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According to a report from Khaberni on September 25th, Dr. Nizar Mahidat, Director General of the Jordanian Food and Drug Administration, has conducted a thorough investigation into the distribution of food, drugs, and medical supplies. He has inspected the air customs at Queen Alia International Airport and the customs at Tafileh Airport.

He emphasized the importance of setting a maximum limit on the quantity of personal use e-cigarettes (vape), heated tobacco products, and e-cigarette liquid (E-liquid) that can be brought into the country, and stressed the need for strict control over commercial intentions. At the same time, he called for strict crackdowns on food, drugs, medical devices, and supplies that do not conform to the documentation requirements.

Disclaimer: 
This article is translated from an original Chinese article available on 2firsts.cn by AI, and has been reviewed and edited by 2FIRSTS’s English editorial team. The Chinese original text is the only authoritative source of information. The exclusive copyright and license rights to this article are held by 2FIRSTS Technology Co., Ltd. Any reproduction, reprinting, or redistribution of this article, either in part or in full, requires express written permission from 2FIRSTS and must include clear attribution along with a link to this content. Non-compliance may result in legal action. 2FIRSTS Technology Co., Ltd. reserves the right to pursue legal actions in case of unauthorized use or distribution.

According to Belga news on September 27, 2023, Belgium will cease the sale of nicotine pouches starting from October 1. This measure is part of an anti-smoking plan signed by 24 ministers from the Belgian Ministry of Health.

They believe that although nicotine pouches do not contain tobacco, their nicotine content is relatively high. Some pouches contain up to 90 milligrams of nicotine, which is nearly 9 times the nicotine content found in regular cigarettes.

Numerous scientific studies have revealed the potential dangers of nicotine pouches, particularly among young individuals. These pouches contain significant amounts of nicotine, which can lead to addiction and harm the brain.

Wholesalers are restricted from selling nicotine pouches starting from July 1st, until October 1st, in order to clear their inventory. However, retailers are permitted to continue selling them until October 1st.

In May of this year, tobacco giants British American Tobacco (BAT) and PMI (Philip Morris International) lodged a complaint to the Belgium National Commission, seeking the repeal of regulations. These two companies claimed that nicotine pouches are a less harmful alternative to cigarettes.

Belgium’s ban on the sale of nicotine pouches is following in the footsteps of other European countries. For instance, the Netherlands has already prohibited the sale of pouches containing more than 0.035 milligrams of nicotine, essentially banning most nicotine pouches since the nicotine content in majority of these products far exceeds this limit. However, in Sweden, nicotine pouches containing tobacco and nicotine replacement therapy patches are still legally sold.

Disclaimer: 
This article is translated from an original Chinese article available on 2firsts.cn by AI, and has been reviewed and edited by 2FIRSTS’s English editorial team. The Chinese original text is the only authoritative source of information. The exclusive copyright and license rights to this article are held by 2FIRSTS Technology Co., Ltd. Any reproduction, reprinting, or redistribution of this article, either in part or in full, requires express written permission from 2FIRSTS and must include clear attribution along with a link to this content. Non-compliance may result in legal action. 2FIRSTS Technology Co., Ltd. reserves the right to pursue legal actions in case of unauthorized use or distribution.

Experts in Europe have recently emphasized in discussions on reducing the harm caused by tobacco that the main goal of current public health efforts is to gradually phase out traditional tobacco and shift towards alternative nicotine-containing products, ultimately achieving complete smoking cessation. They simultaneously warned that governments must proactively monitor and oversee this transformation, or else risk falling behind and being mere bystanders. Without employing all possible means to facilitate this transition, the world will face an increase in diseases and deaths, along with a tremendous burden on public health systems. These insights and research findings were presented at the Tobacco Harm Reduction Summit in Athens, Greece.

Giuseppe Biondi Zoccai, Associate Professor of Cardiology at the University of Rome, Sapienza, has stated that e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, nicotine patches, and oral tobacco should all be considered as “transitional” alternatives in order to ultimately “quit” using traditional cigarettes. He emphasizes that the government can either take the opportunity to actively supervise this transition or simply stand by and do nothing.

The President of the Polish Public Health Agency, Andrej Fal of Warsaw’s Cardinal Wyszyński University, has proposed that a comprehensive strategy should be implemented to address the issue of tobacco. This strategy includes focusing on preventive measures, eliminating tobacco triggers, increasing tobacco taxes, and reducing the tax burden and prices of low-harm products to encourage current smokers to quit.

