Category: Featured

Australia Plans Major Crackdown on Nicotine

Photo: Taco Tuinstra
Australia plans to tighten the screws on vaping and smoking, reports The Guardian.
While Australia was on the forefront of anti-tobacco policies for many years—the country pioneered plain packaging, for example—federal Health Minister Mark Butler says the former government has been “asleep at the wheel” as vaping skyrocketed.
Vaping rates doubled in Australia between 2016 and 2019. In New South Wales, almost a third of 16-year-olds to 24-year-olds had tried vaping by last year, up from 15 percent three years earlier, according to a state government population survey.
To help remedy the situation, the Therapeutic Goods Administration will begin public consultation on changes to importation laws, premarket assessments of vapor products, labeling, advertising, flavoring and identification of nicotine-containing products. Many nicotine-containing products are misleadingly labeled as nicotine-free, according to authorities.
It is illegal to sell, supply or possess an e-cigarette or any liquid that contains nicotine in Australia without a doctor’s prescription. But suppliers have been getting around this by removing “nicotine” from the ingredients list, even though their products contain it.
New South Wales Health revealed it had seized more than 157,000 vapes containing nicotine in raids in the 18 months leading to September.
The government also intends to further tighten the screws on combustible cigarettes. Among other measures, it wants to require cigarette manufacturers to print health warnings, such as “smoking kills,” on every individual cigarette and produce cigarettes in less appealing colors. Health promotion inserts should be put in every cigarette pack and advertising regulations will be updated to include vaping products. The government also wants to ban flavored cigarettes, including mentholated varieties.
The proposed measures are intended to help Australia achieve a smoking prevalence of less than 10 percent by 2025 and 5 percent or less by 2030.
The public consultation on reforms will be open until Jan. 16.
December 1, 2022
New Mexico Sues Over Tobacco Settlement

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New Mexico is suing over a dozen tobacco companies over payments relating to the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement, alleging conspiracy and breach of contract, reports the Albuquerque Journal, citing Attorney General Hector Balderas.
Balderas claims that the companies have withheld portions of annual payments due under a multistate tobacco settlement. According to the attorney general, New Mexico has lost more than $84 million over the past 14 years.
“There is no end to these baseless delay tactics, and it is time to force the tobacco companies to pay New Mexico what they owe for damages—funding much-needed health initiatives,” said Balderas.
Companies are obligated to pay annually under the settlement, but each year, the companies file disputes that result in a percentage of the payment being withheld, which triggers an arbitration process that can take years, according to the attorney general’s office.
The amount withheld grows each year, according to officials, and the lawsuit states that the tobacco companies do not disclose how much is withheld or where the withheld funds are held, and withholding practices can change annually.
“This conspiracy is a calculated strategy to permanently and fraudulently decrease defendants’ contractual payments under the (settlement agreement) and to frustrate the purposes of the (settlement agreement),” the suit reads.
November 30, 2022
Supreme Court Asked to Stop California Ban

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Tobacco companies have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stop California from enforcing a ban on flavored tobacco products set to go into effect on Dec. 21, reports CBS News Bay Area.
On Nov. 8, Californians voted to uphold a state law ending the sale of most flavored tobacco products, including flavored e-cigarettes, menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars.
Originally passed by lawmakers in 2020, the measure was put on hold after opponents gathered enough signatures to force a referendum on the ban.
Following the Nov. 8 ballot, tobacco companies challenged the law in court, arguing that only the federal government can ban tobacco flavors, as the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act gives the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco.
The Supreme Court filing states that the companies would suffer “irreparable harm” from being shut out of one of the country’s largest markets. Small retailers, they argued, would potentially have to lay off employees and close.
Previously the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the tobacco companies’ request to block the law pending appeal.
November 30, 2022
FEELM Presents Sustainable Vape

Illustration: FEELM
Smoore’s atomization platform FEELM has introduced a new sustainable product series, called Future.
Future is made with recycled paper rather than plastic and its design integrates the product’s body and packaging. The device contains post-consumer recycled material and bio-based material, reducing plastic use by 60 percent and curbing carbon emissions by up to 58 percent, according to FEELM.
After use, the product can be easily disassembled. Consumers can separate internal components, such as the battery core, plastic and e-liquid tank, and recycle them separately.
“The series is our latest sustainable design concept, aiming to make it easier for consumers to dismantle and dispose of products responsibly, whilst solving the environmental problems caused by littering,” says Totom Lu, director of FEELM’s design team.
The solution was developed in part with an eye on upcoming regulation. The EU for example intends to require disposable vapes to have removable and interchangeable batteries as early as 2025, according to FEELM.
The company believes that countries should improve the collection and recycling of electronic equipment, and to make it easier for consumers to properly dispose of their vapes. In a press note, FEELM said it would welcome any initiative that could standardize the free collection of disposable vapes at the point of sale, as well as awareness initiatives to educate consumers on the importance of recycling their devices properly.
November 30, 2022
Hong Kong May Resume ENDS Shipments

