Author: Timothy Donahue

New York City Seizes 1,200 Pounds of Illicit Vapes

Credit: NYC.gov
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Sheriff Anthony Miranda, NYPD Interim Commissioner Thomas G. Donlon, and DCWP Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga proudly announced the successful removal of more than 1,200 pounds of illegal vaping products from the city, which are now on their way to being destroyed.
The products — all seized through the Adams administration’s “Operation Padlock to Protect” — contain batteries and other hazardous materials that must be disposed of safely. The products are being sent to the NYPD’s long-term DNA evidence destruction vendor, ENP Environmental, in Grafton, Ohio, according to a press release.
As a result of the operation, the city has seized more than $80 million in illegal products, which have been taking up a massive amount of space across NYPD’s network of evidence warehouses. Mayor Adams, today, joined members of the New York City Sherriff’s Joint Compliance Task Force — made up of the Sheriff’s Office, the NYPD, and DCWP — to participate in NYPD’s standard evidence destruction process of loading illegal substances and products to be sent to destruction in an environmentally responsible way.
Upon seizure, untaxed and illegally sold tobacco and vape products are subject to forfeiture and ultimately may be destroyed by the city. In August, Adams and the task force destroyed more than four tons, or 576 bags, of seized illegal cannabis products as part of the NYPD’s standard evidence destruction process of incinerating illegal substances and products.
“Today, we say goodbye and good riddance to products that endanger our children and undermine our quality of life,” said Adams. “From the moment we were given the additional authority we needed from the state to weed out illegal cannabis operators, our administration took swift action. Through our successful ‘Operation Padlock to Protect’ initiative, we have already shut down more than 1,200 unlicensed smoke shops, confiscated an estimated $80 million worth of illegal products, and seized thousands of illegal vapes.
“This is a major example of the significant results we are achieving in improving New Yorkers’ quality of life and builds on the gains we’ve made in keeping communities safe. Last month alone saw a decrease in homicides, robberies, burglaries, grand larcenies, transit crime, and car theft, but we know there is still more to do. Our administration will continue to focus on our mission of making New York City a safer, more affordable city, and today’s announcement is another example of just that.”
October 17, 2024
Amazon to Pay $400,000 to Vermont for Vape Sales

Credit: Sundry Photography
Amazon will pay Vermont $400,000 and improve its vetting practices to settle claims that it failed to stop online vendors from selling e-cigarettes, Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark announced Wednesday.
An investigation by the attorney general’s office found that third-party sellers had been hawking tobacco products, especially vapes, to Vermonters on Amazon over the past few years.
That practice violates a Vermont law, which prohibits the online sale of tobacco products to anyone other than a licensed dealer. Amazon also prohibits the sale of e-cigarettes, and has a variety of safeguards in place to prevent such sales, according to the settlement, according to media reports.
But even so, “between July 2019 and September 2024, certain e-cigarettes were purchased from third-party sellers in Amazon’s store and shipped to Vermont consumers,” the settlement reads.
After being informed of the infractions by Vermont’s attorney general, Amazon made unspecified improvements to its oversight practices, the settlement said.
In addition to the payment, each year for the next four years Amazon will also create a list of vendors that have sold tobacco products to Vermont — the “Vermont Evasive Seller List” — and provide the list to the attorney general if needed.
October 17, 2024
Taxpayer Group Files Amicus Brief in Triton Case

