IQOS Smoking Room at Manila International Airport

Alabama’s Senate Bill 9 advanced after clearing the Senate Committee on Healthcare, moving to the full Alabama Senate for consideration. The proposal would update the state’s 2003 Clean Indoor Air Act by including e-cigarettes and other vaping devices under the same restrictions that apply to smoking in most enclosed public places.

A delegation from the Great Wall Cigar Factory of China Tobacco Sichuan Industrial Co., Ltd. recently visited the embassies of Cuba, Morocco, and Indonesia in Beijing to explore opportunities for industrial cooperation and trade expansion.

Russian police in Tambov have detained a man for storing and selling unmarked e-cigarettes. Over 150,000 counterfeit e-cigarettes, cartridges, and e-liquids were seized, valued at more than 126.5 million rubles (approximately USD 1.65 million). Tests revealed that the nicotine content of the seized products exceeded the levels stated on their packaging. A criminal case has been opened under Article 171.1, Part 6 of the Russian Criminal Code.

UNB reports that Bangladesh has imposed a complete ban on e-cigarettes, vapes, and other emerging tobacco products as the Smoking and Tobacco Products Use Control (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 has come into effect.

RELX has recently launched its disposable e-cigarette, the RELX DIVA, on online channels in South Korea, offering two nicotine strengths of 0.98% and 1.98%. Publicly available information shows the device features a 20 mL e-liquid capacity and is rated for around 30,000 puffs, alongside a 750 mAh rechargeable battery and two power modes—BOOST and ECO—at approximately 16W and 13W, respectively.

The Unified Patent Court’s Court of Appeal declined on Dec. 29 to revive a European patent held by VMR Products LLC, upholding a finding that the patent is not inventive over earlier devices. The decision said adding a window in the vape’s outer shell to reveal the internal cartridge holding vape liquid was an obvious, routine adaptation based on an earlier U.S. patent and general knowledge.