KT&G has approved a plan to establish a branch in Guatemala, which will serve as its first local base in Central and South America. The company is currently preparing office space, staffing, and operating systems. KT&G said the branch is intended to secure a regional distribution base and will focus on local channel management and new sales channel expansion. Meanwhile, overseas cigarette revenue in 2025 exceeded the domestic share for the first time.

China Tobacco Hubei Industrial Co., Ltd. has published a patent describing a laboratory method to evaluate the reproductive and developmental safety of heated tobacco products using non-human animal exposure models. The approach introduces a structured toxicological testing framework that could support safety verification, quality control, and regulatory evidence generation for heated tobacco products.

Jiangsu China Tobacco Industrial Co., Ltd. has disclosed a patent describing a nicotine oral formulation produced using 3D printing technology. The invention enables a three-stage nicotine release system—rapid onset, sustained delivery and long-term release—through a layered structure with varying porosity. The technology reflects growing experimentation within China Tobacco’s research system around precision nicotine delivery for modern oral products.

Reynolds American says it will invest more than $3.2 billion across its U.S. operations by 2030. The investment began in 2024 and is expected to support more than 2,000 direct and indirect jobs. The company says the plan covers modernization and expansion of manufacturing facilities, scaling innovation and production, supply-chain initiatives and employee training, and also references its R&D spending and related site footprint.

On March 4, 2026, more than 160 public interest organizations worldwide sent a letter to Formula 1 urging it to expand its 2006 prohibition on cigarette sponsorships to include nicotine pouches and other tobacco products. The letter states that Philip Morris International sponsors Ferrari to promote ZYN pouches, while British American Tobacco sponsors McLaren with its Velo brand, with logos displayed on cars and drivers’ race suits and promoted on social media.