Reynolds American, a subsidiary of British American Tobacco (BAT), is rolling out the Vuse Pro vaping system in the U.S. The rechargeable closed-pod device requires users to complete age verification through the Vuse Pro App and pair the device via Bluetooth before first activation. The app also supports device locking, automatic locking and device-location functions. Vuse's U.S. website currently lists Peach, Berry, Watermelon and Fresh Mint Vuse Pro Pods, all at 5.0% nicotine by weight (NBW), using nicotine salts and offered in two- and four-pod packs. The products have not received FDA marketing authorization.

British American Tobacco’s Reynolds American has begun selling Vuse Pro in parts of the United States. The product comes in Peach, Berry, Watermelon and Fresh Mint and requires consumers to complete age verification through a smartphone application before the device can be activated. Vuse Pro has not received marketing authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Its launch was included in BAT’s 2026 plan, which calls for distribution through about 25,000 retail outlets in the third quarter and another 25,000 in the fourth. The rollout follows changes to FDA enforcement priorities and the agency’s first authorization of flavored vaping products equipped with mandatory age-verification technology.

Japan Tobacco (JT) launched a refreshed Ploom CUBE design in Japan on September 8, 2026, with broader convenience-store and tobacco-retail distribution planned from October 13. The updated device retains the existing Rounded Cube form and heating platform while replacing four previous body colors with Pebble White and Cobalt Black. JT is also introducing new Front Panels and Fabric Back Covers, although the new accessories are not compatible with the previous Ploom CUBE design. The company says the update is intended to broaden appeal among younger male and female users.

Japan Tobacco (JT) will expand EVO Cacao Mint Crystal from limited channels to nationwide retail in Japan from October 6, 2026. The Ploom tobacco stick ranked first in the brand's first consumer voting campaign for new tobacco-stick SKUs held earlier this year. JT will also introduce a limited 22-stick pack at the same JPY 620 price as the standard 20-stick pack. The capsule-format product combines menthol with sweet, bittersweet cacao notes and adds a berry nuance when the capsule is crushed.

A commentary published in the international open-access, peer-reviewed Harm Reduction Journal argues that randomized controlled trials remain central to evaluating smoking cessation efficacy but cannot alone capture real-world uptake, complete switching, longer-term use and population impact of non-combustible nicotine products such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco and nicotine pouches. The authors frame impact as “reach × efficacy” and call for real-world evidence to complement RCTs. Three days after publication, the FDA authorized three JUUL2 products and highlighted complete switching among adult smokers in explaining its decision, providing a timely regulatory backdrop to the debate.