Vape News | Free E-cigs At Food Banks | JUUL Want Higher EU Nic Levels + more

Vape News Headlines:

IQOS Hits America – Free E-cigs At Food Banks – Canada Vape Law Boost – Vype Slams JUUL – Vape ‘Sin Tax’ Threat – NZ Gov Backs Vaping – JUUL Want Higher EU Nic Levels – Dubai Vapers Fines and Farage Chokes on E-cig

IQOS Heat Not Burn Approved For Sale In The USA

It’s taken 2 years to get through all the expensive red tape but the IQOS HNB device will now be sold in America.

And no sooner had Phillip Morris Inc received the news they had to pull a marketing campaign off social media for featuring ‘young influencers’.

It had seemed the device would never be sold across the pond as back in January 2018 an FDA advisory panel had recommended it shouldn’t be sold in the states. In my article The End For IQOS in the USA? I showed how recommendations from FDA approval panels were usually taken on board…not in this case it seems.

Phillip Morris Inc – manufacturers of Marlboro cigarettes and parent group Altria had submitted a ton of documentation they say proves the IQOS HNB device is safer than smoking lit tobacco.

The approval to sell the device saw stocks in the company jump significantly and Dr. Moira Gilchrist, PMI’s VP Strategic and Scientific Communications boss was delighted:

For too long, there has been an ideological battle over tobacco products in the U.S., with cigarette companies at the center of a heated debate.

In our view, and the view of many long-standing tobacco control advocates, it’s time to put the tobacco wars aside and instead focus on what’s best for the millions of men and women who smoke in the U.S.

It’s time to treat them like adults and—under the FDA’s careful oversight—enable them to leave cigarettes behind forever, including by switching to scientifically substantiated better alternatives such as the one the FDA has now authorized.

However just days after the announcement PMI was forced to remove it’s current social media campaign surrounding IQOS after it was shown they had paid an ‘influencer’ to promote the device – she was was just 21-years-old and the company’s own marketing standards say users should be 25 and up.

A spokesman for the company said:

We have taken the decision to suspend all of our product-related digital influencer actions globally.

Whilst the influencer in question is a legal age adult smoker, she is under 25 and our guidance called for influencers to be 25+ years of age. This was a clear breach of that guidance.

No laws were broken. However, we set high standards for ourselves and these facts do not excuse our failure to meet those standards in this instance.

We were deeply disappointed to discover this breach and are grateful that it was brought to our attention.

Now if only the FDA would act as swiftly on e-cigarettes…

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UK Food Bank To Offer Free E-Cigarettes

Smokers using a food bank in Hertfordshire will be offered free e-cigarettes in a bid to help save them money.

However the scheme will not be launched until the council has checked with the EU’s competition rules which prohibits some vape freebies.

The campaign is part of the Hertfordshire Tobacco Control Strategic Plan 2019-22 and will be backed and monitored by an undisclosed UK university.

It is understood many of the county’s food banks have already signed up for the giveaway.

I think it’s a great idea – however I’m still shocked at just how many people in the UK rely on food banks – including hard working families…a sad state of affairs here in the UK 🙁

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Canadian Vape Regulations Gets Boost

A judge has ruled that parts of the Canada’s vape laws go to far.

The Canadian Vaping Association had teamed up with a number of Quebec based vape shops to challenge the ruling that demonstrating vape devices inside stores and clinics was ‘unlawful’.

The judge agreed however has given the Canadian Government 6 months for the province to re-write the ‘problematic’ parts of the Tobacco Control Act.

Justice Daniel Dumais wrote:

Overall, the law is constitutional.

Quebec has jurisdiction to legislate as it has done. The Quebec legislature has jurisdiction and could validly pass the contested laws.

The problem with the current restrictions is that the public — particularly smokers — do not distinguish between smoking and vaping.

They must be permitted to know the difference. Rather than silence, it is sometimes necessary to educate and let people know that vaping exists first and foremost for smokers.

Good news indeed.

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Vype Blames JUUL For Teen Vape Epidemic

Reynolds Tobacco the makers of Vuse and Vype e-cigarette devices say it’s JUUL that should carry the can for the current crackdown on vaping in America.

The Big Tobacco giant says it’s ‘unfair’ that all e-cigarette manufacturers are literally being tarred with the same brush as the FDA moves to severely restrict the sales of flavoured e-liquids and pods.

In a response the the current FDA investigation into all things e-cigs Reynolds said:

FDA has already identified the main driver of youth interest: Juul.

As the agency’s public statements confirm, underage users disproportionately prefer Juul to all other products.

