Tag: regulation

New Zealand Sets New Youth Vaping Regulations

Photo: Molly
New Zealand has set new regulations to limit youth vaping, effective Sept. 21, reports the Xinhua News Agency.
New specialist vape shops will be banned in locations within 300 meters of schools and Maori meeting places, according to Health Minister Ayesha Verrall.
“Vapes will need child safety mechanisms, and names like ‘cotton candy’ and ‘strawberry jelly donut’ will be prohibited,” Verrall said. Only generic names like “orange” or “berry” that accurately describe the flavors will be allowed.
The new regulations also set the maximum allowed nicotine level and require that all vaping devices have removable batteries.
“We’re creating a future where tobacco products are no longer addictive, appealing or as readily available, and the same needs to apply to vaping,” Verrall said.
August 22, 2023
Tomorrow: FDA Tobacco Center Strategic Plan Event

Vapor Voice Archive
Tomorrow, Aug. 22, 2023 is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) online forum centered on developing a 5-year strategic plan to advance its mission.
As part of an iterative, center-wide process, CTP has developed five proposed goal areas. These goal areas are intended to be interconnected with four proposed cross-cutting themes: health equity, science, transparency, and stakeholder engagement.
The center intends to publish the strategic plan by the end of 2023, following receipt and consideration of public input.
Beginning at 10 a.m. EDT, the CTP virtual listening session will give the public an opportunity to verbally provide open public comment on the development of the 5-year strategic plan, including proposed strategic goals.
CTP will begin with an overview of the process used to develop the center’s strategic plan, including proposed goal areas. Registered speakers will then have approximately 4 minutes each to verbally share their comments on any topics related to the strategic plan.
Live closed captioning and ASL interpreters will be provided during the listening session. If you have issues registering or have any questions, please email malini.runnells@fda.hhs.gov or call 1-877-CTP-1373 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. EDT.
A transcript and recording will be made available after the listening session.
Use this link to view the session.
August 21, 2023
High Light Vape Highlights Rogue Player Youth Issues

Credit: High Light Vape
The vape industry has always had an image problem. Rogue industry players have long been using cartoon characters and youth-friendly names that seemingly entice youth to use e-cigarettes.
This has led to regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to use a heavy hand when enforcing the products.
Nothing highlights the issue more than an offering from High Light Vape, which is selling a vape pen disguised as a highlighter.
High Light Vape’s “Office 4” e-cigarette has vibrant neon colors and an angled tip, making it identical to a regular highlighter often used by youth in school and home settings.
The controversial product provides 4,000 puffs and comes in 20 different flavors, lending itself to being used in schools unnoticed by teachers.
In a statement to NewsNation, High Light Vape said the design is meant to be a “discreet solution” for people who wish to avoid “scrutiny from their peers” within “professional environments.”
“Emblazoned on our packaging is the prominent age restriction of 21 and older, a testament to our unwavering commitment to refraining from sales to minors,” the company added.
August 20, 2023
California Cops Seize $189,000 in Illegal Vaping Products

Credit: Sundry Photography
In the California city of San Mateo law enforcement officials seized a large number of flavored vape cartridges from a smoke shop following an unscheduled compliance check.
Officers visited the store on Tuesday afternoon, August 15th to carry out the inspection after a person was observed purchasing a flavored vaping product, according to Hoodline.
Officers with the San Mateo Police Department Youth Services Unit witnessed a store employee sell flavored tobacco to a customer, police said.
California voters passed SB793 last November, banning the sale of flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, e-liquids, pods, and any other vape device.
An investigation of the store revealed 6,298 flavored vape cartridges, valued at around $189,000, according to police. The cartridges were seized, but the investigation remains ongoing.
The San Mateo Police Department is coordinating with the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office in filing charges.
August 18, 2023
Indonesian Customs Seizes Millions in Illicit Goods

Image: Tobacco Reporter archive
Customs in Batam, Indonesia, have seized illicit goods worth IDR1.37 trillion ($89.35 million) in the first half of 2023, including tobacco products, illegal cigarettes, e-cigarettes and alcoholic beverages containing methanol, according to 2Firsts.
The operation was a result of tax operations aiming to ensure compliance of retail tax paying sellers as part of the area’s free-trade zone and free port, according to Anbang Puriyongo, director of Batam Customs.
Three individuals have been named as suspects and undergone trial, according to Puriyongo. He called on citizens to report suspicious activities and actively participate in creating a fair trading environment.
“We will further enhance inter-department coordination and cooperation, leveraging the latest technology,” Puriyongo said. “We aim for such actions to continue in the future, creating a better trading environment for Indonesia.”
August 17, 2023
Activists Plea for Consumer Participation at COP10

Photo: Tobacco Reporter archive
Consumer advocates are calling for the next New Zealand government to support greater consumer advocacy participation in the 10th Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in Panama.
“The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has contributed to some progress in the implementation of tobacco control measures, but they need to provide honest, risk-proportionate communication and regulatory recommendations for Tobacco Harm Reduction [THR] products,” says Nancy Loucas, executive coordinator of the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA).
“While not perfect, these THR products can be a less harmful alternative to smoking and can help smokers quit. It is critical that smokers have access to accurate information about these products and that regulations are proportionate to their risks,” says Loucas.

