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Category: Around the Industry

  • Vape Companies Challenge Pa. E-Cigarette Law in Federal Court

    Vape Companies Challenge Pa. E-Cigarette Law in Federal Court

    Several vape manufacturers and retailers have filed a federal lawsuit challenging a new Pennsylvania law they say would effectively remove most e-cigarette products from the market by limiting sales to products authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The plaintiffs, including Puffbar Inc., Mi-One Brands LLC, American Vapor Manufacturers Association, and Pennsylvania-based vape retailers and distributors, argue the statute is unconstitutional, conflicts with federal authority over tobacco regulation, and could force businesses to absorb roughly $2 million in unsellable inventory.

    According to Law 360, the lawsuit contends that the Pennsylvania law improperly intrudes into areas governed by the FDA’s premarket tobacco application process and unfairly targets products that some federal officials and public health researchers have described as potentially useful for adult smoking cessation. Industry groups also argue the measure could disproportionately affect independent vape retailers and smaller manufacturers already facing mounting regulatory pressure across the U.S. market.

  • Scientist reveals nail salons are worse than “second-hand vaping”

    Scientist reveals nail salons are worse than “second-hand vaping”

    Public confusion should not drive vape policy, says Dr Marina Murphy

    As the UK government considers extending smoke-free legislation to create new vape-free areas in England, experts are warning that vaping policy must be based on evidence—not public misunderstanding.

    Proposals to restrict vaping in areas such as playgrounds, school grounds and outside hospitals are intended to protect the public from second-hand exposure. However, the scientific evidence does not support treating vaping like smoking.

    Here, Dr. Marina Murphy, Director of Scientific Affairs at Northerner, sets out the current scientific understanding of “second-hand vaping” and highlights the need for policy to be based on evidence.

    Is there such a thing as second-hand vapour?

    While often described as “second-hand vapour,” passive exposure to vape aerosol is not comparable to second-hand smoke. Vapes do not contain tobacco, involve no combustion, and produce no side-stream smoke, which is the smoke produced when a cigarette is not being actively smoked, the primary source of harmful passive smoking exposure. 

    UK health authorities, including the NHS and Cancer Research UK, state there is no good evidence that passive vaping is harmful to bystanders.

    What do the public think about second-hand vaping?

    New research commissioned by Northerner highlights widespread public misunderstanding about vaping and health risks. The survey found that 43% of respondents believe exposure to vape aerosol is as harmful as exposure to cigarette smoke, despite this not being supported by the evidence. Only 32% correctly identified the statement as false, while 25% were unsure.

    Almost half (46%) also incorrectly believe vaping involves exposure to more chemicals than smoking. These findings suggest public perceptions are increasingly out of step with the evidence.

    Is secondhand vaping harmful?

    When we talk about public exposure, it’s important to keep the science in perspective. Exhaled vape aerosol generally raises PM₂.₅ levels only slightly above background levels, often in the 1–10 µg/m³ range, and contains no carbon monoxide because there is no combustion. To put this into perspective, many everyday environments generate far higher air-quality impacts:

    • Frying or gas cooking can produce particulate matter₂.₅ peaks above 500 µg/m³
    • Nail salons and beauty products can push particulate levels above 200 µg/m³
    • Urban roadside pollution often ranges 10–50 µg/m³

    Does vaping expose users to more chemicals than smoking?

    No. Cigarette smoke contains around 7,000 chemicals, many of them toxic or carcinogenic. Vape aerosol contains significantly fewer harmful substances and is widely recognised as substantially less harmful than smoking. Claims that vaping exposes users to more chemicals than cigarettes are simply false.

    Should vaping be banned outdoors?

    There is no clear evidence-based justification for broad outdoor vaping bans. Vaping is widely recognised as a lower-risk alternative to smoking and remains one of the most effective tools available to help adults quit cigarettes. Treating vaping like smoking risks sending the wrong message to smokers. If policymakers blur the distinction between the two, they risk reinforcing misinformation, discouraging switching, and undermining tobacco harm reduction. The evidence is clear: vaping is not smoking, and regulating it as though it were is neither scientific nor proportionate.

  • FDA Releases Environmental Review for Oral Nicotine Products

    FDA Releases Environmental Review for Oral Nicotine Products

    Today (May 21), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published a programmatic environmental assessment covering nicotine pouches and other oral nicotine products reviewed through the premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) process. The assessment applies to products categorized as “other,” including nicotine pouches, lozenges, tablets, gums, discs, dissolvable tobacco products, and nicotine-infused products, while excluding traditional smokeless tobacco products such as snus, dip, and chewing tobacco.

    The FDA concluded that the environmental impact of these products is generally minimal, citing the absence of airborne emissions during use and relatively limited environmental contamination from product waste. According to the agency, these products reduce or eliminate secondhand and thirdhand exposure risks compared with combustible products, while the waste generated contains comparatively fewer harmful chemicals that persist or bioaccumulate in the environment.

    The agency said the assessment is intended to support transparency and may be referenced by FDA reviewers evaluating individual product applications. However, the FDA emphasized that authorization decisions will continue to be made on a case-by-case basis based on the specific scientific evidence submitted for each product.

