Tag: e-cigarettes

Filtrona Launches Cannabis Division, Cannatrona

Filtrona has launched Cannatrona, a dedicated division serving the cannabis and hemp market.
The Cannatrona business supplies filter tips, mouthpieces and pre-roll solutions for cannabis and hemp products, alongside scientific services.
“The cannabis and hemp industry is seeing rapid expansion, but the regulatory landscape is also shifting at speed,” said Filtrona CEO Robert Pye in a statement. “What businesses in this field need is a partner with a proven track record of quality, innovation, brand development and compliance, and that’s exactly what Cannatrona offers. With the company’s launch, we’re looking to propel the sector to even greater heights in a transformative and meaningful way.”
“In any growing market, new businesses can be found all along the supply chain,” said Jeni Sperry, head of new business development at Cannatrona. “However, Cannatrona has something that the rest don’t, and that’s the century-long experience of Filtrona, one of the world’s leading special filter brands. For cannabis and hemp product innovators, we’re not just introducing filter tip and mouthpiece products to the market, we’re bringing expertise, innovation and a very bright future.”
December 1, 2023
Elf Bar Removing Some Flavors From UK Market
Vaping brands Elfbar and Lost Mary say they will drop dessert and soft drink flavors from the UK market.
Elfbar called for a new licensing regime similar to the ones for cigarettes and alcohol.
Elfbar and Lost Mary make up more than half of the UK’s disposable vape sales, according to data firm NielsenIQ.
The government consultation on new rules for vapes closes on 6 December, reports the BBC.
The dazzling range of flavors has helped to turn disposable vapes into a market worth billions of pounds in the UK in a few short years, with Elfbar and Lost Mary taking the lion’s share. They’re both owned by the Chinese firm Shenzhen iMiracle Technology.
Elfbar has already dropped Bubble Gum, Cotton Candy, and Rainbow Candy flavors, with more expected to follow. Gummy Bear was renamed Gummy and is now called Gami.
A spokesman said these will take some time to filter through the supply chain, so it may take a while for the changes to become apparent on the shelves.
Some flavors may reappear under different names, and a decision hasn’t been taken about Cola flavor, which Elfbar says can appeal to adults and children.
The company also called for tighter restrictions on vape sales, including a licensing regime for retailers and rules requiring them to display vapes behind the counter.
“The introduction of such a regime would mitigate children’s access to vapes and make it easier for the authorities to regulate the sale of vaping devices better. Furthermore, we believe it would help combat the growing illicit vape market and drive increased rates of vape recycling,” an Elfbar spokesman said.

Credit: Nawadoln
November 30, 2023
Russia Set to Criminalize Illegal E-liquid Trafficking

Photo: diy7
Traffickers of illegal vape liquids could face up to seven years in prison in Russia if a proposal by the Committee of the Federation Council on Economic Policy becomes law, reports AIF.
Lawmakers are concerned about the ingredients in illegal vapes, which evade regulatory scrutiny.
Anatoly Vyborny, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption, supported the provision, saying that the measure would help protect the health of young Russians.
Currently, in Russia, there is no criminal liability for the illegal import of vaporizers and e-liquids.
November 30, 2023
Bidi Vapor Calls for Removal of Non-Compliant Vapes

