FLER at APE

South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said on April 17 that it has additionally designated the International Characterization Research Institute as a tobacco harmful components testing body under the Act on the Management of Tobacco Harmfulness. The institute has research experience in analyzing harmful components in liquid e-cigarettes and has obtained recognition for tobacco-sector ISO 17025 requirements.

According to The Star and The Edge Malaysia, tobacco control groups in Malaysia have urged the government to raise tobacco taxes by at least 5% annually, saying the measure could reduce smoking rates and fund public health and social programmes.

According to The New York Times, Reynolds American donated $5 million to a Trump-backed super PAC shortly before the FDA introduced a new policy that could benefit major tobacco companies seeking to sell flavored vaping products.

Delaware’s latest tobacco tax increase bill cleared its first House committee hurdle on April 22. Backed by House Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown, the bill would raise the cigarette tax from $2.10 to $3.60 per pack and increase taxes on moist snuff, vapor products and other tobacco products.

Seoul will begin fining the use of all tobacco products, including liquid e-cigarettes, in no-smoking areas from April 24, when the revised Tobacco Business Act takes effect.

2026 — EVO NXT 2026 officially opened today in Prague, bringing together manufacturers, brand owners, retailers, and decision-makers from across the global next-generation products (NGP) industry. As the event’s official media partner for the fourth consecutive year, 2Firsts is reporting on site, tracking key developments across the exhibition floor, forum agenda, and broader industry discussions.