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Tag: vape

  • Judge Signals Uphill Battle for Vapes Challenge PA Registry Law

    Judge Signals Uphill Battle for Vapes Challenge PA Registry Law

    A federal judge indicated that vape companies challenging Pennsylvania’s new e-cigarette registry law will need to distinguish their case from recent appellate rulings that largely upheld similar laws in North Carolina and Iowa. During proceedings, the judge directed the plaintiffs to address decisions by the Fourth and Eighth U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals, both of which rejected key arguments that state registry laws tied to the FDA’s premarket authorization process are preempted by federal law.

    Pennsylvania’s law, enacted in 2025, establishes a directory of manufacturers whose products may be legally sold in the state, effectively limiting sales to products meeting specified federal regulatory criteria. Retailers challenging the measure argue it improperly enforces the federal Tobacco Control Act, conflicts with the FDA’s enforcement discretion, and would force the removal of millions of dollars in inventory from store shelves. Similar “PMTA registry” laws have been adopted in more than a dozen states as lawmakers seek to curb sales of unauthorized vaping products.

    The court’s comments suggest Pennsylvania’s case could hinge on whether the plaintiffs can identify meaningful legal distinctions from the North Carolina and Iowa precedents.

  • China Identifies E-Cigarettes as Trade Friction Hotspot

    China Identifies E-Cigarettes as Trade Friction Hotspot

    China’s Global Economic and Trade Friction Index identified the electronics industry — including drones, semiconductors, and e-cigarettes — as one of the sectors facing the highest levels of China-related trade friction in May 2026, according to the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). Speaking at a July 31 press conference, CCPIT said India’s China-related trade friction index ranked highest among monitored markets, while the United States launched 17 trade remedy investigations during the month, more than three times the total initiated by all other countries combined.

  • Experts Recommend Physicians Use Vape to Help Smokers Quit

    Experts Recommend Physicians Use Vape to Help Smokers Quit

    Researchers from the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco Treatment Network published new recommendations in the JAMA encouraging healthcare providers to discuss nicotine e-cigarettes as a potential harm reduction option for adults who smoke and have been unable or unwilling to quit using FDA-approved cessation methods. The guidance, published July 30, emphasizes patient-centered, shared decision-making and is intended only for adults who smoke, not for youth or non-tobacco users. The authors stress that completely quitting combustible cigarettes remains the preferred outcome and that adults who switch to e-cigarettes should fully replace cigarette smoking rather than continue dual use.

    Among the authors is Patricia Cioe, professor and associate dean for research and scholarship at the University of Rhode Island College of Nursing, who was the only nurse scientist on the expert panel. Cioe said her perspective on tobacco harm reduction evolved through years of clinical practice and research, including interviews with adults who described repeated unsuccessful quit attempts despite strong motivation to stop smoking. She said those experiences underscored the need for clinicians to “meet patients where they are” by discussing all evidence-based options that may reduce the harms of continued cigarette smoking.

    The recommendations reflect growing discussion within the medical community around tobacco harm reduction while reaffirming that smoking cessation remains the optimal health goal. The authors say clinicians should individualize treatment conversations based on each patient’s circumstances, particularly for smokers who have not succeeded with conventional cessation therapies.

  • Pilot Study Promising as AIR Invests $20M in Greentank

    Pilot Study Promising as AIR Invests $20M in Greentank

    AIR Global announced a $20 million investment in vaporization technology company Greentank Innovations, deepening a strategic partnership established in 2023. The investment gives AIR preferred shares based on a $170 million pre-money valuation, a warrant to increase its stake by an additional 20% over the next two years, a board nomination right, and enhanced commercial and technology access. AIR said the investment supports its growth strategy in reduced-risk nicotine products and its planned U.S. premarket tobacco product application for its Crown Switch vape.

    AIR also released results from an independent pilot study of its Greentank-powered Crown Switch device, reporting low or non-detectable levels of several harmful or potentially harmful constituents in the aerosol. According to the company, carbon monoxide, benzene, and 1,3-butadiene were not detected, while formaldehyde, nickel, and other constituents were reported at lower levels than published data for certain FDA-authorized e-cigarettes. AIR said the preliminary findings will be presented at the 2026 Tobacco Science Research Conference and will form part of its PMTA submission, noting that additional testing is underway and future results may differ.

  • ELFBAR Reports Low Harmful Constituents in its ELFA

    ELFBAR Reports Low Harmful Constituents in its ELFA

    ELFBAR is highlighting a new peer-reviewed study published in iScience reporting that aerosols from its ELFA pod system contained undetectable or substantially lower levels of harmful constituents compared with cigarette smoke under standardized laboratory testing. According to the company, 10 of 17 cigarette smoke-related analytes — including carbon monoxide, tobacco-specific nitrosamines, benzene, and 1,3-butadiene — were undetectable or below quantifiable levels, while formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were up to 99.9% lower than in cigarette smoke.

