FLER at APE

Al Fakher has launched nicotine pouches, marking the world’s leading hookah brand’s entry into the modern oral nicotine category.

Cheetham Hill in Greater Manchester has become one of the UK’s most concentrated vape retail clusters, with 54 e-cigarette shops operating along two adjacent streets following a police crackdown on counterfeit goods in the area.

Imperial Brands has announced the launch of a new Sour Berry flavour for its Blu vape range. The product will launch across retail this month, with both the Blu bar kit and Blu pod pack carrying a recommended retail price of GBP 5.99 (approximately USD 7.79, based on 1 GBP ≈ 1.30 USD).

2Firsts has noted that a nicotine toothpick product named Pixx has appeared on a UK retailer website. The product page describes it as a smoke-free nicotine product, and the packaging image shows “UK MADE.” A nicotine-industry professional wrote on LinkedIn that the UK is set to introduce vape tax changes that may increase pressure on the retail side, and said Pixx is expected not to be included in the upcoming vape tax.

Finnish Customs are investigating a firm suspected of importing and selling nicotine pouches without paying tobacco tax. Two Finnish citizens have been questioned as part of the probe. The authority believes the nicotine pouches were imported into Finland from other EU countries before being distributed to Finnish retailers.

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.”