In the UK, the National Health Services (NHS) is trialing a program that will provide some smokers who are admitted to emergency departments free vaping starter kits and instruction on how to use them. This is in combination with ongoing quit-smoking support. Now, a group of vapor advocates in New Zealand wants its country’s Budget 2021 to supercharge already established smoking cessation programs by adopting the UK plan.
“Our Government is now determined to get Smokefree 2025 back on track. Budget Day on 20 May is the first opportunity to put its money where its mouth is. Our District Health Boards and Maori health organizations have had huge success with switching smokers into vapers. It’s time for the Government to back them more,” says Nancy Loucas, co-director of Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA), in a recent statement.
Credit: Gustavo Frazeo
Public Health England has repeatedly endorsed vaping and has never wavered from its scientific conclusion that it’s 95 percent less harmful than smoking. Recently, a new Cochrane review reinforces the effective role vaping plays in reducing smoking rates across the globe. Based in the UK, Cochrane is an independent network, involving 130 countries, health professionals, and researchers. With the strategic goal of putting Cochrane evidence at the heart of health decision-making all over the world, it represents the gold standard for high quality, trusted health information, according to a statement.
Titled “Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation (Review),” the Cochrane Library researchers reviewed 56 international studies, involving 12,804 adults who smoked. The study concluded that e-cigarettes could increase the number of people who stop smoking compared to other forms of nicotine replacement therapy, such as chewing gum and patches.
It comes as a Georgetown University-led study published in the journal Population Health Metrics concludes that nicotine vaping in the US could help prevent 1.8 million premature deaths and see 38.9 million life-years gained in a span of 47 years. “Health officials in the UK believe tens of thousands of Brits stop smoking every year after switching to vaping. In fact, latest PHE estimates show that around 2.7 million adults now vape in England alone, compared to nearly seven million who smoke tobacco,” says Loucas. “What has happened over in the UK over the past decade is an impressive story. It’s one our Government needs to investigate if it is serious about rebooting New Zealand’s 2011 ambition of being smoke-free by 2025.”
Malaysia’s vapor market has grown to an estimated $558 million with the help of small-sized and medium-sized businesses.
By Vapor Voice staff
The Malaysian vaping industry is valued at MYR2.27 billion ($558 million). The figure is one of the primary findings of the recently released Study on the Malaysian Vaping Industry report, commissioned by the Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce (MVCC). The report states that the size and scale of the Malaysian vapor market continues to grow, fueled by a majority of small-sized and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and driven by Malaysian entrepreneurs.
“It is estimated that there are more than 3,300 businesses directly within the vape industry in Malaysia with a workforce of more than 15,000 workers,” MVCC president Syed Azaudin Syed Ahmad said. “This industry is contributing positively to the national economy, and if regulated appropriately, will also contribute to the government’s revenue.”
Malaysia is in good position to attract foreign direct investments (FDI) into the vaping sector as other sectors are seeing challenges to attract investments, according to Syed Azaudin. Malaysia has approximately 1.12 million vapers or approximately 4.9 percent of the total Malaysian population, according to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019 from the Malaysian Ministry of Health.
“MVCC believes the vaping sector is ready and capable to attract quality FDIs given its established ecosystem that global investors and multinational companies would find appealing,” he said. The global e-cigarette and vape market size is expected to reach $67.31 billion by 2027, registering a revenue-based CAGR of 23.8 percent from 2020 to 2027, according to a study conducted by Grand View Research.
“Correspondingly in Malaysia, the growth of the vape industry is on an upward trend, showing a CAGR growth of 44 percent in 2019 compared to 2018, which represents a significant economic potential for the country,” the report states. “Comparatively, other up-and-coming fast-growing sectors in Malaysia, such as the growth of e-commerce, is expected to increase at a CAGR of 14.3 percent between 2020 and 2024 while the technology market is expected to garner a CAGR of 8.9 percent between 2019 and 2023.”
The report estimates that workers in the vape industry were paid up to MYR450 million in wages in total in 2019. The MVCC commissioned Green Zebras, a market research agency, to conduct the study. The study was aimed at assessing the value of the Malaysian vape industry and its contribution to Malaysia’s economy.
“Regulating the growing vape industry will go a long way not only in contributing to Malaysia’s economy but also in expanding FDI into this industry, which is growing rapidly in the region,” the report states. “Ultimately, regulating this industry has many positive knock-on effects, including adding revenue in the form of taxes to the government.”