Farr further criticizes the World Health Organization (WHO) for not prioritizing the group it should be concerned about – the 250 million smokers who are attempting to quit. He argues that these individuals should be the focus of the WHO’s efforts. He expresses concern over the current situation, suggesting that the WHO’s stance is inadvertently encouraging smokers to continue their habit.

Pawel’s overall strategy is aimed at creating a minimum of one preventive clinic in Poland, restricting the availability of tobacco, particularly in easily accessible areas such as gas stations, eliminating the public’s desire to buy cigarettes, or gradually increasing prices, and limiting the advertisement of all nicotine-containing products.

Experts point to successful cases in Sweden and the United Kingdom. Sweden has reduced its smoking rate from 15% to 5.6% within 15 years by promoting smokeless nicotine products, making it the country with the lowest smoking rate in Europe. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom plans to lower its smoking rate to below 5% by 2030 through the use of e-cigarettes and similar devices.

Disclaimer: 
This article is translated from an original Chinese article available on 2firsts.cn by AI, and has been reviewed and edited by 2FIRSTS’s English editorial team. The Chinese original text is the only authoritative source of information. The exclusive copyright and license rights to this article are held by 2FIRSTS Technology Co., Ltd. Any reproduction, reprinting, or redistribution of this article, either in part or in full, requires express written permission from 2FIRSTS and must include clear attribution along with a link to this content. Non-compliance may result in legal action. 2FIRSTS Technology Co., Ltd. reserves the right to pursue legal actions in case of unauthorized use or distribution.

On September 25, 2023, the list of the top 500 companies in Shenzhen was released, with a total of 14 e-cigarette companies making it to the list. It is worth noting that the leading e-cigarette company, Jinjia Corporation (002191), has dropped eight places compared to the previous year, now ranking 178th. Among the 14 e-cigarette companies on the list, Jinjia Corporation is ranked fourth, trailing behind Macwell, Yinhe Technology (300457), and Heaven Gifts.

Why has Jinjia Company’s ranking declined? Insights may be gleaned by examining its financial report for 2022.

According to financial reports, Jinjia Corporation recorded operating revenue of 5.189 billion yuan in 2022, with a meager year-on-year growth of just 2.4%, indicating a significant slowdown in growth. Additionally, the company’s net profit for the year was only 197 million yuan, experiencing a substantial decline by an alarming 80.65% compared to the previous year.

As we enter 2023, Jinjia Corporation continues to underperform. In the first half of the year, the company’s revenue amounted to approximately 2.033 billion yuan, a decrease of 23.09% compared to the same period last year. Its net profit stood at around 280 million yuan, representing a decline of 44.02% year-on-year.

From the perspective of the main business:

• Cigarette brand revenue decreased by 25.23% on a year-on-year basis.
• The revenue from the packaged products decreased by 19.31% year-on-year.
• The revenue from sales of new packaging materials decreased by 28.51% compared to the previous year.
• The revenue of the new tobacco business has increased by 81.77% year-on-year.

It is evident from the data on main business revenue that Jinjia Corporation’s three core businesses experienced a significant decline in the first half of this year. However, it is worth noting that the revenue from their new tobacco business has seen a substantial increase.

In regards to the company’s layout in the new tobacco business, Jinjia Holdings previously expressed on the investor platform that its invested company, Jiaju Electronics, has established Viyue Company in Hong Kong, responsible for the construction of overseas channels and brand promotion of new tobacco products. They have particularly focused on expanding their e-cigarette business in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Russian-speaking countries, and Japan. 

However, despite the rapid development of the new tobacco business, it only accounts for 15.13% of Jinjia Corporation’s total revenue, less than half of the proportion of revenue from traditional tobacco products. In the future, as production capacity continues to be released, there is still uncertainty about whether the new tobacco business can replace traditional tobacco products and contribute more revenue to Jinchia Corporation.

Jinjia Group’s recent announcement indicates that the company appears to be expanding its reach beyond the new tobacco industry and into the field of new materials.