Photo: Tatiana Morozova
The Hong Kong government wants to resume shipment of alternative smoking products through the city to boost the air cargo industry, reports the South China Morning Post. Domestic sales would remain illegal under the proposal.
The city currently prohibits imports and transshipment of electronic nicotine-delivery devices, many of which are manufactured in neighboring Shenzhen.
“The government hopes to ensure the policy on the importation ban on alternative smoking products will be preserved while maintaining Hong Kong’s position as a leading international aviation and logistics hub,” said Pamela Lam Nga-man, deputy secretary for transport and logistics.
Hong Kong International Airport handled 5 million tons of cargo in 2021, which is about 42 percent of the city’s overseas trade worth about HKD4.34 trillion ($556 billion). Air cargo volumes fell 18 percent on average from May to October of 2022 compared with the same period last year. Some of this decline was attributed to loss of transshipment of alternative smoking products from mainland China; most of the materials were transported through Hong Kong.
Under the government’s proposal, products that arrive by sea for air shipment would use a mainland logistics park set up under a pilot transshipment scheme between the city’s airport and the mainland city of Dongguan. A scheme for secure road transport from the mainland would be set up, documents would have to accompany shipments to prevent them leaking into the black market, and products would have to be directly transferred by designated routing in Hong Kong. Goods would be delivered to restricted areas of the airport and held until flown out. Provision of advance cargo information, application of designated seal or e-lock on containers and GPS tracking of cargo would also be used.
November 29, 2022
Greenbutts and Boegli Partner in Filters

Image: Greenbutts
Greenbutts and Boegli Gravures have jointly developed a new technology to manufacture biodegradable filters.
Trademarked as Greenbossing, the innovation enhances and tailors existing filtration capabilities along with the sensorial experience, according to the companies.
Greenbutts’ fully patented biodegradable filters deliver the sensorial experience of traditional cigarette filters without the plastic waste.
“For decades, our company has placed itself on the cutting edge of new technological solutions in the field of macro, micro and nano embossing solutions called ‘Vividus,’ ‘Midas’ and ‘Iris,’” said Boegli Gravures CEO and chairman Charles Boegli in a statement. “We are very proud to partner with Greenbutts to join our competences and address the huge ecological needs arising in the field of filter manufacturing, to which Greenbossing will be the answer.”
“Our organization has cultivated a strong partnership with the world-renowned embossing technology company Boegli and is pleased to announce the patent filing of our joint technology,” said Luis Sanches, chief strategy officer of Greenbutts. “This new IP will revolutionize the process of Greenbutts’ filter rod manufacturing. Greenbossing is a truly innovative feature, which will strengthen our position by introducing the next generation of biodegradable filters for the tobacco industry.”
“We are very proud to have Boegli Gravures as a solid and reliable partner,” said Greenbutts CEO Tadas Lisauskas. “The embossing technology that we jointly developed is nothing short of revolutionary, and we look forward to introducing even further technological advances in the coming months. As the cigarette industry is faced with transformative changes, driven by single-use plastic legislation and stronger commitments to their environmental agendas, we will ensure that Greenbutts continues to offer industry-leading innovations to maintain our leadership status in assisting with this transition.”
November 29, 2022
Vape Group Denounces EU Vape Tax Proposal

Photo: Orlando Bellini | Adobe Stock
The World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) has denounced the EU’s leaked plan to increase vaping taxes, according to the U.K. Vaping Industry Association.
“The [EU] Commission claims that higher taxes will improve public health, but the reality is the exact opposite,” said WVA Director Michael Landl. “A less harmful alternative, such as vaping, must be affordable for ordinary smokers trying to quit cigarettes. If the commission wants to reduce the burden of smoking on public health, they must make vaping more affordable and accessible, not less.
“High taxes hit the least advantaged people most. In times of multiple crises and people struggling to make ends meet, making vaping more expensive is the opposite of what we need. Policymakers must understand that tax increases on vaping will force people back to smoking or the black market, a scenario nobody wants. In times of crisis, people shouldn’t be further punished by an unscientific and ideological fight against vaping. This must be stopped,” said Landl.
“Rather than fighting vaping, the EU finally must embrace tobacco harm reduction. What we need is risk-based regulation. Vaping is 95 percent less harmful than smoking and, therefore, must not be treated the same way as conventional smoking,” added Landl.
November 29, 2022
Court Dismisses Suit to Outlaw Tobacco

Photo: Alexey Novikov | Adobe Stock
A Kenyan court dismissed a petition by Ibrahim Mahmoud challenging the legality of the production, manufacturing and use of tobacco products, reports Business Daily.
The suit requested that the government ban the production, supply, management, dissemination, consumption and use of tobacco products and cigarettes as well as requesting that cancer be declared a tobacco-related ailment and a national disaster requiring special administrative action.
The suit was dismissed by Justice Hedwig Ong’udi on grounds that the petitioner did not prove that the Tobacco Control Act and the Tobacco Control Regulations 2014 are contrary to the constitutional provisions that were allegedly violated.
“It is not, therefore, enough for the petitioner to solely rely on his dissatisfaction in the use and legalization of tobacco products in Kenya. He should avail [sic] evidence to show how the statute and regulations are contrary to the provisions of the constitution complained of,” Ong’udi said.
November 29, 2022
Vape Sector Boosts U.K. Economy: Report

