Vape Market Weekly News (14th to 20th, Dec. 2024)

Vape Policies & Industry News (14th to 20th, Dec.)

• On Dec. 16, China Tobacco Hong Kong announced that the group expects to achieve an increase of no less than 30% in the profit attributable to equity holders of the company for the year ending December 31, 2024, and the growth of gross profit from the export of new tobacco products is one of the main reasons. https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2024/1216/2024121600820_c.pdf
• On Dec. 18, the People's Court of Bao'an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province issued an announcement, stating that upon the application of the executor, the court transferred the company to bankruptcy liquidation on the grounds that Max Technology could not pay off the debts due and the assets were insufficient to pay off all the debts. https://pccz.court.gov.cn/pcajxxw/pcws/wsxq?id=01003B7F4F6CBA6E5643D645F8F334D6
• On Dec. 15, Germany may ban menthol, leading the association to warn of possible impact on the vape market and consumers, calling on the government not to make a ban based on the new assessment to avoid triggering protests and the proliferation of illegal products. https://www.presseportal.de/pm/141532/5930694
• On Dec. 17, Large-scale enforcement in German flea markets has led to customs seizures of untaxed e-liquids and e-cigarettes. https://www.waz.de/lokales/gelsenkirchen/article407922871/grosskontrolle-auf-troedelmarkt-viele-verstoesse-aufgedeckt.html
• On Dec. 16, Indonesia's finance minister issued new rules that will increase the minimum retail price of vapes and other tobacco products from January 1, 2025, with the largest increase in open pod system, which cost $0.09 per milliliter of e-liquid and $2.6 per cartridge for closed pod devices. https://kesehatan.kontan.co.id/news/resmi-sri-mulyani-naikkan-harga-rokok-elektrik-mulai-2025-cek-bahaya-asap-vape
• On Dec. 16, the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry has revised the technical regulations for e-cigarettes, and the review process will face major changes, and the new regulations require all e-cigarette products to obtain a Philippine Standard (PS) license. https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/philippine-daily-inquirer-1109/20241216/282127822071939
• On Dec. 16, a UK study showed that eight million vapes are discarded or mistakenly recycled each week, and although the in-store vape recycling rate has risen to 20% from 8% last year, 61% of people still throw disposable vapes in the trash. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/environment/article/vapocalypse-now-8m-vapes-go-unrecycled-each-week-6g5d5m28l
• On Dec. 19, British e-cigarette company Airscream plans to enter the Malaysian market in response to the growing demand for e-cigarettes in Southeast Asia. https://thesun.my/business-news/airscream-to-use-malaysia-as-springboard-to-southeast-asia-GF13438385
• On Dec. 20, the NHS has been heavily criticised for vaping companies for introducing "Christmas promotions and festive flavours", arguing that it appeals to teenagers and exacerbates health problems, and the NHS has called on retailers to strengthen age verification measures. https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1990713/vaping-children-teenagers-hospital-admissions-NHS
• On Dec. 16, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported seizing more than 3.2 million illegal vaping products with a total value of more than $81.5 million over the past year, mainly from China, in violation of FDA regulations, intellectual property infringement and marketing tactics targeting young people. https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/815-million-unapproved-electronic-nicotine-delivery-systems-seized
• On Dec. 16, a U.S. poll shows that users who use tobacco, e-cigarettes, tobacco pouches or similar ZYN nicotine pouches are more likely to support Trump, with an approval rating of 56%. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14198171/nicotine-users-vote-trump-biden-menthol-ban-backfire.html
• On Dec. 18, according to the latest 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) data released by the US FDA, the rate of youth tobacco product use has fallen to the lowest level in 25 years, especially the use of e-cigarettes. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USFDA/bulletins/3c7ef01