Jinjia Corporation has announced that it plans to invest 500 million yuan to establish a wholly-owned subsidiary called Jinjia Xinyuan. The main focus of this subsidiary will be on research and development, investment, and management of electronic materials related to high value-added semiconductor materials and functional films. Currently, Jinjia Xinyuan has successfully completed its business registration.

Will the new materials business become another revenue growth driver for Jinjia in the future?

According to a report from journalnow on September 26th, the latest data from Nielsen Convenience Store Report reveals that the market share of R.J. Reynolds’ Vuse e-cigarette continues to slightly decline, dropping by 0.2 percentage points. Nevertheless, it still maintains its position as the market leader in the United States.

According to the data, the market share of Vuse has declined from 41.7% to 41.5%, while the second-ranked Juul’s market share remains unchanged at 24.7%. In May 2019, Juul held a significant market share of 74.6% in the US e-cigarette market, but a series of regulatory measures resulted in reduced production of their products.

Meanwhile, despite Altria Group’s ownership of the third-ranked NJoy, their market share has not significantly increased, remaining at 2.6%. The market share of BlueCigs, a subsidiary of Imperial Brands Plc specializing in technology applications, also remains unchanged at 1.2%.

According to Barclays, Nielsen’s report primarily covers information from large chain stores for the four-week period ending on September 9th. The group extrapolates trends for small chain stores based on the data from large chain stores, which is why changes in the report may not be immediately apparent.

Over the past 12 to 18 months, the consumer demand for tobacco products has fluctuated due to the impact of inflation and short-term price increases in traditional cigarettes. According to this report, Juul’s dollar sales within a four-week period have risen by 50.2% compared to the August 2019 report. However, there has been a recent decline of 17.5%.

In comparison, Reynolds’ Vuse e-cigarette saw a 2% increase in the latest report, while NJoy experienced a decline of 9.5% and BlueCigs dropped by 19.5%. The overall e-cigarette category witnessed a decline of 6.3%. Over the past four weeks, the tobacco industry as a whole has faced certain pressures in terms of sales revenue and volume.

This Nielsen report highlights California’s ban on menthol-flavored traditional cigarettes, which account for 8% of the US market. Industry analyst Bonnie Herzog states, “Looking ahead, we anticipate that cigarette sales may further decline, especially considering the current continuous rise in oil prices, which are nearing the $4 per gallon mark.”

In 2022, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. has increased the wholesale prices of cigarettes four times, with particularly high increases in both January and June. Similarly, Philip Morris USA has raised prices three times this year. Wholesale prices refer to the amount paid by retailers to cigarette manufacturers, and typically, these additional costs are passed on to retail consumers.

According to the latest report, Philip Morris has reached a peak market share of 50.9%, with their best selling brand, Marlboro, accounting for 45.8% of the overall market share. Meanwhile, Reynolds Tobacco Company holds a share of 33.4%.

According to the news from bb.lv on September 27th, starting from 2024, the consumption tax rates for tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, e-cigarettes and their components, e-cigarette liquid, as well as certain oils specifically designed for use in special economic zones and free ports, will gradually increase each year.

The objective of increasing the consumption tax is to raise more government budget revenue in order to better safeguard and develop various public services, including healthcare, transportation, internal and external security, education system, as well as to reduce retail price discrepancies between substitute products, minimize the impact of consumption on public health, and increase the implementation of the national budget.

According to sources, starting from March 1, 2024, there will be an annual increase in consumption taxes on cigarettes, cigars, tobacco (both finely cut and other types), tobacco leaves, heated tobacco, e-cigarette liquid, and tobacco alternatives. This increase will continue for three years. From January 1, 2025, and 2026, the taxation on these products will be raised annually.

The government plans to increase the annual average tobacco tax by 5.6%, which means the price of a pack of cigarettes will increase by 0.14-0.2 euros. Currently, the tobacco tax for 2023 is approximately 0.14 euros per gram, while cigars and cigarillos are taxed at 0.02 euros, smoking tobacco and tobacco leaves at 0.09 euros, and heat-not-burn tobacco products at 0.22 euros.

Disclaimer: 
This article is translated from an original Chinese article available on 2firsts.cn by AI, and has been reviewed and edited by 2FIRSTS’s English editorial team. The Chinese original text is the only authoritative source of information. The exclusive copyright and license rights to this article are held by 2FIRSTS Technology Co., Ltd. Any reproduction, reprinting, or redistribution of this article, either in part or in full, requires express written permission from 2FIRSTS and must include clear attribution along with a link to this content. Non-compliance may result in legal action. 2FIRSTS Technology Co., Ltd. reserves the right to pursue legal actions in case of unauthorized use or distribution.