Image: hafakot
The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) submitted an amicus curiae brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the Wages and White Lion Investments case, challenging the Food and Drug Administration’s regulation of e-cigarettes under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (TCA). The TPA argues that the FDA’s actions have been arbitrary, capricious and detrimental to public health.
The brief contends that the TCA’s standard for determining what is “appropriate for the protection of the public health” is unconstitutionally vague, providing insufficient guidance to regulated entities and delegating excessive authority to the FDA. This vagueness has led to unpredictable enforcement, adversely affecting both taxpayers and adults who smoke and are seeking safer alternatives to conventional cigarettes.
Furthermore, the TPA criticizes the FDA for failing to recognize the significant benefits of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool, as acknowledged by leading health organizations such as Public Health England. According to the TPA, the TCA is clear on the need for the FDA to consider the impact of e-cigarettes on smoking cessation, yet the agency has abjectly failed to undertake this analysis. The TPA highlights the FDA’s stringent regulatory approach and high denial rates for new e-cigarette products, which the group says stifle market diversity and limit consumer choice, particularly harming adults who smoke and who might benefit from less harmful alternatives.
The TPA also notes the FDA’s disregard for market realities and consumer preferences, particularly the benefits of open-system e-cigarettes that allow for customization and have been shown to be more effective for quitting smoking.
The TPA urges the Supreme Court to uphold the 5th Circuit’s decision, affirming that the FDA’s regulatory approach under the TCA is arbitrary and capricious and violates due process. The TPA calls for a regulatory framework that adequately considers the benefits of e-cigarettes and gives regulated parties fair notice of how their products will be evaluated.
October 17, 2024
Philippines Urged to Regulate Flavors in Nicotine

Photo: Borgwaldt Flavors
Researchers urged the Philippine government to regulate flavored tobacco and mandate plain packaging, citing the country’s obligation as a signatory to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, reports The Manila Times.
“Historically, tobacco companies have used flavoring agents to enhance the appeal of tobacco consumption, encourage initiation and experimentation of tobacco use, and sustain tobacco use,” researchers of the Ateneo de Manila University were quoted as saying.
“However, the Philippines currently does not regulate flavored tobacco products, despite the increasing market shares of flavored tobacco products and novel technologies, such as crushable capsules.”
In a recent study of 106 cigarette and cigar products, only 62 turned out to have flavor descriptors.
October 17, 2024
U.S. States Fail to Harness Vaping’s Potential: Report

Photo: pavelkant
The Consumer Choice Center has released its second U.S. State Vaping Index, which looks at 50 states plus the District of Columbia. It reveals that only three states, including Alaska, North Dakota and Tennessee, received an A+ in the study for an evidence-based approach to vaping policy.
This rating means these states are in a position to harness the enormous potential of vaping as a harm-reduction tool while still letting consumers choose for themselves. Other states that perform well are Arizona, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.
By contrast, 12 states have overwhelmingly embraced restrictive policies on vapers and vaping, including Utah (0 points), California (second to last at 5 points), Vermont (10 points), Oregon, New York, New Jersey, Nebraska, Massachusetts, Illinois, Hawaii, D.C. and Colorado (all at 15 points). The number of low scores has doubled since the 2020 edition of the Vaping Index.
“Vaping saves lives,” said Emil Panzaru, research director for the Consumer Choice Center. “If every smoker in the United States switched to vaping over 10 years, you’d have 6.6 million fewer premature deaths in the U.S.
“Unfortunately, policymakers across America do not recognize that vaping is a valid harm-reduction substitute for traditional combustible tobacco products. Vapes are often mistakenly referred to as tobacco products, and in turn, targeted with draconian flavor bans, taxed higher than cigarettes, subject to registries meant to gatekeep the products, and faced with bans on online sales.
“These policies deter consumers from switching away from the more dangerous habit of smoking and fuel black markets for vape products. The end result is a patchwork of state laws at odds with the most up-to-date public health practices from around the world.”
The purpose of the U.S. Vaping Index is to inform consumers about vaping policies in their area and highlight the need for more informed and level-headed lawmaking. The Consumer Choice Center weighed five factors in the index:
1) Whether the state considers vapes to be tobacco products;
2) State-level vaping flavor restrictions;
3) Requirements for state registries (which mirror the FDA-approved database);
4) Additional excise taxes on vaping; and
5) The presence or absence of online sales bans.
“Let’s set the empirical record straight,” said Panzaru. “The best available research by authorities such as Public Health England recognizes that vaping is 95 percent safer than combustible tobacco for users. Evidence in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that vaping is twice as effective at smoking cessation than any nicotine tablet, patch or spray at helping people quit smoking.
“What’s more, a review of 15 different studies found little evidence of a supposed gateway effect leading teens down the path from vaping to smoking or hard substances.”
“Rather than embracing policies that ignore the evidence and do not work, state authorities should commit to studying and learning from the example of Sweden, the first country to become smoke-free in Europe thanks to the research-driven recognition of vapes as harm-reduction tools,” Panzaru concluded.
October 16, 2024
Maldives Readies to Ban Vaping Products

