Egypt ups cigarette taxes again, raising concerns as e-cigs escape higher duties

Written by ECigIntelligence || 24th July 2025 || News analysis |

Egypt has intensified its tobacco taxation policy with yet another cigarette price hike, sparking concerns among some officials that the tax amendment fails to address e-cigarettes or heated tobacco products ...

Fast-paced tech innovation continues to transform reduced-risk product sector

Written by ECigIntelligence || 18th July 2025 || News analysis |

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 ...

Could age-verification and age-gating technologies save the e-cig industry?

Written by ECigIntelligence || 11th July 2025 || News analysis |

Could age-verification and age-gating technologies help get the balance right between flavoured vape products as smoking-cessation aids for adults and keeping them away from under-age users? ...

Court orders reopening of vape shops in Pakistan province amid e‑cig ban dispute

Written by ECigIntelligence || 2nd July 2025 || News analysis |

The Lahore High Court has granted interim relief to vape retailers across Punjab, in Pakistan, by ordering the immediate de-sealing of their shops, which had been shut down under the province’s recent e-cig ban ...

Synthetic nicotine variant sparks regulatory concerns across the EU

Written by ECigIntelligence || 30th June 2025 || News analysis |

Marketed as an alternative to traditional nicotine, 6-methyl nicotine is drawing growing concern from public health authorities in countries across the European Union ...

Canada’s new government faces growing push to tighten rules on flavoured vapes

Written by ECigIntelligence || 25th June 2025 || News analysis |

The battle over proposed restrictions on flavoured vaping products across Canada is heating up, with anti-smoking groups calling on the new government to impose restrictions in its first 100 days ...

US FDA faces challenges with new AI tool as early users experience teething issues

Written by ECigIntelligence || 19th June 2025 || News analysis |

With great fanfare, the US Food and Drug Administration has announced the rollout of its new artificial intelligence scientific review assistant, Elsa. But questions have been raised about the tool’s potential ...

Banned but not gone: France and Belgium are struggling to police disposable vapes

Written by ECigIntelligence || 6th June 2025 || News analysis |

With the UK's prohibition on disposable vapes now in effect (as of 1st June), enforcement will be the key factor for success – a challenge plaguing similar bans already in place in France and Belgium ...

Ban without bite: island nations struggle to enforce disposable vape prohibitions

Written by ECigIntelligence || 5th June 2025 || News analysis |

As the UK's prohibition on disposable vapes gets underway (as of 1st June), a look at how other island nations are managing similar measures offers a cautionary tale ...

E-cig framework regulated by states ‘confusing’ for Malaysian vape industry

Written by ECigIntelligence || 3rd June 2025 || News analysis |

Malaysian vape industry associations say the domestic market is in a state of uncertainty, with regulatory clarity still lacking and increasing fragmentation at the state level ...

Are Australia’s restrictive vape laws to blame for high black-market demand?

Written by ECigIntelligence || 27th May 2025 || News analysis |

March saw Australia’s largest-ever haul of illegal vapes and cigarettes by a health authority, and similar seizures have occurred in the wake of regulations in effect since October ...

Spotlight on Big Tobacco’s smoke-free shift: betting on the future with vaping

Written by ECigIntelligence || 22nd May 2025 || News analysis |

In part two of a two-part series, we look at the role vaping plays in tobacco companies’ quest to transform themselves into smoke-free businesses, with one company standing out in the category ...

Spotlight on Big Tobacco’s smoke-free shift: real progress or far-off promise?

Written by ECigIntelligence || 19th May 2025 || News analysis |

In part one of a two-part series, we examine how close leading players are to their goals of becoming smoke-free almost ten years after the first tobacco company committed to swapping cigarettes for alternative products ...

Is the US FDA’s overestimation of under-age NGP use fuelling the illicit market?

Written by ECigIntelligence || 16th May 2025 || News analysis |

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) process for quantifying the risk of under-age use of next-generation products (NGPs) could be fuelling the illicit market because so many NGPs are being refused authorisation ...

Despite the WHO’s prohibitionist stance, hope for tobacco harm reduction remains

Written by ECigIntelligence || 14th May 2025 || News analysis |

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?” ...

Policy Radar

Written by ECigIntelligence || 14th May 2025 || Policy radar , Regulatory databases |

Discover the Tamarind Intelligence policy radar, providing detailed analyses and comparisons of the current regulatory frameworks and five-year forecasts for a broad selection of leading vapour and novel tobacco markets globally ...

Brazilian Senate committee considers bill to legalise e-cigarette market as use rises

Written by ECigIntelligence || 13th May 2025 || News analysis |

A bill that would reset the country’s stance on vaping products, the import and merchandising of which have been prohibited since a 2009 ban, will likely be voted on in committee in the Brazilian Senate this year ...

