Tag: regulation

Trump Says He Will Save Flavored Vapes if Elected

Photo: Alexander
Former U.S. President Donald Trump said he will save flavored e-cigarettes if re-elected, according to Newsmax.
“I saved flavored vaping in 2019, and it greatly helped people get off smoking,” Trump wrote in a Sept. 20 post on his Truth Social account. “I raised the age to 21, keeping it away from the ‘kids.’ Kamala and Joe want everything banned, killing small businesses all over the country. I’ll save vaping again.”
In his first term, Trump promised to crack down on sales of flavored products but then backtracked, saying vaping could help people stop smoking. Trump’s watered-down proposal banned the sale of all sweet and fruity flavored vape pods and cartridges but allowed gas stations and convenience stores to continue selling menthol cartridges and vapes. It also allowed vape shops to sell a broad range of e-cigarette liquids in open-tank vaping systems.
Free market advocates and small business vape shop owners and vape-makers supported the new proposals while anti-tobacco advocates accused Trump of caving to pressure from the nicotine business.

VTA’s meeting with President Trump represents a great day for small businesses across America who fear the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to shut down small businesses and deprive adults who smoke of their flavored vaping products.
Tony Abboud, executive director, VTA
The Vapor Technology Association (VTA) welcomed Trump’s latest comments.
“Today, VTA had the opportunity to meet with President Donald J. Trump,” wrote VTA Executive Director Tony Abboud on Sept. 20. “We had a wide-ranging conversation, and we thanked President Trump for taking two bold and decisive actions in 2019: Saving flavored vapes for adults and protecting youth by raising the age to 21.”
“Since then, youth vaping has dropped to an all-time low, and many adults have used flavored vaping to quit smoking. VTA’s meeting with President Trump represents a great day for small businesses across America who fear the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to shut down small businesses and deprive adults who smoke of their flavored vaping products. We are pleased that former President Trump is continuing to fight for vapers.”
September 23, 2024
Korea Urged to Regulate Vapes Same as Tobacco

Photo: Teo
Health advocates are calling on South Korea to regulate e-cigarettes as tobacco products, reports the Maeil Business Newspaper
The current law does not classify vapes as cigarettes, which means they are exempt from many of the regulations that apply to tobacco products. For example, vaping companies do not have to print graphic health warnings on their products or charge their customers tobacco consumption tax.
Article 2 of the Tobacco Business Act, defines “cigarettes” as products suitable for smoking, sucking, inhaling, chewing or smelling.
The calls for expanding the legal definition come follow concern about the growth of unmanned e-cigarette stores in Seoul, which are said to have inadequate age-verification procedures.
A survey by the Seoul metropolitan government revealed that the number of unmanned e-cigarette stores has quadrupled since April.
According to data from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, three out of 10 youth smokers started smoking e-cigarettes from 2019 to 2023. Six out of 10 teenagers who started with e-cigarettes are currently smoking regular cigarettes, the centers said.
Bills to regulate e-cigarettes were tabled in the 20th and 21st National Assembly, but failed to cross the plenary session threshold in each instance.
September 15, 2024
Minnesota bans Vaping THC in Multifamily Properties

Credit: Ontronix
The restriction, which went into effect this summer, does not apply to approved medical use.
Minnesota’s ban on smoking and vaping cannabis in multifamily properties was initially to become effective in March 2025. However, the new law moved up the effective dates to establish the full powers of the newly formed Office of Cannabis Management by July 1. Cigarette smoking is still permitted in private units in the state.
The exception on smoking for medical marijuana leaves housing providers caught in the middle between those with prescriptions and residents who object to marijuana smoke, according to Cecil Smith, president and CEO of the Minnesota Multi Housing Association.
“Many multifamily properties became smoke-free years ago and that is now the resident expectation,” Smith told Multifamily Dive. “It is unclear how this conflict [will be] resolved.”
Federally funded housing is not covered under the medicinal marijuana exemption because marijuana use and possession is illegal under federal law, according to HUD. Residents of federal housing, such as through Section 8 or other programs, cannot legally use or possess recreational or medical marijuana in any form, regardless of state law. HUD also banned smoking tobacco in all public housing properties in 2016.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, while 12 states, including Minnesota, have laws prohibiting smoking in the public areas of private housing communities, no states ban smoking in private units.
Eighty-five municipalities have enacted bans on smoking in multifamily units, all of them in California, according to a list compiled by the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation. Carlsbad, California, is the latest jurisdiction to ban smoking tobacco or marijuana in apartment properties with a law announced Aug. 28.
September 14, 2024
FDA Warns 6 Companies for Trade Show Sales

