IQOS Smoking Room at Manila International Airport

British American Tobacco (BAT) Japan will introduce its first Valentine’s-season limited-edition colourway, “Rose Quartz,” for the glo Hilo heated tobacco device lineup, covering both the glo Hilo and glo Hilo Plus. The devices are priced at JPY 3,980 (about $25.2) and JPY 6,980 (about $44.1), respectively, and will go on sale via official channels from Feb. 9. BAT Japan will also launch a new glo Hilo-compatible virto tobacco stick variant, “virto Bright Cherry Click,” on Feb. 2.

A Barnsley town-centre vape retailer and its owner have been ordered to pay more than £15,000 after admitting multiple offences linked to the continued sale of illegal single-use vapes and non-compliant food items, despite three formal improvement notices.

According to Hampshire County Council, its Trading Standards team confiscated 116,000 illegal vape and tobacco products in 2025, worth an estimated £138,000 — a record annual haul.

Kazakhstan’s Financial Monitoring Agency (AFM) in Ulytau Region is conducting a pre-trial investigation into alleged illegal vape sales and the unlawful acquisition of access to a bank account. Authorities say a Satpayev resident has sold banned devices via social media since 2024 and used a “dropper” arrangement to disguise proceeds.

Anti-tobacco groups in Malaysia say the continued sale of unregulated vapes in physical stores and the online availability of vape devices underline the need for comprehensive enforcement.

NSW Health has shut down five Inner West Sydney stores for 90 days after a major seizure of illicit cigarettes and illegal vapes, with two additional premises in Northern NSW also served closure notices. The action forms part of a broader crackdown that has seen 66 stores closed since new laws took effect in late 2025, with NSW Health warning further enforcement — including prosecution — may follow.