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Tag: vape

  • Iowa Senate Passes 5-Cent Tax on Vapes, Nicotine Products

    Iowa Senate Passes 5-Cent Tax on Vapes, Nicotine Products

    The Iowa Senate has passed a bill establishing a new excise tax on alternative nicotine products, introducing a 5-cent per-unit tax on nicotine pouches and a 5-cent per milliliter tax on e-liquid used in vape products. The tax applies to both disposable vapes and refill cartridges, creating a standardized levy across emerging nicotine categories that have historically gone untaxed in the state.

    Lawmakers said the extra revenue would go toward pediatric cancer research. “I understand that the level of tax we’re looking at here is not likely to be enough to deter usage, but it is enough to create this investment in pediatric cancer research that we all want to get behind,” Sen. Kara Warme (R-Ames) said.

  • South Korea Bans Online Sales of Synthetic Nicotine Vapes

    South Korea Bans Online Sales of Synthetic Nicotine Vapes

    South Korea will ban online sales of liquid e-cigarettes made with synthetic nicotine starting this week, as part of broader regulatory changes under the revised Tobacco Business Act, the finance ministry announced. The update expands the definition of tobacco to include nicotine—whether natural or synthetic—bringing these products under full tobacco regulation.

    Manufacturers and importers will now be required to obtain government approval, register with local authorities, and comply with taxation rules, including a temporary 50% tax reduction for two years. Sales to minors, promotional activities, and product modification for resale will also be prohibited, while use of these products will be banned in designated non-smoking areas.

    The rules also mandate graphic health warnings, ingredient disclosure, and regular testing for harmful substances. Vendors must be licensed as tobacco retailers to sell directly to consumers, while authorities are also reviewing how to regulate emerging “nicotine analog” products not yet formally classified as tobacco.

  • S. Korean Retailers Brace as Vapes Get Reclassified as Tobacco

    S. Korean Retailers Brace as Vapes Get Reclassified as Tobacco

    Vape shop owners across South Korea say upcoming changes to the Tobacco Business Act could force many of them out of business as synthetic nicotine liquids are reclassified as cigarettes starting April 24. Stores that operated for years outside the tobacco retail system must now qualify as designated tobacco sellers, a process retailers describe as nearly impossible due to strict location and licensing limits already filled by convenience stores and established outlets.

    Trade groups, including the Korea Electronic Tobacco Industry Association, say numerous specialty vape shops are preparing to close rather than attempt to register, as they are unlikely to obtain authorization. Retailers also warn that cigarette-level taxes on synthetic nicotine products will drive up prices and shrink demand, while pushing consumers toward unregulated nicotine-free or pseudo-nicotine liquids sold online. Many shop owners argue that the law corrects a past regulatory gap but does so in a way that sidelines small businesses that grew under the previous framework, leaving them with little path to remain in the legal market.

  • NY Vape Sellers Can’t Escape AG Suit Over Flavored Sales

    NY Vape Sellers Can’t Escape AG Suit Over Flavored Sales

    A federal judge rejected a bid by makers and distributors of flavored vaping products to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Office of the New York Attorney General alleging they helped fuel a youth vaping epidemic. The ruling means companies behind popular brands like Puff Bar and others must continue defending against claims that they misrepresented the safety and legality of their products and violated state public‑health and consumer protection laws.

    New York’s lawsuit targets more than a dozen manufacturers, distributors, and sellers of flavored disposable e‑cigarettes — which have been illegal to sell in New York since 2020 — accusing them of designing, marketing, and distributing candy‑ and fruit‑flavored vapes that appeal to minors, mislead consumers about health risks, and undermine state efforts to curb underage nicotine use.

    The judge found that the state’s complaint sufficiently alleges misrepresentation and other unlawful conduct to survive a motion to dismiss, keeping in place claims that could lead to fines, corrective advertising, and injunctions against future sales.

  • Russian Businesses Propose State Monopoly Over Vape Ban

    Russian Businesses Propose State Monopoly Over Vape Ban

    Russian small business group Opora Russia and industry associations are urging federal authorities to abandon plans to ban the sale of electronic nicotine delivery systems and e-liquids, warning the move would push the market further into the shadow economy without reducing nicotine use. In an appeal to First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov last week, the group argued that allowing regions to impose their own vape bans — an idea backed by President Vladimir Putin and already pursued in areas such as the Vologda, Penza, and Perm regions — would fragment the national market and drive legitimate retailers out of business. Industry representatives estimate around 20,000 outlets sell ENDS in Russia, serving 10–12 million consumers, while claiming 75–85% of current sales already occur in the gray market.

    As an alternative to prohibition, associations, including the Union of Participants in the Circulation of Nicotine-Containing Products, have proposed creating a state-controlled monopoly on the production of base e-liquid under a concession model, allowing tighter oversight of product flows and taxation. They cite past excise hikes as evidence that restrictive policy has reduced legal sales and tax receipts while expanding illicit trade. The proposal has been referred to the Finance Ministry for review as the government continues work on draft legislation that could allow regions to experiment with retail bans between 2027 and 2032.

  • IMPERIAL BRANDS ADDS NEW FLAVOUR TO POPULAR BLU LINE UP

    IMPERIAL BRANDS ADDS NEW FLAVOUR TO POPULAR BLU LINE UP

    Imperial Brands has announced the addition of a brand-new flavor to its popular blu vape offering with the arrival of Sour Berry.

