e-cigarette
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San Francisco is officially the first US city to ban e-cigarette sales
San Francisco's expected ban on e-cigarettes is about to become a practical reality. The city has voted in favor of a measure banning sales and and deliveries of e-cigarette products, making it the first urban center to approve just such a measure. Mayor London Breed has 10 days to review the law, but that may be a formality when she has already expressed support for the legislation. It should take effect seven months after signing, and won't lift until the FDA has finished reviewing the health effects.
San Francisco set to become first US city to ban e-cigarettes
San Francisco has edged towards becoming the first US city to ban sales of e-cigarettes, as well as the manufacturing and distribution of them on city property. A preliminary vote saw city supervisors unanimously approve a ban on e-cigarettes the Food and Drug Administration has yet to review. It hasn't assessed any yet and companies have until 2021 to apply for reviews of their products under the agency's draft guidelines.
Juul faces House investigation over teen e-cigarette use
Juul is facing even more heat over concerns that it's contributing to teen vaping. The House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy has opened an investigation into the "youth e-cigarette epidemic" that could determine if Juul had marketed its e-cigarettes to kids. Committee Chairman Raja Krishnamoorthi has asked the company to hand over any documents from 2013 onward that touch on related parts of its advertising and social media strategies, including the impact of ads on children and its awareness of under-18 social network followers.
FDA proposes stricter rules for flavored e-cigarettes
After months of talking about limiting flavored e-cigarettes, the FDA ready to take more definitive action. The regulator has unveiled draft rules that would let it restrict sales of e-cigs with flavors that could appeal to kids (that is, everything outside of menthol, mint and tobacco). It would "prioritize" enforcement on sales of those flavors in ways that make them easily accessible to or enticing for kids. This could include retail stores where kids can walk in at any time, online stores with weak quantity limits and products whose look and flavor could appeal to the younger crowd.
FDA accuses Juul of undermining efforts to prevent teen vaping
Many people raised eyebrows when Marlboro owner Altria bought a $12.8 billion stake in the vaping giant Juul, and that now includes the US Food and Drug Administration. Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has requested a joint meeting with the CEOs of Juul and Altria over concerns their statements "contradict" commitments they made in October to reduce teen vaping. The official wanted both executives to explain how their deal affects their plans to curb youth vape use, and noted that data suggested trends were headed in the wrong direction.
FDA to ban flavored e-cigarette sales in convenience stores
You might have a hard time finding flavored e-cigs outside of vape shops in the future. According to The Washington Post, the Food and Drug Administration plans to announce a ban on the sales of most pod-based flavored e-cigarettes in convenience stores and gas stations across the country. It's reportedly part of the agency's efforts to curb sales of e-cigs to minors, since studies show that flavors tend to attract underage buyers. The FDA says that there's been a 77 percent increase in the use of e-cigarettes among high school students in 2018 -- Juul has been particularly popular among teens to the point that vaping with Juul is now commonly known as "juuling."
FDA seizes marketing documents from e-cig maker Juul
In its latest move against e-cigarettes, the US Food and Drug Administration has seized "thousands of pages of documents" from e-cig maker Juul. In a statement to CNBC, the FDA said the action was taken in order to obtain "further documentation related to Juul's sales and marketing practices, among other things." The documents were seized last week during a surprise inspection of the company's San Francisco headquarters.
E-cig makers have 60 days to show they aren’t targeting minors
The Food And Drug Administration may force several e-cigarette brands to stop selling flavored products if they can't prove they can keep their products out of minors' hands. The brands -- Juul, Vuse, MarkTen, blu and Logic -- have 60 days to convince the agency they have adequate plans to stop kids from vaping with their products. Those five collectively account for more than 97 percent of the e-cigarette market.
Juul wants to use Bluetooth e-cigs to lock out teen smokers
E-cigarette company Juul is working on a Bluetooth-connected version of its popular device, and its features could help the company combat underage use. Valued at $15 billion, Juul claims over 70 percent of the US e-cigarette market, and it has been working to expand internationally. But as it continues to attract investment and users, the company is also admitting that its product is being used by teenagers. "We acknowledge kids are using the products," Juul Chief Administrative Officer Ashley Gould said earlier this year. "We're committed to stopping it."
E-cig startup Juul plans to go global by raising $1.2 billion
"Juuling" might be a thing around the world in the future, because the e-cig-maker has big plans to go global. According to Bloomberg, Juul is raising $1.2 billion in a financing round, which would put the startup's value at a whopping $15 or $16 billion. If you need something to compare that to, Lyft recently reached a $15 billion valuation after raising $600 million. The publication says the company is hoping to use the money it raises from investors to make its USB vape pens available outside the US and Israel. Currently, if you want to buy its trendy pens and nicotine pods outside those two countries, you'd have to find resellers.