The WHO FCTC should stop denying smokers, vapers and other tobacco users of their right to have a meaningful participation and inclusion in the formulation of policies that hugely impact them.
Nancy Loucas, executive coordinator, CAPHRA
“The WHO FCTC should stop denying smokers, vapers and other tobacco users of their right to have a meaningful participation and inclusion in the formulation of policies that hugely impact them.”
CAPHRA is calling on the New Zealand government and next minister of health to ask all member states who will be attending COP10 to reject the prohibitionist proposals contained in COP10 provisional agenda items 6.1 to 6.4 that the organization insists will just further contribute to millions more of unnecessary deaths from smoking.
“New Zealand should prioritize science-based inclusive policy making, including at the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. It is essential that policy making is based on the best available evidence and that all stakeholders—including consumer advocates are included in the decision-making process,” said Loucas.
August 17, 2023
U.S. FDA to Hold Public Meeting on PMTA Process

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will hold a two-day public meeting on the agency’s premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) process on Oct. 23–24, 2023.
The meeting will be held on the FDA’s White Oak Campus in Silver Spring, Maryland, and will be in a hybrid format with the option to attend virtually.
Staff from the Center for Tobacco Products’ Office of Science will present on topics related to the PMTA process and be available to respond to questions received from stakeholders on the topic, according to a press note.
Additional information, including registration and question submission processes, will be available soon.
August 17, 2023
FDA Tobacco Chief Discusses Relative Risk of Vapes

CTP Director Brian King
In an article published in Addiction magazine, Brian King, director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), explores the chances and considerations for informing adults who smoke cigarettes about the relative dangers of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. He collaborated with Benjamin Toll, director of the Medical University of South Carolina Tobacco Treatment Program and co-director of the Lung Cancer Screening Program.
The commentary highlights the findings of a recent survey about misperceptions of tobacco product harms, including cigarettes and e-cigarettes. The survey found that only about 20 percent of adults who smoke cigarettes believed e-cigarettes contain fewer harmful chemicals than cigarettes. While there are no safe tobacco products, the available scientific evidence indicates that tobacco products exist on a continuum of risk, with cigarettes being the most harmful.
The commentary notes that opportunities exist to educate adults who smoke about the relative risks of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. However, these efforts should be accompanied by efforts to prevent youth tobacco product use; encourage first-line use of FDA-approved cessation therapies; and for adults who both smoke and use e-cigarettes, reinforce the importance of completely transitioning to e-cigarettes.
The commentary further emphasizes that any education efforts on the relative risks of tobacco products must be evidence-based. In particular, it is important to assess the benefits among the intended population (i.e., adults who smoke) and risks among unintended populations (e.g., youth). Currently, FDA is in the early stages of a research effort to assess messaging about the continuum of risk of tobacco products among adults who smoke.
Last week, the FDA announced a virtual listening session opportunity to verbally provide open public comment on the development of the new strategic plan, including proposed strategic goals. After introductions, the center will begin the listening session with an overview of the process used to develop the CTP’s strategic plan, including proposed goal areas.
Registration is open for the virtual listening session on the development of the CTP’s five-year strategic plan, which will take place on Aug. 22 beginning at 10 a.m. EDT.
August 15, 2023
China-Based Ispire Appoints New CEO and CFO

Ispire Technology has appointed Michael Wang as its co-chief executive officer. Wang previously served as chief financial officer. Concurrently, Daniel J. Machock was appointed as the new chief financial officer.
Wang has assumed the role of co-chief executive officer alongside Tuanfang Liu. This strengthened leadership structure is designed to refine Ispire’s strategic direction and spearhead the company’s future growth. Ispire’s decision to elevate Wang stems from his record in strategic and financial leadership.
“Having been deeply involved with Ispire’s progress, I look forward to partnering with Tuanfang to further the company’s growth and expansion,” said Wang in a statement. “Together, we share a mutual vision of global development and pioneering innovation within the company.”
With extensive 25-year experience in financial strategy, including at Appetize Technologies and Chrome River Technologies, Ispire expects Machock to bolster its financial footing.
“I am honored to take on the role of CFO at Ispire,” said Machock. “Eager to harness my financial expertise, I deeply value the company’s unwavering dedication to innovation in the cannabis vaping arena and am committed to contributing to its continued success.”
August 14, 2023
Louisiana Businesses Struggling Under Vape Tax

Baton Rouge, capital of Louisiana (Credit: Fang)
Vaping product taxes and regulations in Louisiana may be taking a devastating toll on small businesses.
Unlimited Vapor, according to the Shreveport Times, stands with limited supply due to the recent increase in state taxes on nicotine vape products and e-cigarettes. On June 15, 2023, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards signed into law the bill to increase the excise tax on vapes from 5 cents per milliliter of nicotine solution to 15 cents.
“We usually special order it for customers, if they know what flavor they want, what milligram they want, because of the excise tax going up as high as it is, we don’t want to order it and have it just sitting there,” said Selena Price, manager of Unlimited Vapor.
The tax increase went into effect on July 1, and is only impacting Louisiana. Border states such as Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi have no excise tax on vape and e-cigarette products.
Rep. Paul Hollis of Covington sponsored House Bill 635 Act 414 to discourage the use of vape and e-cigarette products through an increase in excise tax. The Shreveport Times reached out to Hollis for a statement, but did not receive a response.
Many are calling the new rules a de-facto flavor ban. It tripled the tax on vape liquid from 5 cents per milliliter to 15 cents per milliliter and earmarks the revenue the tax will generate for pay raises for state troopers. This has forced many products off of vape shop shelves. This is forcing most vape products off of store shelves.
The legislation, Act 414 by Rep. Paul Hollis, started out as a bill to increase the tax on vapes, with Hollis saying he wanted to discourage their use. But it quickly morphed into a broader law that dramatically scales back what vapes can be sold, after wholesalers, major tobacco companies and legislators concerned with youth use got involved.
August 14, 2023