Read articles from Asia

July 21, 2026 by worldvapersalliance.com

South Korea's high taxes on nicotine pouches, compared to cigarettes, hinder tobacco harm reduction efforts. In contrast, Sweden's lower taxes on smoke-free alternatives have drastically reduced smoking rates. South Korea's stringent regulations treat all nicotine products like cigarettes, impeding public health goals. Korea's lack of progress highlights the importance of distinguishing between products based on harm. For the EU, decisions on taxation and regulation will impact tobacco control efforts. Following Sweden's approach of targeting harm reduction over consumption could lead to lower smoking rates and healthcare costs. The EU should consider Sweden's model when updating tobacco directives to prioritize public health.

July 21, 2026 by manilastandard.net

Tax hikes can only go so far if they ignore how people and markets respond. The Philippines’ experience shows that making cigarettes more expensive may reduce use for some, but it can also fuel illicit trade when legal products become unaffordable. Tobacco policy needs more than higher taxes; it needs enforcement, consumer insight and lower-risk alternatives that give smokers a realistic way out. A strategy that prices people into the black market is not the same as reducing harm.

July 15, 2026 by tobaccoreporter.com

Lawmakers and prosecutors in the Philippines are urging stronger efforts to combat the rising illicit tobacco trade due to ineffective seizures. They emphasize the need for convictions to deter criminal networks in the lucrative trade. A recent study estimated a significant tax revenue loss of ₱141 billion ($2.3 billion) over two years. Proposed actions include an Anti-Illicit Trade law to enhance prosecutions, better coordination, and the use of track-and-trace technology. Prosecutors highlight the need for additional evidence in ongoing cases.

July 14, 2026 by tribuneindia.com

There is a difference between telling people to stop smoking and giving them a route that works. Safer nicotine alternatives may not fit the traditional idea of quitting, but they can still reduce exposure to the smoke that causes most tobacco-related disease. For adults who continue to smoke, that difference matters. Harm reduction is about progress that people can actually achieve.

July 07, 2026 by planetofthevapes.co.uk

Poor understanding of nicotine and relative risk leads to poor policy. When decision-makers treat vaping, pouches and cigarettes as if they carry the same harms, regulation can end up discouraging smokers from switching while leaving combustible tobacco protected by default. Public health decisions should be based on evidence, not confusion or moral panic. Ignorance does not reduce harm — it creates policy failure.

July 03, 2026 by maldivesindependent.com

The Maldives’ decision to make cigarettes cheaper raises serious questions about the consistency of tobacco policy. If public health advice is shaped by opaque studies and international pressure while lower-risk alternatives remain restricted, smokers may be left with the most harmful option made more affordable. Reducing harm requires transparent evidence, proportionate regulation and policies that distinguish between combustible tobacco and safer nicotine products. Public health should not protect cigarettes by default.

June 30, 2026 by 2firsts.com

China’s vape export data show a market in transition. Device exports rose during January–May 2026, while nicotine-containing product exports declined, suggesting shifting demand, pricing pressures and changing regulatory conditions across global markets. The figures underline how nicotine policy does not only affect consumers — it reshapes supply chains, product categories and legal trade. Stable, proportionate regulation is essential if safer nicotine products are to remain within accountable markets rather than fragmented or illicit ones.

June 30, 2026 by 2firsts.com

China’s vape export data show a market in transition. Device exports rose during January–May 2026, while nicotine-containing product exports declined, suggesting shifting demand, pricing pressures and changing regulatory conditions across global markets. The figures underline how nicotine policy does not only affect consumers — it reshapes supply chains, product categories and legal trade. Stable, proportionate regulation is essential if safer nicotine products are to remain within accountable markets rather than fragmented or illicit ones.

June 29, 2026 by prlog.org

The wrong public health question is whether vaping is risk-free. The right question is whether it can reduce harm for adult smokers who would otherwise continue using combustible cigarettes. Anti-vape arguments that ignore relative risk risk leaving people with the most dangerous option still on the table. Evidence-based policy should compare realistic choices, not ideal ones.

June 25, 2026 by substack.com

Mongolia’s experience shows why tobacco harm reduction must include the voices of advocates working closest to smokers. In countries where smoking rates remain high and cessation support is limited, lower-risk nicotine alternatives can offer a practical route away from combustible tobacco. Ignoring local realities risks leaving smokers with cigarettes as the easiest option. Public health policy should listen to people on the ground and support solutions that reduce harm in real-world conditions.