IQOS Smoking Room at Manila International Airport

Belarus will increase excise taxes in 2026 on vapes, liquids for electronic smoking systems, and non-tobacco nicotine products, with a proposed 20% rise aimed at aligning these rates with traditional cigarettes. Electronic smoking devices and heated tobacco systems will also be added to the list of excisable goods. Excise taxes on filtered cigarettes and heated tobacco will rise by 7% and 3% respectively.

HiTaste has introduced its new HNB device, the F10, on social media, highlighting its wrap-around heating and dual-heating features. Similar “dual-heating” and “one-stick-two-sessions” designs were widely showcased at InterTabac 2025, signaling that this technical direction is emerging as a new competitive focus among HNB brands.

Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies has postponed the debate on a reform to the General Health Law that seeks to completely ban the sale and distribution of electronic cigarettes and vapes. Lawmaker Amancay González Franco (MC) criticized the draft for excluding tobacco heating devices, such as Philip Morris’s IQOS, arguing that these products are even more harmful according to the World Health Organization.

Imperial Brands’ vaping brand blu has outlined its flavour roadmap for 2026 on its official website, adding a new “Creamy Tobacco” flavour that has been rolled out across the rechargeable blu bar kit and its compatible blu kit pods. The brand describes the flavour as offering a more velvety tobacco taste.

A U.S. federal court in Florida denied Philip Morris International and its subsidiaries’ motion to dismiss, allowing consumers to proceed with claims under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act alleging that Zyn nicotine pouches’ “tobacco-free” marketing is misleading. The court held that the allegations do not amount to a fraud claim and may move forward to the merits stage.

Australia sent a delegation to COP11 in Switzerland and is leading three major seminars to showcase its vape and tobacco control policies. But at home, illicit cigarette sales are skyrocketing amid record-high taxes, drawing criticism from the tobacco industry and prompting doubts over policy effectiveness.