Market & legal data of the tobacco alternatives sector in Asia

JTI posts heated tobacco gains in first half of 2025, Ploom Aura set to expand abroad

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 31st July 2025

Japan Tobacco International reported a solid performance in the first half of 2025, boosted by the ongoing growth of its heated tobacco segment as well as the contribution of Vector Group, acquired last year ...

Velo Plus powers BAT’s modern oral growth despite dip in overall revenue

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 31st July 2025

British American Tobacco reported a slight decrease in its revenue for the first half of 2025, offset by strong growth in the modern oral segment. Velo Plus contributed to growth momentum, particularly in the US...

Accelerated growth in Iqos and Zyn boosts PMI’s performance in Q2 2025

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 23rd July 2025

Philip Morris International reported a positive performance in the second quarter of the year, driven by a reacceleration of its heated tobacco device, Iqos, and the US offtake growth of its nicotine pouch brand, Zyn...

Forging ahead: technological innovation in reduced-risk products advancing fast

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 18th July 2025

Unlike filter cigarettes, which basically remained unchanged since they first entered the market in 1934, reduced-risk products have become a realm of innovation since their inception ...

An overview of enforcement actions: a new TobaccoIntelligence tracker

Written by Freddie Dawson | 15th July 2025

TobaccoIntelligence is introducing a new enforcement tracker that will collate online accounts of regulator action on illicit e-cigarettes and other alternative nicotine products ...

What could happen to the market as Trump spares China in latest tariff battle

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 15th July 2025

China’s exclusion from the new measures, slated to take effect from 1st August, should not be interpreted as a détente, but rather as a tactical choice ...

How will the populist pushback in recent elections impact nicotine alternatives?

Written by Freddie Dawson | 16th June 2025

Last November, the feeling was that the election of US president Donald Trump indicated a general shift to the right in global politics, but the results did not quite pan out that way ...

Ispire joint venture files first-ever US FDA PMTA for age-gating chip in ENDS devices

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 2nd June 2025

Ike Tech, co-founded by Ispire, filed the first-ever premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a system that requires continuous, real-time ID verification to access ENDS devices ...

Spotlight on Big Tobacco’s smoke-free shift: nicotine pouches with potential

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 29th May 2025

The fourth and final part of our series looks at the impressive growth trajectory of nicotine pouches, the power of brand‑building and the regulatory risks facing the modern oral nicotine category ...

Spotlight on Big Tobacco’s smoke-free shift: rivals in a PMI-dominated market

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 26th May 2025

In part three of a four-part series, we see how Philip Morris International’s competitors are working hard to catch up in the heated tobacco market and examine Big Tobacco’s strategies for next-generation products ...

JTI follows strong Q1 report with plans to discontinue its Ploom X Advanced device

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 20th May 2025

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) announced it has discontinued sales of the Ploom X Advanced heated tobacco device, effective from mid-May 2025 until stocks are sold out ...

US-China tariff pause eases pressure on nic alternatives sector, but risks still loom

Written by Freddie Dawson | 15th May 2025

Goods imported from China to the US will see a 115% reduction in tariffs as of 14th May, but the abrupt, temporary change offers no real certainty for long-term business planning ...

US tariffs on Chinese vapes may predict the fate of other reduced-risk products

Written by Freddie Dawson | 14th May 2025

This timeline of tariffs will be updated as further changes are made to the US tariff policy on Chinese imports or as new documents are added to the US Federal Register ...

Is there hope for tobacco harm reduction, despite the WHO’s prohibitionist stance?

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 14th May 2025

Two decades after the adoption of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, public health expert Derek Yach asks: ”Surely we could have done better by now?” ...

New research casts doubt on the reduced-risk potential of heated tobacco products

Written by Freddie Dawson | 9th May 2025

Research into using heated tobacco products (HTPs) as a cessation tool, and the health impact of HTPs themselves, has left many scientists unimpressed ...

JTI reports strong Q1 2025 and plans new Ploom launch to boost reduced-risk sales

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 7th May 2025

Japan Tobacco International reported strong performance in the first quarter of 2025 and plans to launch a new Ploom device on 27th May in Japan ...

Collaboration and taking the ‘sandbox approach’ to balance innovation with risk

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 6th May 2025

Douglas Ming Deng of Yunnan University will present his research on the evolution of the tobacco industry through R&D at the Novel Nicotine Expo in Geneva this week ...