Amid US tariffs on China, vape production unlikely to find new base in Latin America

Written by ECigIntelligence || 24th April 2025 || News analysis |

Steep US tariffs on China have also put pressure on e-cig importers, who may look to other countries to diversify production away from China. However, it seems Latin American countries cannot come to the rescue ...

Thailand’s blitz on illicit vapes renews calls for regulation over outright bans

Written by ECigIntelligence || 17th April 2025 || News analysis |

Thailand is embroiled in a tussle over regulating vapes, after a government crackdown on an illegal industry netted e-cigs worth millions of dollars and shut down operations serving the country’s voracious vaping market ...

Ukraine raises excise taxes on tobacco products, and that includes e-liquids

Written by ECigIntelligence || 31st March 2025 || News analysis |

Excise taxes in Ukraine on cigarettes and tobacco products, which could also include e-liquids, have been raised by nearly 25%, effective 25th March ...

Polish government prepares to unveil bill to ban disposable e-cigarettes in Q3 2025

Written by ECigIntelligence || 27th March 2025 || News analysis |

As part of its efforts to cut alternative tobacco product sales in Poland, the country’s Ministry of Health is advancing plans to ban nicotine-containing and nicotine-free single-use vapes ...

Retailers in Italy question online nicotine sales ban’s efficacy as revenues take a hit

Written by ECigIntelligence || 20th March 2025 || News analysis |

Italian businesses claim a ban on the online sale of nicotine-containing products has resulted in up to 80% revenue loss and say the decree was pointless ...

GCC states close to establishing unified rules for electronic tobacco alternatives

Written by ECigIntelligence || 12th March 2025 || News analysis |

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 ...

Poland wants tighter regulations on novel tobacco products under its EU presidency

Written by ECigIntelligence || 3rd March 2025 || News analysis |

Poland aims to use its position as EU Council president to place measures targeting alternative tobacco products high on the bloc’s legislative agenda just as Warsaw is advancing tax hikes and bans in the sector ...

Free-speech lawsuits against marketing rules could disrupt vape packaging in US

Written by ECigIntelligence || 18th February 2025 || News analysis |

Packaging of US nicotine alternatives could face a major shake-up, thanks to First Amendment challenges against restrictions on what companies can say and do ...

Poland advances bill to expand excise tax to vapes, signalling shift in nicotine policy

Written by ECigIntelligence || 12th February 2025 || News analysis |

The Polish Council of Ministers has adopted a draft bill to extend an excise tax to nicotine pouches and vaping and heating devices, including disposables ...

Saudi Arabia proposes stricter tobacco sales rules, including e-cig regulations

Written by ECigIntelligence || 5th February 2025 || News analysis |

New tobacco sales requirements proposed in January by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs explicitly include regulations for e-cigarettes in Saudi Arabia and signal a move towards stricter controls ...

South African e-cig companies on youth vaping concerns vs adult harm reduction

Written by ECigIntelligence || 3rd February 2025 || News analysis |

Vaping companies face ethical and legal challenges as they navigate an increasingly complex market and attempt to grow market share without attracting accusations that they are exacerbating the youth vaping epidemic ...

Polish draft bill aims to ban e-cig sales to minors and tighten market restrictions

Written by ECigIntelligence || 20th January 2025 || News analysis |

The Polish Ministry of Health has submitted a draft bill to the Council of Ministers aiming to ban the sale of all types of e-cigarettes and e-liquids to under-18s ...

Could 2025 be the year for e-cigarette regulation in Argentina and the EAEU?

Written by ECigIntelligence || 16th January 2025 || Blogs , News analysis |

ECigIntelligence 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 ...

Mexican constitution to prohibit e-cigs, grouping them with opioid fentanyl

Written by ECigIntelligence || 27th December 2024 || News analysis |

Mexico has become the first country to enshrine a ban on vapes, e-cigarettes and similar devices in its constitution, aiming to safeguard public health at an unprecedented legal level ...

Latest version of UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill passes amid plenty of party politics

Written by ECigIntelligence || 23rd December 2024 || News analysis |

The UK passed an amended version of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill at the end of November, imposing new restrictions on the two industries ...

New tax on single-use vapes in Morocco fuels disagreements on its aim and rate

Written by ECigIntelligence || 20th December 2024 || News analysis |

A new tax on single-use e-cigs in Morocco has drawn mixed responses, as some political parties called for more stringent measures to tackle the increasing popularity of vaping ...

Monthly regulatory podcast: December

Written by ECigIntelligence || 20th December 2024 || Regulatory alerts podcasts |

The ECigIntelligence monthly regulatory podcast provides insight and analysis on the major regulatory developments of the previous month affecting the sector ...

