Nicotine Whispers: 2026 | Weeks 3 & 4
Alchem NicSelect™ Nicotine Whispers
Welcome to Nicotine Whispers – a biweekly news digest on global developments in nicotine and tobacco, compiled by Alchem NicSelect™ in collaboration with PharmaCompass.
Stay informed on the latest regulations, market trends, and insights shaping the NGND industry.
Weeks 3 and 4 highlights:
Germany
Cigarette vs E-Liquid Sales
Tax-paid cigarette sales in Germany rose slightly in 2025, but next-generation product growth was far stronger, with e-liquid volumes surging, highlighting ongoing consumer transition and product demand shifts in Europe.
Spain
EU Tobacco Tax 2026: Spain Warns of Smuggling Surge Amid Price Hikes
The EU’s upcoming Tobacco Excise and Products Directives will drive steep price increases and tighter rules from 2026, with cigarette taxes set to rise by up to 139%. In Spain, experts warn the measures could fuel an already modernising illicit market—using drones and hidden distribution—while pushing consumers away from legal and harm-reduction alternatives.
USA
The Missing Conversation on Nicotine Pouches
As attention shifts from vapes to nicotine pouches, regulators face a critical balance between youth protection and adult harm reduction — with evidence showing cessation benefits, but growing concern over oral health risks and proportionate regulation.
Canada
Canada’s Flavoured Vape Bans Linked to Higher Cigarette Sales
A new economic study shows that provincial bans on flavoured e-cigarettes in Canada led to a 10–21.5% increase in cigarette sales, as many vapers switched back to smoking.
USA
PMI Positive After FDA’s Zyn Hearing
PMI says it is a step closer to marketing Zyn nicotine pouches as a reduced-risk alternative to cigarettes after an FDA advisory hearing, where agency materials indicated the proposed claim is scientifically supported.
France
France Scraps Vape Tax Plans for 2026
France has dropped Article 23 from its 2026 Budget Bill, abandoning plans to tax e-liquids and tighten vape regulation. The move, made ahead of using Article 49.3 to pass the budget, has angered tobacconists, who warn it creates a regulatory vacuum and encourages unregulated sales.
India
Odisha Enacts Blanket Ban on Chewable Tobacco and Nicotine
Odisha has introduced a comprehensive ban on the manufacture, sale, distribution, and processing of all chewable tobacco and nicotine products, positioning the move as a major public-health measure to curb tobacco-related disease.
Argentina
BAT Launches VELO as ZYN Circulates Informally
BAT Argentina has rolled out VELO nicotine pouches, positioning them as a tobacco-free, non-combustion alternative for adult consumers, amid a national ban on vaping. At the same time, social media and local reports suggest PMI’s ZYN pouches are already widely available through kiosks, highlighting a regulatory gap as Argentina has no pouch-specific legislation.