The Malaysian government implemented an excise tax on vape devices and e-liquids, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2021. Vaping devices are subject to an excise duty of 10 percent as well as an excise duty of MYR0.4 per/ml for e-liquids. However, the tax regime has since been clarified that it is only a tax on nonnicotine-based products. Syed Azaudin says the organization believes that the tax regime needs to be broadened to include e-liquids with nicotine, which make up 97 percent of the Malaysian market. That would allow the vapor market to contribute to the Malaysian government’s revenue more effectively.
“The Malaysian vaping industry has significant potential that can be unlocked with practical and comprehensive regulation that must include the use of e-liquids with nicotine. This will spur the growth of SMEs, which will in turn create jobs and generate tax revenue for the government,” added Syed Azaudin. “MVCC has spearheaded this study in order to provide the government with a solid data-driven foundation to immediately introduce regulations on the vape industry. Even though the government had decided in 2016 to introduce regulations for this industry, none have been instituted so far for the past five years.”
Credit: MVCC
Another recent survey suggests that a large majority of Malaysians want the government to regulate the vaping industry more heavily. The Malaysian Insights & Perspectives on Vape survey, commissioned by the Malaysian Vape Industry Advocacy (MVIA), showed that 87 percent of Malaysians agree that a tax should be imposed on vaping products, and 74 percent think that the revenue collected from vape products could be spent by the government on important sectors, such as education.
A sample size of 1,025 Malaysian adults were polled and “is reflective of the perception of all Malaysian adults nationwide.” Also conducted by Green Zebras, the survey was commissioned to get a better understanding of Malaysians’ perceptions on vaping and its use as a method of tobacco harm reduction, according to the MVIA.
The MVCC report states that the additional benefits of regulating the industry and providing standards are higher quality products that will likely strengthen demand, elevate innovation and broaden consumer choices. The overall market will benefit from factors like cost-effectiveness as well as strengthening of distribution channels, which will drive growth. Local players will also be able to expand operations both globally and locally.
“It is expected that regulations will create certainty and lead to more investments into the market to provide choice and innovation of products, thereby elevating and spurring SMEs to raise their standards, quality and expertise,” said Syed Azaudin. “As the vape market continues to expand worldwide, this will also enable Malaysian players to have the opportunity to compete in the global market.”
It has long been anticipated that the tobacco monopoly in China would one day regulate electronic nicotine-delivery systems (ENDS). On March 22, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) released a draft proposal to overhaul rules governing the ENDS market.
Shares in RLX Technology, parent to China’s market-leading RELX e-cigarette brand, plunged in the wake of the announcement. Just two months after the vapor maker’s billion-dollar debut on the New York Stock Exchange, RLX shares fell by nearly 45 percent to $10.69 per share on March 22, having reached a high of $19.46 per share on March 19.
An online copy of the “Decision on Amending the Implementation Regulations of the Tobacco Monopoly Law of the People’s Republic of China” suggests the government intends to regulate ENDS like ordinary cigarettes. That could mean special licensing requirements and much higher taxes of up to 65 percent instead of the 13 percent value-added rate companies currently pay. The ministry is seeking public comments on the draft regulations until April 22. The implications of the draft regulations could be far-reaching. With an estimated 300 million smokers, China is the world’s largest potential market for vapor products.
“In view of the homogeneity of new tobacco products such as e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes in terms of core ingredients, product functions and consumption patterns, new tobacco products such as e-cigarettes shall be implemented in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Regulations on Cigarettes,” the draft proposal states. “The implementation … will greatly enhance the effectiveness of e-cigarette supervision, effectively regulate e-cigarette production and operation activities, solve the product quality and safety risks of e-cigarettes, false advertising and other issues, and effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers.”
While the news will have some impact on the global ENDS market, the Chinese manufacturers producing for international markets will likely continue operations. “Depending on how they regulate and to what extremes, it could be devastating to the companies operating in the consumer market in China,” said a representative of a major China-based ENDS manufacturing company, who asked for anonymity. “We expect that there will be players that remain in the market, possibly working alongside the Chinese government in the promotion and sales of vaping products. Right now, we are just waiting for a better understanding of what this means for China’s domestic market. A worst-case scenario would be an outright ban on all products, but this is unlikely.”
The draft proposal states that the regulations will have three purposes:
To promote the rule of law in the supervision of e-cigarettes;
To conform to the characteristics of e-cigarette products and current international regulatory practices;
To enhance the regulatory effectiveness of e-cigarettes.