Armed with such knowledge, we believe the agency can take appropriately tailored steps to curb youth use.

It’s a bit rich that a Big Tobacco company is trying to take the moral high ground and a spokesman for JUUL agreed:

It is disappointing but not surprising to see a legacy tobacco company whose core business remains combustible cigarettes — the very product we intend to eliminate by offering adult smokers an alternative — attempting to thwart the category-wide regulation that’s needed.

Indeed.

The FDA said it ‘appreciated’ the comments from Reynolds lol.

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Vape Tax Threatens Washington Shops

Vapers in Washington could be looking at a staggering $9 increase in the cost of a bottle of e-liquid and the newly approved vape ‘sin tax’ could see vape shops closing in their droves.

The Bill to add a whopping $0.27 per milliliter on vape juice and closed pods is set to raise around $19million per year however vape shop owners fear it’s the death knell for their businesses.

The state government says half of the tax raised will go towards funding cancer research and to tackle vaping among teens and was introduced by Rep. Gerry Pollet.

Vape shop owner Zach McLain from Future Vapor in Seattle said:

I’m going to try to figure something out so we don’t have to pass the tax onto the consumer, but other stores like mine will have to close.

Another vape business owner Kim Thompson blamed the popularity of JUUL for the tax:

We are calling this what it truly is. This is the bill that Juul built.

It at least doubles everyone’s cost.

Rep Pollet said the tax was aimed at tackling the alleged teen vape epidemic adding:

You decrease consumption by raising the price, and you put those dollars into prevention and cessation.

That’s how we beat this.

Sad times indeed.

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New Zealand Government Back Vaping As Quit Tool

It wasn’t that long ago vaping was banned in New Zealand but now the country’s government is about to promote e-cigarettes as the best way to quit smoking.

The NZ Ministry of Health will be kicking off a campaign in August pushing smokers towards vaping and at the same time will be unveiling a new vape specific website.

A government spokesman said:

There is scientific consensus that vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking.

It is likely vaping can also be used to stop smoking but the evidence is still emerging.

A number of large studies are underway and more information will be available over the next year.

Great news indeed…are you watching Australia?

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JUUL Pushes For Higher Nicotine Levels Within the EU

JUUL is campaigning to increase the level of nicotine in their devices across the European Union.

The level is currently capped at the TPD max of 20mg – however over in the US it is a staggering 59%.

Grant Winterton the president of vape giant JUUL said the current limit is making the device ‘less effective’ in getting European smokers to quit.

However he wasn’t holding out much hope but will still be putting forward its proposals when the TPD is reviewed next year:

We will put forward our position that we think the limit should be increased.

At the moment I would say there is quite a lot of resistance to that.

I made this point in my review of the JUUL mod – however it’s fair to say many of us have made the switch using the 20mg limit…

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UAE Vapers To Face Huge Fines For Vaping

Despite the United Arab Emirates ‘legalizing’ vaping earlier this year those caught vaping in no smoking areas could face expensive fines.

Anyone caught vaping where smoking is not allowed will be fined up to Dh2,000 – over $500.

Dubai Government spokesman Nasseem Mohammad Rafie said:

The municipality will monitor any violation related to vaping in public places.

Specialists in the municipality will take the necessary measures to track down violators who smoke e-cigarettes in public places.

So if you’re off to Dubai anytime soon be careful or that crafty vape could prove expensive.

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Vaper Expo 2019 – Apologies

Sadly I was unable to attend Vaper Expo last weekend…not sure my fragile back was up to it – so sorry for the lack of coverage.

The good news is our old friend Dean the Devil Vaper finished runner-up in the Vapouround reviewer of the year award to our own award winner Victor Mullins aka Vaping With Vic.

Congratulations to both.

Fingers crossed I will be at the Expo in October.

…and finally…Farage Chokes On E-cigarette

Heavy smoking and drinking MEP Nigel Farage had a go on a vape device but says he ain’t ready to quit smoking yet.

The controversial politician and leader of the Brexit Party was out and about on the campaign trail and as you can see from the photo it didn’t go to well!

Truth be told whilst vaping is the proven best way to quit the cancer sticks the first few puffs can be a little shall we shall challenging.

However persevere and even the heaviest smoker can quit!

Farage was photo’d puffing away on a Pinkman e-liquid and after a few puffs announced:

It’s not bad.

I’m nearly there but I’m not there yet.

Be interesting to see if he does make the switch if he’ll be campaigning to alter the TPD…should he get elected of course.

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*Shuffles Papers*

More vape news on Wednesday!