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The vape industry has had a considerable positive impact on the U.K. economy, according to a new report compiled by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) on behalf of the U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA).
Valued at £2.8 billion ($3.36 billion) in 2021, the U.K. vape sector supports almost 18,000 full-time-equivalent jobs in retail, manufacturing and supply chain. What’s more, smokers abandoning cigarettes in favor of less harmful e-cigarettes have saved the National Health Service (NHS) more than £300 million in 2019 alone, according to the report.
Even as many businesses suffered in recent years, vape retail stores have bucked the trend and represent one of the biggest growing sectors since the first decade of the 21st century when they started to appear for the first time.
From 2017 to 2021, the U.K. vape sector’s turnover grew by 23.4 percent to £1.33 billion last year alone. When indirect economic benefits such as supply chain support and the spending power of vape sector workers is factored in, the economic impact more than doubles.
In 2021, the vaping industry paid £310 million in taxes to the British exchequer.
CEBR estimates that the vaping sector saved the U.K. £322 million in smoking-related healthcare costs in 2019. The research organization reckons that if 50 percent of smokers switched to vaping, the potential healthcare savings would have been £698 million in 2020.
Meanwhile, the gain in economic productivity associated with smokers switching to using vaping products was estimated to be £1.3 billion in 2019. If 50 percent of remaining U.K. smokers switched to vaping, this would increase to £3.33 billion, according to the study.

“In little over a decade, vaping in the U.K. has grown from very much a ‘cottage industry’ to one of the fastest growing sectors in not just retail but the whole economy.”
John Dunne, director general, UKVIA
“The findings of the vaping industry’s first ever economic impact report demonstrates its significant success as a fast-growing disruptive sector,” says Owen Good, head of economic advisory at CEBR.
“Whilst many high street retailers have suffered in recent years, the vaping sector has bucked the trend, with significant growth both in-store and online. Even the effects of the pandemic have not significantly hampered the sector’s growth.
“The sector’s growth has been hugely beneficial to the U.K. economy; businesses and their employees directly involved in the industry and those running operations across the wider supply chain; and the NHS, which has seen a massive cost saving with increasing numbers of smokers switching to vaping in order to quit their habits.”
“In little over a decade, vaping in the U.K. has grown from very much a ‘cottage industry’ to one of the fastest growing sectors in not just retail but the whole economy,” said UKVIA Director General John Dunne in a statement.
“More people than ever are vaping, and by all measures, this is a true British success story, creating employment and wealth, generating precious revenue for the government through taxation while at the same time saving the NHS more than £300 million a year through people switching from smoking to vaping.”
November 29, 2022
Elfbar Warns of Fake Vapes

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Potentially dangerous counterfeit disposable vaping products are flooding into the U.K. market, according to an investigation by Elfbar, a Chinese manufacturer. The company warns retailers and consumers that the illegal products are produced in “squalid Chinese factories with no license for manufacturing and regard for product safety.”
Since June 2021, Elfbar has cracked down on more than 120 counterfeit production and sales targets, including factories, warehouses, logistics and foreign trade companies. Its actions have resulted in the seizure of more than 2 million finished counterfeit Elfbar products, millions of packaging boxes, anti-counterfeit codes, semi-finished vaping pipes and other accessories, according to the company.
Elfbar CEO Victor Xiao said consumers would be horrified if they saw the conditions in which these products are made. “The criminals behind these counterfeit products care nothing about product safety or the health of consumers, and they cut every corner possible to maximize their profits,” he said in a statement. “Quite frankly, the conditions in these factories are absolutely squalid, where workers man production lines in filthy conditions with no regard to hygiene at all.”
Elfbar said that manufacturers and retailers have an important role in protecting consumers.
“While it can be hard to tell a fake product from the real thing just by looking at it, there is no excuse for any retailer to sell a counterfeit Elfbar product. Retailers can scan a code on the packaging to check the authenticity of the product, and we urge them to do this for every product they sell,” Xiao said.
John Dunne, director general of the U.K. Vaping Industry Association, applauded Elfbar for standing up against the counterfeiters.
“They pose a significant risk to the harm reduction reputation of the global vaping industry,” he said. “It’s why we have called for a retail licensing scheme here in the U.K. to prevent the sale of illicit products and much higher penalties of at least £10,000 [$12,058] per instance for retailers who break the law in this way,” he said. “Similarly, the counterfeiters and those who trade fake vapes along the supply chain need dealing with in a way by the relevant authorities that put them off from doing it ever again.”
November 29, 2022