There are 350 million smokers in China. The country consumes an estimated 1 trillion cigarettes per year. As the largest cigarette market in the world, it would make sense for China to embrace vapor products as a less risky alternative to combustible tobacco. However, with a state-run tobacco monopoly and billions of dollars of taxes at stake, industry experts say the Chinese vapor market is complicated and slow to implement regulations.
Despite impressive growth, China’s vapor market is still insignificant compared to its tobacco market. As of the end of 2019, an estimated 7.4 million people in China were regular e-cigarette users, according to Cloris Li, a spokesperson for Smoore International, parent to FEELM and the Vaporesso brand.
“That means the electronic cigarette industry in China can still potentially convert a large number of smokers,” said Li. “Considering China’s status as the biggest tobacco market, it has enormous potential to continue the current rapid growth rate. In 2018, Chinese e-cigarettes and auxiliary products had a market size of CNY5.52 billion [$848.38 million], and it is predicted to grow more than double to CNY11.28 billion by 2022.”
Vaping products in China are not considered tobacco products like they are in Europe and the United States. Instead, e-cigarettes are considered a consumer goods product. During the E-Vapor and Tobacco Law Virtual Symposium, sponsored by the law firm Keller and Heckman, two industry experts discussed the current vaping and tobacco market in China. One speaker noted that because e-cigarettes do not fall under the definition of tobacco as defined under the country’s monopoly laws, China, at the time, had yet to implement any major restrictions on vapor products.
With little regulatory guidance, China’s vapor market has been booming both in terms of domestic consumption and manufacturing exports. China, where the modern e-cigarette was invented, has become the manufacturing hub of the fast-growing global vapor industry. This has led to the rise of several major corporations, including the world’s most valuable vapor company, Smoore International.
When Smoore went public in mid-2020, its stock grew by nearly 150 percent on its opening day of trading on the Hong Kong Exchange. Smoore stock did not suffer after the MIIT announcement. The value of Chinese e-cigarette maker RLX Technology, parent to the RELX brand, jumped 146 percent during its trading debut in January 2021 after raising $1.4 billion in its U.S. initial public offering, before dropping drastically after the MIIT announcement.
In its prospectus, RLX stated that vaping products only have a 1.2 percent penetration rate in China compared with 32.4 percent in the U.S. The Electronic Cigarette Industry Committee estimated China’s 2020 e-cigarette sales at CNY14.5 billion, an increase of 30 percent from 2019 (CNY11.2 billion). By comparison, the U.S. e-cigarette market in 2019 was worth $5.34 billion and is expected to reach $6.50 billion in 2020, according to Grandview Research.
RLX is doing its part to accelerate e-cigarette sales in China. In early 2020, the company launched its two flagship RELX vape shops in Shanghai and Beijing. Today, RELX has partnered with 110 authorized distributors to supply its products to over 5,000 RELX-branded partner stores and over 100,000 other retail outlets nationwide, covering over 250 cities in China, according to its prospectus. Revenue for the company nearly doubled in the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2020, to $324 million, with a net income of $16 million.
Along with the Smoore and RLX initial public offerings, China’s vaping industry continues to attract lots of attention from the capital market, according to Li, it is unknown if the proposed regulations will hamper that attention. “This year, in 2021, many more second-tier brands are spearheading efforts to acquire financing to expand the market [in China], especially markets in lower tier cities,” Li said. “For example, MOTI intends to invest cny1 billion to open 10,000 stores. Snow Plus even announced its intent to distribute future stock shares to distributors to open more stores.”
To date, the Chinese government has passed two major pieces of legislation for vapor products. In 2018, it made it a crime to sell a vapor product to anyone under 18 years of age. In November 2019, the government prohibited online sales of vapor products to prevent youth initiation. In 2020, the country passed the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Minors. That law is aimed at preventing parents or other guardians from “indulging or instigating minors” to smoke or vape.
The Chinese government wants to avoid the rapid rise in youth vaping that occurred in the U.S. If the U.S. figures replicated domestically in China, it could harden Beijing’s stand on the category, according to a 2021 report from ECigIntelligence. For now, e-cig usage among Chinese youth remains relatively low. A 2019 survey by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that 8.6 percent of high school students aged between 15 years and 18 years in China had used “tobacco” products during the previous 12 months.
