Ahead of the 2026 launch of Altria Group Distribution Company’s (AGDC) Digital Trade Program (DTP), PDI Technologies announced its continued support for retailers navigating the evolving tobacco loyalty landscape.
PDI, already P+ certified and actively assisting stores in meeting current DTP requirements, is developing advanced integration tools and services to ensure both chain and independent retailers are ready for the upcoming changes, expected to take effect on January 1, 2026.
“Our goal is to help retailers fully leverage AGDC’s DTP at all levels and deliver value to engaged adult tobacco consumers 21 and older,” said Mike Melson, senior vice president and general manager of Payments and Loyalty at PDI.
PDI will offer guidance, resources, and support through its platform and at Connections Live 2025 in Denver this August, where AGDC will provide in-person training on the new program.
The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) raised concerns over new data showing a sharp rise in youth smoking. According to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), the proportion of 11–17-year-olds who have ever smoked jumped from 14% in 2023 to 21% in 2025.
While youth vaping rates remain steady at one-in-five, UKVIA Director General John Dunne called the uptick in youth smoking “deeply troubling” and urged urgent action.
“We need a national licensing scheme to crack down on rogue retailers selling age-restricted products to minors,” said Dunne, adding that enforcement is currently “patchy” and penalties are too lenient.
The survey also highlights growing public misperceptions: over half of adult smokers now believe vaping is as harmful or more harmful than smoking, up sharply from previous years. Dunne called for a national campaign to correct misinformation and reaffirmed vaping as “the UK’s most effective quit aid” for adult smokers. Despite challenges, 10% of UK adults—around 5.5 million—now vape.
The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) is alarmed at new data from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) which reveals a worrying increase in the numbers of young people smoking.
The new data reveals that one-in-five 11-17-year-olds have tried vaping, unchanged since 2023, while ever smoking among young people has increased from 14% in 2023 to 21% in 2025.
Vaping prevalence among adults remains at 10.4%, unchanged since 2024, suggesting the growth in uptake has stalled. With around a quarter of adult smokers in GB never having tried vaping, this is an issue which must be urgently addressed.
UKVIA Director General John Dunne said: “The UKVIA has always been clear that under 18s should not be vaping (or smoking for that matter) and it is deeply troubling to see smoking rates rise, particularly after a long period of decline and especially so among under 18s.
“We can’t afford to wait a moment longer to clamp down hard on retailers who sell age-gated products to minors. This is why we need a vape licensing scheme to ensure compliance with the law, put persistent offenders out of business and act as a deterrent to others.
“Enforcement in the UK is patchy at best, fines are woefully low and rogue retailers will continue flouting the law if they think they can get away with it.”
The ASH data on adult vaping trends shows that misperceptions about vaping harms have increased, with 53% of adult smokers believing that vaping is as harmful or more harmful than smoking. The ASH youth survey revealed that 63% of young people have the same misperception – up from 41% in 2022.
John added: “The misperceptions regarding the relative risks of smoking and vaping threaten to derail the government’s smokefree goals and we need a national public health information campaign to set the record straight.
“The rise in youth smoking experimentation should be a wake-up call for the government. Policies must prioritise reducing youth access to all nicotine products and not come at the cost of reversing progress on smoking rates.
“We urge public health authorities to step up efforts to communicate the clear scientific consensus that vaping is significantly less harmful than combustible tobacco use and remains the UK’s most effective quit aid for adult smokers. Smoking still claims 220 lives every day in the UK and we must bring these numbers down.
“As the UK moves into a new regulatory phase following the ban on single-use vapes, the UKVIA and its members remain committed to working with regulators, trading standards and public health experts to ensure products stay out of children’s hands while remaining accessible and appealing to adult smokers who want to quit.”
On a more positive note, the figures show that 10% of GB adults vape, equal to an estimated 5.5 million people.
Today (July 17), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued marketing granted orders (MGOs) for Juul Labs’ original e-cigarette device and refill cartridges in tobacco and menthol flavors.
As part of its 2020 application, Juul submitted over 110 scientific studies to FDA covering nonclinical, clinical, and behavioral science. Following rigorous evaluation of the data, FDA decided that an MGO for the Juul System was “appropriate for the protection of public health” – the standard required by statute for authorization.
“Today’s FDA authorization of Juul products marks an important step toward making the cigarette obsolete,” company CEO K.C. Crosthwaite said in a statement. “More than 2 million adult Americans have switched completelyaway from deadly cigarettes using Juul products. Meanwhile, underage use of our products is down 98% since 2019, to one-half of one percent of youth.
“We strongly support FDA’s role in regulating tobacco and nicotine products. Americans who use nicotine deserve an orderly, reliable market in which they can confidently choose from a wide array of smokefree nicotine products that are high-quality, innovative, backed by rigorous research, made in FDA-inspected manufacturing facilities, and marketed and sold responsibly.”
