March 2021
Kenya: BAT rejects Health ministry’s guide on nicotine pouches
British American Tobacco (BAT) has lamented plans by Kenya’s Health ministry to classify its nicotine pouches as tobacco products regulated under the tobacco control law. The Health ministry in early February ruled the sale and distribution of BAT nicotine pouches, trading under Lyft brand, be done under the Tobacco Control Act —a move that would...
South Africa: Tobacco companies ‘show true colours’ in illicit trade spat
There is probably truth in all allegations that South Africa’s multinational and smaller tobacco companies have been levelling against each other regarding their supposed involvement in the burgeoning illicit tobacco products trade in both South Africa and other parts of Africa. This was according to Prof Corné van Walbeek, director of the University of Cape...
RBZ (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe) throws tobacco farmers into vicious debt trap
ABOUT 90% of Zimbabwe’s tobacco farmers have been thrown into a vicious debt trap that could be difficult to exit unless the government announces a payment model that addresses glaring shortcomings, the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association (ZTA) warned this week. Speaking ahead of the 2021 marketing season “unilaterally” set for April 7 by the Tobacco Industry...
China to strengthen supervision on e-cigarettes, new tobacco products; share of e-vapor company hit
Chinese regulations on tobacco management are to be revised in order to strengthen supervision and administration of e-cigarettes and other new tobacco products. Shares of e-cigarette and e-vapor companies hit after the official statement was released on Monday. A clause is planned to be added to the Detailed Rules for the Implementation of the Tobacco...
India: State hikes age limit for tobacco consumption to 21 years
The state government has hiked the legal age for consumption of tobacco products to 21 years, besides banning hookah bars The state government has hiked the legal age for consumption of tobacco products to 21 years, besides banning hookah bars. This came after the state Assembly recently on Monday passed the Cigarette and Other Tobacco...
Tobacco Control is Key to Eliminate TB by 2025
Though COVID-19, barely more than a year old, may be the defining global health crisis of this century, an ancient infectious disease—tuberculosis—has been steadily killing humans for centuries, if not longer. In 2019 alone, 10 million people developed tuberculosis and 1.4 million people died from the disease—many of whom were in India, the country...
Children exposed to tobacco smoke use more emergent health services
Tobacco smoke-exposed children utilize emergency and urgent care services more often than unexposed children, which contributes to a large toll on the nation's health care system, says research led by the University of Cincinnati. The study, recently published in the journal PLOS ONE, concluded: Children who are exposed to tobacco smoke have higher pediatric...
European Court: Hungary Failing to Comply with Tobacco Excise Tax Hike
Hungary has failed to comply with European Union regulations by keeping the excise tax on tobacco products below the required threshold, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) said on Thursday. The European Commission turned to the CJEU in October 2019 with the complaint that Hungary had failed to gradually raise the excise...