Study says e-cigarettes increase risk of cancer and heart disease
Regulators may have had a change of heart about the danger of using e-cigarettes, but scientists would beg to differ. A newly published New York University School of Medicine study indicates that vaping may put you at a "higher risk" of cancer and heart disease. Mice subjected to the equivalent of "light" e-cigarette smoking for 10 years (12 weeks in reality) suffered DNA damage to their bladders, hearts and lungs, in addition to limiting both DNA repair and lung proteins. In short: nicotine can become a carcinogen in your body regardless of how it's transmitted.
UK health body: Don’t treat vaping like smoking
Public Health England has recommended a lighter approach to e-cigarette rules and regulations in order to support vaping as a means of quitting regular cancer sticks. The body has published its new Tobacco Control Plan, which sets out the various ways it will help people kick the habit, with one of the primary goals to reduce the number of adults in England who smoke from 15.5 percent to 12 percent or less by 2022. Data would suggest e-cigarettes are significantly less harmful than normal smokes in the long-term, leading Public Health England to recommend we don't create barriers that stop people making the switch.
The UK’s new vaping laws explained
From today, vaping gear sold in the UK must adhere to a new set of specific guidelines. That's because last year, the EU updated its regulations covering tobacco products to include e-cigarettes and e-liquids for the first time. When these first came into effect, almost all types of e-cig advertisements were immediately banned, given they effectively promote the consumption of nicotine, an addictive substance. And now, exactly one year later, the rules that actually impact what vaping products are legally eligible for sale have come into force.
Starting today, it will be a lot harder to vape if you're under 18
In May, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced plans to regulate e-cigarettes like it does regular tobacco products. Today, those changes go into effect. First, the new regulations make it illegal to sell e-cigarettes and other vaping supplies to anyone under the age of 18. As we reported when the FDA first revealed its plans, the age limit was already being enforced in some places, but now it's the rule nationwide. Retailers will be required to ask for identification from any customer who appears to be under the age of 27 and are prohibited from providing free samples to minors.
The VERTX is an e-cigarette with a touchscreen
The V2 company rolled out a new e-cigarette model this morning called the VERTX. I have no idea how that word is pronounced but the device does offer a number of unique features. For one, it's the only micro e-cig on the market with a touchscreen. Users can easily adjust both the heating element's voltage -- from 3.5V to 4.5V -- and the device's LED indicators simply by swiping across the VERTX's face.
Department of Transportation bans e-cigarettes in checked baggage
Like the FDA, which recently decided to regulate e-cigarettes like tobacco products, the Department of Transportation has also decided to treat e-cigarettes like a fire hazard. The DOT issued a final rule today, banning e-cigarette batteries in checked baggage.
FDA will regulate e-cigarettes like tobacco products
As the debate over the health risks of e-cigarettes rages on, the FDA is stepping in to "improve public health and protect future generations." To do that, the US government will regulate e-cigs and vaping gear like it does any other tobacco product. Until now, these products haven't been subject to government oversight. With the FDA's changes, the federal law that already forbids tobacco sales to people under 18 will now apply to vaping as well. Sure, this age limit was already being enforced in some places, but this more formal announcement makes it a nation-wide law.
EU court upholds new rules that ban e-cigarette advertising
E-cigarettes received one of their biggest endorsements to date last week, with the UK's Royal College of Physicians vouching for their safety and recommending smokers be encouraged to make the switch. Any celebrations within the vaping industry will have been short-lived, though, as yesterday the EU's Court of Justice cleared new legislation that puts e-cigarettes under similar regulatory pressures as your traditional cancer sticks. Many of the rules are simply to ensure product quality, but the biggest blow to manufacturers will undoubtedly be a broad ban on advertising and other promotional activity.
Don't even think about vaping on a plane
There are a number of public places where smoking is banned but the use of e-cigarettes is not. Well, you can take commercial flights off of that list. The US Department of Transportation banned the use of the smoking devices on planes that are leaving from or coming to the States. In other words, the no smoking rule that was already in place for tobacco products was expanded to include electronic cigarettes as well.
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UK health agency approves first e-cig for clinical use
The long-term effects of vaping won't be known for some time, but despite some cautionary advice and unsettling research into flavourings, the general consensus is e-cigarettes are better for you than the real thing. Many smokers have turned to vaping to help kick (or at least transfer) their habit, and with this in mind, the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recently approved an e-cigarette for clinical use for the first time.
