Tag: e-cigarettes

  • ZoVoo Launches New Products in Special Event

    ZoVoo Launches New Products in Special Event

    During a recent product launch broadcast live worldwide on June 29, ZoVoo released four new products, its Gene Tree special edition ceramic core technology, and ZoVoo shared information on its peak performance in the electronic atomization field.

    The first disposable product in the DRAG family, the new DRAGBAR R6000 is ZoVoo’s pod-style disposable. It has a classic leather texture design and its new airflow adjustment function, according to a press release.

    ZoVoo also launched its lightest and thinnest ceramic core disposable product, the DRAGBAR Z700 GT, which “adopts the latest upgraded ceramic core technology, and reconstructs a new thin and light experience,” according to a release.

    The new core is the latest nano-microcrystalline ceramic core independently developed by ZoVoo, GENE TREE Special Edition is the first “powder free” ceramic core with proprietary patented technology in the industry, according to the release.

    Also launched, DRAGBAR F8000, with max 8000 puffs, adopts the infinite airflow adjustment system, and matches with high-performance of a mesh coil. Also, the new VINCIBAR F2500 adopts Kevlar texture, integrates light and shadow aesthetics, elegant and comfortable. With max 2500 puffs, 15 flavors and mesh coil design.

  • Juul: FDA ‘Overlooked’ Aerosol Data

    Juul: FDA ‘Overlooked’ Aerosol Data

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration overlooked a key part of Juul’s premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) when the agency ordered Juul Labs’ products off the U.S. market, according to court documents.

    In court filings Tuesday, Juul said the agency overlooked more than 6,000 pages of data that the company had submitted to the FDA on the aerosols that users inhale, according to the Wall Street Journal.

    Juul also said the agency failed to consider the totality of Juul’s evidence, which the company said established that the public-health benefits of Juul products significantly outweighed the potential risks.

    “FDA’s order acknowledged that ‘exposure to carcinogens and other toxicants present in cigarette smoke were greatly reduced with exclusive use’ of Juul products compared with combustible cigarettes,” Juul Labs stated in court documents.

    A federal appeals court last week granted Juul Labs a temporary stay of the FDA’s marketing denial order that requires the vaping company to pull its e-cigarettes off the U.S. market.

    “The purpose of this administrative stay is to give the court sufficient opportunity to consider petitioner’s forthcoming emergency motion for stay pending court review and should not be construed in any way as a ruling on the merits of that motion,” the court wrote.

    The FDA has until July 7 to respond to Juul’s motion and Juul Labs has until July 12 to reply to the FDA response if submitted.

  • Marketing Approvals for NJOY ‘Daily’ Vapes

    Marketing Approvals for NJOY ‘Daily’ Vapes

    Photo: NJOY

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the premarket tobacco product applications (PMTA) for NJOY’s Daily Rich Tobacco 4.5% and NJOY Daily Extra Rich Tobacco 6%.

    “It should be noted that our determination that the marketing of these products is APPH [appropriate for the protection of public health] is based in part on the submitted microbial stability data,” the agency wrote in its marketing granted order (MGO).

    The designation does not mean the products are safe and they are not “FDA approved,” the agency said, but the MGOs allows the NJOY to legally market the authorized products in the United States.

    While approving NJOY’s Daily Rich Tobacco 4.5% and NJOY Daily Extra Rich Tobacco 6%, the FDA denied authorization for multiple other Daily e-cigarette products. These are presumed for products with nontobacco flavors. Any of those products that remain on the market must be removed or risk FDA enforcement, the agency said. Applications for two menthol-flavored Daily products remain under FDA review.

    Additionally, the authorization imposes marketing restrictions on the company to greatly reduce the potential for youth exposure to advertising for these products. The FDA said it will closely monitor how these products are marketed and will act as necessary if the company fails to comply with any applicable statutory or regulatory requirements, or if there is a notable increase in the number of non-smokers—including youth—using these products.

    On April 26, the FDA authorized four NJOY Ace products through the PMTA pathway.

  • Marketing Orders for Vuse Vibe and Vuse Ciro

    Marketing Orders for Vuse Vibe and Vuse Ciro

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on May 12 gave R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. (RJRVC) permission to continue marketing the original-flavor varieties of its Vuse Vibe and Vuse Ciro products. In October 2021, the FDA authorized the marketing of Vuse Solo original flavor.

