Author: Staff Writer

  • Air Factory Receives PMTA Acceptance for 72 Flavors

    Air Factory Receives PMTA Acceptance for 72 Flavors

    Credit: MVS

    My Vape Order (MVO) received its premarket tobacco product application acceptance letter, yesterday, Oct. 2. The company announced that the letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its 72 bundled Air Factory e-liquids meets the statutory and regulatory requirements for a PMTA submission.

    MVO submitted its Air Factory PMTA on Sept. 3.

    “MVO looks forward to working with FDA on its review of the … PMTA, which covers a suite of 72 Air Factory products, including both freebase and salt nicotine formulations in a variety of nicotine strengths tailored to meet the needs of our Air Factory consumers,” wrote MVO CEO Kyle Godfrey on the Air Factory website. “The PMTA is supported by robust scientific data, including independently-conducted toxicological risk assessment data for the submitted products, and thorough research establishing the products to be appropriate for the protection of public health. MVO is committed to working with FDA through the entire PMTA review process as expeditiously as possible.”

    The company will continue to provide PMTA and product updates at www.airfactoryeliquid.com.

  • Boulder Intl. Receives PMTA Acceptance Letter From FDA

    Boulder Intl. Receives PMTA Acceptance Letter From FDA

    Boulder
    Credit: Boulder

    Boulder International announced its premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) has been accepted by the U.S. the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Boulder’s initial filing will include two devices, the Boulder Rock and the Aspen Slim and two flavors of e-liquid, American Blend and Menthol.

    “Since the beginning, it’s been quite clear to us that the only road to long term success in this industry is through a socially responsible strategy that extends through all aspects of our business; from product conception through production and marketing,” Robert Heiblim, president of Boulder International USA, wrote on the company’s website.

    Each e-liquid will be available in four strengths. All products covered in the initial filing were introduced to the market prior to the August 8, 2016 deeming date, according to Boulder, adding the company has new devices currently under development which they intend to submit in future applications.

    “We welcome the introduction of formal policy and agency oversight to ensure the safe enjoyment of our products; and all vape products,” Heiblim added. “In our opinion it is fitting and proper that consistent and sustainable measures be observed as our industry matures. PMTA submissions not only enhance the profile and position of companies who possess the resources to file but also benefit the industry as a whole while improving the user experience for consumers.”

  • Health Institute Says Belgium’s Vaping Law ‘Too Vague’

    Health Institute Says Belgium’s Vaping Law ‘Too Vague’

    Credit: Carius Badstuber

    The Belgian law regulating the use of e-cigarettes and vaping products is still too vague, the Sciensano Public Health Institute said Thursday. The institute claims the law imposes restrictions only on the presence of nicotines in e-liquids. Other substances are not explicitly banned and therefore we still often find them.

    “These are nicotine impurities, volatile organic compounds and diacetyl and acetyl propionyl flavour enhancers. The latter are safe in food but can be harmful when inhaled over long periods of time,” said Sophia Barhdadi, a researcher at Sciensano, based on sample analyses.

    In total, the institute analysed 246 e-liquids dating from before (2013-2016) and after (2017-2018) the revised European Tobacco Product Directive (TPD) and its implementation in the Royal Decree (RD) of 28 October 2016, according to an article in The Brussels Times.

    The institute also claims that there were “more impurities in e-liquids sold online. The e-liquids that we bought in official vape shops were of better quality,” Barhdadi said.

    Sciensano pointed out, however, that the 2016 Royal Decree has improved the quality of e-liquids, including more correct nicotine information on labels, the absence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (up from 10 percent in 2016) and a reduction in caffeine and flavor enhancers.

  • IQOS Rollout Slowed by Covid Pandemic

    IQOS Rollout Slowed by Covid Pandemic

    Bonnie Herzog

    Tobacco and vapor product analyst Bonnie Herzog of Goldman Sachs cites the Covid-19 pandemic as the main reason Philip Morris International (PMI) and Altria have slowed down the national launch of IQOS.

    In March, Philip Morris USA closed its Atlanta, Georgia, and Richmond, Virginia, IQOS stores temporarily, paused its IQOS inperson marketing efforts and delayed the launch of IQOS in Charlotte, North Carolina, due to Covid-19 concerns. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted modified-risk tobacco product (MRTP) status to IQOS in July, sales of IQOS have not been strong during the pandemic.