The approval marks a major reversal after the FDA banned Juul’s products in 2022, citing concerns over public health. That decision was quickly stayed following an appeal by the company and formally rescinded in June 2024. During this time, Juul products remained on the market.
“The decision follows wider expectations in the industry that the Trump Administration would ease regulatory hurdles for launching new vapes and other smoking alternatives,” Emma Rumney wrote for Reuters. “Some companies have seen FDA applications for new nicotine products languish for years or, like Juul, faced rejections that were challenged in court.”
The approval breathes new life into Juul, which had faced regulatory roadblocks and financial turmoil after the initial ban. It also potentially signals a broader shift in FDA oversight, as the agency faces growing pressure over delays in product reviews and the proliferation of unauthorized nicotine products in the market. Juul’s authorization is seen as a potential bellwether for other pending applications in the vaping industry, the WSJ suggested.
Yesterday (July 16), the European Commission announced two major initiatives aimed at cutting tobacco use and boosting EU revenue: a long-anticipated revision of the Tobacco Taxation Directive and a new measure called the Tobacco Excise Duty Own Resource (TEDOR).
The revised directive proposes higher minimum excise taxes and expands the scope to include e-cigarette liquids, nicotine pouches, and raw tobacco. Meanwhile, TEDOR would apply a uniform 15% levy on tobacco products released for consumption, expected to generate €11.2 billion annually.
“While the proposal is meant to tackle the developments and emergence of new products (e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and new products containing nicotine), the European Commission also decided to revise the EU minimum rates applicable to traditional tobacco products,” the European Cigar Manufacturers Association (ECMA) said in a press release. “It disregards the different tax-bearing capacity of niche products from mass-produced tobacco and nicotine products, demonstrating a misunderstanding of the market.”
“Increasing the EU minimum rate by 1,100% for niche products which are already the least affordable on the tobacco and nicotine market, is out of touch and completely irresponsible,” Paul Varakas, ECMA director general, said. “This proposal is very worrying. It goes against every commitment the EU Executive has made recently regarding reducing the regulatory burdens for SMEs and midcaps, companies that are largely dominating the cigar/cigarillo segment, as opposed to other products manufactured by Big Tobacco.”
While both measures aim to reduce tobacco use, particularly among youth, the TEDOR proposal is also part of the EU’s broader €2 trillion budget strategy.
“[Commission President] Ursula von der Leyen and [European Commissioner for Budget] Piotr Serafin were both vocal about the need to increase Europe’s competitiveness by decreasing EU regulatory burdens,” said Adam Bartha, director of the European Policy Information Center. “The Tobacco Excise Duty Own Resource and the revision of the Tobacco Excise Directive goes against their own stated goals and increases the tax and regulatory burdens on Europeans without reducing smoking rates.”
The Commission insists the reforms are vital to combat smoking and close loopholes fueling illicit trade, though opposition from countries like Italy and Greece could stall progress. However, both proposals face political hurdles, requiring unanimous approval from all member states.
Niche traditional products and EU SMEs hit the most by new EU Commission’s proposal
On 16 July 2025, the European Commission unveiled a proposal to revise the Tobacco Excise Directive. While the proposal is meant to tackle the developments and emergence of new products (e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and new products containing nicotine), the European Commission also decided to revise the EU minimum rates applicable to traditional tobacco products. It disregards the different tax-bearing capacity of niche products from mass-produced tobacco and nicotine products demonstrating a misunderstanding of the market.
Current EU minimum
2025 proposed rates
Increase
Cigarettes
90e / 1000 units
215e / 1000 units
139 %
Roll-your-own tobacco
60e / kg
215e / kg
258 %
Cigars/cigarillos
12e / 1000 units or kg
143e / 1000 units or kg
1092 %
OR
OR
5% ad valorem
40% ad valorem
700 %
Other smoking tobacco
22e / kg
143e / kg
550 %
Waterpipe tobacco
22e / kg
107e / kg
386 %
Nicotine pouches
N/A
143e / kg
–
Heated tobacco
N/A
108 e / 1000 units OR155e / kg
–
E-liquids with more than 15mg of nicotine / ml
N/A
0.36e / ml of liquid
–
E-liquids with up to 15mg of nicotine / ml
N/A
0.12e / ml of liquid
–
Paul Varakas, Director General of the European Cigar Manufacturers Association:
“Increasing the EU minimum rate by 1100% for niche productswhich are already the least affordable on the tobacco and nicotine market, is out of touch and completely irresponsible.
Cigars/cigarillos have always benefited from a differentiated tax rate due to their substantial manufacturing costs and differences. The emergence of new products on the market should not change this fact. Cigars/cigarillos should not be lumped in with new nicotine products. They have different consumption patterns and different groups of consumers.
