FLER at APE

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.”

Police in Siem Reap, Cambodia, seized 10,168 items of e-cigarette paraphernalia during a raid on February 28, 2026, and arrested two suspected sellers and owners of the premises.

As regulation tightens and innovation matures, competition in the new tobacco industry is shifting. In its 2026 Global Product Trends in the New Tobacco Industry report, 2Firsts examines how heated tobacco, nicotine pouches, and vape products are moving beyond feature-driven upgrades toward system-level design, where experience management, compliance structure, and engineering capability increasingly shape long-term competition.

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.

GEEKBAR has added two new vaping products on its official website. Both feature transparent e-liquid tanks and are rated for up to 50,000 puffs. The CLR 50K is equipped with a 17 ml e-liquid capacity, is labeled at 5% nicotine (50 mg/ml), and offers Normal and Pulse modes, while the Clio X carries a 16 ml capacity, a dual-screen display, and three output modes.

Russia will introduce an extrajudicial (non-court) blocking mechanism starting March 1, 2026, allowing authorities to block websites selling tobacco and nicotine-containing products online without a court order. State Duma member Anton Nemkin said the change will place offending sites directly onto the prohibited information registry, speeding up enforcement, reducing the court burden, and increasing platform obligations to proactively monitor content.