• On Dec. 19, the U.S. FDA issued warning letters to nine companies alleging the sale and distribution of unauthorized flavored disposable e-cigarette products, including brands Geek Bar and Lost Mary, which are popular among young people. https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/ctp-newsroom/fda-warns-nine-online-firms-illegally-selling-flavored-disposable-e-cigarettes
• On Dec. 20, the Iowa Vape Industry Association filed a lawsuit to block the state's February 2025 PMTA registration law, which could lead to the closure of most vape shops in the state. https://vaping360.com/vape-news/8303/iowa-vape-businesses-sue-to-block-pmta-registry-law/
• On Dec. 16, Brazil's Federal Tax Service has strengthened the supervision of vape sales, suspended the operation of 22 businesses in São Paulo, and plans to expand its actions in 2025. In 2024, the seizure of vapes in Brazil will reach $39 million, a fourfold increase compared to 2023. https://g1.globo.com/economia/noticia/2024/12/16/receita-intensifica-fiscalizacao-e-suspende-cnpjs-de-lojas-que-vendem-cigarro-eletronico.ghtml
• On Dec. 17, the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation adopted an amendment: the sale of vapes to minors will be subject to criminal liability. http://duma.gov.ru/news/60603/
• On Dec. 17, the use of e-cigarettes by Colombian congressmen in the meeting caused controversy, and the government strictly controlled e-cigarettes, violating the new law and causing social concern. https://diariolalibertad.com/sitio/2024/12/17/cathy-juvinao-pillada-con-vapeador-en-plenaria-de-la-camara/
• On Dec. 19, Colombia's Superintendence of Commerce and Industry fined E-cigarette distributor called Inversiones Glucloud S.A.S. $130,000 for consumer violations, including failure to provide product risk information and nicotine content, as well as failure to comply with e-commerce obligations. https://www.lafm.com.co/colombia/sic-impone-millonaria-sancion-a-empresa-de-vapeo-por-irregularidades-y-clausulas-abusivas
• On Dec. 17, Korea Tobacco (KT&G) plans to expand into the Eurasian market by accelerating the construction of a new plant in Kazakhstan and aims to increase the proportion of global sales to more than half by 2027. The new plant is expected to be completed in 2025. https://theguru.co.kr/news/article.html?no=81018
• On Dec. 18, concerns have been raised about the lack of regulatory coverage for synthetic nicotine due to the postponement of amendments to the Tobacco Business Act due to the impeachment of the South Korean president. The industry has called for synthetic nicotine to be classified as tobacco management to avoid tax losses and youth smoking. https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/293/0000061782
• On Dec. 18, Lithuania will prohibit the public display of tobacco and tobacco-related products and devices in retail locations, with the exception of the display of products in tobacco specialty stores and counters from 1 January 2025. https://ntakd.lrv.lt/lt/naujienos/kaip-keiciasi-tabako-tabako-gaminiu-ir-su-jais-susijusiu-gaminiu-kontroles-istatymas-nuo-2025-m-sausio-1-d/
• On Dec. 18, the EU plans to achieve a smoke-free future by 2040, and Poland supports it but has difficulty moving forward. Although the ban on the sale of vapes has been mentioned for almost a year, Poland has yet to adopt the law, saying it affects the market for tobacco products. https://www.rynekzdrowia.pl/Polityka-zdrowotna/Polska-poparla-rezolucje-PE-ws-srodowiska-wolnego-od-dymu-Przepisy-jednak-nie-wejda-predko,266342,14.html
• On Dec. 18, the Belgian-Luxembourg Tobacco Association, in partnership with Philippe Morris-Benelux, aims to curb youth exposure to tobacco and vaping products, emphasizing that tobacco consumption should be an independent decision of adults. https://www.tageblatt.lu/headlines/neue-initative-soll-luxemburger-jugend-vor-tabakkonsum-schuetzen
• On Dec. 19, Belgium's health minister has warned of a surge in youth e-cigarette use, and Belgium will become the first country in the European Union to ban the sale of disposable e-cigarettes from January 2025. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/belgium-become-first-eu-country-ban-disposable-vape-sales-2024-12-19/
• On Dec. 19, Chilean legislators met with the Comptroller General and are expected to provide a clear legal framework for the use and regulation of e-cigarettes, with regulations due by January 5, 2025. https://www.latercera.com/nacional/noticia/contraloria-confirma-que-reglamento-por-uso-de-vapeadores-estara-antes-del-5-de-enero-para-implementacion-de-la-ley/AHUHZ7RI7VC6DNYS56LM2A2JC4/