e-cigarette
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China tells online stores to stop selling e-cigarettes
E-cigarette sales bans are quickly becoming an international phenomenon. China's tobacco regulators have asked online shopping companies to "temporarily" close online stores that sell e-cigarettes -- effectively, it's banning e-cig sales on the internet. Officials argued in the notice that this was to protect the "physical and mental health of minors," echoing concerns in the US.
Juul stops selling its fruit-flavored vape products
Today, Juul announced that it's suspending the sale of its fruit-flavored vape products in the US. It will no longer sell its mango, creme, fruit and cucumber varieties. The decision comes as the Trump administration is preparing to ban flavored e-cigs in an attempt to curb teen vaping and as the CDC continues to search for the cause of a vaping-related lung illness.
Congress is asking vape manufacturers if they used social media bots
Congress wants to know if the largest vaping companies used bot-generated social-media messages to market their products. The House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Massachusetts attorney general have asked each of the five largest manufacturers if they've relied on automated, bot-posted campaigns, The Wall Street Journal reports.
A House bill could cap the concentration of nicotine in e-cigs
As part of a growing effort to reduce teen vaping, US Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Illinois) has proposed legislation that could put a cap on the concentration of nicotine in e-cigarettes, CNN reports. The bill would limit nicotine content to no more than 20 milligrams per milliliter. According to Krishnamoorthi's office, the goal is to make e-cigs "significantly less addictive and appealing to youth."
Juul hires former tobacco exec as CEO and ceases all US marketing
Juul has announced a major shakeup of its juggernaut vape business. For starters, former Altria executive K.C. Crosthwaite is replacing Kevin Burns as CEO. Altria, if you need a refresher, is one of the largest tobacco companies in the world and bought a 35 percent stake in Juul for $12.8 billion last year. Today, the e-cigarette company also announced that it would be "suspending" all print, broadcast and digital marketing in the US.
Vape brand Juul is reportedly at the center of a criminal probe
E-cigarette maker Juul is in trouble again. According to The Wall Street Journal, people familiar with the matter say that the company is the subject of a criminal investigation by federal prosecutors in California. It's not yet been revealed what the focus of the investigation is, although sources say it's still in its early stages.
Walmart will reportedly stop selling e-cigarettes
Walmart seemingly isn't taking any chances in light of recent concerns about e-cigarettes. CNBC and Yahoo Finance both have obtained a memo indicating that the retailer will stop selling e-cigarettes at all of its US stores (including (Sam's Club) after clearing through its existing inventory. The growing levels of "regulatory complexity and uncertainty" around e-cigs is to blame, the company reportedly said.
India effectively bans e-cigarettes
India just became among the first countries to effectively ban vaping. On Wednesday, the country banned the sale, import, advertising and production of e-cigarettes. First-time offenders face up to a year in prison and $1,400 fine, while repeat offenders face the prospect of a three-year sentence and $7,000 fine. It's still technically legal to smoke an e-cigarette in India, but for obvious reasons finding a legal supply of nicotine to smoke will be difficult.
Chinese retailers abruptly stop selling Juul e-cigarettes
It appears Juul's fortunes are about to get even worse. Bloomberg reports retailers in China have pulled the company's products just one week after they became available within the country. Citing a "person familiar with the matter," the publication says Juul wasn't told why its e-cigarettes and nicotine pods were removed from both physical and online stores, making it unclear whether the ongoing trade war between the US and China was a factor.
New York state bans sales of flavored e-cigarettes
New York isn't waiting for the federal government to take action on teen vaping. Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced an "emergency executive action" that will ban sales of flavored e-cigarettes. The move will see the state Department of Health's Commissioner hold an urgent meeting with the Public Health and Health Planning Council to implement the ban. E-cig makers and stores are "intentionally and recklessly" trying to court a younger audience, Cuomo claimed, and this would theoretically put a stop to the behavior.
The Trump administration plans to ban flavored e-cigs to curb teen vaping
The Trump administration announced today that it may ban the sale of most flavored e-cigarettes in an attempt to curb teen vaping, The New York Times reports. In a press release, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shared that the FDA plans to finalize a policy to remove most non-tobacco-flavored e-cigs from the market. The FDA is expected to share specifics on the plan in the coming weeks.