Credit: Mr. Fog
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued six warning letters to manufacturers and retailers for selling or distributing unauthorized e-cigarette products promoted at an industry trade show.
After observations made by Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) staff attending the trade show, the FDA conducted investigations and issued warning letters to six retailers and manufacturers for selling or distributing unauthorized e-cigarette products.
Regulated entities must comply with all applicable requirements under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Under these requirements, the sale and distribution of unauthorized tobacco products is illegal, including at industry events such as trade shows or expos, according to the FDA.
“Regulated industry should be aware that CTP obtains leads that inform investigations from many sources, including trade shows,” said John Verbeten, director of CTP’s Office of Compliance and Enforcement. “We remain committed to identifying and taking action against those breaking the law, including at these events.”
FDA also announced the issuance of warning letters to five online retailers for selling unauthorized e-cigarette products popular with youth, including products marketed under the brand names Breeze, Mr. Fog, and Raz.
“Results from the recently released 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey found that Breeze and Mr. Fog were among the top five most commonly used brands among youth who use e-cigarettes,” an FDA release states. “Additionally, Raz was identified as a popular brand through routine surveillance, with youth-appealing flavors such as sour mango pineapple and razzle-dazzle.”
The companies receiving these warning letters sold or distributed e-cigarette products without marketing authorization from the FDA. Warning letter recipients are given 15 working days to respond with the steps they will take to address the violations cited in the warning letter and to prevent future violations.
Failure to promptly address the violations can result in additional FDA actions such as an injunction, seizure, and/or civil money penalties.
The trade show was not named in the FDA release.
September 13, 2024
Ireland Nearing Total Ban on Disposable Vapes

Credit: Schankz
The Irish government is set to ban disposable vapes.
This week, Cabinet approved draft laws tabled by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly. Under the proposed laws, the sale, manufacture, and import of single-use or disposable vapes in Ireland will be completely banned.
The legislation will also introduce a ban on a multitude of flavors that the government believes often appeal to children – it is estimated that as many as 15,000 flavor combinations exist.
The laws will also introduce a ban on point-of-sale display or advertising in shops, other than specialist shops that only sell the products, reports the BBC.
Donnelly also wants to restrict the colors and imagery on packages and devices to prevent them from being aimed at youth.
Ireland has already banned the sale of all nicotine inhaling products to under 18s and a range of other curbs such as advertising, pop-up shop sales and a ban of sale from vending machines will commence next year.
The minister has said the plans to introduce a ban are on environmental and public health grounds.
September 13, 2024
Lawmakers Blast FDA for Rise of Illegal Vapes