This proposal is very worrying. It goes against every commitment the EU Executive has made recently regarding reducing the regulatory burdens for SMEs and midcaps, companies that are largely dominating the cigar/cigarillo segment, as opposed to other products manufactured by Big Tobacco.
We urge Member States to reconsider some of the proposed measures so as to not severely hit EU SME and midcaps competitiveness and sustainability.”.
The Association is composed of the following companies: Arnold André, Burger Söhne, Canariense de Tabacos, Casa 1910, Continental Tobacco Corporation, Corita Cigars, Dannemann, De Olifant, Empresa Madeirense de Tabacos, Fabrica de Tabaco Micaelense, Gesinta, Joh. Wilh. Von Eicken GmbH, Kaliman Caribe, Oettinger Davidoff, Maya Selva, Manifatture Sigaro Toscano, Meerapfel companies, Moderno Opificio del Sigaro Italiano, My&Mi, Ritmeester Cigars, Scandinavian Tobacco Group, Tabacalera S.L.U., TOR – The New World Cigars Distributor, Vandermarliere Cigar Family, Villiger Söhne and Wörmann & Scholle.
A Manhattan federal judge denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by New York City against eight vape wholesalers accused of distributing illegal flavored e-cigarettes. Judge Gregory H. Woods determined that the city’s claims were plausible and that the defendants had likely violated federal, state, and local laws regarding the sale of flavored e-cigarettes.
Originally filed in state court, the city alleges the companies—Pod Juice, EVO Brands, Midwest Goods Inc., MYLÉ VAPE Inc., MVH I, Inc., Puff Bar Inc., Safa Goods LLC, and Mi-One Brands—violated local and federal laws by “flooding” the market with flavored vapes, despite a citywide ban on such products. The ruling allows the city’s case to move forward, reinforcing its efforts to crack down on youth-targeted vaping products.
The defendants had argued the lawsuit was preempted by federal law, but the court disagreed, citing the city’s authority to enforce local public health protections.
New findings from the 2024 Irish Health Survey, released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) this week, revealed that nearly a quarter of adults aged 18 to 34 in Ireland are using vapes. The data found 13.6% of the young adults vaping daily and another 10% occasionally. This age group shows the highest prevalence of vaping nationwide.
The survey gathered responses from over 5,100 adults, and found 7.1% of all adults surveyed vape daily, 10% smoke tobacco daily, with the highest smoking rates among those aged 45–54 (13.3%), and 8% of adults reported using cannabis in the last year, jumping to 22% among 18- to 24-year-olds.
A Wisconsin trade group filed a federal lawsuit aiming to block a new state law regulating vape product sales, claiming it oversteps federal authority and threatens thousands of small businesses. Wisconsinites for Alternatives to Smoking and Tobacco (WiscoFAST) filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, challenging Wisconsin Statute 995.15, which took effect July 1.
The law empowers the Department of Revenue to fine sellers and manufacturers $1,000 per day starting September 1 if they sell vape products not authorized by the FDA. So far, only 34 e-cigarette products have FDA marketing approval.
WiscoFAST is seeking a preliminary injunction, arguing the law violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution by encroaching on the FDA’s exclusive authority under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). They also say it breaches the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment by unfairly banning some non-tobacco nicotine products.
“[The law] will strip Wisconsinites of their right to purchase the vaping products they use to stay smoke-free, while threatening to shutter 3,000 small businesses that are vital to our state’s economy,” said Tyler Hall, president of WiscoFAST. “This law disregards the FDA’s careful approach to regulating ENDS and could push former smokers back to deadly combustible cigarettes. We’re fighting to protect consumer choice and the livelihoods of thousands of Wisconsin workers.”
The American Lung Association (ALA) also disagrees with the new law, saying it likely won’t improve public health. Molly Collins, the ALA’s Wisconsin advocacy director, argued that raising the purchase age and increasing vape prices would be more effective.
Vape industry groups are urging the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals to temporarily block enforcement of a new North Carolina law that could ban many e-cigarettes from the market. In an emergency filing, the groups claim the law was heavily influenced by Reynolds American Inc. and is designed to eliminate competition from vaping products that help smokers quit.
The law prohibits the sale of vapor products that lack full FDA authorization, even though many remain under scientific review. Critics say this effectively bans nearly all independent vape brands in favor of a few tobacco-owned products that have gained approval.
The plaintiffs argue the statute undermines federal regulatory authority, disrupts public health harm-reduction efforts, and was crafted to protect big-tobacco corporate interests over consumers. They are seeking an injunction to prevent what they describe as irreparable harm to small businesses and adult nicotine users seeking alternatives to smoking.
