Alastair Cohen

The European Commission is planning to require massive tax hikes on vapes, pouches and heated tobacco products like iQOS, according to a leaked impact assessment seen by Clearing the Air.

Under the planned measures, which Clearing the Air understands is to be announced before the EU’s summer break in August, the price of a 10ml bottle of e-liquid would increase by at least €3,60 over four years. This would be halved for lower strength liquids, penalising the heaviest smokers trying to quit.

The Commission claims it’s all about health: 700,000 tobacco deaths a year, a “Tobacco-Free Generation” goal, and cancer prevention.

Trump’s tariffs squeeze U.S. vape supply as prices skyrocket

Tim Hong

A sudden collapse in vape imports from China to the U.S. has triggered stock shortages, price hikes and panic buying.

It follows steep tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump and an intensified federal crackdown on unauthorised vapes.

Between May 1 and May 28, just 71 shipments labelled as vapes arrived from China, compared to nearly 1,200 in the same period last year, according to data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Ukraine admits flavoured vape ban has failed

Ali Anderson

Ukraine’s ban on flavoured vapes has proved ineffective as users turn to homemade mixtures and unregulated sources, a new national survey shows.

The sale of flavoured vapes and e-liquids was banned in Ukraine in July 2023. But according to the research, 64 per cent of vapers continue to use flavoured products, and more than half (53.7 per cent) now mix their own flavours from individual ingredients.

The findings, presented by Taras Klymenko, head of the NGO European Choice of Ukraine, highlight a growing backlash against restrictive anti-vaping policies.

Vaping industry calls for smarter nicotine policies as smoking rates surge in South Africa

African News Agency (ANA)

The vaping industry has called for smarter nicotine policies as South Africa grapples with alarming increases in combustable tobacco smoking rates.

This comes as Parliament continues to hold public consultations on the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, which seeks to impose stricter product and related product processing, regulate tobacco product and advertising, and standardise the ‘packaging and appearance’ of tobacco and electronic delivery system products.

Shops found to be flouting single-use vape ban

Oli Constable, BBC News

Nearly two weeks on from a ban on the sale of single-use disposable vapes in the UK, many shops have been found still to be openly selling the illicit items. Almost half of the 21 stores which an undercover BBC reporter visited cities in Yorkshire continued to sell the vapes as though there had been no law change.

“That vaping kills, is a false and dangerous myth” EU-experts warn

Stefan Mathisson, Vejpkollen

As the European Commission prepares a new tax framework for nicotine products, there are calls for policy decisions to be based on science. User network ETHRA is now questioning the picture of vapes and other smokeless nicotine products that is being painted in Brussels – and warning that standardising taxation could hit successful tobacco strategies in countries like Sweden hard.

Join us for an explosive conversation with Nancy Loucas! We’re digging into her journey from smoking to vaping and her powerful advocacy for Tobacco Harm Reduction. Get ready as we dissect “The Bloomberg Theory”, expose the challenges researchers face, and confront government health departments on their policies. This episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.