    “It has been more of a slow rollout and that has a lot to do with the fact that the technology that has been approved in the U.S. is older technology of IQOS,” said Herzog. “Philip Morris has applied to get approval of 3.0, but that’s still pending. We’re optimistic, assuming they can get approval from the FDA for that.” Herzog projects that by 2025, IQOS could account for as much as 12.2 percent of Altria’s volumes.”

  • Puff Bar Owner Files $75 Million Suit for Counterfeits

    Puff Bar Owner Files $75 Million Suit for Counterfeits

    DS Technology Licensing, the owner of registered trademarks associated with the Puff Bar vapor device and its distributor Puff Inc.filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against over 20 Chinese and American companies accused of distributing counterfeit vaping devices.

    The companies included as defendants include international manufacturer and distributor CACUQ, US distributors, e-commerce companies, and brick and mortar retail stores. A list of current Defendants is below. Plaintiffs are represented by the law firm of Gallinger Law PC.

    The lawsuit addresses both counterfeit “Puff Bar” vapor devices as well as knockoff products identified as “Puff Smart,” “Puff Mini,” “Puff Stig,” and “Airis Puff” and seeks $50 million in restitutionary and $25 million in punitive damages.

    “Defendants in the lawsuit have infringed on the famous “Puff” and “Puff Bar” marks by introducing competing devices which use the stylized “Puff” associated with Puff Bar Vapor Devices as well as by openly selling fake or counterfeit Puff Bar vapor devices. Defendants are believed to be only a small number of the violators, as the anti-counterfeit verification system at puffbar.com has identified thousands of retail stores at which consumers bought devices which failed the check” the company said in a statement.

    “Awards will be given to those with information which leads to the seizure of counterfeit goods. Contact 866-PUFF-BAR or report@puffbar.com for more info.”

  • EU Commission Opposes Danish Flavor Ban

    EU Commission Opposes Danish Flavor Ban

    Photo: Sharon Ang from Pixabay

    The European Commission has opposed a ban on vaping flavors put forward by the Danish government, according to the U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA).

    “It is a victory both for vaping and common sense,” said UKVIA Director John Dunne said in a statement.

    Denmark wants to introduce a flavor ban on both nicotine and non-nicotine containing e-liquids, where only tobacco and menthol flavors will be permitted. According to the Danish Vapers Association (DADAFO), the proposed ban would have affected between 85 percent and 90 percent of adult vapers in Denmark with the potential of driving up to 70,000 Danish ex-smokers back to cigarettes. The move would have also forced 90 percent of vape shops to close, DADAFO said.

    “Flavors play a hugely important role in encouraging smokers to switch to vaping, a much less harmful product,” said Dunne. “Crucially, vape flavors provide choices for ex-smokers to ensure they do not relapse.”

    “The effect of banning flavored liquids on deterring adult vapers from using vape products to help them quit or reduce their smoking was acknowledged by Public Health England earlier this year in its annual vaping evidence review. The review also stated that a ban could also push current adult vapers towards illicit products.”

    According to the European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates, the Danish Ministry of Health sent a notification of this to the European Commission on April 17 with a standstill period of three months during which the Commission had to comment whether it believes that the Danish government can legally amend the existing laws as proposed.

  • County in Washington State Seeks Comments on Vaping

    County in Washington State Seeks Comments on Vaping

    Credit Stephanie Bergeron

    A public hearing on a proposed county ordinance prohibiting vaping at indoor public places, places of work and certain youth-oriented outdoor spaces has been scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 13.

    The meeting will be hosted at 5 p.m. in Thurston County Courthouse, Building 1, Room 280. Members may attend in person or call in at 360-252-9020.

    “We are committed to putting police in place to support the health of our community, with a strong focus on the health of our youth,” Thurston County Board of Health Chair Tye Menser said in a statement in a county news release. “The use of vaping products among Thurston County youth is rising at an alarming rate.”

    According to a news release from the county, the draft ordinance includes local adoption of the statewide Smoking in Public Places law.