According to a news update from the International Women’s Forum (IWF) on September 27, lawmakers in Massachusetts have recently heard testimony about proposed bills in both the state House and Senate that aim to address teenage nicotine addiction by increasing the state’s tobacco tax on cigars and cigarettes. The legislators are being urged to pass legislation that would allocate the existing tobacco funds towards programs targeting adolescent tobacco and e-cigarette usage, rather than imposing harsh taxes.

According to the biennial Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the use of traditional tobacco products (including cigarettes and cigars) among high school students in Massachusetts is at its lowest level in history.

According to statistical data, in 2021, 3.5% of Massachusetts high school students reported using combustible cigarettes, marking the lowest rate ever recorded. In 2019, 5% of Massachusetts high school students reported current cigarette use. From 2019 to 2021, the current smoking rate has decreased by 30%. Since 1993, the smoking rate among Massachusetts high school students has declined by 88.4%.

The proposal suggests that a substantial amount of funds should be raised by utilizing the $3.51 per pack cigarette excise tax currently in place, instead of imposing additional taxes. The state should also make use of the funds received annually from the tobacco manufacturers’ Master Settlement Agreement (MSA).

According to statistics, the total revenue from cigarette consumption taxes in Massachusetts in 2021 exceeded $616.4 million. However, in the same year, only $5.1 million was allocated by Massachusetts for tobacco control programs, including preventing nicotine addiction among young people. This amounts to a mere 1.4% of the cigarette tax revenue, and only 2.1% of the funds paid by the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) were used to support programs aimed at preventing youth usage and helping adults quit smoking. In fact, for every $1 obtained by Massachusetts from the tobacco industry in 2021, only $0.01 was allocated to tobacco control efforts.

The proposal suggests that legislators should enact legislation to utilize more revenue funds coming from existing taxes and settlement payments to fund tobacco control programs, rather than placing additional burden on taxpayers.

Disclaimer: 
This article is translated from an original Chinese article available on 2firsts.cn by AI, and has been reviewed and edited by 2FIRSTS’s English editorial team. The Chinese original text is the only authoritative source of information. The exclusive copyright and license rights to this article are held by 2FIRSTS Technology Co., Ltd. Any reproduction, reprinting, or redistribution of this article, either in part or in full, requires express written permission from 2FIRSTS and must include clear attribution along with a link to this content. Non-compliance may result in legal action. 2FIRSTS Technology Co., Ltd. reserves the right to pursue legal actions in case of unauthorized use or distribution.

According to a report by betterretailing on September 27th, discussions surrounding disposable e-cigarettes have become increasingly prevalent in public discourse recently. While disposable e-cigarettes have brought considerable profits to convenience store retailers, calls for their prohibition are also growing. In July of this year, the Local Government Association (LGA), representing England and Wales, urged the government to ban the sale and production of disposable e-cigarettes by 2024.

The Local Government Association (LGA) has expressed the need for an immediate ban on disposable e-cigarettes, citing the European Union’s proposal to outlaw them by 2026 and France’s plan to implement a ban starting in 2023. Without timely policies, the UK market could be flooded with disposable e-cigarettes. Furthermore, the disposal of these devices poses challenges for waste management and recycling, with the potential risk of garbage truck fires.

Cllr David Fothergill, an outstanding member of LGA, expressed his stance on e-cigarettes, stating that cities are not opposed to them. He emphasized that compared to traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes cause less harm and can even be used as a tool for smoking cessation. However, he highlighted that disposable e-cigarettes have inherent design flaws and are unsustainable products. Therefore, in the long run, recycling as much as possible cannot solve the problem, and a comprehensive ban is preferred.

Given these factors, convenience store retailers may be concerned about the future of disposable e-cigarettes. However, even with a ban in place, there are still viable areas for profit in the e-cigarette industry. For example, 10ml e-cigarette liquid offers five times the amount of liquid smoke compared to disposables and the device can be recharged instead of being thrown away after one use, resulting in less environmental impact. It is precisely because of these value propositions that price-sensitive consumers will find this type of e-cigarette more cost-effective.