Tamarind Intelligence podcast: The year in review and what’s next for 2025

Written by ECigIntelligence || 19th December 2024 || Podcasts |

Join the Tamarind Intelligence leadership team for an insightful round-table discussion with four industry experts. They reflect on the highlights and challenges of 2024 in the reduced-risk nicotine sector and share their predictions for...

Proposed Iraqi bill defining ENDS could signal first step in future e-cig regulation

Written by ECigIntelligence || 9th December 2024 || News analysis |

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

Panama vape industry awaits regulation after favourable Supreme Court ruling

Written by ECigIntelligence || 28th November 2024 || News analysis |

Nicotine alternatives remain unregulated in Panama following a 14th May Supreme Court decision declaring a 2022 law unconstitutional that banned e-cigarettes, heated tobacco and similar devices ...

Polish industry concerned over planned ban on flavours in e-cigarette products

Written by ECigIntelligence || 18th November 2024 || News analysis |

Poland’s health minister, Izabela Leszczyna, has announced that her ministry is drafting legislation to ban e-cigarettes with flavours as well as synthetic nicotine pouches ...

Peru Congress approves strict regulatory framework to tobacco, nicotine products

Written by ECigIntelligence || 8th November 2024 || News analysis |

Peru has taken a bold step in public health regulation with new legislation aimed at curbing the impact of tobacco and nicotine products as Congress approves strict guidelines for their use ...

Amendment to Costa Rica e-cigarette law aims to bring in much stricter regulation

Written by ECigIntelligence || 5th November 2024 || News analysis |

Costa Rica is advancing legislation aimed at strengthening its regulatory framework for the vaping industry, with a new amendment that will comprehensively replace the existing law ...

Belgian supermarkets contest ban on vape sales affecting stores of 400 sq m+

Written by ECigIntelligence || 25th October 2024 || News analysis |

A rule banning grocery stores of 400 sq m+ from selling tobacco products, tobacco-related products and e-cigs has been called arbitrary and without justification on public health grounds in a recent court challenge ...

Italy bans nicotine e-liquid online sales as part of effort to protect consumer health

Written by ECigIntelligence || 22nd October 2024 || News analysis |

In a significant step to restrict the online sale of nicotine products, Italy has banned online sales of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, indicating a shift towards stricter regulations ...

Act on flavours or resign, anti-smoking groups tell Canada’s addictions minister

Written by ECigIntelligence || 10th October 2024 || News analysis |

Anti-smoking groups are calling on Canada’s addictions minister Ya’ara Saks to resign if she doesn’t move quickly to restrict flavoured vaping products ...

Poland to significantly raise vape prices in line with cigarettes from next year

Written by ECigIntelligence || 8th October 2024 || News analysis |

The Polish government has unveiled plans to extend the country’s excise tax to vaping devices, to be adopted by the Council of Ministers in the fourth quarter of 2024 and take effect in the first quarter of 2025...

Malaysian vape groups mostly favour new tobacco law, want guidance, lower cost

Written by ECigIntelligence || 7th October 2024 || News analysis |

Malaysian e-cigarette groups and health associations welcomed the enactment this month of a new tobacco law that includes vape liquids and devices, but they expressed concern about the lack of clarity on some aspects ...

South Africa revives bill that would put stricter regulations on e-cig products

Written by ECigIntelligence || 27th September 2024 || News analysis |

In a significant legislative move, the South African Parliament has revived the Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill, signalling a renewed commitment to stringent tobacco and e-cigarette regulations ...

Indonesia’s draft plan to regulate e-cig packaging triggers industry backlash

Written by ECigIntelligence || 25th September 2024 || News analysis |

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 ...

Does Italy’s tax system discriminate, and could it impact novel nicotine products?

Written by ECigIntelligence || 16th September 2024 || News analysis |

Arguments made by Italian tax companies that the minimum excise duty on conventional cigarettes may favour larger corporations and disadvantage smaller brands could also indirectly apply to alternative nicotine products ...

Kenya proposes three-year jail sentence for the promotion of nicotine products

Written by ECigIntelligence || 2nd September 2024 || News analysis |

In a landmark move aimed at bolstering public health and tightening regulations on the tobacco industry, the Kenyan parliament is proposing three-year jail terms for individuals promoting nicotine products, including pouches and vapes ...

Do rapidly climbing nicotine pouch sales represent a threat to the UK vape market?

Written by ECigIntelligence || 30th August 2024 || News analysis |

Nicotine pouch sales have been growing dramatically, fuelled by celebrity marketing activity. However, it appears little of that growth is due to cannibalising sales from vaping ...