PMI sees strong growth from Zyn and Iqos as it weathers impact of EU flavour ban

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 24th April 2025

Philip Morris International saw a positive start to the year, fuelled by the strong volume momentum of Zyn pouches and Iqos heated tobacco devices, despite the annualisation impact of the EU characterising flavour ban ...

Who really pays for US tariffs on imports of Chinese alternative nicotine products?

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 24th April 2025

The world is wondering what the real implications of US president Donald Trump’s tariffs will be on China, and whether and how the prices of affected products will dramatically increase for US consumers ...

Tense US-EU trade pause: are nicotine alternatives a potential future target?

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 17th April 2025

Trade relations between the US and Europe have been put on a 90-day pause, marked by a tense wait as both sides assess their next moves. Could future developments potentially involve the alternatives sector? ...

Zyn toasts US ‘liberation day’, but Asian vape companies may pay more of a price

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 10th April 2025

After the White House denied the possible suspension of tariffs, the confirmation came yesterday that the president had authorised a 90-day pause for most of the countries receiving them ...

US health groups and industry analysts scrutinise PMI’s launch of Iqos in Texas

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 1st April 2025

Philip Morris International has officially launched its Iqos heated tobacco device in Texas, marking a significant milestone as the only heated tobacco brand in the country with US FDA marketing authorisation ...

How tariffs on US imported goods could impact the global nicotine industry

Written by Freddie Dawson | 21st March 2025

The imposition of tariffs on goods entering the US could have unintended knock-on effects elsewhere in the world, the most obvious being a general increase to prices, even in places not involved in current tariff...

GCC unified standard for electronic tobacco alternatives nears adoption

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 12th March 2025

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is moving closer to adopting unified regulations for electronic alternatives to tobacco products, with a final draft approved by the GCC Standardization Organization in January ...

JTI’s growth driven by Vector Group deal and expansion in reduced-risk products

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 14th February 2025

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) has reported its full-year and fourth-quarter financial results for 2024, highlighting steady progress toward its 2028 reduced-risk product (RRP) ambitions ...

BAT’s heated tobacco sales decline, but offset by strong growth in modern oral

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 14th February 2025

British American Tobacco (BAT) reported a drop in its heated tobacco category in 2024, partially offset by significant growth in the modern oral segment – particularly in the US ...

Can the US tobacco sector expect more stability under Trump’s second term?

Written by Freddie Dawson | 13th February 2025

Predictions on what president Donald Trump will do have always been difficult. But some indicators point to a second go-around of the Trump administration providing a degree more stability and predictability ...

PMI hikes prices amid Egypt’s economic instability but steps up its investment

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 11th February 2025

Philip Morris International (PMI) raised its prices for heated tobacco products (HTPs) several times in Egypt last year, following a similar trend from 2023 that is likely to continue in 2025 ...

PMI’s growth in 2024 powered by Zyn and Iqos as its smoke-free user base expands

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 6th February 2025

Philip Morris International (PMI) achieved positive results in 2024, driven by the expansion of its nicotine pouch brand Zyn as 2023’s demand acceleration continued alongside Iqos growth momentum ...

Will Trump’s first executive orders impact nic alternatives in the US and abroad?

Written by Freddie Dawson | 23rd January 2025

Nicotine alternatives have gone unmentioned through the initial flurry of actions taken after the inauguration of US president Donald Trump, but several executive orders and proposals will have an impact on the sector ...

Could 2025 be the year for heated tobacco regulation in Argentina and the EAEU?

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 16th January 2025

TobaccoIntelligence analysts make two riskier predictions: Argentina will move to legalise and regulate nicotine alternatives, and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will take steps to regulate them in 2025 ...

Tougher laws, EU TPD3 and first-time pouch regulations: what 2025 may bring

Written by Freddie Dawson | 8th January 2025

TobaccoIntelligence predicts 2025 will be very important for nicotine alternatives, with key decisions to be made and regulation expected to become tougher overall ...

Did we get it right? TobaccoIntelligence’s industry predictions for 2024 reviewed

Written by Freddie Dawson | 31st December 2024

We look back at predictions TobaccoIntelligence published at the start of 2024 to see how well we did in calling events that would occur in the nicotine alternatives industry throughout the year ...