Credit: Iama Sing
During a recent webcast, Bidi Vapor leadership called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to do more to stop the flood of non-compliant vaping products from entering the market.
In a recently produced webcast, “Vape Update: Getting Noncompliant Devices Off the Market,” Bidi Vapor executives detailed current enforcement activities the agency has been ramping up throughout the industry and touched on potential solutions, such as tracking scan data to identify unlawful companies.
“It’s a major public health concern when these illicit, noncompliant and non-regulated products are overtaking the legal products,” said Niraj Patel, CEO of Bidi Vapor. “These illegal products used to be in just mom-and-pop stores, but now, these products are breaking into the franchise market, and showing up in the Nielsen numbers. But this list also puts pressure on the FDA and all other law enforcement agencies to do their jobs.”
Data from Nielsen, a New York-based data-collection firm, has the ability to provide the information needed to make a larger impact on the illicit market, according to Russell Quick, president of Bidi Vapor’s marketing firm, Kaival Marketing Services, reports CStoreDecisions.
Photo: Kaival Brands Innovations Group
“Law enforcement can now track the supply chain,” Quick said in the webcast. “We can identify the distributors and retailers that are selling these non-compliant, illegal, illicit products. So both federal and state level authorities can issue warnings, fines, civil penalties or even harsher monetary penalties to these companies that are participating in and distributing these illegal products.”
Bidi Vapor also produced two related infographics on illicit vape products and the illicit market to accompany the webcast. To download the graphics: “How to Spot Illicit Vape” and “Rise of Illicit Vape.”
The full webcast can be found here.
November 30, 2023
Qnovia Cessation Therapy Validated in Human Study

Image: Qnovia
Qnovia announced positive results from its first in-human study of QN-01, an inhaled smoking cessation therapy that is currently being evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) and the U.K.’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
“Today marks a pivotal milestone for Qnovia as we believe this data validates the clinical translation of our platform for the first time in patients,” said Qnovia CEO Brian Quigley.
“One of the reasons that quitting smoking is so challenging is that cigarettes provide a significant nicotine spike directly into the bloodstream within seconds. The challenge with current nicotine replacement therapies is that they fail to deliver nicotine quickly enough and at concentrations high enough to effectively alleviate a smoker’s withdrawal symptoms. Unfortunately, this leads to smokers relapsing, resulting in a significant unmet need for novel smoking cessation therapies.

We believe our nicotine delivery platform has the potential to solve this complex pharmacokinetic puzzle and could be a game changer in alleviating cravings and withdrawal symptoms for those smokers who need it most
Brian Quigley, CEO, Qnovia
“We believe our nicotine delivery platform has the potential to solve this complex pharmacokinetic puzzle and could be a game changer in alleviating cravings and withdrawal symptoms for those smokers who need it most,” said Quigley.
“We are delighted to share that QN-01 demonstrated a superior pharmacokinetic profile compared to an existing inhaled NRT and was well tolerated. We look forward to submitting our IND and CTA for QN-01 and advancing our clinical development program into Phase 1/2 clinical trials next year.”
The Phase 1 study was an open-label trial evaluating the delivery of QN-01 for three different nicotine dosing regimens to determine the pharmacokinetics and safety profile of Qnovia’s drug delivery platform in 12 healthy adults who currently smoke combustible cigarettes. Each adult received three different doses of treatment delivered on subsequent days after a washout period.
The study confirmed dose-dependent pharmacokinetics of QN-01 delivered with the Qnovia’s RespiRx device. The mean maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) was higher, and the time to achieve the maximum plasma concentration (Tmax) was lower for QN-01 across all three dose regimens, demonstrating superior pharmacokinetics compared to an existing inhaled nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). The drug-device combination was well tolerated with no severe adverse events and few minor adverse events typical of inhaled nicotine.

Highlights of Initial Phase 1 Pharmacokinetic and Safety Data
“We are pleased to see our platform being utilized for the first time in human clinical trials. We believe these results validate that we have identified an optimal Cmax for QN-01 that is higher than the currently available inhaled NRTs but lower than combustible cigarettes, thus enabling QN-01 to have optimal therapeutic efficacy while mitigating abuse liability potential,” said Mario Danek, Founder and chief technology officer of Qnovia.
“What makes our platform unique is that the RespiRx device utilizes a vibrating mesh nebulizer aerosol engine with zero heat to create an aerosol that can be inhaled by the smoker. Given our e-liquid drug product is not heated, there is no formation of thermal degradants or other toxicants during the aerosol generation process. As a result, our device platform is uniquely positioned to meet CDER’s safety standards. Looking ahead, we are committed to advancing QN-01 into the next stage of clinical development and will be working closely with FDA and MHRA to bring this treatment option to the millions of smokers who want to quit.”
November 29, 2023
France to Ban Sales of Disposable Vapes by 2025