Between July and August 2020, authorities collected comments on a bill that would restrict the public use of e-cigarettes nationwide and establish specific areas where vaping would be allowed. “The amendments to the Law on the Protection of Minors would prohibit vape stores from operating near schools, ban e-cigarette sales to minors and vaping in schools, kindergartens and anywhere else where young people are gathered,” the report states. “The bill would also require vendors to ask for an identification document if in doubt about a purchaser’s age while shop owners would be required to put up a prominent ‘no sales to minors’ sign. If the proposals are adopted and e-cigarettes are regulated under the same umbrella as traditional tobacco products, it would be China’s first national law specifically restricting e-cigarettes.”
In 2020, the Chinese government also floated the idea of banning vapor products completely. Another proposal suggested that e-cigarettes should be regulated as tobacco products while prohibiting their promotion as smoking cessation products. The authors of the study point out that Chinese rules can impact a market virtually overnight. Prior to the country’s ban of online sales of vapor products, there were hundreds of thousands of products available on the internet. The day after the announcement, an online search for e-cigarettes would have yielded zero results. “When the authorities do put something in writing and announce something that they want to put into effect, it can happen oftentimes almost immediately,” the report states.
While the Chinese government is yet to release any vapor regulations concerning components and manufacturing, several industry players have come together to self-regulate the industry. In 2017, draft regulation or standards were developed on the industry level. While not mandatory national standards, the rules give a good sense of what the industry considers sensible in terms of specifications, requirements and limitations.
“The same holds true with the group standards concerning the raw materials, about the diluents, the flavorings, and some requirements as it relates to physical, chemical, hazardous substances. They go into some test methods,” a presenter at the Keller and Heckman seminar said. “Not always, but typically, the authorities will look at these group standards, voluntary standards, and start to adopt some of that language when they make mandatory national standards. So, having a good sense of what these [recommended standards] look like … that would be important.”
Further complicating China’s vapor market is the China National Tobacco Company (CNTC), the state-run tobacco monopoly. If the monopoly chooses to enter the vapor market, it could devastate the independent vape shops that proliferate the Chinese market. “The state monopoly has yet to signal clearly how it will regulate e-cigarettes or whether it will sell them. If it does, it has the power to regulate its competitors out of the market,” the report states.
The industry is acutely aware of this risk. In a November 2019 interview with Reuters, one investor in a Chinese e-cigarette startup compared the combined regulatory and competitive threat posed by CNTC as “a knife on the neck.” CNTC is a source of major funding for the Chinese government. Its contribution accounted for an estimated 5.45 percent of the country’s tax revenue in 2018. That amounts to cny10.8 trillion, according to media reports.
If CNTC were to enter the vapor market, the monopoly’s existing 5 million domestic retail outlets could present a major challenge for private vape shop owners. Kate Wang, CEO for RELX, told Reuters (before the draft regulations were announced) that she’s “not worried” about the government’s impact on the sector. The products will continue to remain available, she said, “as long as there’s proof that this is a good solution for smokers.”
A major vaping retailer in the UK is launching a new vape clinic service with a goal of helping to increase numbers of smokers quit. The move comes as VPZ vape shops announced a 165 percent increase in “New to Vaping” kit sales in the first week of re-opening following the relaxation of Lockdown measures.
Credit: VPZ
The uptake and demand for stop smoking services underlines and re-affirms VPZ’s recent calls for vaping stores to be classed as an essential retailer during the Pandemic, according to VPZ director Doug Mutter. “We are investing to help smokers quit and to support the country in its ambition to be a tobacco free nation by 2030.”
Following over a year of having no NHS stop smoking services available, the company has been inundated with smokers looking to quit since reopening its full estate of stores on 26 April, according to Mutter. The retailer has seen a huge demand for New to Vaping (NTV) kits since it reopened its 150+ UK stores, with an unprecedented demand for NTV kits in the first week.
“With access to local stop smoking services and vaping retailers massively reduced during lockdown, thousands of smokers have been left without any services to help them quit,” a press release states. “Since re-opening its stores to bring customers a Covid-secure retail experience, VPZ has faced record demand from smokers looking for expert advice and personalized support to help them make the switch.”
The quit clinic investment and recruitment drive are part of VPZ’s commitment to play its part in helping the UK achieve its ambitions to be a tobacco-free nation by 2030, set out by the Government in 2017. “VPZ is the UK’s leading vaping specialist and we are spearheading the fight against the nation’s number one killer – smoking,” said Mutter. “We are excited to be launching the Vape Clinic concept following strong demand and recognizing the need for an enhanced level of service since reopening our doors. The huge reduction in NHS stop-smoking services, through COVID-19 and local authority cuts have been devastating in the country’s efforts to reduce smoking rates.”
The Attorney General for California, Rob Bonta, on Friday filed a brief in the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in support of Los Angeles County’s ordinance banning the sale of flavored vaping and other products.
