4 tobaccoasia Issue 1, 2026 January / February
32 32
44 44
CONTENTS
Publisher/Founding Editor
Glenn Anthony John
gaj@octobermultimedia.com
Managing Editor
Nattira Medvedeva
nam@octobermultimedia.com
Contributing Editor
Thomas Schmid
ths@octobermultimedia.com
Special Correspondents
Timothy Donahue
Dr. Allen Liao
Stefanie Rossel
Art Director
Somjet Thitasomboon
Translations
TobaccoChina Online
Administrative Assistant
Aek Jekaram
Subscriptions/Office Assistant
Malisa Kongkatitum
malisa@tobaccoasia.com
Sales Director
Emerson Leonard
edl@octobermultimedia.com
Director, October Inter Co Ltd
Boonthin Tubsongkroh
Editorial/Circulation
Offices Tobacco Asia
October Inter Co. Ltd.
Thamatee Building,
159/19 Soi Ramkhamhaeng 110,
Ramkhamhaeng Road, Sapansung,
Bangkok 10240
Tel +66 2 373 2658.
info@octobermultimedia.com
www.tobaccoasia.com
12 Q&A: Shem Baldeosingh
Director, GINN (Global
Institute for Novel Nicotine)
FRONT Feature
18 The Shifting Economics
of Nicotine Taxes
22 Illicit Trade: Undermines
Tobacco Harm Reduction
26 Policymakers Still
Misunderstand Nicotine
PRODUCT Feature
32
The Mother Lode: Industry
Supplies from Asia
36 Rising Flames: Niche
Premium Cigar Brands
MANUFACTURING Feature
44 Artificial Intelligence for
Next Generation Products
LEAF TOBACCO Feature
50 Malawi and Brazil's New
Generation of Suppliers
54 China: Unlocking Potential
in Upper Tobacco Leaf
CLOSING Feature
60
Russian Tobacco Faces
Price Surge
62 Young Adults Reshaping
China's Cigarette Market
Features
Departments
8 From the Editor
14 Front Page News
30 Product News
40 Manufacturing News
48 Leaf News
58 Closing News
66 Events
66 Advertisers Index
On the Cover…
The Mother Lode: Industry
Supplies from Asia
Tobacco Asia Issue 1, 2026 (January / February)
Artificial Intelligence for Next
Generation Products
AI Adobe Photoshop