported first-quarter 2026 results on May 7, covering the period ended March 31, 2026. Total consolidated net sales were $124.3 million, up 16.8% year on year. Gross profit was $68.3 million, up 14.6%, while net income fell 19.0% to $11.7 million. Adjusted EBITDA declined 6.5% to $25.9 million.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin on May 13 criticized the Trump Administration’s Food and Drug Administration for approving the sale and marketing of fruit-flavored e-cigarettes for the first time, while also allowing some illegal vaping products to remain on the market. He also linked the regulatory shift to the departure of FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, saying White House pressure on regulators to approve tobacco product applications could create serious public-health consequences.

According to public records from China’s National Intellectual Property Administration, a patent application filed by China Tobacco Yunnan Industrial Co., Ltd. for “cigar flavor granules” was published on May 12, 2026. The filing proposes purifying an ethanol extract of cigar tobacco leaves using LX-8 macroporous resin, followed by encapsulation with maltodextrin and sucrose fatty acid ester to improve smoking comfort, reduce dryness and enhance aroma release stability in reconstituted tobacco.

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigned on May 12 after opposing the Trump administration’s push to authorize fruit-flavored vaping products, according to reporting by The New York Times. Makary reportedly objected over concerns that flavored vapes could attract young people and refused to support broader approvals.