    Launching across retail in April, and with an RRP of £5.99, Sour Berry is the newest addition to blu bar kit and blu box kit’s extensive flavor range, bringing the total number of flavor options available to customers to 17.

    With fruit-flavors preferred by 83% of vape users, customer demand is seeking differentiated, less synthetic flavors in this category. In response, Imperial Brands launched Sour Berry to expand its blu vape flavor range in line with customer preferences. The newest addition will offer a more authentic flavor profile of wild berries, sharpened by tartness, to provide a superior flavor experience for users, engaging their senses with distinct, vibrant berry notes.

    The new Sour Berry flavor uses the innovative AuthentiTaste formulation, which are liquids crafted with flavorings that mirror real fruit profiles and sensorial cues – like sourness – delivering a fresh, captivating experience.

    The new Sour Berry flavour will be available in two formats:

    • blu bar kit: Offering 1,000 puffs of intense, authentic flavor per prefilled, replaceable pod. The kit features a sleek device and is compatible with all other flavors in the extensive blu pod range, allowing users to enjoy a variety of flavor experiences.
    • blu pod pack: Each pack includes two replacement blu pods, delivering an impressive total of 2,000 puffs per pod pack.

    Shirley Soccio, Head of Consumer Marketing UK & Ireland at Imperial Brands, commented: “Vape users across the UK continue to demand new and exciting flavors. As a business, we remain committed to ensuring our range reflects evolving customer taste preferences. For retailers, this means that they can in turn offer the best products and experiences to their customers.

    “A recurring point of feedback among customers is that they see some flavors on the market as artificial or one-dimensional. To address this, Sour Berry has been formulated specifically to offer an unexpected yet genuine flavor experience, which we anticipate will create strong demand from vape users.”

    For further information, visit https://www.blu.com/en-GB.

  • Charlie’s Holdings Reports 169% Revenue Increase

    Charlie’s Holdings Reports 169% Revenue Increase

    Charlie’s Holdings, Inc. reported a sharp turnaround in 2025, with revenue rising 169% year over year to $20.9 million and net income of $4.5 million, compared with a $4.2 million loss in 2024. The company’s auditor, Urish Popeck & Co., LLC, issued a clean opinion that removed prior “going concern” language, strengthening Charlie’s position for a planned uplisting to a national exchange in 2026. Balance sheet metrics improved materially, with cash increasing to $1.3 million, total assets to $11.6 million, and shareholders’ equity returning to a positive $3.4 million from a deficit position a year earlier.

    Performance was supported by $7.5 million in PMTA-related asset sales to a strategic buyer, growth in SBX nicotine-analogue disposables, and the opening of a U.S. manufacturing facility in Q4. Looking ahead, Charlie’s plans to expand chain convenience distribution, pilot an AI/blockchain age-gating system with IKE Tech, introduce high-capacity disposable devices under SBX and Pachamama, pursue additional PMTA partnerships, grow international sales, and advance its exchange uplisting, while positioning its regulatory compliance and youth-access controls as differentiators in a market the company says is pressured by illicit imports.

  • Nicokick Urges Clarity on Smoke-Free Information

    Nicokick Urges Clarity on Smoke-Free Information

    Nicokick.com, owned by Haypp Group, called on policymakers and health professionals to provide clearer, evidence-based information distinguishing the risks of combustible cigarettes from non-combusted nicotine products. The appeal follows a report by the Foundation for American Innovation highlighting high tobacco and nicotine use among U.S. servicemembers and recommending that institutions recognize differences between product types when addressing health and readiness. Nicokick cited the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recognition of a “continuum of risk” across tobacco products and said improved adult-focused communication could help consumers and healthcare professionals better understand these distinctions while reinforcing that smoke-free products are intended only for existing adult users.

  • Geekvape Introduces New Products in Paris

    Geekvape Introduces New Products in Paris

    Geekvape introduced several new products at Vapexpo Paris, including the Force device and the Aegis Mini 5, expanding its performance-focused and durability-oriented portfolio. The company also highlighted the Legend 5 10th Anniversary Edition within its Aegis series, alongside Neutra, a refillable system designed with environmental considerations. The launches were presented within a “Future Store Experience” concept booth that reflected Geekvape’s updated retail visual identity and integrated product display with sustainability themes.

  • New Zealand Partners with Vape Company That Sued it Five Times

    New Zealand Partners with Vape Company That Sued it Five Times

    Health New Zealand has partnered with Alt NZ Limited to supply free vape kits through 29 national stop-smoking services, distributing over 7,000 kits thus far. The NZD 500,000 ($295,000) procurement followed an open process requiring compliant closed-pod devices and refills, with strict adherence to tobacco control policies. Alt previously challenged the Ministry of Health in five court cases between 2023 and 2025 over nicotine limits, arguing its best-selling products exceeded 28.5 mg/mL and accounted for 85% of revenue. The courts largely upheld the Ministry’s regulatory changes, which lowered the maximum nicotine level from 50 mg/mL to 28.5 mg/mL.

    Alt director Jonathan Devery said higher nicotine strengths are more effective in helping smokers quit, while Health NZ noted the program begins users on 28.5 mg/mL for six weeks before tapering down. All products meet legal and compliance standards, with the Ministry emphasizing that regulated levels are sufficient to support cessation.