A PMTA deadline push back is possible due to the coronavirus pandemic giving vape companies more time to prepare the mountain of red tape required.
The Pre Market Tobacco Agreements are due to come into force in May 2020, but the FDA has asked a judge to extend the deadline until September 2020.
Remember, without a PMTA attached NO vape products will be legal for sale in the USA. Those pieces of vape gear with PMTAs submitted will have one years grace whilst the FDA decide if it passes the stringent testing.
I’ve written at length about PMTAs – check out the articles below for more information:
- Vaping In America Faces Total Devastation As Anti-Vape Legislation Is Moved Forward
- Forget Flavour Bans the PMTA Process Is the REAL Threat To US Vapers
It was back in May 2019, Jude Paul Grimm from Maryland ordered the FDA to act and the May 2020 deadline for PMTA submissions was set.
Then in January 2019 a legal challenge was mounted and faced stiff opposition from the rabid anti-vape brigade – that process is still ongoing, but if successful would only ‘stall’ the process not end it.
This week the FDA wrote to Judge Grimm calling for the push back.
They said:
The global coronavirus outbreak poses unforeseen challenges and has made the May 12 deadline a public health risk to those who cannot comply with the deadline through telework.
However US vape advoacy groups say its not enough and have also written to the judge asking for a 180 day stay.
If the judge agrees to the 120 day extension, it is at least some breathing space for the beleaguered US and worldwide vaping industry.
We shall of course keep you informed of any developments.
Read the FDA letter to Judge Grimm.
Pricey E-cigarettes Costing Smokers Lives In Nigeria
Smokers in Nigeria who are desperate to switch from smoking to much safer e-cigarettes say it’s the cost that’s stopping them.
Smoking is on the rise, and lit tobacco is cheap as chips in the country, whilst even the simplest pod kit comes at a premium price.
Advocacy group Tobacco Harm Reduction Nigeria [THRNigeria] is now literally pleading for cheaper kits to become widely available.
THRN advocate Uche Olatunji has just written an excellent piece in Filter Mag – Nigeria Is Crying Out for Vapes That Smokers Can Afford -and it makes for worrying reading.
Uche said:
Besides a lack of information, there is one major barrier to smokers switching to e-cigarettes in Nigeria: price.
If we are to avoid catastrophic harm, it is vital that we find a way to make e-cigarettes as readily and cheaply available as their combustible counterparts.
Uche says with the average minimum wage in Nigeria of $119 and the cost of even a pod kit at the ridiculously high price of $61 – you can see the problem and adds:
Sadly, continued neglect of this vital issue by the Nigeria Ministry of Health and other public health agencies has done nothing to help poor Nigerians who are struggling to quit tobacco. Accurate training for our public health workforce on the relative benefits of vaping is sorely lacking.
That is why our organization steps in to create direct relationships with nicotine consumers in Nigeria, increasing and sustaining awareness on tobacco harm reduction—not just for urban areas, but also for rural communities across the country with high smoking rates.
Quite shocking to say the least and we can only wish them the very best, as well as asking any vape companies and advocacy groups out there to step in and help with a solution…
Paid For Anti-Vaping Soccer Mom Tweets Scrapped!
Yeah, you read that right!
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has decided against a paid per Tweet campaign where soccer moms were paid $250 for just 3 anti-vaping posts in 6 weeks!!!
Good money if you can get it lol.
Speaking of the money honey…now who could be funding such an outrageous social media bullshit circus..?
Yeah, you guessed it the éminence grise of the crazed anti vaping lobby, billionaire Michael Bloomberg – imagine my shock!
However, and due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the scheme has been scrapped.
One group extremely keen to have taken part was We Are Women Online – a ‘communications company’ specializing in social media – and it had positively salivated at the prospect of working on the paid for Tweets campaign.
The story was uncovered by the team over at the excellent InsideSources blog.
A spokesman [no PC here just old style English] for WAWO – which sounds a lot like the noise these anti-vaping groups make, told them:
We decided not to move forward with the influencer campaign because we didn’t feel the timing was appropriate amid the growing COVID-19 crisis.
