FLER at APE

According to Investing.com citing Bank of America scanner data for the four weeks ending May 30, U.S. nicotine category performance was mixed, with cigarette, vapor and cigar sales declining while oral tobacco sales rose 5.8%.

According to Chinese patent records, a “nicotine tooth patch” application filed by China Tobacco Hubei Industrial Corporation (CTHB) and Hubei Xinye Tobacco Sheet Development Co., Ltd. was published on May 19, 2026. The filing proposes a nicotine gel patch that adheres to the tooth surface, especially the lingual side, to reduce displacement, foreign-body sensation, and accidental swallowing risks associated with existing oral nicotine products.

PMI’s nicotine pouch brand ZYN has launched the ZYN Club loyalty platform in Mexico and introduced ZYN Live Stadium viewing experiences around football matches, showing how nicotine pouch brands are using rewards, limited benefits and offline consumption settings to reach adult consumers.

Vietnam tightens e-cigarette rules. Health Ministry proposes banning production, trade, transport, storage, ads, promotion, sponsorship, and use of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and new products. Hanoi also urges residents to report illegal activities, showing enforcement moves from lawmaking to local action.

China’s vape-related exports fell 10.25% year on year in May 2026, marking a second consecutive monthly decline, although exports recovered modestly from April. January-May exports totaled US$4.018 billion, down 0.86% from a year earlier and broadly in line with 2025 levels.

Reuters reported on July 13, 2026, that India is seeking to dismiss Adani Airports’ legal challenge over nicotine pouch sales at Mumbai International Airport’s duty-free shops. Adani denies wrongdoing and argues that existing drug and cosmetics regulations do not apply to duty-free sales or nicotine pouches.