Tag: vapor

  • Malaysia to Place Excise Tax on Vapor Starting 2021

    Malaysia to Place Excise Tax on Vapor Starting 2021

    Malaysia
    Credit: Peter Nguyen

    All imported electronic cigarettes, e-juices and other vaping products, including non-nicotine types, will face an excise duty beginning Jan. 1, 2021. Exceptions will be given to local manufacturers, Customs Department director-general Abdul Latif Abdul Kadir said today.

    Excise duty would be charged on the devices at an “ad valorem” (according to value) rate of 10 percent, while liquids and gels will be charged a rate of SEN0.40 for each millilitre, he said.

    Abdul Latif said local manufacturers would be licensed under Section 20 of the Excise Act 1976 with a licence payment of RM4,800 a year ($1,779), while the warehouse licence fees under Section 25 of the same Act would be RM2,400 a year, according to an article in Free Malaysia Today.

    “Local manufacturers have to apply at the respective zone or state Customs Department offices where the factory or warehouse is located before Dec 15, 2020,” he said in a statement today.

    Among other things, the applicants will have to declare the raw ingredients list, finished products list, manufacturing flow chart, annual manufacturing capacity, and acknowledgment of nicotine content in liquid or gel.

    “Licence holders are required to comply with licensing guidelines and to attach a bank guarantee to secure the duty or tax,” he said.

    Abdul Latif said manufacturers could refer to the FAQ page regarding the excise duty at the Customs website.

  • Missoula Votes Monday to Ban E-Liquid Flavors Not Cigarettes

    Missoula Votes Monday to Ban E-Liquid Flavors Not Cigarettes

    The Montana city of Missoula wants to ban flavors in e-cigarettes and vapor products, but not combustible tobacco products. The Missoula City Council will vote Monday on the flavored “tobacco ordinance that prohibits the sale of flavored electronic tobacco products,” according to an article in the Missoulian.

    the what look
    Credit: Marko Sokolovic

    The ordinance would also prohibit self-serve access to all tobacco products. The vote comes after the city’s Public Safety and Health Committee approved Wednesday amendments to a proposed ordinance which previously sought to ban the sale of all flavored tobacco products in the city. The bill was originally proposed last month.

    On Wednesday, the Public Safety and Health Committee approved the amendments in a 9-2 vote with Councilor Jesse Ramos absent and Councilors Sandra Vasecka and John Contos voting against the changes. The ordinance will go before council for final consideration on Monday, Nov. 23.

    The changes to the proposed ordinance came after extensive public comment and criticism by some, including the Missoula Area Chamber of Commerce, who said the ban was too broad and would harm local businesses. The ordinance aims to prevent youth access to and use of tobacco and nicotine, and is sponsored by council members Mirtha Becerra, Gwen Jones, Stacie Anderson, Heidi West and Julie Merritt.

    Becerra said the new ordinance focuses on flavored electronic tobacco products because they come in an array of flavors and packaging that she said is targeted to children.

  • Vapor Products Not Catching on With Middle East Smokers

    Vapor Products Not Catching on With Middle East Smokers

    Credit: Adli Wahid

    Smokers in the Middle East are largely shunning e-cigarettes and other alternatives in favour of traditional tobacco, new figures show.

    Euromonitor International found only a very small minority of smokers used e-cigarettes to quit smoking. Previous trials have shown such devices have helped people who were addicted – though medical opinion remains divided over the benefits of e-cigarettes and vapes, according to an article on alkhaleejtoday.co.

    Analysts found just 1.8 percent of smokers in the region took up alternatives to conventional cigarettes in 2020. The figure is up from 1.4 percent in 2017 but it remains significantly low when compared to other parts of the world.

    Cigarettes contain a huge amount of chemicals, but these alternatives also contain toxic substances and there is not enough science available to support their use according to Dr. Mohammed Rafique, Prime Hospital.

    Low adoption rates were largely dependent on factors such as government attitudes towards tobacco harm reduction, consumer awareness and product affordability. “We believe a few factors explain why less than two per cent of smokers may have switched to less harmful tobacco products in the region,” said David Janazzo, chief financial officer at the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World. “In several of the countries in this region, the tobacco industry is owned fully or in part by the local government, creating financial incentives to continue the sale of cigarettes. There are also bans or curbs on tobacco harm reduction products and pressure coming from organizations such as the World Health Organization and The Union to block the use of these products.”

  • Malaysia vapor industry seeks guidance from authorities

    Vapor industry players in Malaysia have sought guidance from authorities on how to conduct their business properly, following last week’s nationwide raid on vape outlets.

    On Nov. 5, the Health Ministry raided hundreds of vape shops in search of illegal vape liquid and unlicensed businesses. More than 50 vape stores were raided in Selangor alone, with owners incurring millions in losses, according to The Star.

    The Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce secretary-general Ridhuan Rosli said vapor industry players were willing to cooperate with authorities if there were guidelines from the government on how to operate their businesses.

    “While we agree that what they did was according to the law, they should have helped and guided us on how to obtain the permit or license to sell vapes,” said Ridhuan. “At least give us a timeframe to improve. If there are still among us who do not comply with the regulations, then take action.”

    Ridhuan said most of the chamber’s members have limited knowledge on the sale of nicotine-based vapes, and that the shop owners shouldn’t be entirely blamed as they were merely “at the end of the supply chain.”

    “If they really want to clamp down on vape, go after the manufacturers of the liquid,” he said.

    The Malaysian Organisation of Vape Entity (MOVE) echoed that sentiment and chided the Health Ministry for conducting the raid when there was no ban on vaping.