Credit: Elsa Olofsson
In the brief, Bonta argues that the federal Tobacco Control Act preserves state and local authority to implement sales restrictions on flavored tobacco products — as several courts have already recognized in similar cases brought by tobacco manufacturers and retailers against other state and local ordinances, according to NBC Los Angeles.
“Again, and again, Big Tobacco has tried to steamroll state and local governments’ efforts to safeguard the health of their youngest residents in order to protect their bottom line,” Bonta said in a statement. “We have a responsibility to protect Californians from the harms of tobacco use, and a legal right to implement regulations that do so.
“Every year, hundreds of thousands of Americans will die from a tobacco-related disease, and many more will smoke a cigarette for the first time, starting down the deadly path toward addiction,” he said. “We fully support the county of Los Angeles and their defense of this important ordinance.”
Combustible tobacco use is the number one preventable killer in the United States, resulting in more deaths than the number of people who die from alcohol, AIDS, car accidents, illegal drugs, murder, and suicides — combined. No one has ever been reported to have died from using legal nicotine vapor products.
States and their localities have served as “laboratories” for the development of new tobacco policy for decades, Bonta’s office said. Recognizing that flavored tobacco products drive tobacco use initiation — especially among young people — states and localities around the country have implemented prohibitions on the retail sale of flavored tobacco products. In California alone, at least 71 cities and counties have prohibited the sale of all flavored tobacco products to consumers.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today opened a public comment period on Philip Morris International’s application seeking authorization to market the IQOS 3 electrically heated tobacco system as a modified risk tobacco product (MRTP).
PMI’s application requests the same reduced exposure modification orders granted on July 7, 2020, for the IQOS 2.4 system—the first, and only, electronic nicotine product to be granted marketing orders through the FDA’s MRTP process. To authorize MRTP consumer communications, the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products is required by law to conclude that a product is appropriate to promote the public health.
The IQOS 3 device contains a number of technological advancements, compared to the IQOS 2.4 device, including longer battery life and quicker recharge between uses. It was authorized for sale in the U.S. via the FDA’s pre-market review process on Dec. 7, 2020, having met the standard that permitting its sale is appropriate to protect public health.
This application underscores PMI’s ongoing commitment to make new innovations available to American adult smokers through the FDA process.
“PMI is fully committed to a smoke-free future, one where we completely replace cigarettes with scientifically substantiated smoke-free alternatives that are a better choice for adults who would otherwise continue smoking,” said PMI CEO Jacek Olczak.
“Our commitment to a science-based future is unmatched, having invested more than $8 billion since 2008 on smoke-free products. This application underscores PMI’s ongoing commitment to make new innovations available to American adult smokers through the FDA process; the confidence we have in our science; and our belief that public scrutiny and open engagement with governments is vital to achieving a smoke-free future.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) will host a virtual meeting June 11 from 13:00 to 15:30 Eastern Daylight Time. The meeting will discuss the scientific review of tobacco marketing applications received by Sept. 9, 2020. It will focus on the application intake process, review progress and allocation of review resources. There will be time allotted for audience questions as well.
Matt Holman
The meeting will feature a presentation from CTP Office of Science Director Matt Holman and include a question-and-answer session. Other Office of Science staff participating in the meeting include Todd L. Cecil, deputy director for regulatory management; Crystal Allard, director for the division of regulatory science and informatics; Joanna C. Randazzo, D.C., acting chief for the science policy branch; and Cristi Stark, director of the division of regulatory project management.
The CTP Office of Science is responsible for identifying, developing and enhancing the science related to tobacco products, their use, and the resulting morbidity and mortality so that regulatory decisions will have the greatest impact on improving public health.
The Office of Science provides the scientific support for regulations and guidance, reviews tobacco product applications, evaluates the knowledge basis for regulatory decisions and carries out research to fill the gaps in scientific knowledge related to tobacco product regulation.
British American Tobacco (BAT) will invest HRK200 million ($32.07 million) to produce heated-tobacco products (HTPs) at its factory in Kanfanar, Croatia, reports Total Croatia News.
The multinational revealed its plans during a May 12 visit to its facility by Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.
“By expanding production in Kanfanar and opening a hub in Rijeka, we are continuing with BAT’s significant investments in Croatia,” said BAT Adria director Zvonko Kolobara.
“With the introduction of production lines for new product categories, Croatia is additionally strengthening its position on the global map of production sites in the tobacco industry. We are continuing to expand our selection for consumers in Croatia.”