    The company also said detectable metal emissions, including lead, chromium and nickel, were well below established safety thresholds, with cadmium and arsenic not detected. ELFBAR said the findings support evidence that adult smokers who completely switch to its ELFA pod system could significantly reduce or eliminate exposure to many harmful constituents associated with combustible cigarettes.

  • Retail Groups Urge Processors to Revise Vape Enforcement Policies

    Retail Groups Urge Processors to Revise Vape Enforcement Policies

    The National Association of Convenience Stores and several retail and tobacco trade associations urged Global Payments and Mastercard to revise policies that penalize retailers for selling certain electronic nicotine delivery system products, according to CSP. In letters to the companies, the groups argued the payment processors’ enforcement standards do not reflect the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s updated enforcement priorities, which allow enforcement discretion for certain products with pending premarket tobacco product applications.

    The letters, also signed by the National Association of Tobacco Outlets, Energy Marketers of America, and the Convenience Distribution Association, expressed support for removing illicit vaping products from the market but said responsible retailers should not face penalties that exceed current FDA policy. The request follows updated FDA guidance issued in May and comes after a coalition of state attorneys general urged major payment networks to take action against merchants selling unauthorized vaping products.

  • Health Advocates Renew Call to Ban Vapes in Malaysia

    Health Advocates Renew Call to Ban Vapes in Malaysia

    Public health and anti-smoking advocates in Malaysia are renewing calls for a nationwide ban on vaping products amid growing concerns over the use of drug-laced vapes. Consumer advocates and mental health experts argue that e-cigarettes are increasingly being used to consume synthetic drugs such as ketamine and etomidate, citing government data showing that 73% of drug abuse cases in the country involve synthetic drugs.

    The renewed push follows similar concerns across Southeast Asia, with Indonesia also considering stricter restrictions on e-cigarettes.

  • VB Distribution Expands Ahead of UK’s Vape Duty Change

    VB Distribution Expands Ahead of UK’s Vape Duty Change

    VB Distribution announced the opening of a new 100,000-square-foot business park in Lancashire, England, expanding its national warehousing network to 500,000 square feet and strengthening its customs bonded storage capacity ahead of the U.K.’s Vaping Products Duty, which takes effect on Oct. 1. The company said the HMRC-approved bonded warehouse will allow duty-suspended storage, helping retailers better manage inventory and cash flow as the new tax is implemented.

    Company CEO Natalia Gosciniak said the investment positions VB Distribution to provide compliant stock and supply continuity, alleviating cost pressures faced by smaller distributors without bonded infrastructure. VB Distribution, which supplies more than 50,000 retail shelf placements across the U.K. and reports an annual turnover of £500 million, said the facility is fully operational and could create up to 1,000 jobs as part of its broader expansion strategy.

  • FTC Warns Seven Vape Companies Making ‘Made in USA’ Claims

    FTC Warns Seven Vape Companies Making ‘Made in USA’ Claims

    The Federal Trade Commission issued warning letters to seven companies over potentially misleading U.S.-origin claims, including e-cigarette retailer My Vape Order Inc. The agency said the companies appear to have marketed certain products as “Made in the USA” or “Made in Texas” despite indications they were imported in whole or in significant part, warning that such claims must comply with the FTC’s Made in USA Labeling Rule.

    The FTC did not announce formal enforcement actions or penalties but cautioned that companies making unqualified U.S.-origin claims could face investigation if they fail to bring their marketing into compliance. Under FTC rules, products advertised as “Made in the USA” must be “all or virtually all” manufactured domestically. FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Christopher Mufarrige said the agency will hold companies accountable for misleading origin claims that undermine consumer trust and disadvantage manufacturers that legitimately produce goods in the United States.

    The other companies receiving warning letters were A&F Drum Company LLC, Helmel Engineering Products Inc., Lucky Bar Holdings LLC, NebTech Inc., Vtron Inc., and Z-Tech Advanced Technologies Inc.

  • UKVIA Forum Targets Vaping Policy Challenges

    UKVIA Forum Targets Vaping Policy Challenges

    The UK Vaping Industry Association will unveil new research on the expected impact of the UK’s Vaping Products Duty at its July 13 forum, including findings on consumer behavior, smoking cessation, illicit trade, and stop-smoking services. The association will also release results from a survey of more than 3,500 consumers highlighting the importance of flavors, along with Freedom of Information data on flavor use in local stop-smoking services. UKVIA said the findings are intended to inform debate on upcoming vaping regulations, retailer licensing, and enforcement against illicit sales as the UK prepares to implement the Vaping Products Duty in October.