Oral health: Vaping inflicts damage and can lead to ‘irreversible’ problems

In an interview with Romanian marketing publication IQads, Marek Gębski, Director of Smoke-Free Products at Philip Morris Romania, said IQOS experience spaces are evolving from traditional retail locations into platforms for consumer engagement and brand connection. Through locations such as IQOS Boutique Victoriei, PMI aims to use design, culture and consumer experiences to strengthen communication with adult consumers about smoke-free products. The interview highlights how tobacco companies are expanding smoke-free strategies beyond products toward experiential marketing and consumer relationships.

British American Tobacco (BAT) has called for stronger retailer involvement in shaping future nicotine product regulations in the UK, arguing that frontline market feedback should be considered during policy development. BAT said retailers provide direct insight into consumer behavior, market changes and regulatory implementation challenges. The comments come as the UK nicotine market undergoes regulatory changes, including the disposable vape ban, Vaping Products Duty and efforts to address illicit vape sales.

According to Haypp’s 2026 UK Nicotine Report, nicotine pouches are increasingly replacing both cigarettes and vaping. The UK market grew sharply, with Haypp and Northerner reporting a 60% year‑on‑year sales increase in 2025. Notably, 40% of users adopted pouches to quit vaping, nearly matching the 43% who used them to stop smoking. This indicates pouches are expanding beyond traditional smoking cessation and gaining traction among adults seeking non‑inhalable nicotine alternatives.

According to The Moodie Davitt Report, PMI Global Travel Retail and Frankfurt Airport Retail have launched new IQOS and VEEV retail spaces at Frankfurt Airport. The installations, located inside and outside duty-free areas, showcase IQOS heated tobacco products and VEEV e-vapor products through product education, consumer interaction and brand experiences. Frankfurt Airport Retail, operated by Fraport Group and Gebr. Heinemann, manages key retail activities at Frankfurt Airport. The initiative follows PMI’s broader strategy of expanding smoke-free products through global travel retail channels. PMI has previously introduced VEEV products across multiple European airports while continuing to expand IQOS and VEEV availability in international markets.

Vapsolo has launched the Sixer 180K, a flagship disposable vape built around a 6-in-1 architecture featuring six independent e-liquid tanks and six dedicated mesh coils. Alongside a claimed up to 180,000 puffs, the new device reflects a broader shift in disposable vape development from increasing puff counts toward modular hardware design and multi-flavor user experience.

British American Tobacco Japan (BAT Japan) has introduced virto Bright Peach Click, a new heated tobacco stick designed for the glo Hilo system. The product expands the existing virto consumable lineup with a combination of tobacco, menthol and ripe peach flavors, featuring a capsule mechanism that releases additional fruit flavor when activated. The product launched in Japan on July 27, 2026, through glo official online channels, convenience stores and tobacco retailers.