Not a single person who posted using the #TakeDownTobacco hashtag was paid to do so.
It would be entirely appropriate for us to support parent influencers in reaching out to other parents with information about the youth e-cigarette epidemic, which is impacting the lives of millions of kids and families across the country.
Tobacco and e-cigarette companies have used influencer campaigns to lure kids into using their harmful and addictive products, including e-cigarettes.
Had we moved forward, our role in this initiative would have been fully disclosed in posts.
So, let me get this straight…
Apparently vaping is hooking zillions of kids across America and probably killing them with every puff…and at a time when the health of lungs are under the microscope due to the COVID-19 pandemic – the timing is wrong?
That alone just goes to show they really ain’t in it for the facts – just the money…allegedly 😉
Read more: Teen Vaping and Smoking – The Cold Hard Facts Revealed
NYC Flavour Ban Plan and WTF Is With the Piercings DUDE??!!
The Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, and despite facing the catastrophic COVID-19 crisis in the state and city, is going ahead with the proposed flavour ban.
He took time off from the obviously not so important task of leading the battle to stop the pandemic, to lay out his plans to fight the real menace – e-liquid flavours.
However, the press conference threw up [as in literally a little bit of sick in most people’s mouths] what can only be described as the groovy Governors penchant for body piercings…
Vapers also tend to sport various piercings, after all we’re a cosmopolitan lot…
However both of the Governors nipples appear to be pierced judging by the photos doing the rounds…
So if he’s that ‘down with the kids’ and open minded…why the hell is he so keen to ban the flavours?
If passed the bill would:
- Ban the Sale of Flavored Nicotine Vaping Products
- Restrict Vaping Ads Targeted to Youth
- Ban Harmful Unregulated Carrier Oils
- Limit Online Sale of Vaping Products
- End the Sale of Tobacco and E-Cigarette Products in Pharmacies
- Prohibit the Use of Coupons for Tobacco and Nicotine Products
Shocking…
But it’s all good news for Matthew Myers, President of the silly Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids who gave the Governor’s flavour ban plan a piercing cry of support [ouch sorry].
BTW I’m not sure if Mr Myers also has body piercings, though if he does and given his age they’re probably as rusty as the ‘facts’ he bases his crazy anti-vape ideas on…
Anyway, I digress.
Myers said:
Gov. Cuomo continues to be a leader in the fight against tobacco and for kids.
The proposal to end the sale of all flavored e-cigarettes is a dramatic and necessary step forward to stop the youth e-cigarette epidemic that threatens to reverse decades of progress that New York has made in combating tobacco use.
Passage of this legislation will be a tremendous victory for New York’s kids and protect them from nicotine addiction and other health risks associated with e-cigarette use.
We look forward to working with Gov. Cuomo and other state leaders to enact this historic legislation.
Rearrange these words: so far up the Governor’s arse he could lick his tonsils…
And BTW, banning on line sales at the time of this pandemic will surely mean many vapers risking out of state travel to get their supplies?
Or God forbid – turn to street dealers and we know how that will turn out – more deaths.
Crazy times in New York in more ways than one – stay safe out there.
and finally…VAPRIL 2020 Kicks Off Today!
As we reported yesterday, Vapril, the world’s biggest Stop Smoking campaign kicks off in the UK today.
Due to the coronavirus obviously all #VAPRIL public events have been cancelled, but organizers UKVIA has made the whole thing digital.
It’s expected that with many people on lock down – even more smokers will use the website to quit at a time when they really must!
Our Tweet on the subject caused a bit of a stir too lol.
New Nicotine Alliance board of trustees member, Sarah Jakes, was first to pick up on the way Twitter had laid out the images tweeting:
Thanks. I can’t unsee this now.
For the record John Dunne, the Director UK Vaping Industry Association, does NOT have the body of a female doctor.
In fact I’m assured his body is one more like that of Adonis…probably 😉
Head to the Vapril website now for more info.
—————————————
More vape news on Sunday – until then stay safe 🙂
