An estimated 80% of cigarettes and vapes consumed in Australia last year were illegal, according to the Bureau of Statistics. Nicotine consumption rose 40% while legal spending fell, with high excise taxes blamed for fueling a black market that costs the government billions.
Australian Border Force (ABF) has seized over 433,000 illicit cigarettes, 686kg of tobacco, and 50,200 vapes in Darwin, Northern Territory. The haul represents $1.8 million in evaded taxes and is the ABF's third major blow to the territory's black market in two months.
Australian Border Force (ABF) has seized hundreds of thousands of illicit cigarettes and vapes from a Darwin storage facility, representing $1.8 million in evaded duties and $3.7 million in potential proceeds of crime. This marks the ABF's third major blow to the Northern Territory's black market in two months.
The Australian Border Force (ABF) has seized over 433,000 illicit cigarettes, 686kg of tobacco, and 50,200 vapes from a Darwin storage unit, representing $1.8 million in evaded taxes and $3.7 million in potential crime proceeds. This is the ABF's third major bust in the Northern Territory in two months, highlighting ongoing concerns about organized crime and the need for stronger territorial government enforcement.
Queensland's crackdown on illicit tobacco and vapes has forced retailers online, but the black market is adapting. Researchers note a "marked difference" in availability, while convenience stores report a "flow back" to illicit sales after initial shutdowns.
A Justiça do Trabalho assumiu a competência para julgar a segurança laboral de detentos após um acidente em Tupi Paulista (SP), onde uma presa perdeu um dedo em máquina sem proteção. O Estado de SP questionou a ação, mas a decisão se baseou em emendas constitucionais e súmulas do STF.
UK waste companies propose a £5 refundable deposit on vapes to boost proper disposal and reduce fires in waste facilities. Despite a ban on disposables, millions are still discarded weekly, posing fire risks due to lithium batteries. Some vape firms oppose the scheme, fearing it will drive consumers to illicit retailers.
Vaping among German youth is on the rise, with nearly 7% of 12-17-year-olds regularly using e-cigarettes, sparking concerns among health experts who link vaping to increased nicotine dependence and potential harm.
UK recycling plants are overwhelmed by the volume of discarded vapes, leading to fires and straining systems. Despite a ban on single-use vapes, millions are still thrown away weekly, with hidden lithium-ion batteries posing a significant fire risk. Experts propose solutions like deposit return schemes and producer responsibility.
FoI responses collected by insurer show brigades tackled 1,760 battery-linked fires in 2025, up 147% in three yearsFire brigades across the UK are tackling lithium-ion battery fires at a rate of one every five hours, figures show, as fire chiefs warn that public awareness and government regulation have not kept pace with the ubiquity of this new hazard.Lithium-ion batteries power most rechargeable devices including mobile phones, electric toothbrushes, toys and vapes, as well as ebikes, e-scooters and electric vehicles. Continue reading...
Bundesumweltminister Schneider will Einweg-E-Zigaretten verbieten. Bis Ende des Jahres soll ein Gesetz dazu vorliegen.
Yuzvendra Chahal faces controversy after a video surfaced allegedly showing him vaping on a team flight. Former spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan criticized the lenient penalties for such violations, especially after a similar incident involving Riyan Parag. The BCCI recently reiterated its strict ban on vapes and e-cigarettes across all IPL venues and facilities.
Yuzvendra Chahal faces controversy after a video surfaced allegedly showing him vaping on a team flight. Former spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan criticized the lenient penalties for such violations, especially after a similar incident involving Riyan Parag. The BCCI recently reiterated its strict ban on vapes and e-cigarettes across all IPL venues and facilities.
Noch in diesem Jahr soll ein entsprechendes Gesetz vorliegen: Umweltminister Schneider will Einweg-Vapes aus den Läden verbannen. Grund sei die von den Geräten im Müll ausgehende Gefahr.
The federal government has given $5.9 million to the Northern Territory to "shut down sleazy, ridiculous shops selling illegal tobacco".
Belgium's federal government approved a ban on flavored vapes, allowing only tobacco and unflavored e-cigarettes from September 2028. Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke framed the measure as protecting youth from nicotine addiction, calling vaping 'an invention of a criminal industry.' The policy follows Netherlands' approach and a November 2025 recommendation from Belgium's Superior Health Council.
The UK has passed the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, aiming to create a 'smoke-free generation' by banning tobacco sales to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009. From 2027, the minimum legal age for tobacco purchase will increase by one year annually, creating a permanent generational divide. The law also extends vape regulations and enjoys strong cross-party support, with 52% of smokers and 78% of the public backing the policy.
The ACT's chief police officer wants a sustained crackdown on the black market tobacco trade, as authorities swoop on six Canberra businesses.
A 22-year-old Hongkonger named Elio began smoking at 16 while studying abroad in New Zealand and developed a nicotine addiction to cope with stress about his uncertain future. Despite suffering a collapsed lung in 2020, he resumed smoking and drinking, then switched to e-cigarettes when tobacco taxes rose. After Hong Kong banned vape sales in 2022, he restricted himself to one capsule every three days—equivalent to 20 cigarettes of nicotine—but continues purchasing pods online privately to avoid enforcement.
Hong Kong's new ban on possessing e-cigarettes and related products in public places takes effect April 30. Violators carrying small quantities face a HK$3,000 fixed penalty, while those with larger quantities could be fined up to HK$50,000 and sentenced to six months in jail.
Anyone born after 2008 will be banned from buying cigarettes or vapes for life in the UK when a new bill becomes law.
Britain's parliament has approved the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, banning anyone born after January 1, 2009 (currently aged 17) from buying cigarettes for life. The legislation, awaiting royal assent, will extend smoking bans to outdoor spaces including children's playgrounds and areas outside schools and hospitals. It also grants powers to restrict vape flavours, packaging, and ban vaping where smoking is prohibited.
Ministers hope tobacco and vapes bill, which will become law next week, will create a ‘smoke-free generation’A bill banning anyone born after 2008 from buying tobacco in the UK has completed its progress through parliament in a move that ministers hope will create a “smoke-free generation”.Under the tobacco and vapes bill anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 will never be able to be legally sold tobacco across the UK, in an effort to save lives and reduce the burden on the NHS. Continue reading...
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has cleared Parliament, establishing a lifelong ban on cigarette purchases for anyone aged 17 or under. The landmark legislation prevents those born after 1 January 2009 from ever buying tobacco, aiming to create a smoke-free generation. Once receiving royal assent, ministers will gain powers to regulate tobacco, vaping and nicotine products including flavours and packaging. Vaping will be banned in cars with children, playgrounds, outside schools and at hospitals, though exceptions exist to support quit attempts.