Photo: siraphol
Maldives will ban e-cigarettes and related products, reports The Edition, citing an announcement by President Mohamed Muizzu on X. Lawmakers will receive proposed amendments to the island nation’s legislation this week.
According to the post, Maldives will outlaw import of all vape products and parts of vape devices is to from Nov. 15, 2024. Additionally, the use, possession, production, sale, advertisement and distribution of all vape products will become illegal from Dec.15, 2024.
This decision follows numerous requests from concerned parents, health service providers and groups such as NDC Alliance and the Doctors Association and Nurses Association.
According to figures shared with Mihaaru News by Maldives Customs Service, local businesses imported vapes worth MVR124.34 million 2018 and July of this year.
Currently, some 50 countries ban vapes, including at least five countries in Asia.
October 15, 2024
U.K. County Installs Vape Waste Bins for Recycling

Credit: North Yorkshire Council
In North Yorkshire County in the United Kingdom, vape recycling bins have been installed at all 20 household waste recycling centers to prevent vapes from ending up in curbside bins.
Materials used in single-use vapes can harm the environment and must be disposed of separately.
Once collected at the recycling centres, they are transported to the recycling facility to be dismantled and the lithium-ion battery is removed for processing while the metals and plastics are recycled.
Lithium-ion batteries can cause fires if discarded in curbside recycling or waste bins. These batteries cause most fires in the waste collection and recycling industry.
“This exciting new initiative has the aim of ensuring that people who use vape devices know how to dispose of them in the right way,” said the county’s executive member for waste services, Cllr Greg White. “Vapes are not safe to be recycled or disposed of in kerbside bins or boxes at home. One incorrectly discarded vape could cause huge damage or serious injury.
“In August, we also introduced coffee pod bins at our recycling centers as we aim to continue expanding what we accept at our recycling centers. These initiatives demonstrate our commitment to responsible recycling and reducing our carbon footprint.”
Research released this year from Material Focus found that, in the UK, the public is buying 7.7 million single use vapes per week, which has doubled compared to 2022.
People are also throwing away five million single use vapes per week, or eight per second, which has quadrupled compared to 2022.
October 14, 2024
CAPHRA Activists Celebrate Slowing Smoking Rates

Photo: sezerozger
New Zealand has achieved its Smokefree 2025 goal ahead of schedule, with smoking rates plummeting to unprecedented lows, according to the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA).
Data from the most recent New Zealand Health Survey reveals that smoking rates have fallen dramatically, particularly among youth. The decline has been so significant that statisticians now struggle to accurately measure the small proportion of young smokers due to sample size limitations, says CAPHRA, which attributes the success to New Zealand’s accommodation of new nicotine products as tools to helps nicotine users transition away from cigarettes.
“New Zealand’s success in reducing smoking rates is a testament to the country’s progressive approach to tobacco harm reduction,” said Nancy Loucas, executive coordinator of CAPHRA. “By embracing vaping and other less harmful alternatives, we’ve seen smoking rates drop from 11.9 percent in 2020 to an astounding 6.8 percent in 2023. This is a clear indication that our strategy is working.”