Credit: Ocean Prod
French Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau announced on Tuesday that France will ban the sale of single-use e-cigarettes by 2025 during a National Tobacco Control Program (PNLT) presentation while increasing tobacco taxation.
“We will ban single-use puffs […] which are an aberration both from a public health point of view and in terms of their environmental footprint,” said Aurélien Rousseau at the press conference.
A cross-party bill put forward by ecologist MP Francesca Pasquini “aiming at banning single-use vaping devices” is currently being examined by the French National Assembly. For Pasquini, this is a matter of emergency “when we know that young people discover nicotine with puffs,” according to EURACTIVE.
If the law is adopted by the National Assembly and then by the Senate, France will have to present its bill to the European Commission, which will have six non-compressible months to make a decision.
Germany, Belgium, and Ireland are working on similar legislation to ban single-use e-cigarettes.
November 29, 2023
Blinc Group Taps Sahani to Replace CEO Dumas de Rauly

Arnaud Dumas de Rauly / Credit: The Blinc Group
The Blinc Group, a cannabis vaporizer industry innovator, announced that Pete Sahani, who has been serving as the company’s COO since 2022, has been named CEO. Sahani is replacing vaping industry legend Arnaud Dumas de Rauly, co-founder and current CEO.
Dumas de Rauly will be stepping down from that role to embark on a new strategic direction within the company as chief experience and science officer (CXSO) and will retain his position on the Blic Group board. This transition will become effective as of Dec. 1, 2023.
Dumas de Rauly has been at the helm of The Blinc Group since 2018, guiding the company through substantial growth phases and establishing it as a key player in the cannabis vaping space, according to a press release.
Pete Sahani
“Arnaud has been a visionary leader, under whose guidance Blinc has established itself as a major player in the cannabis vaping space, and has always done so while keeping a strong focus on consumer safety,” said co-founder and chief innovations officer Sasha Aksenov. “His strategic foresight has been invaluable, and we are certain that he will continue to play a pivotal role in Blinc’s future.”
As CXSO, Dumas de Rauly will drive Blinc’s growth through strategic partnerships and innovation. He will focus on integrating analytical science and consumer safety with superior customer experiences, ensuring Blinc paves the way in both technology and user satisfaction.
Sahani brings a wealth of experience to his new role as CEO, having been instrumental in a number of key initiatives at Blinc since joining the company as COO in April 2022.
“Pete has been a pivotal figure in our leadership team, playing a significant role in not only steering us to positive EBITDA and Net Income but also in the introduction of innovative services like Scale Now Pay Later (SNPL) and Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI),” commented Arnaud Dumas de Rauly. “With his exceptional skill in operational management and strategic planning, I am confident that Pete is the ideal leader to propel Blinc into a future marked by sustained profitability and expanded service offerings.”
Pete Sahani expressed his enthusiasm about the new role, “It’s an honor to step into the CEO role at The Blinc Group. I am excited to build upon the strong foundation laid by Arnaud and our team by leading the company towards new heights of innovation and market leadership.”
The leadership transition is part of The Blinc Group’s ongoing strategy to adapt and thrive in the dynamic cannabis industry. The company remains committed to its mission of delivering high-quality, innovative vaporizer solutions and complimentary services while expanding its global footprint.
November 29, 2023
ElfBar Ads Pulled for Misleading Recycling Claims

