LATEST ALERTS
Bangladesh: The government is developing a policy to control the production and cultivation of tobacco across the country. Farida Akhter, advisor to the government on
Philippines: The Health Care Providers Alliance Against Covid (HPAAC) has called on the Senate to reject bill 11360, which seeks to replace the
Gulf Cooperation Council: The Technical Committee for Tobacco Products of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Standardization Organization (GSO) has preliminarily approved a standard introducing flavour
Thailand: The E-Cigarette Policy Committee within the Thai parliament is preparing a proposal for a regulation to prevent the tobacco industry from interfering
South Korea: The two main political parties in the parliament, the People Power Party (ruling party) and the Democratic Party of Korea (opposition
Philippines: The Philippine Tobacco Institute (PTI), a trade association, supports a tax proposal that would replace the annual 5% hike on tobacco and
Indonesia: The chairperson of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, has reportedly instructed the parliament to properly examine the concerns raised by stakeholders
Pakistan: The federal government's decision to dissolve the Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) has been challenged in the Peshawar High Court (PHC), which has requested a
Philippines: The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has reminded sellers of vaping and heated tobacco products (HTPs) that they are required to verify the
India: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued a new advisory about the ban on e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products (HTPs), and other electronic
Oman: Mansour Al-Hajri, chairman of the Health Committee of Oman's Shura Council (a consultative assembly), has said that Oman is the only Gulf Cooperation
South Korea: The bill seeking to expand the definition of tobacco products to products derived from all parts of the tobacco plant (including
Indonesia: The director of prevention and control of infectious diseases at the Indonesian Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, has said she is
South Korea: The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has opened the enforcement regulations and the enforcement decree of the Tobacco Harmful Ingredients Disclosure Act for
Philippines: During a speech at the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) National Tax Campaign Kick-off 2025, president Ferdinand R Marcos Jr. voiced his
Indonesia: The director of prevention and control of infectious diseases at the Indonesian Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, has emphasised that e-cigarettes
China: The Ministry of Finance has announced retaliatory tariffs on US imports. A 15% tariff will apply to coal and liquefied natural gas
India: The Union Budget 2025-26 has introduced a track-and-trace mechanism under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, to curb tax evasion
India: The finance minister, Nirmala Sitharamant, announced that there will be no increase in the tax rates for tobacco products in the state
Philippines: Yesterday (3rd February), the House of Representatives (lower chamber of parliament) approved House Bill 11360, which aims to rationalise excise tax rates
Philippines: Senator Win Gatchalian, chair of the Senate (upper chamber of parliament) Ways and Means Committee, has criticised online shopping platforms for enabling
Philippines: Yesterday (3rd February), the House of Representatives (lower chamber of parliament) approved House Bill 11286 – which seeks to strengthen excise tax
Uzbekistan: According to the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers “On measures to introduce the ‘social card’ system in social support of the population”,
Philippines: The National Tobacco Administration (NTA) has highlighted that unpaid taxes from the tobacco industry are not only leading to declining government revenue but also
Philippines: The Sin Tax Coalition, a campaign to secure the passage of a high tax on products such as tobacco, urged the Senate (upper chamber of
Kuwait: Minister of finance Noora Al-Fassam has confirmed that she is preparing the Selective Tax Law, also known as the Harmful Goods Tax,
Philippines: The Department of Agriculture (DA) has announced its commitment to addressing illicit trade in the local tobacco industry due to its harmful effects
Bangladesh: During a conference organised by the Health Protection Foundation, programme director of the National Tobacco Control Cell Momena Moni emphasised the need
Hong Kong: The city’s Health Bureau has decided to ban the possession and use of alternative tobacco products, as well as flavoured cigarettes,
Bangladesh: The government has finalised a draft bill to amend the Tobacco Control Law, aiming to ban public smoking, prohibit e-cigarettes, and prevent tobacco
Pakistan: In an effort to reduce public spending, the Federal Cabinet has decided to wind up the Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) and transfer
Philippines: The National Tobacco Administration (NTA) supports more decisive actions to combat the illegal trade of tobacco and vaping products, media reports. “The illicit tobacco
Philippines: A group of House leaders has proposed a bill to temporarily suspend the annual increase of 5% in tobacco excise taxes for
Indonesia: The Ministry of Health has said that the draft regulations potentially introducing plain packaging for all tobacco and nicotine products are still being finalised, press
Thailand: On 26th December 2024, the chairman of Thailand’s Special Committee on E-Cigarette Control, presented a comprehensive report to the Thai parliament following
India: The Delhi High Court has refused to hear a public interest litigation (PIL) that seeks to ban the sale of tobacco products
Saudi Arabia: The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing has launched a public consultation, running until 28th January, on additional requirements for tobacco shops.
Philippines: The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has reminded importers and manufacturers of vaping products and heated tobacco products (HTPs) to register for
Bangladesh: The government has announced a tax hike on several goods, including raw tobacco, to increase the national revenue collection. The National Board
Pakistan: Over the past decade, the country has lost over PKR567bn ($2bn) in tax revenue due to tobacco smuggling and illegal cigarette manufacturing.
Philippines: The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has confirmed a decrease in excise tax collection from 2021 to 2024 that led to a
Kazakhstan: The minimum retail price for 20 pieces of heated tobacco increased from KZT820 ($1.56) to KZT870 ($1.65) as of 1st January 2025.
Uzbekistan: At a meeting of the lower chamber of the parliament, health minister Asilbek Khudayarov announced that a bill aimed at banning the
Vietnam: As of 1st January, the sale and import of “electronic cigarettes”, including related equipment and accessories, are prohibited, according to resolution 17/TCHQ-GSQL. In
Armenia: In response to complaints about the frequent disregard for the ban on smoking and vaping in various locations, the Ministry of Health
Uzbekistan: Today, at a meeting of the lower chamber of the parliament, a bill aimed at banning the distribution of certain types of tobacco
Indonesia: The minimum retail price of heated tobacco products (HTPs) and nicotine pouches will increase from 1st January 2025, following the publication of
Armenia: According to the Tax Code, the heated tobacco tax rate will increase from AMD3,400 ($8.45) per 1,000 pieces to AMD3,750 ($9.30) per
