Tag: news

VapeAway’s Technology to Help Reduce Dependency

Photo: pavelkant
VapeAway has developed a technology designed to help reduce vaping dependency. According to the company, the VapeAway filter attaches to an existing e-cigarette pod, automatically working to remove toxins found in e-cigarettes, with minimal impact on the quality of the vaping experience.
The patented VapeAway filter is said to stop nicotine before it enters the body by gradually reducing nicotine intake in levels, beginning at 25 percent and increasing to a 75 percent reduction over the course of nine weeks, thus reprogramming the brain to decrease cravings and reduce dependency.
“Every e-cigarette, regardless of its type, flavor or contents, contains dangerous chemical toxins,” says Ike Sutton, the founder of VapeAway. “VapeAway offers the first patented filter that removes those toxins. Until now, those who were dependent on nicotine have been directed to nicotine patches or gum as their recovery solution, both of which uses nicotine to satisfy cravings and with that, comes a laundry list of warnings and side effects.
“VapeAway’s patented technology does the opposite and does not administer a drug to help people quit a drug. Our filters stop the nicotine directly at the source and reduces the intake of harmful chemicals while users continue to vape, all the while ultimately helping people quit in the long term if they choose to do so.”
VapeAway says its Vapor Freeze 2.0 Technology consists of a proprietary blend of military grade, non-toxic fibers that freeze potentially harmful toxic chemicals on contact, protecting vapers and others around them from unwanted chemicals and toxins entering their lungs.
The technology has been tested to ensure it meets VapeAway’s stated use cases and it effectively and consistently performs to achieve the stated impact for its users. Preliminary tests were conducted by Enthalpy Laboratories.
According to SGS North America, the VapeAway filter is 100 percent non-toxic.
January 29, 2022
UKVIA Anticipates Busy Year for the Vaping Sector
The U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) anticipates a busy year for the sector, the industry group noted at the publication of its 2021 annual report.
Among other activities, the association looks forward to launching its first Economic Impact Report, which will be used to highlight the vaping industry’s significant contribution to the British economy and support engagement with policy makers and the media.
The UKVIA also plans to roll out of a levelling-up campaign designed to achieve recognition for the important role that vaping plays in reducing health inequalities across the U.K.
In addition, the group intends to build on the launch this year of the UKVIA’s healthcare campaign which has included the development of a dedicated online advice hub for healthcare professionals and patients with smoking conditions.
This year will also witness the conclusion of the review of the U.K. Tobacco & Related Products Regulations, which will shape the future of the industry for years to come, according to the UKVIA.
Coinciding with the UKVIA’s annual vaping industry forum, planned for June 2022, the group plans a new awards event to recognize the high standards within the industry.

January 29, 2022
Lil Hnb Supplier Inducted Into Korea Brand Hall of Fame

Photo: KT&G
KT&G’s Lil heat-not-burn device has been named as an excellent e-cigarette brand in the Korea Brand Hall of Fame for the fourth consecutive year.
Supervised by South Korea’s Industrial Policy Research Institute, the Korea Brand Hall of Fame is an annual award event that selects the brands most loved by consumers.
Launched in 2017, Lil has been well received by the consumers, who bought more than 1 million units in the first year.
After this initial success, KT&G released line extension such as Lil Plus, Lil Mini, Lil Hybrid and Lil Solid. By 2021, the cumulative sales of Lil exceeded 4 million units in Korea alone.
Lil performed well internationally, too. In January 2020, KT&G signed a supply contract with Philip Morris International, for overseas marketing and sales of Lil, which subsequently secured a bridgehead for expansion in the global cigarette market.
KT&G started selling Lil in Russia, Ukraine and Japan in 2020, followed by product launches in Central Asia and Europe. In November 2021, KT&G launched Lil in Guatemala. Today, KT&G exports Lil to 23 counties.
“We built the brand Lil on the identity of ‘practical minimalism’ together with systematic technological innovation,” said Lim, Wang-seop, head of KT&G’s next-generation product business unit, in a statement. “We’ll make the brand recognized by the world consumers through developing the products that meet their needs and tastes.”
January 29, 2022
First Vapor Industry Trade Show of 2022 Opens in Vegas