The agency is struggling to justify the need for additional resources to combat illegal vape products.
A bipartisan group of powerful House lawmakers are doubtful of the Food and Drug Administration’s proposal to begin collecting fees from e-cigarette companies, akin to how the agency charges fees to tobacco firms.
FDA officials say that the fees would give regulators resources to tackle the thousands of illegal vapes lining store shelves.
Lawmakers on the House Energy & Commerce Committee questioned whether the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), which has struggled for years to police the vaping industry, is capable of effectively using allocated funds.
The agency is caught in a Catch-22 situation. Some lawmakers are demanding that the FDA crackdown on illegal e-cigarettes before receiving more funding, but the FDA argues that it needs additional funding to boost its enforcement efforts.
Brian King
CTP Director Brian King attempted to persuade lawmakers that the agency has taken significant action against vape companies selling illegal products. This includes imposing fines on retailers, seizing products at the border, and filing injunctions against manufacturers in federal courts. Lawmakers from both sides questioned if the agency was taking sufficient action.
New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone said that while he hopes e-cigarette user fees would “make a difference,” he was skeptical of whether the FDA would be able to rein in the illegal vape market. “I hate to say it but you just make it seem hopeless to me,” he said.
Tony Abboud, executive director of the Vapor Technology Association (VTA), said the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) created a flawed and broken premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) process. He explained that the House committee hearing revealed that, under King’s leadership, CTP continues to approve combustible cigarettes while also denying millions of e-cigarette PMTAs at a 91:1 ratio.
“Director King’s statement that there is ‘no safe harbor’ for companies with pending applications clearly demonstrates that CTP continues to move the scientific goalpost and is not truly committed to harm reduction for Americans who smoke,” said Abboud. “Cigarette smoking continues to be the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the U.S., yet Director King calls for more money to remove less harmful products from the market.
“The CTP must acknowledge the undisputed smoking cessation benefits of e-cigarettes, authorize a diverse marketplace of flavored nicotine alternatives to cigarettes, and stop approving new cigarettes.”
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers said that out of more than 26 million applications for electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) products and has authorized fewer than 50 products.
“However, according to recent market data, those products only account for about 10 percent of sales, showing how behind the FDA is with keeping up with the demand,” she said. “The lack of clear enforcement policy and authorized products leaves tobacco users, distributors, and convenience stores in the dark on what products they can use and sell to those that are looking for alternatives to traditional cigarettes.
“Companies need clear guidelines on what is required to meet the standard for authorization and what changes to products require new applications.”
The CTP currently collects user fees from cigarette and cigar companies. However, it requires Congressional approval to begin collecting user fees from vaping product manufacturers. The agency has been advocating for this change for some time. This change is estimated to increase CTP’s budget by approximately $114 million from its current budget of over $700 million.
Half of this additional funding would be allocated to increasing enforcement efforts, according to STAT News.
The hearing, titled “Evaluating FDA Human Foods and Tobacco Programs,” was House lawmakers’ first chance to question both King and Jim Jones, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for Human Foods. King joined the agency in July 2022. Jones joined last September.
September 13, 2024
The Vapor Chef E-liquid Company Ending Operations
Credit: The Vapor Chef
Earlier this year, The Vapor Chef informed its customers of ongoing difficulties with federal regulators. The company has been a stalwart in the e-liquid manufacturing segment.
In a recent update, the business has confirmed that it will no longer be able to continue operations following extensive discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
As a result, The Vapor Chef has decided to liquidate its remaining inventory, offering a 50 percent automatic discount on all products on its website. As supplies dwindle, specific flavors will be removed from the online store.
The company has assured customers that any outstanding orders they cannot fulfill will be refunded.
Operations are expected to cease entirely by Sept. 30th, and the website will be taken down on that date or sooner if stock runs out.
Customers are encouraged to take advantage of the discounted sale before the business is closed.
September 12, 2024
R Street Urges Tobacco, Nicotine Policy Revamp
Jeffrey Smith
The R Street Institute, a U.S. think tank promoting free markets and limited government, has published the first of three papers on tobacco issues and policy. Authored by Resident Senior Fellow Jeffrey Smith, the first installment addresses the health risks of smoking through the lens of preserving individual liberty.
According to the R Street Institute, new reduced-risk products, such as e-cigarettes, oral nicotine and heat-not-burn products, offer smokers an unprecedented opportunity to reduce their health risks by transitioning to less harmful methods of nicotine consumption.
However, the U.S. regulatory environment makes it nearly impossible for such products to enter the market. In addition, consumers must contend with considerable volumes of misinformation. As a result, too many Americans continue to die and suffer from smoking-related diseases.
The R Street Institute urges industry stakeholders, regulatory bodies and public health experts to work together—instead of in opposition—to reduce smoking-related death rates and provide smokers with safer options.
September 12, 2024
Irish Health Minister Proposes Vape Flavor Ban

Irish Health Minister Stephen Donnelly proposed bans on non-tobacco vape flavors and advertising in non-specialized shops, reports The Irish Times. He tabled the suggestions as Ireland’s cabinet approved restrictions on disposable vapes on Sept. 9.
Donnelly said the proposals are aimed at protecting children, who he believed were “very cynically” targeting children. The proposed legislation, he said, would see just one flavor, tobacco, being sold.
“We live in a country where around 13 percent of people between the ages of 12 and 17 have vaped in the last 30 days,” said Taoiseach Simon Harris, who described vaping as “the revenge of the tobacco industry.”
Minister of State for Public Health Colm Burke said the regulations are necessary because “many people who used vaping products subsequently moved on to smoking.”
September 10, 2024
Philippines Bans 5 Vaping Products for Violations

Credit: Adobe Photo
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the Philippines on Saturday said it removed five vape brands from shelves pending an investigation into alleged violations of the law.
The DTI identified the brands Shft, Dr. Freeze, Areogin, Don Bars and Chillax as the subjects under the order.
“The trade suspension, effective immediately, is in accordance with section 11 of Executive Order No. 913 (1983) and will remain in place pending resolution of the formal charges,” the DTI said in a statement.
The government agency cited that the trade suspension was in response to the formal charges filed against the said brands for violating Section 4(d) of Republic Act No. 11900, or the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act.
In addition to the trade suspension, the DTI said it has suspended the Philippine Standard licenses for the same brands.
September 9, 2024