FLER at APE

A Belarusian Interior Ministry official said on March 18 at a press conference on preventing dependence on electronic smoking systems that a full ban on vapes is not appropriate in Belarus at this stage.

At the third session of its PMTA roundtable, the FDA outlined its framework for assessing abuse liability in ENDS products, emphasizing the role of nicotine pharmacokinetics and product-specific data in APPH determinations. Small manufacturers questioned the high cost of clinical PK studies and the absence of defined numeric thresholds, while raising bridging strategies and PBPK modeling as potential alternatives.

OXVA has recently launched its new e-cigarette, the SlimStick X. Unlike its predecessor, the SlimStick, which used a pre-filled pod system, the SlimStick X adopts an open-system refillable design, featuring a 2ml pod, a 1.0Ω coil, and a 1400mAh battery. The product has entered online retail channels in markets including the United States, the United Kingdom, Greece, and Spain, with a price of about $23.99.

After weeks of debate over a potential blanket prohibition, Belarus has decided against banning electronic cigarettes, choosing instead to tighten control over wholesale, imports and licensing. President Alexander Lukashenko warned that an outright ban could drive the market underground and undermine state revenues, as officials move to curb widespread illicit trade while keeping retail sales largely intact.

At a parliamentary committee meeting in South Africa, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the health department has agreed to exempt non-combustible and smokeless products — including chewing tobacco, snus, nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes — from the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill. The department is prepared, at this stage, to exempt them from packaging and labelling requirements except for misleading or false claims.

British American Tobacco said 2026 will mark a return to its mid-term growth algorithm, but CEO Tadeu Marroco stressed that deliverywill depend heavily on enforcement against illicit vapour products in the United States. Speaking at the FY2025 results call, he positioned Modern Oral as the company’s primary structural growth engine, reframed accelerating cigarette declines through “poly-usage,” and reinforced capital discipline with an expanded share buyback plan.