Nicotine alternatives were hit with bans in 2024, but markets continued to grow

Written by Freddie Dawson | 19th December 2024

The year that was 2024 saw the start of an inevitable regulatory pushback against increasing sales of nicotine alternatives, with multiple countries continuing to implement flavour bans on heated tobacco, and more restrictions on nicotine pouches...

Iraqi bill proposing legal ENDS definition could mark turning point for regulation

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 9th December 2024

An Iraqi bill that would define electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) – including heated tobacco devices – and bring them under the tobacco regime is now overdue for a vote ...

Heated tobacco and nicotine pouches lead the global shift to safer nicotine products

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 21st November 2024

A major new report shows a pivotal shift in the global smoking landscape, highlighting the growing use of safer nicotine products, such as heated tobacco and nicotine pouches ...

A look at trends and shifts in nicotine product regulations in Southeast Asia

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 14th November 2024

Southeast Asia is experiencing significant regulatory shifts in the tobacco and nicotine product sectors, as countries in the region adopt varied stances on products like heated tobacco, nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes ...

Disposables and single-use filters under increasing pressure from regulators

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 12th November 2024

Increasingly stringent regulation from environmentally conscious policy-makers looks set to put the vaping and tobacco industries under even more pressure with regard to disposable e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes ...

Consumer demand for NGPs aids tobacco alternatives firms with strong Q3 results

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 8th November 2024

Three key players in the tobacco alternatives market have reported strong results in their most recent quarters, largely driven by performance in next-generation products as consumer demand is on the rise ...

JT delivers strong Q3 results, powered by Ploom sales and robust global expansion

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 31st October 2024

Japan Tobacco Group (JT) delivered a standout third quarter, fuelled by surging demand in its tobacco and heated products sectors and a significant global expansion ...

How Iqos revolutionised the Japanese smoking landscape in just a decade

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 30th October 2024

The November 2014 launch by Philip Morris International (PMI) of Iqos in Nagoya, Japan, and Milan, Italy, kick-started the heated tobacco sector, now worth tens of billions globally ...

Big Tobacco’s secret brand-building sauce spices up heated tobacco more than vapes

Written by Freddie Dawson | 24th October 2024

November will mark ten years since Iqos was launched in Japan. And as the third-quarter results of Philip Morris International show, the last ten years have been quite the story in the product’s global brand-building...

Strong NGP growth keeps Imperial in line with forecasts ahead of November results

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 10th October 2024

Imperial Brands reported trading in line with expectations, driven by robust growth in its tobacco segment and next generation products, as it prepares to give its full-year results in November ...

Banning tobacco sales to youth may curb lung cancer mortality, WHO study finds

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 9th October 2024

Policies that aim to create a tobacco-free generation may significantly prevent mortality from lung cancer across the world, according to recent research led by the World Health Organization ...

Malaysian industry mostly favours new tobacco law, wants guidance, lower costs

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 7th October 2024

Malaysian industry groups and health associations welcomed the enactment this month of a new tobacco law that includes heated tobacco, but they expressed concern about the lack of clarity on some aspects ...

Indonesia’s tobacco industry concerned over draft plans to standardise packaging

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 25th September 2024

After years of pledging to regulate e-cigarettes and tobacco products, Indonesia has finally taken decisive action. However, a move to tighten regulations on packaging has raised concerns among industry stakeholders ...

Global tobacco industry eyes EU as it pivots towards more sustainable filters

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 23rd September 2024

The tobacco industry is shifting towards making more sustainable cigarette filters. Innovation of this kind may soon find its way into heated tobacco products, driven by regulatory changes that could ban single-use filters ...

Global regulatory response to pouches and heated tobacco products ramps up

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 19th September 2024

As nations worldwide tighten their grip on nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products, a wave of regulatory changes is reshaping the market – driving industry adjustments and prompting further regulatory responses ...

JT’s acquisition of Vector Group in the US: strategic expansion or short-term boost?

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 22nd August 2024

While the acquisition of US tobacco company Vector by Japan Tobacco (JT) Group will add profit and cashflow to JT’s business immediately, its longer-term significance may be more strategic ...

Nicotine and flavour delivery innovations driving nicotine pouch evolution globally

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 15th August 2024

From innovative flavour formulations to extended-release mechanisms and eco-friendly packaging, the globally expanding nicotine pouch industry is undergoing a transformative phase ...

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