Tobacco Asia

66 tobaccoasia CLOSING NEWS 卷尾新闻 Republic Technologies Names New President Republic Group announced that Santiago Sanchez, who served as president of Republic Technologies International for 18 years, has officially retired. He is succeeded by Anis Ben Ticha, effective August 1, 2025. Ben Ticha brings 25 years of experience with the company, having held key roles across the commercial and marketing teams, including marketing analyst and sales and marketing director. His deep knowledge of the company and the broader industry positions him to guide Republic Tech- nologies into its next chapter. At 49, Ben Ticha combines international experience with a proven track record of success. He holds a master's degree from Toulouse Business School and an Executive MBA from EDHEC Business School, equipping him with strategic insight and leadership skills to navigate the evolving global market. "We are confident that Anis will continue to drive our mission forward and uphold the values that have contributed to our success over the past 25 years," said Don Levin, founder of Republic Group. "His extensive experience and commitment to excellence make him the ideal leader for this next chapter in our journey." Klaus Feldmann Rejoins Hertz & Selck After six extraordinarily successful years with his own flavor company, Greenleaf, Klaus Feldmann rejoined former employer Hertz & Selck as of October 1, 2025. Formerly Hertz & Selck's sales manager, Feldmann left the company in 2019 to open Greenleaf, but continued maintaining a close and friendly footing with his Hertz & Selck colleagues throughout the ensuing years. "It has been our shared past and the professional contact we curated and maintained over the years that resulted in Klaus Feldmann rejoining Hertz & Selck. Klaus and I made the decision together, and as a company we are looking forward to a long and fruitful relationship," stated present Hertz & Selck managing director Bianca Hinrichsen. She added that Feld- mann will be closing down Greenleaf to dedicate his resources to Hertz & Selck entirely. Lithuania Battles Cigarette Balloon Invasion Up to 25 small hot-air balloons, some carrying smuggled cigarettes, entered Lithuanian airspace one night in early October, forcing Vilnius Airport to shut down and delaying flights for hours, authorities reported. The balloons disrupted 30 flights, affecting around 6,000 passengers, according to Lithuania's National Crisis Manage- ment Center. Air traffic resumed at 4:50 a.m. the following day. Although these balloons carried only cigarettes, Europe remains on high alert after a surge of airspace intrusions last month. Some officials have suggested the incidents could be Moscow testing NATO's response, raising questions about the alliance's readiness. Lithuania and the Baltic states remain particularly vigilant. On July 10, a drone identified as a Russian-made Gerbera entered Lithuania from Belarus and crashed in Vilnius County. Another drone crashed at a military training ground on July 28, carrying an explosive device. Following these events, Lithuania's parliament authorized the armed forces to shoot down any unmanned drones violating national airspace. Two of the balloons flew over Vilnius Airport, while more than two dozen reached surrounding areas of Vilnius County. Border police recovered 11 balloons along with about 18,000 packs of smuggled cigarettes, spokesperson Darius Buta told The Associated Press. Vilnius sits roughly 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of Belarus. Lithuanian authorities say Belarusian smugglers increasingly use hot-air balloons—far cheaper than drones—to transport cigarettes into the European Union. Similar but smaller-scale incidents occurred in August. Lithuanian officials intercepted 966 balloons from Belarus last year, with 544 recorded so far this year. "Both smuggling balloons and drones are criminal activities, but not as provocations or acts of sabotage," Buta said. Experts Push Bangladesh Toward Harm Reduction Several countries, including New Zealand, have successfully reduced tobacco-related harm through practical, evidence- based policies. Bangladesh, however, has yet to introduce similar strategies, leaving smokers without safer alternatives despite strict regulations. Experts made this point at a seminar titled "Policy for Progress: Towards Harm Reduction 2.0"*, held on October 13 in Dhaka. The event was organized by Policy Exchange Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Harm Reduction Foundation. Dr. Delon Human, former secretary-general of the World Medical Association, said New Zealand sharply cut smoking rates by adopting scientific approaches and recogniz- ing alternatives such as vaping. He cited findings from the report "Tale of Two Nations: Bangladesh vs. New Zealand", noting that New Zealand's adult smoking rate fell from 13.3% in 2015 to 6.9%, while Bangladesh's dropped from 23% to 17%. "The key reason for this difference," he said, "is that New Zealand integrated harm reduction into its tobacco control strategy—Bangladesh has not." Dr. Md. Shariful Islam Dulu, founder trustee and chairman of the Bangladesh Harm Reduction Foundation and co-author of the report, said New Zealand's pragmatic inclusion of harm reduction policies helped smokers transition to safer options. In contrast, Bangladesh's ban on importing electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) has spurred illicit trade, reduced government revenue, and limited access to regulated alternatives. He said the smoking rate among adult males in Bangladesh remains at 34.1%, about four times higher than New Zealand's. Speaking virtually, Timothy Andrews, director of consumer issues at the THOLOS Foundation, emphasized that bans and strict restrictions fail to reduce tobacco use, citing Brazil's experience as an example. He said Sweden demonstrat- ed the success of harm reduction through snus, which has led to steep declines in smoking-related illnesses. Schumann Zaman, president of the Bangladesh Elec- tronic Nicotine Delivery System Traders Association (BEND- STA), said the vape ban has fueled smuggling and deprived the government of tax revenue. In closing, economist Hasnat Alam of Policy Exchange Bangladesh urged the government to create a comprehensive

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