Tag: online sales

  • Study: Online Vape Sellers Fail to Comply With Rules 

    Study: Online Vape Sellers Fail to Comply With Rules 

    Credit: Ployker

    Online vape product retailers are not consistently adhering to California laws aimed at preventing the sale of the products to minors, including regulations on age verification, shipping methods and flavor restrictions, report researchers at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at University of California San Diego.

    In a study published online on Nov. 11, 2024, in JAMA, researchers asked 16 people to purchase flavored vape products online and have them delivered to their homes in the County of San Diego, then analyzed the results of these attempted purchases. Of 156 attempted transactions 73% were processed and 67% were delivered.

    As of March 21, 2024, sale restrictions on flavored tobacco have been enacted in eight U.S. states and 392 cities or counties, but some of these do not cover e-commerce. For example, the 2022 California Senate Bill (SB) 793 prohibited the sale of flavored tobacco products but left e-commerce restrictions ambiguous.

    Due to the ambiguity in California law, the researchers aimed to test differences in compliance with local tobacco e-commerce ordinances. Eight buyers were from the City of San Diego, where an ordinance restricts the sale of flavored tobacco products, including online sales. The other eight were from other County of San Diego communities, which do not have the same restrictions. Delivery did not differ significantly between buyers in these two jurisdictions.

    In addition to violations of flavor restrictions, the online purchases violated the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act, a federal law prohibiting the use of the United States Postal Service (USPS) to ship vaping products and requires both age verification and scanning identifications upon delivery.

  • Philippines Government to End Illegal Online Sales

    Philippines Government to End Illegal Online Sales

    Image: Tobacco Reporter archive

    The Philippines government is set to remove 15,000 more noncompliant electronic cigarette sellers in online marketplaces, reports The Philippine Star.

    “We have monitored almost 15,000 sellers online,” said Ruth Castelo, trade undersecretary. “We’ve advised platforms to remove almost 15,000 we observed that were noncompliant. These sellers all have cases already.”

    Unregistered vapor products are subject to the Vape Law, which came into effect Dec. 28, 2022, and prohibits flavors, colorful caricatures on packaging and selling products within 100 meters of schools, among other restrictions.

    “If online platforms would just strictly follow, there is no need to remove the sale of this product from them,” said Castelo. “It’s already indicated which products they can’t sell, but some still evade detection.”

  • Oregon Governor Set to Sign Online Vapor Sales Ban

    Oregon Governor Set to Sign Online Vapor Sales Ban

    The Oregon Senate approved House Bill 2261 on Wednesday, a move that supporters said will limit Oregon’s youth from accessing nicotine products by closing loopholes that have allowed those underage to purchase vaping products. The legislation passed the Oregon House on April 10. It now goes to the governor for her signature, which she has said she will sign.

    Credit: Vlad

    “The use of vaping products by our youth is shocking,” said State Sen. Kathleen Taylor. “No matter how diligent our retailers are, there is still significant access to these products online.” Oregon prohibited the online sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products from taking place online in 2017. Oregon brings vaping products in line with that policy.

    E-cigarettes started to be taxed for the first time in Oregon beginning Jan. 1 after voters overwhelmingly approved Measure 108 in late 2020.

    In 2015, Taylor championed House Bill 2464 to make certain access and use laws around inhalant delivery systems aligned with that of other tobacco products. The bill added age restrictions on purchasing and defined where the use of vape products is allowed, according to KTVZ.com.

    “Vaping is harmful to our youth. Not only is it habit forming, the nicotine contained in these products can have lasting effects on kids’ still-developing brains,” said Taylor. “The use of these products continues to rise, and they contain products and chemicals that are highly addictive. Oregon’s licensed retailers have agreed to do the right thing, protect our kids, and sell only to those of legal age. Ensuring a face-to-face exchange is required for purchasing these products, we remove a loophole that may be used that can result in lifelong addiction and negative health outcomes.”

  • Online Cannabis, Alcohol and Tobacco Product Sales Surging

    Online Cannabis, Alcohol and Tobacco Product Sales Surging

    Photo: Kaylen Settles

    Online sales for cannabis, alcohol, and vapor and tobacco products are surging. All three markets have been flourishing amid the quarantines especially marijuana.

    Post Covid-19, consumers are ordering online deliveries at a higher rate than ever before. Yet, both are still mired in the slow processing of IDs, according to a story on Valuewalk.com. According to VentureBeat, “Cann, an Oakland, California-based startup that sells low-dose cannabis drinks, told VentureBeat it has seen a 300% month-on-month sales increase in March, more than doubling the total units sold for January and February combined.”

    One of the most critical aspects of ordering cannabis, alcohol, or tobacco products online, verifying IDs, is left to drivers scanning IDs upon arrival. Not only does such a model leave delivery services, like a local restaurant serving to-go margaritas during lockdowns, vulnerable to the legal liabilities of drivers not properly ID’ing customers, but the system is not compatible with the ongoing transition to more seamless e-commerce interfaces.Cannabis, alcohol, and tobacco products

    Physical ID verification brings a litany of problems, such as the customer needing to be present for delivery. It creates more friction throughout the entire process. For the delivery services, like Postmates and Grubhub, verifying ID’s layers costs on top of a business model already running thin margins.

    “As retail stores are forced to go online, everything from alcohol to vape and CBD businesses are seeing a huge surge in online sales,” details Matt Fields, Vice President of AgeChecker “Adults need to help mitigate the risk of selling to minors while remaining compliant with state and federal laws.”