    “These authorizations represent the broadest portfolio of market authorizations provided to any company in the U.S for premarket tobacco product applications (PMTA),” said David O’Reilly, director of scientific research at RJRVC’s parent company, BAT, in a statement. “Continued focus on science and innovation has supported the robust submissions, which have enabled FDA to evaluate and authorize the marketing of these products.

    “We are proud of the work undertaken by the team to achieve this significant regulatory milestone and are confident in the quality of our applications.”

    While approving the original-flavor varieties, the FDA denied RJRVC’s applications for the marketing of Vuse-branded products with other flavors. Those flavored vapor products are not currently marketed or sold in the U.S., according to BAT. The company says it is reviewing the FDA’s decision on those applications to determine next steps.

    RJRVC’s application to market menthol-flavored Vuse products remains under FDA review and those products can remain on market pending a decision from the agency.

  • Taiwan: Stakeholders Debate Policy Proposals

    Taiwan: Stakeholders Debate Policy Proposals

    Photo: Andrii Yalanskyi | Adobe Stock

    A demonstrative policy debate event on whether e-cigarettes should be regulated was held on March 8, 2022, in Taipei, showing how different public policy viewpoints can be rationally discussed, according to The Taipei Times. The debate was held by the Chinese Debate Promotion Association (CDPA) at the Taipei NGO House.

    CDPA Chairman and Founder Chia Pei-te said that the Executive Yuan in January approved a draft amendment to the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act proposed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for legislative review. The proposed regulations on emerging tobacco products have sparked discussions, he said.

    The amendment would classify emerging tobacco products as “tobacco-like products” and “designated tobacco products.” E-cigarettes would be classified as “tobacco-like products” and be fully banned while heated-tobacco products would be classified as “designated tobacco products” and be subject to regulation.

    The reasoning behind banning e-cigarettes includes keeping curious teenagers away from the products, preventing consumers from adding nicotine to e-cigarette e-liquids and lowering the risk of teenage users turning to smoking.

    The debate participants went back and forth discussing the pros and cons of regulating e-cigarettes versus banning them, bringing up subjects such as public health, tax revenue options and teenage use.

    National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) College of Pharmaceutical Sciences Dean Kang Jaw-jou said that he was moved by opinions for and against e-cigarettes. He said the affirmative side proposed to directly manage e-cigarette use through regulations and an approval system while the opposing side stressed their attitude to life—banning a substance if the public consensus deems it harmful to society.

    Many aspects of the topic can be argued, but e-cigarettes can cause negative health effects, and supporters and opponents must clearly present this fact to the public in further discussions, stated Wang Hsiang-tsui, NYCU Faculty of Pharmacy associate professor.

  • Vapor Corp. acquires three retail stores in Georgia, USA

    Vapor Corp., a leading U.S.-based distributor and retailer of vaporizers, e-liquids, e-cigarettes and e-hookahs, has acquired three established retail vape stores in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

    This three-store chain marks the company’s first retail acquisition outside of Florida and brings the total number of store Vapor Corp. owns to 18. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

    These acquisition of the Atlanta stores—coupled with the company’s recently announced acquisitions of retail vape stores in Gainesville, Florida, and Fort Myers, Florida, are central to Vapor Corp.’s aggressive expansion efforts to develop a national footprint throughout the U.S.

    “Following the completion of our capital raise and successful acquisition of several thriving consumer retail operations in Florida, Vapor Corp. has now expanded its footprint into Georgia, a testament to the early success of our national retail expansion efforts,” said Vapor Corp CEO Jeff Holman. “As the [Southeastern United States] has been an area of focus for our growth, it is only natural for Vapor Corp. to expand into Georgia. Not only is it in our backyard, but we have also identified numerous acquisition candidates that satisfy our strict investment criteria.”

    Currently the only pure-play company in the vapor industry that is listed on a major stock exchange, Vapor Corp. plans to increase the number of company-owned retail stores to more than 30 locations by the end of the year. The respective 1,200-square-foot Atlanta stores opened in February 2014, April 2014 and September 2015.