Our success story should be a wake-up call for countries like Australia who are still clinging to prohibitionist policies.
Nancy Loucas, executive coordinator, CAPHRA
The success is particularly notable among young people, with youth smoking rates reaching historic lows. “The fact that we’re having difficulty measuring youth smoking rates due to their minuscule prevalence is a cause for celebration,” Loucas added. “It’s a clear sign that we’re winning the battle against smoking-related harm.”
Despite this undeniable success, some in the tobacco control and public health sectors seem reluctant to acknowledge the effectiveness of New Zealand’s approach, according to CAPHRA.
“It’s perplexing that some individuals in tobacco control can’t seem to accept our successful strategy,” said Loucas. “We’ve achieved what many thought impossible, yet instead of celebrating, they’re focusing on potential issues with vaping. We need to recognize this victory and continue supporting policies that have proven effective in reducing smoking rates.”
CAPHRA urges policymakers and health advocates worldwide to look to New Zealand as a model for successful tobacco harm reduction. The organization emphasizes the importance of embracing evidence-based approaches that include a range of less harmful alternatives to smoking.
“Our success story should be a wake-up call for countries like Australia who are still clinging to prohibitionist policies,” said Loucas. “It’s time to put aside preconceived notions and focus on what works – a pragmatic, harm-reduction approach that prioritizes public health over ideology.”
October 14, 2024
Jamaica to Pass New Rules for Vape Products

Credit: Daniel
Jamaica has supported an updated strategy to accelerate action to meet Tobacco Control targets in the Region of the Americas.
“Jamaica wishes to reconfirm our unwavering commitment to achieving these targets and thanks PAHO for their continued leadership and technical support in advancing tobacco control in Jamaica,” noted Minister of Health & Wellness, Christopher Tufton, addressing the 61st Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) Directing Council in Washington DC where the updated strategy was presented.
The Minister is leading the Jamaica delegation, including Chief Medical Officer Jacqueline Bisasor-McKenzie, to the meeting.
“We are concerned about the slow progress of member states in making environments completely smoke-free, which requires further assessment to close this gap. Of significant concern to Jamaica is the use of e-cigarettes and vaping among children, adolescents, and young adults, along with the general use of cannabis and the proliferation of hookah bars. The regulation of e-cigarettes is a significant step that will address this concern,” Tufton noted.
At the same time, he said it will be necessary to have an accompanying public education campaign, “especially to debunk the myths around e-cigarettes and the use of hookahs, that they are safe alternatives to smoking and not harmful to health”.
“We should also ensure that the Tobacco Control response is integrated into the NCD response,” the Minister said, according to Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness.
Jamaica is also promulgating new legislation that will regulate Government officials’ interactions with the tobacco industry, test and measure tobacco products’ contents and emissions, and promote communication and public awareness of tobacco control issues and the health risks of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke.
Also covered, the Minister said, is “full and mandatory prohibition on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship, including a ban on point-of-sale tobacco displays, and increasing the size of the graphic health warning from 60 to 80 percent of the principal display areas of tobacco products”.
October 11, 2024
Kansas City Council Pushes Pause on Flavor Ban
The Kansas City Council postponed an Oct. 10 vote on a proposed ban on selling flavored nicotine products in Kansas City.
The ban, if passed, is tentatively set to take effect the first of the year.
At the council meeting, many said the ban, introduced less than a week ago, is being rushed.
Some local retailers say they want council members to vote against the ban, citing that around 35% of their income is based on these sales. They say the financial effects could be devastating because sales support both the local economy and employee salaries, according to media reports.
The council held its first reading on the proposed ban on Oct. 3, the first many retailers said they’d heard of these plans to outlaw the sale of flavored tobacco products.
Retailers claim the rushed process is disrespectful because the city failed to provide time for those impacted to voice their concerns. The city council is also aware of the significant tax revenue lost if this ban is passed. The ban would move sales to nearby cities where flavored tobacco remains legal.
A vote on the ban in currently scheduled for late October.
October 11, 2024