Center for Rapid Surveillance of Tobacco (CRST) will perform surveillance of tobacco product marketing, the tobacco product marketplace, and tobacco use behaviors, transforming tobacco surveillance to be rapid, comprehensive, and coordinated, with salient findings fed immediately into traditional data collection systems. By identifying and evaluating signals in a timely fashion, the CRST will generate critical actionable information about changes in tobacco products which can inform FDA’s regulation of tobacco products leading to a substantial public health impact.

Tobacco Industry Monitoring (TIM) Alert

Tobacco Industry Marketing (TIM) Alerts provide weekly newsletters to subscribers to keep up to date with tobacco industry marketing and emerging tobacco products.

Excerpt from the Sep 18, 2026 TIM Alert

CIGARETTES

Maverick cigarettes, from ITG Brands, has been promoting their products on Instagram since July 2026. Although the follower count is relatively low compared to other brands, it is rare to see a cigarette brand active on the platform. The brand uses the account to promote sweepstakes and events featuring music and tattoo artists.

ENDS

Direct mail from Vuse promoting the Vuse Pro flavored pods was shared with us through our website portal. The mailer includes descriptions of the flavors and a “scratch and sniff” aspect, previously seen on direct mail promotions for Sensa disposable e-cigarettes. The mailer also confirms that Vuse Pro pods are compatible with the Vuse Alto device. The Vuse Alto device received FDA authorization in July 2024, and RJ Reynolds Vapor Company submitted PMTAs for an age-gated Vuse Pro device and compatible pods in June 2024, but there are no PMTAs for Vuse Pro at this time.