The first industry trade show of the year opened its doors yesterday in Las Vegas. The Tobacco Plus Expo (TPE) runs from Jan. 26-28 and brings together representatives from several segments of the vapor, tobacco and alternative product industries. The number of exhibitors this year increased significantly compared to last year’s show, which was held in May after being postponed for four months, rising to 425 exhibitors compared to 350 in 2021.
Attendance for the first day of the show was an estimated 4,000 visitors, according to a TPE representative. That’s a nearly 30 percent increase from opening day for last year’s event which drew an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 visitors. The show didn’t “feel” like there were that many attendees, however, it’s such a large floorplan it would be impossible to guess an estimate.
There was a noticeable reduction in the number of nicotine vaping companies showing on the floor. The impact of premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) and PACT Act regulation was evident. There were only an estimated 12–14 e-liquid vendors, including Coastal Clouds, BLVK E-liquid, Bantam, Pacha Mama and Ripe Vapes. There were eight to 10 hardware manufacturers, including Mi-One Brands, Myle, First Union and Vaporesso, and most of the manufacturers produced their own brands.
There were also a few e-liquid brands selling products that have already received a marketing denial order (MDO) from the FDA. One company told Vapor Voice that there really isn’t much enforcement and getting warning letters is the only thing that has happened to them.
There were, however, a very large number of disposable synthetic nicotine brands. One new brand at the show, Hook’d – with its tagline “one puff and you’re Hook’d” – seemed to take taunting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to another level according to Kim, a show attendee who asked not to use her last name. “Why would you put a brand out there like that,” she said. “It’s just disappointing.” A person working the Hook’d booth, when asked why the Hook’d name, told Vapor Voice the name was “just catchy.”
Next year’s TPE is scheduled to take place Feb. 22-24, 2023. While most likely not an issue for vapor and alternative industry representatives, the TPE’s cigar segment may find itself split in several directions. Not only is that week traditionally when Procigar, the Dominican Republic’s cigar festival, takes place, it also may be competing against the Festival del Habano—Cuba’s cigar festival— that typically takes place in late February (traditionally the week after Procigar).
In 2019, both festivals took place during the same week and were scheduled to take place the same week in 2022 before the Habanos festival was cancelled due to Covid concerns. Neither Procigar nor the Festival del Habano has announced dates for 2023.
January 27, 2022
Connecticut Governor Reiterates Need for Flavor Ban
When Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont pushed for Philip Morris to relocate its headquarters from New York City to Stamford last year, the move quickly drew rebuke from anti-tobacco activists. The activists said the move would be a test of the governor’s support for a ban on flavored vaping products in the state.
Now, just weeks away from the 2022 legislative session, Lamont said he’s committed to supporting a flavored vape ban but is not guaranteeing the proposal will be in his midterm budget plan, which is expected to be unveiled next month, according to CT Insider.
Credit: Andy Dean
“I’m ready to go on that,” Lamont said Tuesday, asked about his support for the ban after an unrelated event in Bloomfield. “I think it was the right thing to do last time. I think we proposed it once or twice. This time I’d like to work with the legislature to see if they’ll step up. I’ll sign it.”
Last year’s effort fell apart in the 11th hour after a diluted version of the ban was stripped from the massive budget implementer bill at the request of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. The group said at the time that the proposal was “riddled with major loopholes” and could have made Connecticut more subject to lawsuits from the vaping industry.
January 26, 2022
China Probes Founder of its Largest Flavor House, Huaboa
Huabao International Holdings, China’s largest e-liquid, tobacco flavoring and fragrance company, fell by more than 65 percent after Chinese regulators announced an investigation into the company’s majority shareholder, Chu Lam Yiu. The investigation is reportedly part of President Xi Jinping’s crackdown on corruption.
Credit: Nikolay N. Antonov
Chu, one of China’s richest self-made woman billionaire, with a net worth valued at $5.5 billion, is being investigated by authorities for “unspecified suspected disciplinary violations,” according to a Hong Kong stock exchange filing. The company said in a statement it was informed of the investigation by its subsidiary Huabao Flavours & Fragrances. “Up to the date of this announcement, the company has not been provided with any details of the nature of the suspected violations of Ms. Chu that is currently being investigated. The business operation of the group remains normal,” the company stated.
It added that the subsidiary received a case filing notice from the Leiyang City Supervisory Committee, indicating that the probe was being carried out by the Chinese Communist party and the local government, according to the Financial Times.
No further details were provided. The company declined to answer further questions, according to the story. Huabao, which Chu launched in her mid-20s in 1996, produces flavors and fragrances used by tobacco manufacturers, including for the e-cigarette or vaping market, as well as food companies. The company’s growth has catapulted Chu to rank among China’s richest people.
Like many high-profile Chinese businesspeople, she has also served on various industry and government advisory committees. The probe into Chu comes as China’s long-running anti-corruption campaign gathers momentum as Xi seeks to secure a historic third term.
January 24, 2022
Thailand Continues to Explore Legalizing E-Cigarettes