Disclaimer: 
This article is translated from an original Chinese article available on 2firsts.cn by AI, and has been reviewed and edited by 2FIRSTS’s English editorial team. The Chinese original text is the only authoritative source of information. The exclusive copyright and license rights to this article are held by 2FIRSTS Technology Co., Ltd. Any reproduction, reprinting, or redistribution of this article, either in part or in full, requires express written permission from 2FIRSTS and must include clear attribution along with a link to this content. Non-compliance may result in legal action. 2FIRSTS Technology Co., Ltd. reserves the right to pursue legal actions in case of unauthorized use or distribution.

According to a report by Matichon on September 27th, Dr. Wannarat Channukul, a member of the Communist Party of Thailand (CPK) in parliament, discussed the issue of e-cigarettes during the 17th House of Representatives session. He stated that e-cigarettes are a new global social disaster. Despite Thailand’s laws prohibiting their import and sales since 2014, smoking remains prevalent, particularly among students and adolescents.

Despite the ban on the importation of e-cigarettes, Thailand has not completely eliminated their entry. According to a survey conducted by the Health Service Support Department of the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand, between April 25, 2023, and June 6, 2023, a significant number of teenagers, 61,688 in total, started using e-cigarettes. What is concerning is that the average age at which they began using these devices is only 12 to 15 years old.

Dr. Wannarat stated that a recent survey conducted by the Anti-Smoking Campaign Foundation has revealed that between July 22 and August 2, 2023, a total of 5,582 parents of students in grades 4 to 6 were polled. The survey findings indicate that 91.5% of respondents showed support for the government’s ban on the importation of e-cigarettes. Furthermore, 91.5% believed that relevant authorities should intensify public awareness campaigns to educate them about the dangers associated with e-cigarettes, while 93.0% believed that stronger measures should be taken to combat the use of e-cigarettes. The World Health Organization has expressed its support for Thailand’s decision to uphold the e-cigarette prohibition.

Disclaimer: 
This article is translated from an original Chinese article available on 2firsts.cn by AI, and has been reviewed and edited by 2FIRSTS’s English editorial team. The Chinese original text is the only authoritative source of information. The exclusive copyright and license rights to this article are held by 2FIRSTS Technology Co., Ltd. Any reproduction, reprinting, or redistribution of this article, either in part or in full, requires express written permission from 2FIRSTS and must include clear attribution along with a link to this content. Non-compliance may result in legal action. 2FIRSTS Technology Co., Ltd. reserves the right to pursue legal actions in case of unauthorized use or distribution.

According to a report from the Prince William Times on September 21, the schools in Prince William County, Virginia, have announced that they are expected to receive over $500,000 as part of a settlement, which is linked to the major investor of e-cigarette manufacturer Juul, Altria. Previously, Altria had been involved in numerous lawsuits filed by various school districts across the United States.

According to a statement issued by the school district on September 21st, this lawsuit seeks compensation for the expenses incurred by the school in dealing with student smoking, as these issues have “caused significant problems for the school department”.

In addition to reaching a settlement with Altria, the Prince William County School Board has also agreed to take legal action against various social media platforms, including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

In a statement, it was noted that “these measures reflect an increasing concern among school districts nationwide regarding the detrimental effects of social media on students’ mental health and academic performance.

William’s County School authorities have expressed concern over the alarming rise in negative social, emotional, and psychological effects on their student community due to social media. In a statement, they highlighted the need for education leaders to take action by filing lawsuits against companies creating and promoting content targeted at children.

By initiating this lawsuit, the school board aims to “hold these companies accountable for their role in exacerbating student mental health crises and the responsibility of school authorities in addressing these issues,” the statement said.

Disclaimer: 
This article is translated from an original Chinese article available on 2firsts.cn by AI, and has been reviewed and edited by 2FIRSTS’s English editorial team. The Chinese original text is the only authoritative source of information. The exclusive copyright and license rights to this article are held by 2FIRSTS Technology Co., Ltd. Any reproduction, reprinting, or redistribution of this article, either in part or in full, requires express written permission from 2FIRSTS and must include clear attribution along with a link to this content. Non-compliance may result in legal action. 2FIRSTS Technology Co., Ltd. reserves the right to pursue legal actions in case of unauthorized use or distribution.