    “What they should’ve done was to propose regulations and guidelines for the manufacturing of the products,” MOVE President Samsul Kamal Ariffin said. “If it is about nicotine, they should come up with regulations and share with us. Once the regulation is out, we want to adhere and follow.”

    Malaysia E-liquid Brewers Association also requested flexibility in the license to sell nicotine-based liquids.

    “We are ready to work with the ministry to assist the producers and traders so they can comply with the standards specified by the ministry,” said the organization’s president, Muhammad Furqan Hakimi.

    The Health Ministry said there was no need to warn the shops before the raids as the Poisons Act was clear on nicotine rules. Shops selling nicotine-based vape are required to get a permit from the National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau.

    Following Thursday’s raid, it is understood that the Health Ministry, under the pharmaceutical control bureau, would conduct another round of raids.

  • Raids target vape stores in Malaysia

    Vape stores in Malaysia have been the target of nationwide raids carried out to seize nicotine-based vapes, according to the country’s Health Ministry.

    An official from the Health Ministry told The Star that the move was undertaken to monitor the nicotine content in vaping fluids. The sale and use of e-cigarettes containing nicotine are subject to the Poisons Act 1952 and Food Act 1983 under the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004.

    Deputy health director-general Datuk Dr. Lokman Hakim said in a statement that action would be taken against sellers and users of e-cigarettes that contained nicotine under the Poisons Act 1952.

    Malaysian Organisation of Vape Entities president Samsul Kamal Arriffin says that more than 300 stores have been raided by the Health Ministry.

    Among the stores raided following the discovery of products containing nicotine was a vape store in Shah Alam.

    The store’s owner claims officers from the Health Ministry have confiscated more than 3,000 bottles of vape liquid worth RM100,000.

    Dr. Lokman announced Nov. 4 that the Health Ministry would intensify the campaign against e-cigarettes or vaping: “The ministry’s message to the community is do not use e-cigarettes or vaping as it is harmful to your health in the long-term,” he said.

  • AEG partners with Human Health Organization

    Leading sports and entertainment presenter AEG has partnered with Human Health Organization and Vaporcade, a leading vape-tech lifestyle brand, to be the exclusive vapor product sold in select U.S. AEG-affiliated venues through 2016. The alliance between Human Health Organization and AEG marks the first time that AEG has selected an exclusive provider for vapor products.

    AEG owns, operates or is affiliated with over 100 of the world’s preeminent global facilities. According to the terms of the partnership, Human Health Organization’s Vaporcade brand of e-cigarettes and e-cigars will be available for purchase at select events in each of the following venues through 2016: Sprint Center (Kansas City, Missouri), Valley View Casino Center (San Diego, California), Rabobank Arena (Bakersfield, California), The Norva (Norfolk, Virginia), the National (Richmond,Virginia) and Rock on the Range Music Festival Columbus, Ohio).

    “Human Health Organization was built on the premise that our mission, message and products would only be effective if supported by the world’s most exceptional brands,” said John D. Cameron, Founder of Human Health Organization. “Based on our exciting new partnership with AEG Global Partnerships, I’m happy to report that we continue to take great strides in promoting our vision. Vaporcade is not only a game-changing brand, [it also] embodies a global community of health-conscious citizens taking a critical stand while raising awareness and saving lives.”

    Beyond the onsite Vaporcade presence, and as part of the partnership, Vaporcade will also have a major digital presence on AXS.com, AEG’s online ticketing and digital media platform. Visitors to AXS.com will learn about the Vaporcade brand, products and exclusive events.

    “The partnership with Human Health Organization is the first of its kind for AEG,” said Nick Baker, senior vice president of global partnerships at AEG. “We believe the partnership and the new lifestyle product offering provides a welcomed new addition for venue and event visitors that have interest in vapor products.”

  • Unbroken liquids to debut at Vapor Expo International

    The recently launched Unbroken line of high-end, U.S.-made e-liquids produced by Mistic E-Cigs will make its debut at booth 831 of Vapor Expo International. The expo will be held June 17-18 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, USA.

    The new line features five exotic, all-natural flavors derived from real fruits of South America, with four nicotine strengths: 0 mg, 4 mg, 8 mg and 16 mg. Unbroken e-liquids retail for $23.99 and are equipped with easy-grip glass drippers that give vapers the flexibility to fully customize their own vaping experiences.  “Unbroken continues to excite adult vapers by offering a totally unique vaping experience that is unparalleled in the market today,” said John Wiesehan Jr., CEO of Mistic. “Derived from real fruit extracts from Brazil and the Amazon rainforest, each brand has its own story to tell, with its own distinct flavor profile, transporting vapers to various exotic locations across South America.”   Made in the U.S. in an ISO 8/Class 100,000 clean room facility, each Unbroken e-liquid is encased in a green-colored 30 ml bottle that is both child-resistant and tamper-proof bottle. Each is available in five distinct flavor profiles:

    • Raw: Extracted from the pitanga fruit of Brazil’s coastal region, Raw has a delicate fruitful flavor with a hint of sweet, sugary cherry.
    • Rain: Made from the fruit of the cupuacu trees found in the northern region of the Amazon, Rain features a flavor blend of pear, banana, chocolate and passion fruit.
    • Aurora: Derived from the carambola fruit, or starfruit, of northeastern Brazil, Auroa offers an understated, sweet citrus flavor of apple, pear and grape mixed with caramel and sugary nuances.
    • Haven: Developed from the guarana fruit of the northern Amazon region of Brazil, Haven features the full flavor of green apple with a touch of guarana.
    • Root: Derived from the jabuticaba fruit of southeast Brazil, Root has strong grape and berry-like undertones that give it a unique tropical taste while remaining sweet with an sub-acid tang.