Credit: Tuayai
The Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry set up a working group to see if electronic cigarettes can be legalized as an alternative for smokers, reports The Nation.
Asa Salikupt, from the End Cigarette Smoke Thailand (ECST) network, said the network supports DES Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn’s plan to legalize e-cigarettes and hopes the working group will be transparent, listen to public opinions and allow e-cigarette users to provide information.
“We believe the legalization of e-cigarettes will help Thailand achieve the goal of reducing cigarette smokers and protecting nonsmokers from the danger of secondhand smoke,” Salikupt said.
The Excise Department can introduce an e-cigarette tax once e-cigarettes are legalized.
Maris Karanyawat, also from ECST, said Britain, New Zealand and the Philippines are likely to promote the use of e-cigarettes to help reduce the consumption of harmful substances and help those who cannot quit smoking cold turkey.
“More than 70 countries have legalized e-cigarettes as it can reduce the number of smokers,” Karanyawat added.
By banning e-cigarettes, the government is losing tax revenue, people are losing access to safer alternatives and the Tobacco Authority of Thailand is losing a chance to make money, according to Taopiphop Limjittrakorn, Move Forward’s Bangkok MP.
January 24, 2022
Sponsors of Colorado Flavored Vapor Ban Bill Confident
Credit Renan
Selling flavored tobacco and nicotine products could soon be illegal in Colorado if lawmakers approve — and the governor signs — a bill prohibiting their sale.
House Bill 22-1064 would ban, starting July 1, the sale of all flavored tobacco and nicotine products, including vapes, e-cigarettes, menthol cigarettes, Hookah, chewing tobacco and cigars, in Colorado.
Under the proposal, any retailer caught selling flavored tobacco or nicotine products would be subject to the same penalties as a retailer caught selling to minors.
The measure’s sponsors are confident it would reach the finish line.
State Sen. Kevin Priola, one of the sponsors, said he was inspired to take action after his son started vaping around the age of 14. Priola said he would constantly search his son’s room for vapes and would have to drive to far-away dumpsters to throw them away to prevent him from digging the vapes out of the trash.
“It’s everywhere. Our experience isn’t unique,” Priola said. “You look at the data and realize a lot of these manufacturers — they use the flavors to get young kids hooked on it.”
Brian Fojtik, a Denver resident and representative of the National Association of Tobacco Outlets, said the ban is unnecessary because youth tobacco use has been decreasing for years.
“It’s shortsighted approach,” Fojtik said. “Prohibition proponents aren’t protecting kids. They’re shamefully using kids as political props, attempting to use legitimate concern about youth vaping to ban hundreds of products to adults that youth are not using that have nothing to do with vaping.”
In December, Denver, Colorado’s City Council approved a controversial ordinance that outlaws the sale of flavored vaping and other tobacco products, including menthol, beginning in July 2023.
January 22, 2022
Mississippi State Senator Files Bill to Tax Vapor Products
Credit: Andrii Yalanskyi
Mississippi State Senator Davis Blount filed Senate Bill 2062, which would tax e-cigarettes and vaping products. The Northside Sun reported the bill calls for the same 15 percent excise tax as cigarettes.
“I continue to believe that electronic cigarettes and vaping products ought to be taxed at the same rate as regular cigarettes,” Blount told the Northside Sun. “There are different ways of taxing these products since some of them are in liquid form. I’m open to any way that works, but the simplest way is to just tax them like a pack of cigarettes based on their retail price.”
Two years ago, Blount authored a similar bill that was approved by the Finance Committee for a floor vote, where it missed the three-fifths majority for passage by one vote. A three-fifths majority is required on any tax-related issue, according to Senate rules.
Blount has gone for a more simplistic approach in this year’s bill. Instead of a 5 cent levy on every liquid milliliter of nicotine like in his previous bill, e-cigarettes would be taxed at the same 15 percent rate as conventional cigarettes.
According to the state Department of Revenue, Mississippi’s tobacco tax generated $145 million in revenue in fiscal 2021, which ended June 30.
January 21, 2022
Aussie Retailers Want to Change ‘Misguided’ Vape Rules
Credit: Alexey Novikov
Australian retail representative groups say an overhaul of vaping rules and regulations, alongside a crackdown on the supply of such products to minors, is necessary. The Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS), the Master Grocers Association (MGA), and the Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association (ALNA), released a joint statement criticizing the Commonwealth Government’s policy on vapes, claiming it is misguided, poorly designed, and failing the community.
Theo Foukkare, CEO AACS, said although the representative groups disagree with the current prescription model, they do not condone outlets disregarding the law and selling nicotine vaping products to anyone, especially children, according to a story in Convenience and Impulse Retailing.
“We are urging the federal government to consider an overhaul of vaping regulations as a matter of urgency, bringing us into line with the UK and New Zealand where adults – and only adults – can access vapes to help them quit smoking. But in the meantime, urgent enforcement action is needed against those supplying vapes to children,” he said.
The call for a crackdown on the supply of vapes to children comes following widespread reports of use of vapes in Queensland schools. “We would welcome a crackdown on those that are supplying vaping products to children, whether that’s online platforms like Facebook Marketplace or rogue bricks and mortar traders.
“It is clear that not enough is being done to prevent unscrupulous store owners and dodgy online retailers from selling all kinds of vaping products containing mysterious cocktails of ingredients to teens,” he said. The associations also noted an influx of ‘pop-up shops’ selling illicit tobacco products across south east Queensland over the last 18 months, with the majority also selling nicotine vapes. “These are clearly irresponsible retailers who should not be permitted to sell any tobacco of vaping products.”
A proposed solution could be the introduction of a low-cost licensing scheme in Queensland allowing only responsible retailers to deal in tobacco products and would provide a mechanism to shut down and punish those operating outside the law.
January 21, 2022