FDA criticizes Juul for telling students its e-cigs are ‘totally safe’
In a letter published today, the US Food and Drug Administration criticized Juul for telling students that its vaping products are "totally safe" and "99% safer than cigarettes." According to the letter, Juul portrayed its products as "modified risk tobacco products." That is, Juul presented its vaping products as having "a lower risk of tobacco-related disease or are less harmful than one or more other commercially marketed tobacco products." Such claims can only be made with FDA approval, which Juul did not have.
CDC warns against vaping until it figures out what’s making people sick
Until the Center for Disease Control can figure out what's causing the mysterious lung illness associated with vaping, it's cautioning people against e-cigs. Last week, it launched a joint investigation with the Food and Drug Administration into a respiratory illness reported after vaping. At the time, it said 215 possible cases had been reported from 25 states, and at least two deaths have been documented. "While this investigation is ongoing, people should consider not using e-cigarette products," the CDC wrote in a press release today.
Michigan is the first state to ban flavored e-cigarettes
Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer announced today that the state will ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes in an attempt to curb youth vaping, which the US surgeon general calls an "epidemic." While cities such as San Francisco have recently put similar restrictions in place, Michigan is the first state to declare a ban.
The FTC is reportedly investigating Juul's teen marketing tactics
Juul is facing yet another investigation. This time, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is looking into the company's marketing practices. It will decide whether Juul used deceptive marketing, including targeting minors and using social media influences, sources familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal. The FTC may seek monetary damages.
Juul will require retailers to scan IDs before selling its vapes
By May 2021, anyone looking to purchase a Juul e-cig will have to have their ID scanned. Juul announced today that it will soon require all retailers to use an updated point-of-sale (POS) system. When Juul products are scanned, the POS will prompt the retailer to scan the customer's ID. Anyone under the locally mandated age will be prohibited from buying Juul products. The POS will also block sales of more than one vaporizer and four refill packs, so users won't be able to buy in bulk and presumably share with their underage friends.
North Carolina sues eight e-cigarette makers over teen use
Officials aren't just focused on Juul in their crackdown on teen vape use. North Carolina has sued eight e-cigarette makers (Beard Vape, Direct eLiquid, Electric Lotus, Electric Tobacconist, Eonsmoke, Juice Man, Tinted Brew and VapeCo) over allegations they're "aggressively targeting" kids and don't require "appropriate" age checks when selling their products. The companies frequently use child-oriented flavors like gummy bear or "unicorn frappé," not to mention the colorful packages to match.
FDA targets teens with e-cigarette prevention ads
Today, the FDA launched its first e-cigarette prevention TV ads. Part of "The Real Cost" campaign, they're meant to educate teens on the dangers of e-cigarette use. The ads will target nearly 10.7 million teens, aged 12 to 17, who have used e-cigarettes or are open to trying them. The short clips feature street magician Julius Dein, who turns a vape pen into a cigarette before onlookers. The trick is supposed to highlight the fact that teens who vape are more likely to start smoking cigarettes.
Netflix says its originals will kick their smoking habit
Future Netflix original shows rated TV-14 or lower and movies rated PG-13 or below will no longer include depictions of smoking or e-cigarette use, except in cases of historical or factual accuracy. The service will also avoid showing smoking or e-cigarette use in more adult-orientated projects "unless it's essential to the creative vision of the artist or because it's character-defining (historically or culturally important)," it told Variety.
San Francisco's grand plan to ban online e-cigarette sales
Nearly 90 percent of all San Francisco high school students who vape get their fix by shopping online or through friends. Just 13.6 percent actually buy their pods at a physical store. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is acutely aware of this teenage reality -- these statistics are laid out in Health Code ordinance No. 190312, which prohibits the sale of e-cigarettes in San Francisco, in person and online. The ordinance's authors are specifically concerned with curtailing e-cigarette use among the youth population, noting that the number of teenagers who had tried vaping at least once rose by 1.5 million from 2017 to 2018. The ban will last until the US Food & Drug Administration reviews the health risks of vaping, which likely won't happen until 2022.
