News&ViewsPodcast | Tobacco Asia - InterTabac

Recorded live at Intertabac 2026 in Dortmund, Germany, this episode features host Thomas Schmid interviewing Mechelle Merkerson, an international cigar education specialist and founder of “Cigars with M.”

Mechelle shares how her father introduced her to cigars on her 23rd birthday, setting her on a path of self-driven learning through mentors, retailers, and factory visits that ultimately led her to establish her education company.

She describes her three masterclasses at Intertabac, covering digital humidor integration, women as cigar consumers, and brand storytelling. The conversation explores how the modern cigar consumer has diversified far beyond the traditional middle-aged male demographic to...

Thomas Schmid interviews Shem Baldeosingh, the director of the Global Institute for Novel Nicotine (GINN). Shem discusses GINN’s foundation in 2024, its mission to promote safer nicotine products, and its evolution into a structured organization with global influence.

He highlights GINN’s advocacy for non-combustible and non-vaping products like oral nicotine pouches and mentions significant markets including Spain and Saudi Arabia. The discussion also covers regulatory challenges, regional dynamics, and future opportunities in Asia and indeed around the world, emphasizing the importance of standards, regulatory engagement, and consumer protection.

Shem addresses innovations in nicotine delivery formats and urges policy makers and...

Host Thomas speaks with Chris Gemmell, Chief Product and Innovation Officer at Green Tank Technologies, a Canadian company pioneering chip-based atomization. Chris brings over 25 years of experience from Kellogg's and BAT to his role leading Green Tank's R&D efforts across the nicotine, cannabinoid, and wellness segments.

The conversation traces the vapor industry's 20-year evolution—from early “cigalikes” to open systems, pod mods, and disposables—highlighting how consumer preferences and regulation have shaped each wave. Chris emphasizes the need for an "era of trust" in the category.

The discussion then centers on Green Tank's patented Quantum Chip, a nano-fabricated heating element with...

Host Thomas Schmid interviews Paul Varakas, Director-General of ECMA, the Brussels-based trade association representing over 30 European cigar and cigarillo manufacturers, most of them family-owned MSEs. Paul argues that cigars are artisanal, occasionally consumed products — primarily by adults over 35 — and should not face the same regulations as cigarettes. He pushes back against one-size-fits-all tobacco policies, citing Eurobarometer data showing negligible youth consumption. He welcomes the European Parliament's recent rejection of a Commission proposal to raise cigar taxes by up to 1,000%, and encourages listeners to submit evidence to the EU's ongoing tobacco regulation consultation at ecma.eu.