IQOS Smoking Room at Manila International Airport

Two Malaysian men arrested for illegally importing e-cigarettes at Woodlands Checkpoint, facing charges, court hearing on December 15. (20 words)

Romania’s Competition Council has found that Philip Morris Trading SRL and two distributors engaged in agreements to fix resale prices and promotional discounts for IQOS heated tobacco products.

The Welsh Parliament (Senedd) has approved new legislation banning tobacco sales to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009. The law, passed on December 9, 2025, also imposes stricter controls on how vapes and nicotine products are advertised and sold. Designed by the UK Government but voted on separately in Wales, the bill passed with 36 votes in favor, two abstentions, and nine against. It grants stronger enforcement powers to Trading Standards to combat illegal tobacco and vape sales.

China has for the first time issued clear regulatory rules for nicotine pouches and other oral nicotine products, formally classifying them under the tobacco monopoly alongside cigarettes and tobacco, ending a long-standing legal grey zone and laying the regulatory groundwork for their potential domestic launch.

A lawmaker from Costa Rica’s ruling party has introduced a bill to completely ban e-cigarettes and related products, covering their import, sale, use, and manufacturing, citing rising youth use and associated health risks. The proposal would repeal the current regulatory law and has raised concerns that a full ban, combined with weak enforcement, could fuel a black market.

RAZ has recently launched the RAZ VUE 50K on U.S. online vape channels, positioning it as the brand’s first disposable vape featuring a detachable battery. The device uses a dual-battery setup—an integrated 420mAh battery in the pod paired with a reusable 900mAh power bank—and is rated for up to approximately 50,000 puffs in Normal Mode.