Malaysian police have busted a criminal syndicate distributing the new-type drug MDMA and seized e-cigarette vape oil and related items worth approximately RM1.48 million (about USD 352,000). Nine suspects were arrested, including a Thai woman. The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act.

Between 2022 and 2024, Singapore recorded an average of 3,100 student vaping cases each year, including about 800 annually in tertiary institutions, far above the fewer than 50 cases reported before 2020. Since March, ~260 schools have been issued nicotine testing kits, and from September 1, schools will impose stricter disciplinary measures. Concurrently, authorities will intensify enforcement across public spaces, the military and borders, with Kpods (etomidate-containing e-cigs) to be treated

An initiative to impose a full ban on e-cigarettes, proposed by the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region and supported by President Vladimir Putin, has sparked wide discussion in the Russian city of Ufa. According to a SuperJob survey conducted among employed residents of the city from August 23 to 25, 2025, 69% of respondents supported a complete ban on the sale of e-cigarettes.

A new Texas law that bans the sale of e-cigarettes containing ingredients manufactured in China will take effect on September 1. U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison rejected a request for a temporary restraining order from industry groups. The law also prohibits the sale of devices or packaging that could appeal to minors and products containing or marketed as containing cannabinoids, alcohol, and other substances. Violators will face up to one year in jail and fines of up to $4,000 per offense.

Spain’s proposed ban on non-tobacco vape flavors and strict cap on nicotine pouches has evolved from a domestic tobacco control measure into a major dispute at the EU level. This report traces the full trajectory of the controversy—covering policy background, EU review, stakeholder positions, and potential impacts—showing how the debate has moved beyond tobacco control to challenge the fundamental freedoms of the EU single market.