2FIRSTS Headline | Global Vape Industry News; Latest Industry Insights

Germany Plans Tobacco Tax Hike, With Cigarette Prices Nearing €12 Per Pack by 2030

Germany plans to raise tobacco taxes over the coming years, potentially pushing the average price of a 20-cigarette pack to about €11.78 by 2030. The proposal also covers fine-cut tobacco, cigars, pipe tobacco and e-cigarette liquids.

Jul.14

Shopify Requires Merchants to Remove All Vape Products by July 8, Reshaping Online Sales Channels

Shopify has instructed merchants using its web-hosting services to remove vape products from their online stores by July 8, 2026. The policy expands beyond illegal products and applies to all electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), marking a broader shift in online platform oversight of nicotine sales.

Innovation

Jul.14

Product | PMI Introduces VEEV inPrime, Bringing an Induction Vaporization Platform to the Next Generation of the VEEV Portfolio

Philip Morris International (PMI) has introduced VEEV inPrime, the next-generation closed-system vape platform featuring the new AdvanceVape Induction System™. Alongside the new induction platform, PMI has redesigned the pods, e-liquid formulations and user interaction experience. According to PMI and official IQOS websites, VEEV inPrime began a phased European rollout between May and June 2026, with products now available in Greece, Estonia, the United Kingdom and Italy.

Jul.14

Former ATF Official’s Claims on Chinese Vape Companies and 6-Methyl Nicotine Fuel US Regulatory Debate

Former ATF Deputy Director Edgar Domenech has warned that some Chinese vape companies may be using 6-methyl nicotine, a nicotine analogue, raising new questions over how US regulators should classify emerging nicotine compounds.

Jul.13

Special Report｜South Korean Lawmaker Queries China Tobacco Regulator Over Synthetic Nicotine as Export-Rule Gaps Emerge

A South Korean lawmaker has asked China’s tobacco regulator to clarify rules for e-cigarettes containing synthetic nicotine amid questions over product declarations and possible tax losses. The dispute exposes gaps between Chinese export requirements and destination-market rules, while underscoring the global impact of China’s licensing and traceability policies.

Jul.10

Germany Plans Tobacco Tax Hike, With Cigarette Prices Nearing €12 Per Pack by 2030

Jul.14

Shopify Requires Merchants to Remove All Vape Products by July 8, Reshaping Online Sales Channels

Innovation

Jul.14

Product | PMI Introduces VEEV inPrime, Bringing an Induction Vaporization Platform to the Next Generation of the VEEV Portfolio

Jul.14

Former ATF Official’s Claims on Chinese Vape Companies and 6-Methyl Nicotine Fuel US Regulatory Debate

Jul.13

Special Report｜South Korean Lawmaker Queries China Tobacco Regulator Over Synthetic Nicotine as Export-Rule Gaps Emerge

Jul.10

Reuters: India Seeks to Dismiss Adani Nicotine Pouch Challenge as Mumbai Airport Dispute Moves to Court

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.

Innovation

Jul.14

Product | IVG Pro 15K Enters European Retail Channels, Expanding High-Capacity Pod System Segment

UK vape brand IVG has introduced the IVG Pro 15K, a high-capacity pod system combining a 2ml prefilled pod with a 10ml refill container to deliver up to 15,000 puffs. Unlike conventional high-puff disposable vapes, the IVG Pro 15K adopts a reusable device structure, reflecting a broader shift in the European vape market toward longer-use-cycle products and reusable hardware ecosystems.

Jul.14

Germany Seizes 56 Pallets of Illegal Vapes, Probe Estimates €1.8 Million Tax Loss

German authorities have seized dozens of pallets of illegal disposable vapes in a criminal investigation, with the products estimated to have caused at least €1.8 million in tax losses. The case has also raised concerns over cross-border supply chains linked to unauthorized nicotine products entering the European market.

Jul.14

Product | YOOZ Launches Waker Electronic Shisha Device, Expanding Vape Applications Beyond Portable Devices

YOOZ has introduced the Waker Electronic Shisha device, expanding its vaping portfolio into the electronic shisha category. The device combines a rechargeable hardware platform with dedicated cartridges, featuring a 4,000mAh battery, up to 60W output power, and LED lighting effects. The product has appeared across multiple French retail channels, reflecting the continued expansion of vaping products into new consumption scenarios.

Jul.13

Product | ZAR Launches Coffee AirPouch, Expanding Pouch Format Into Caffeine Products

ZAR has introduced Coffee AirPouch, a nicotine-free caffeine pouch product that extends the brand’s AirPouch format into the functional consumer category. Each pouch contains 50mg of natural caffeine and features a coffee flavor, highlighting how pouch-based products are expanding beyond traditional nicotine applications into broader lifestyle and energy-use scenarios.

Market

Jul.13

Australia’s Tobacco Tax Debate Intensifies as One Nation’s Barnaby Joyce Warns of Illicit Market Growth

Australian One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce has criticised continued tobacco excise increases, arguing that higher taxes are driving consumers toward illicit tobacco markets and benefiting organised crime groups.

Regulations

Jul.13

Philip Morris Romania Expands IQOS Boutique Network to 120 Locations With Retail 2.0 Store

Philip Morris Romania has opened IQOS Boutique Victoriei in Bucharest, expanding the country’s IQOS retail network to 120 points of sale and advancing a Retail 2.0 concept that combines design, technology, interactive art and urban culture.

PMI

Jul.13

EU Tobacco Rules Face Pushback as Analysis Says 90% of Consultation Responses Raised Objections

An analysis by We Are Innovation says more than 90% of over 82,000 responses to the European Commission’s public consultation on the Tobacco Products Directive revision raised at least one substantial objection to the proposed regulatory direction.

Jul.13

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