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.

2.  The use of nicotine-containing products — including, but not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouchand heated tobacco products — carries significant health risks. Users are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions.

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China Tobacco Yunnan files patent for cellulose-free nicotine pouch scaffold to replace microcrystalline cellulose
China Tobacco Yunnan files patent for cellulose-free nicotine pouch scaffold to replace microcrystalline cellulose
China Tobacco Yunnan Industrial Co., Ltd. has filed a patent application for a cellulose-free scaffold material for nicotine pouches, proposing a combination of bioceramic material, polydextrose and sugar alcohols to replace conventional microcrystalline cellulose and cellulose derivatives. The filing aims to address issues including powdery mouthfeel, residue and limited release control, while also reducing reliance on existing cellulose-based patent portfolios. In patent examples, one fast-release formulation reached a nicotine release rate of 50% at 10 minutes and more than 90% at 20 minutes.
Sep.02
Bret Koplow Takes Permanent Charge of FDA Tobacco Center After Pushing Faster PMTA Reviews, as HHS Emphasizes Innovation and Access to Lower-Risk Alternatives
Bret Koplow Takes Permanent Charge of FDA Tobacco Center After Pushing Faster PMTA Reviews, as HHS Emphasizes Innovation and Access to Lower-Risk Alternatives
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has named Bret Koplow permanent director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, ending his period as acting chief. Koplow has spent years working on tobacco regulation, law and policy inside the FDA and, while serving as acting director, pushed for faster PMTA reviews and nicotine pouch review pilots. HHS also said CTP will prioritize innovation and access to less harmful alternatives for adult smokers while continuing efforts to protect youth.
Sep.09
STIIIZY Redesign Fails to Escape PAX Labs Patent Import Ban as Section 337 Case Also Involves China ALD
STIIIZY Redesign Fails to Escape PAX Labs Patent Import Ban as Section 337 Case Also Involves China ALD
U.S. Customs and Border Protection ruled that STIIIZY had not shown that the redesigned cannabis-vape products covered by its latest request fall outside an ITC limited exclusion order tied to PAX Labs patents. CBP accepted some of STIIIZY’s claim-construction and non-infringement arguments, but the company did not address two additional claims in the same patent. Earlier STIIIZY redesigned cartridges and certain associated components imported with them had received separate CBP clearance.
Sep.16
Product | Philip Morris Japan Launches Ginza-Exclusive IQOS ILUMA i PRIME, Limited to 1,814 Units at First Global Flagship
Product | Philip Morris Japan Launches Ginza-Exclusive IQOS ILUMA i PRIME, Limited to 1,814 Units at First Global Flagship
Philip Morris Japan (PMJ) launched the IQOS ILUMA i PRIME Ginza Limited Model Set in Tokyo on September 4, 2026, alongside the opening of IQOS Flagship Ginza, the brand’s first global flagship store. The Oasis Blue edition is limited to 1,814 individually numbered units, with the figure derived from the store’s address at Ginza 1-8-14. The set also includes two Yamanaka-nuri glasses and special packaging, priced at JPY 11,980 and sold exclusively at the Ginza flagship.
Sep.07
PMI Pushes Smoke-Free Business in Latin America as Argentina Lifts Heated Tobacco Ban, Mexico City Share Tops 7%
PMI Pushes Smoke-Free Business in Latin America as Argentina Lifts Heated Tobacco Ban, Mexico City Share Tops 7%
Philip Morris International (PMI) showcased IQOS heated tobacco systems and nicotine pouch products at Technovation 2026 in Buenos Aires on October 7–8, presenting research on consumer attitudes, regulatory developments and illicit cigarette trade across Latin America. PMI Chief Global Growth Officer Stefano Volpetti said smoke-free products accounted for more than 7% of the Mexico City market. Argentina repealed its heated tobacco ban in May 2026 and introduced registration requirements for tobacco and nicotine products, while local media reported nicotine pouch sales in Mendoza. A PMI-commissioned survey found that only 8% of respondents across four Latin American countries were familiar with nicotine pouches. A separate KPMG study estimated illicit cigarette consumption at 77 billion sticks across 11 markets in Latin America and Canada in 2025.
PMI
Oct.13
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