    “These stores have quickly demonstrated their ability to build strong local reputations and gain significant traction with a growing vaping community,” said Holman. “Vapor Corp. expects an immediate ROI from this acquisition as we continue to establish ourselves as the go-to source for the latest, most innovative vaping products available, for both experienced and novice vaping fans across the country. We look forward to advancing our national retail roll-out plan through the end of the year and into 2016.”

  • UAE may ease ban on e-cigarette sales

    The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is introducing regulations that may ease the ban on the sale of e-cigarettes within the country.

    Authorities from Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (Esma) in January sent a draft technical regulation to the World Trade Organization (WTO), which notified them of the UAE’s intention to regulate the sale of e-cigarettes. The document sent to the WTO states that the objective of the regulation is to protect human health by ensuring quality products are available in the market.

    The sale of e-cigarettes is currently banned in the UAE, which follows the cautious position adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO), according to a story in the Khaleej Times. Regulation of the sale of e-cigarettes is believed to be based on recent recommendations from the WHO that examine the emerging evidence on the health impacts of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), of which electronic cigarettes are the most common prototype, according to the Times.

    The health ministry of the UAE has banned the sale of e-cigarettes because experts have not yet determined the long-term effects of such devices on users.

    “E-cigarettes are considered as harmful as tobacco and not as a smoking cessation tool,” a source from the ministry was quoted as saying in the Times story. “Currently conflicting studies are going on this matter which cannot be used as justifications to allow products into the country,” added the source.

    Despite the ban on e-cigarette sales, the devices have been illegally imported and sold across throughout the UAE.

  • NPS bans e-cig use in U.S. national parks

    U.S. National Park Service (NPS) director Jonathan Jarvis on Sept. 14 issued a policy memorandum prohibiting the use of electronic smoking devices in all places where the use of traditional tobacco products is already prohibited in national parks. The policy is effective immediately.

    “Protecting the health and safety of our visitors and employees is one of the most critical duties of the National Park Service,” said Jarvis. “We are therefore extending the restrictions currently in place protecting visitors and employees from exposure to tobacco smoke to include exposure to vapor from electronic smoking devices.”

    The new NPS policy bans the use of electronic smoking devices within all facilities and vehicles that are government-owned or leased, and within all national park concessions facilities.

  • New code to regulate e-cigarette advertising in Ireland

    The Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI) has released its new code of standards for the advertising and marketing of e-cigarettes. The code—which is due to come into force in March 2016—stipulates that e-cigarette companies must refrain from making health or medical claims about their products and cannot glamorize e-cigarettes in any way, encourage nonsmokers to vape or associate their vapor products with brands of tobacco products.

    Although advertisements can present e-cigarettes as an alternative to traditional tobacco products, advertisers are prohibited from undermining the message that quitting tobacco use altogether is the best option for an individual’s health.

    E-cigarettes are already covered by ASAI’s general rules; however, the regulatory body created a specific code of standards for the products because of their “increased visibility,” according to ASAI’s assistant chief executive Orla Tworney. ASAI is funded by the advertising industry, and advertisers are obligated to withdraw any advertisements that are found to be in breach of the agency’s code.

  • Aviation organization advises ban on e-cigs in checked luggage

    The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has amended its 2015-2016 Technical Instruction for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods By Air to prohibit passengers and crew from carrying e-cigarettes and other battery-operated electronic smoking devices in checked luggage, and from charging such devices in aircraft cabins.

    Although these standards are not legally binding, they are used as references by the 191 countries that follow ICAO guidance when developing legally-enforceable domestic regulations. Passengers will still be permitted to carry e-cigarettes in cabin baggage, and rules on usage will continue to be determined by individual airlines.

    The ICAO initially issued advice regarding e-cigarettes in December 2014. The organization recommended that airlines require passengers to pack these devices in carry-on luggage stored inside the cabin rather than in baggage checked and stored in the cargo hold, so that any incidents—such as potential fires—would be noticed immediately by passengers or crew and dealt with promptly.

    “Several incidents have been reported involving e-cigarette heating elements being accidentally activated and resulting in fires in checked baggage,” said ICAO council president Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu. “We had already recommended that our member states take actions on these concerns late last year but, after a further review by our Dangerous Goods Panel, it was determined that a formal amendment to the ICAO Technical Instructions should also be undertaken.”