The increased capacity in Kanfanar will help BAT meet growing demand for HTPs in Europe and northern Africa.
Plenkovic expressed satisfaction at BAT’s continued investments in Kanfanar.
“The new HRK200 million investment in new products means a new impetus, enthusiasm and a new generator of business and with that, a contribution to Croatia’s economy,” he said.
“The company employs 1,600 people, and another 800 cooperate closely with BAT and make a living that way. The investment plans have been coordinated with their headquarters in London, and all the employees at the factory will be satisfied while the entire economy of Istria County will benefit from BAT’s operations.”
The new HRK200 million investment in new products means a new impetus, enthusiasm and a new generator of business and with that, a contribution to Croatia’s economy.
In June 2020, BAT suggested it might relocate its Kanfanar factory to another country due to unfavorable business conditions. The government then embarked on a campaign to keep the multinational in Croatia.
Plenkovic stressed that the new investment reflected Croatia’s good business climate, not government pressure.
KAC Communications will be hosting the Eighth Global Forum on Nicotine (GFN) from June 17–18 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Liverpool, U.K. With its theme “The future for nicotine,” the GFN tackles the challenges and controversies, as well as the significant potential, of safer nicotine products. Participants can choose whether to attend in person or online. In-person registration costs £60 ($84.23) for two days, and online registration is free.
A new GFN∙TV online platform will stream broadcast footage of the conference free to viewers around the world, with a new commentary team offering their insights.
The GFN will feature more than 30 speakers from diverse backgrounds, including consumers, advocates, policy experts, public health specialists and medical professionals. All sessions will be live, with speaker presentations available on the GFN website before the event.
“It’s a fallacy that tobacco control and harm reduction are irreconcilable as many believe—they’re complementary,” said Paddy Costall of KAC Communications. “While tobacco control has reduced smoking rates in many places, it’s got its limits. In the U.K. and elsewhere, it’s been shown that access to appropriately regulated safer nicotine products helps people stop smoking.
“At GFN, we offer an inclusive platform to discuss all aspects of nicotine use, and we believe it’s important that no one is excluded from the debate. With one billion smoking-related deaths predicted by the end of this century, it’s time for ideology to make way for pragmatism.”
An estimated 2,500-3,000 people visited the Tobacco Plus Expo (TPE) on the opening day of the 3-day event. The TPE is normally the first industry trade show of the year. Before the show floor opened, several hundred attendees waited at the entrance to see the more 350 exhibitors.
Credit: Timothy S. Donahue
This year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the show was moved to May from its typical January date. It is also the first major trade show to be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) since it closed in March of 2020. There is a noticeable reduction in the number of nicotine vaping companies showing on the floor. There are however numerous CBD companies presenting, with most pushing their Delta-8 products.
Several attendees said they were surprised by the size of this year’s show and the turnout. George Cassels-Smith, president of eLiquitech, a Maryland based e-liquid manufacturer and flavoring house, said it was more than he expected. “The turnout was much more than I thought, there were people talking and enjoying a return to a bit of normalcy,” he said. “It was nice to see friends and associates that we haven’t seen in over a year.”
Several new products are launched during the TPE. This year, Southern California-based Humble Juice Co., for example, recently released its new e-liquid flavor, Sweet Citrus. The company also had several core product offerings, all of which were included in the brand’s premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) submitted to the Food and Drug Administration in Sept. of 2020.
“We are excited that Humble Juice Co. will be back at Tobacco Plus Expo in the flesh after last year’s event taking place virtually,” said Daniel Clark, CEO of Humble. “Humble is one of the e-liquid brands that have completed the preliminary PMTA review phase and is awaiting the start of the substantive review process. We are proud to introduce those attending TPE to our brand and share information about our focus on compliance and quality products.”
Bantam Vape also showcased several of its products that have a PMTA submitted including Sour Strawberry, Jasmine Milk Tea and Butterscotch. The brand’s PMTA application is currently queued for formal scientific review with the FDA.
“We will be sharing our science-backed, PMTA-filed flavors with buyers and will have brand reps [available] to answer questions face-to-face,” said Bantam Director of Sales Michelle Gottlich. “TPE poses an exciting opportunity to share our high-quality products with other established leaders in the vaping category.”
The TPE also has several cigar companies, hookah and other tobacco-affiliated products. The show does require wearing a face covering unless vaping, eating or drinking. The TPE runs from May 12-14. The TPE was ranked as one of the top 50 fastest growing trade shows in 2018 and 2019.
