Global E-cigarette Market Weekly (1.15-1.21)

Industry Insight by 2FIRSTS
Jan.22.2024
Global E-cigarette Market Weekly (1.15-1.21)
In a challenging market, big cigarette brands are entering Japan, while Malaysia pushes for e-liquid regulation. Can Korea's e-cigarette market rise in 2024?

The "credit society" with airtight regulations, stringent production conditions, and advertisers who constantly switch channels make it challenging for new tobacco brands to enter the Japanese market. However, as small brands face entry barriers and believe in the vast market potential after the relaxation of zero nicotine restrictions, established brands have started to seize this opportunity and expand their distribution.

 

The Malaysian E-Cigarette Consumers Association has announced that they have shared the findings of the 2FIRSTS report with local consumers and will continue to advocate for local e-liquid regulations.

 

In 2023, multiple well-known disposable e-cigarette brands such as ELFBAR and VUSE have entered the South Korean market. Simultaneously, South Korean conglomerates are also actively establishing their presence in the e-cigarette industry. This series of developments has the potential to disrupt the existing landscape of the South Korean e-cigarette market. In light of these changes, the question arises: Can the South Korean e-cigarette market thrive in 2024?

 

On January 18th, a backbench debate took place in the British Parliament, allowing backbench MPs to raise local or national issues and receive responses from relevant government ministers. The debate focused on the regulation of e-cigarettes in the UK, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the contrasting views between the organization and the British government regarding e-cigarettes.

 

On January 18, 2024, 2FIRSTS and CNR News held a signing ceremony for the ESG projects in the vaping industry, accompanied by the release of the "2023 Global Vaping Industry ESG Development Report" at the CNR News headquarters in Beijing. The event was attended by Wu Gang, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of CNR News, Zhao Tong, Co-founder and CEO of 2FIRSTS, Hu Lishan, Senior Director of the Financial and Economic Department at CNR News, and Hou Yuhuan, Global Vice President and Executive Editor-in-Chief of 2FIRSTS.

 

Blu's former factory, Tianchang Group, experiences a 79% decrease in e-cigarette sales and plans to seek new customers to expand its customer base.

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Marketing Denial Order (MDO) to SMOK, a manufacturer of 22 e-cigarette products. Please refer to the detailed list at the end of the article.

 

Guangdong Liwang New Energy Co., Ltd. received three institutional visits and highlighted its advantages and future plans in the lithium-ion battery business.

 

Vuse Go 800 is set to be widely available in South Korea, with distribution expanding to include 30,000 convenience stores and tobacco shops throughout the country.

 

SKE, a company specializing in electronic atomizer components, has announced its plan to establish an industrial park in Guangshui City, Hubei Province, with a total investment of 1 billion RMB.

 

We welcome news tips, article submissions, interview requests, or comments on this piece.

Please contact us at info@2firsts.com, or reach out to Alan Zhao, CEO of 2Firsts, on LinkedIn


Notice

1.  This article is intended solely for professional research purposes related to industry, technology, and policy. Any references to brands or products are made purely for objective description and do not constitute any form of endorsement, recommendation, or promotion by 2Firsts.

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China’s Jinhua Tobacco Launches CNY 2.7 Million Procurement for E-Cigarette Violation Lead Monitoring Services
China’s Jinhua Tobacco Launches CNY 2.7 Million Procurement for E-Cigarette Violation Lead Monitoring Services
Jinhua Tobacco, a municipal tobacco company in China’s Zhejiang province, has launched a public tender for e-cigarette-related violation lead monitoring and consulting services. The project is valued at CNY 2.7 million and covers data resource integration and analytical consulting services for 36 months from contract signing. The procurement reflects the use of external data and analysis services to support local tobacco companies’ market oversight activities related to e-cigarettes.
Aug.07
2Firsts Data | China’s Vape-Related Exports Rise 16.5% in July 2026 as U.S.-Bound Shipments Jump 53.5%
2Firsts Data | China’s Vape-Related Exports Rise 16.5% in July 2026 as U.S.-Bound Shipments Jump 53.5%
China’s vape-related exports reached $1.047 billion in July 2026, up 16.5% year on year and the highest monthly total of the year. Growth was heavily concentrated in the U.S., where exports jumped 53.5% to $404 million and accounted for 94.9% of the overall increase. Exports to all other markets rose just 1.2%. By category, nicotine-containing non-combustible products—primarily vapes—under HS24041200 rose 24.7% and generated 95.5% of the total increase. Vape-device exports under HS85434000 fell 0.4%, while other nicotine-substitute products under HS24041990 grew 88.9% but remained comparatively small.
DATA
Aug.24
Product | DOJO Launches BLAST10K Fresh in UK With 0+10ml E-Liquid Structure, Retaining 2+8ml Pod Compatibility
Product | DOJO Launches BLAST10K Fresh in UK With 0+10ml E-Liquid Structure, Retaining 2+8ml Pod Compatibility
DOJO launched the BLAST10K Fresh in the UK on September 4, 2026, introducing its INSTA-JUICED™ technology and a new 0+10ml structure that keeps e-liquid separated from the coil before activation. The device features a 1000mAh rechargeable battery, COREX BLAST dual-mesh technology and SSS leak-resistant technology, with a manufacturer-rated capacity of up to 10,000 puffs. It also retains compatibility with existing 2+8ml pods across the BLAST ecosystem. The launch introduces eight new flavors, including Matcha Strawberry, which DOJO describes as an industry first.
Market
Sep.04
Hunan China Tobacco Industry files heated tobacco device patent featuring adult-user identification through pressure sensing
Hunan China Tobacco Industry files heated tobacco device patent featuring adult-user identification through pressure sensing
China-based Hunan China Tobacco Industry Co., Ltd. and Shenzhen Baisha Technology Co., Ltd. have filed a patent application covering an adult-user identification mechanism for heated tobacco devices. The patent proposes using flexible pressure sensors installed in the device grip area to collect pressure distribution patterns generated when users hold the device. The system evaluates factors including effective contact area, grip shape and contact duration, and combines roller movement detection to determine whether unlocking conditions are met. The filing reflects exploration of device-level user recognition and smarter interaction technologies for heated tobacco products (HTPs).
Aug.05
Special Report | Can Nicotine Be Replaced? 6-MN Is Already on the Market While Key Human Evidence Is Still Missing
Special Report | Can Nicotine Be Replaced? 6-MN Is Already on the Market While Key Human Evidence Is Still Missing
Nicotine analogues such as 6-methylnicotine are already appearing in e-cigarettes and oral pouches, even as key human evidence remains limited. A new Nixodine-S study adds nonclinical data showing differences from nicotine in cytotoxicity and receptor activity, while independent studies point to a more complex toxicological picture. With supply-chain activity growing and FDA seeking clearer authority over nicotine analogues, the industry now faces a larger question: what evidence is needed before these substances can credibly replace nicotine?
SCIENCE
Sep.23
U.S. Ninth Circuit Upholds FDA Denial of MH Global’s Flavored Vape PMTA Applications
U.S. Ninth Circuit Upholds FDA Denial of MH Global’s Flavored Vape PMTA Applications
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the FDA’s denial of MH Global LLC’s applications to market flavored electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). The court ruled that FDA’s comparative-efficacy framework, which requires applicants to show that flavored products provide greater cessation or switching benefits than tobacco-flavored alternatives, is consistent with the Tobacco Control Act’s “appropriate for the protection of the public health” standard. The court also found that FDA was not required to establish the framework through notice-and-comment rulemaking.
Aug.26