Credit: VFNNB12
Advertisements for the vaping company ElfBar in the UK have been banned after using the slogan “recycling for a greener future” over concern they were misleading due to the environmental damage of discarded disposable vapes.
A study by Material Focus shows that 260 million disposable vapes were thrown away in the UK in 2022, making them a leading cause of the rise in plastic pollution in recent years.
The ad, banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), gave the impression that recycling ElfBar products was easy and could be done at home.
Vaping products cannot generally be home-recycled; they must be taken to special facilities such as council-run waste centers, according to the Guardian.
The ads appeared on buses and digital billboards in London in July and August. They carried images of the Elf Bar 600 V2 vape alongside the words “recycling for a greener future” and “green awareness.”
Both ads were the subject of complaints to the regulator by Adfree Cities and others.
The ASA instructed ElfBar to ensure that the ads must not appear again in the forms complained of; and that future campaigns did not mislead the public about the environmental impact or benefit of the products.
James Ward, a campaigner at Adfree Cities, called for a total ban on advertising nicotine vapes. “Just as cigarettes scar the bodies of smokers, so has the rise in popularity of disposable vapes left a toxic legacy of plastic and harmful battery metals on our environment,” he said.
November 29, 2023
Report Finds Herbal Heated Sticks Market ‘On Fire’

Photo: cirquedesprit
Herbal heated sticks are rapidly spreading worldwide not only as a replacement for conventional smoking, but also as an alternative to heated tobacco products, according to new research from TobaccoIntelligence.
These products provide an experience similar to using heated tobacco, but unlike heated tobacco products they do not contain any tobacco. Instead, they use a different substance—often tea—to hold flavorings and, sometimes, nicotine.
Now, the new TobaccoIntelligence Herbal Heated Sticks Tracker casts light on this fast-growing but poorly understood market.
It reveals that fruit flavors are the most popular in most countries covered, but nicotine strengths vary greatly. In some countries, such as Japan, only zero-nicotine products are sold.
“Heated herbal sticks are typically cheaper than comparable tobacco products, and are also compatible with some heated tobacco devices. So from the consumer’s point of view, they offer a low-cost alternative—while for manufacturers, they can provide a legal way of providing flavors in countries where heated tobacco flavors are banned,” explains Eva Antal, director of market analysis at TobaccoIntelligence’s publisher Tamarind Intelligence.
“We expect more product launches in more countries–but at the same time, we don’t expect regulators to ignore them forever,” says Antal.
Currently, Japan and Poland have the most products available, although there are far more different brands in Japan.
And Japan is also among the countries where these products are cheapest. By contrast, Germany is the most expensive.
The Herbal Heated Sticks Tracker covers nine major markets: the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, Russia and the U.K.
November 29, 2023
Vaping Industry Leaders Honored at UKVIA Awards

Photo; Feelm
Leaders in product compliance, innovation, sustainability and the prevention of youth access to vaping were among those honored at this year’s UKVIA Industry Recognition Awards.
The annual event was hosted at the QEII Centre in London and saw parliamentarians, public health professionals, enforcement officials, vape manufacturers and others celebrated for their contributions to the progress of the industry and to the ambition for a future without smoking.
There were 16 award categories this year, including Most Responsible Vaping Business, Outstanding Vaper Education Program for Smokers and the Vaping Regulations Enforcement Award.
Colin Mendelsohn, founding chairman of the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association and retired general practitioner of 30 years, received the Most Supportive Public Health Professional/Researcher Award.
Also winning awards were Adam Afriyie, Member of Parliament and vice chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Vaping, and Martin Cullip, international fellow of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance’s Consumer Center, who won Most Supportive Parliamentarian and Outstanding Industry Service Award, respectively.
John Dunne, director general of the UKVIA, said, “Our annual industry recognition awards celebrate the individuals and organizations—both within and outside the industry—who have made outstanding contributions to the vaping sector.
“I hope this year’s winners continue to set a leading example and that the rest of the industry will be inspired to go even further to take our sector to new heights and show the policymakers and regulators that we are committed to the highest standards in helping the government achieve its smoke-free generation.”
Ahead of the Industry Recognition Awards, Chris Kelly, chief executive of headline sponsor Phoenix 2 Retail, said: “More than ever, our industry needs to make a strong statement to the government and regulators by showcasing what it is doing to raise standards across the board.
“It’s good to see the awards this year recognizing innovative solutions that address the big issues of youth vaping and the environmental impact of single-use vapes. Equally, it’s good that those who have been at the forefront of compliance have been held up for what they are doing in this crucial area.”
The full list of winners is available at the UKVIA’s website.
November 28, 2023