  • NYT Report Draws Attention to RJR Donation and FDA Policy Shift

    NYT Report Draws Attention to RJR Donation and FDA Policy Shift

    Reynolds American is under scrutiny following a The New York Times report linking a $5 million donation to a pro-Donald Trump super PAC with recent shifts in U.S. Food and Drug Administration policy on flavored vaping products. The report said Reynolds executives met with Trump shortly before the FDA issued guidance that could ease market access for certain flavored vape and nicotine pouch products, potentially benefiting major tobacco companies in the growing U.S. e-cigarette market.

    The White House denied any connection between the donations and policy decisions, stating that FDA actions are based on scientific evidence and public health considerations.

  • EU Tobacco Scale Doesn’t Always Add Up

    EU Tobacco Scale Doesn’t Always Add Up

    The latest European Tobacco Control Scale released by public health researchers, ranked Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and France at the top, based on criteria such as taxation policies, broad smoking restrictions, comprehensive advertising bans, and greater investment in cessation and prevention programs. Mid-ranked countries such as Germany and Austria were docked for partial policy coverage across key tobacco control measures, while Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina were at the bottom, criticized for less strict regulations, tobacco industry influence, and not fully investing in World Health Organization best practices.

    However, the ranking does not always correspond directly with smoking prevalence outcomes across Europe. While the U.K. and the Netherlands earned their lofty rankings with smoking rates of 10.6% and 11% respectively, top-ranked Ireland has a smoking rate of 17%, with France checking in at 18.2%, both higher than last-ranked Bosnia and Herzegovina with an estimated smoking rate as low as 15.5% according to the Tobacco Atlas 2025 estimate. Switzerland’s smoking rate is 20%, Austria’s is as high as 21%, while Germany’s is as high as 24%.

  • South Carolina Approves Tax on HNB

    South Carolina Approves Tax on HNB

    South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster approved House Bill 4303, which establishes an excise tax of 2.5 cents per pack of 20 on heated tobacco sticks.  The bill passed the House on May 2nd before receiving the Senate’s approval on May 13th, and is scheduled to take effect on October 1st.

  • Durbin Urges RFK Jr. to Reject Flavored-Vape Progress

    Durbin Urges RFK Jr. to Reject Flavored-Vape Progress

    Illinois Senator Dick Durbin urged U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reject recent efforts by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ease restrictions on flavored vaping and nicotine pouch products, arguing the policy shift benefits major tobacco companies at the expense of youth health. In a May 20 letter, Durbin criticized the FDA’s recent authorization of certain fruit-flavored vape products and proposals to allow some nicotine products onto the market before full scientific review, calling the changes “short-sighted” and influenced by industry lobbying and political donations.

  • Hong Kong Moves to Ban Smoking at Construction Sites

    Hong Kong Moves to Ban Smoking at Construction Sites

    The Hong Kong SAR government introduced three legislative amendments to prohibit smoking at all construction sites following the fatal Wang Fuk Court fire in November 2025 that killed 168 people. The proposed changes would designate construction sites as no-smoking areas under the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance, empower Labor Department safety officers to issue HK$3,000 ($390) fixed penalties to offenders, and require contractors and subcontractors to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent smoking or the use of naked flames on site. Violations by contractors could carry fines of up to HK$400,000 ($52,000).

     The measures, now before the Legislative Council for vetting, aim to reduce fire risks and improve worker and public safety, and would apply to all construction and maintenance sites except private residential quarters.

  • Researchers: Flavored-Vape Debate Needs to Follow Science, Not Politics

    Researchers: Flavored-Vape Debate Needs to Follow Science, Not Politics

    The resignation of FDA Commissioner Marty Makary on May 12 over reported tensions with President Donald Trump regarding the agency’s approval of two fruit-flavored nicotine vapes brought the flavored-vape battle front and center in American politics. The decision marked a shift from the FDA’s previous authorization of only tobacco and menthol flavors and reignited debate over flavored vaping products.

    Three public health researchers warned the debate over fruit-flavored nicotine vapes should be guided by evidence, not politics. Dr. Jamie Hartmann-Boyce from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Dr. Holly Jarman from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and Dr. Claire L. Ma from the University of Michigan, who study scientific evidence, health policy, and regulation, respectively, acknowledged both sides of the debate, where studies show that sweet and fruity flavors can attract youth and non-smokers, but also that vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking and may help adult smokers quit. The authors urged lawmakers and regulators to follow scientific findings when shaping vape policy, as researchers continue to discover the benefits and risks of vape use.

  • PMI Accused of Hypocrisy for Cigarette Ads While Pivoting to Smoke-Free

    PMI Accused of Hypocrisy for Cigarette Ads While Pivoting to Smoke-Free

    The Guardian published an article today (May 18) titled, “Marlboro maker accused of ‘exploiting’ young people with new global ad campaign,” which reported that anti-tobacco campaigners have accused Philip Morris International of hypocrisy over its global “I AM Marlboro” campaign, saying the ads link Marlboro cigarettes with youth identity and lifestyle despite CEO Jacek Olczak previously declaring that “cigarettes belong in museums” as the company pivots toward smoke-free products. Advocates from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and Vital Strategies told the paper the campaign, which is running in 20 countries, echoes PMI’s earlier “Be Marlboro” effort that was banned in Germany over youth appeal concerns, while researchers at the University of Bath said the decline in PMI’s cigarette sales has stalled since it announced its smoke-free ambitions. PMI disputed the criticism, saying 43% of its Q1 2026 net revenue came from smoke-free products and that its marketing is restricted to adults under strict internal codes and legal requirements.