    “It would apply the same 25-feet rule from doors and other air intakes for indoor spaces for vaping as is true for smoking,” the news release reads. “It would also require signage about the rule at public places and places of employment. It employs the standard approach to enforcement, specifying what constitutes a civil infraction and penalties. The draft includes a rebuttal process for reducing the 25-feet rule.”

    Additional information on the proposal can be found on the Thurston County Board of Health’s website: https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/phss/Pages/smoking-vipp-sepa.aspx.

  • Republic Technologies Buys French E-Liquid Maker

    Republic Technologies Buys French E-Liquid Maker

    Photo: Manfred Schindler from Pixabay

    Republic Technologies International (RTI) has bought Innovative – So Good to expand the scope of its business. The acquisition bolsters RTI’s presence in the e-cigarette segment and establishes the company as a major player in premium certified French origin e-liquids.

    Based in Angouleme, France, Innovative – So Good manufacturers e-liquids and distributes equipment exclusively available through the tobacconists’ network.

    “So Good is a recognized brand and customers appreciate the high quality of its liquids,” said RTI Managing Director Olivier Partouche, who oversaw the purchase. “Thanks to the work of Cedric Lacouture and his teams, it has become a major premium brand available through the tobacconist network. The complementary nature of our E-CG liquids was obvious to us and this merger will help us further expand our product offering and enable us to support tobacconists as they grow this new segment.”

    “Our joining forces with Republic Technologies through the E-CG brand is excellent news for our customers,” said Lacouture, So Good’s founder. “In the short term, they’ll get access to a comprehensive offering of e-liquids, e-cigarettes and items for smokers. Of all the acquisition proposals that we received, [RTI’s] was the most persuasive as far as So Good’s future and its development are concerned.”

    For more than 150 years, the Republic Technologies group has been developing and manufacturing cigarette paper under the OCB, Job and Zig-Zag brands. Building on its industrial experience, the group has been selling e-liquids and vaping accessories under the E-CG brand since 2015.

  • New Vaping Index Grades States Based on Regulations

    New Vaping Index Grades States Based on Regulations

    California is the “worst state for vaping.” A new index ranks New York, California, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Rhode Island as the top states having the least consumer-friendly regulatory approach to vaping. The states of Virginia, Colorado, Texas and Maryland each received “A” scores.

    The findings come from a report by the Consumer Choice Center, which ranks each state “based on its consumer-friendly regulatory approach to vaping products.”

    David Clement and Yaël Ossowski, North American Affairs manager and deputy director of the Consumer Choice Center, the study’s authors, wrote in a press release that recent legislative actions on flavored vaping products including restrictions, taxation, and online sales prohibitions were key to each state’s score (graded A, C, or F).

    “The worst states … are far behind all the other states because of flavor bans, exorbitant taxation on vaping products, and restrictions on online sales,” said Clement, North American Affairs Manager at the Consumer Choice Center. “Our research indicates these states go above and beyond to deter adult smokers from switching to vaping, which could vastly improve and prolong their lives.”

    Credit: Consumer Choice Center

  • Juul Calls for Common Ground in Harm Reduction

    Juul Calls for Common Ground in Harm Reduction

    Joe Murillo

    For tobacco harm reduction to be successful, it is imperative that alternative products can compete with combustible cigarettes and that adult smokers have clear information on a product’s relative risk compared to smoking, according to Juul Labs Chief Regulatory Officer Joe Murillo.
     
    In his closing remarks at the 2020 Global Tobacco & Nicotine Forum (GTNF), Murillo spoke on how the category can sustainably accelerate the market away from combustible products while at the same time combating underage use and fostering a more responsible marketplace for vapor products that ensures equal access for all adult smokers.
     
    Murillo’s address pinpointed critical areas where the industry and stakeholders can find common ground in the pursuit of progress, including educating society on the benefits of tobacco harm reduction and using risk-proportionate regulation to elevate alternatives that can ultimately end the death and disease caused by smoking combustible cigarettes.
     
    According to Juul Labs, this year’s GTNF provided an invaluable opportunity for a diverse set of stakeholders to come together and speak about using innovation and regulation to create sustainable change in the tobacco and nicotine market.