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Tag: vape

  • Taiwan Checks ID Checkers 

    Taiwan Checks ID Checkers 

    An undercover survey in Taiwan showed that 26.9% of tobacco retailers did not check ID cards for buyers in school uniforms, the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) said. From May to November last year, the Consumers’ Foundation conducted its annual inspection by sending 20-year-old volunteers in high-school uniforms to buy cigarettes at 854 retailers across the nation.

    Officials said that 38.6% of betel nut vendors, 26.9% of general stores, 23.4% of franchised supermarkets and hypermarkets, and 21.5% of franchised convenience stores failed to check buyer ID. From 2023, noncompliance decreased 4.6% for betel nut vendors, 5.7% for general stores, and 1.4% for franchised convenience stores, but increased 4.3% for supermarket and hypermarket franchises, they said.

    The nation’s retailers were insufficiently vigilant in ensuring that clerks know and follow the law, foundation secretary-general Chen Ya-ping said. Although the noncompliance figures were down, 15% of the clerks interviewed reported not knowing that the smoking age had been raised to 20 years. High turnover in venues and inadequate employee training appeared to be the main cause of the failure to check IDs, she added.

    Last year, retailers were fined a combined NT$1.15 million ($34,846) for 134 tobacco buyer ID citations, HPA Deputy Director-General Chia Shu-li said.

  • Still 10-20 Years From Knowing Vape’s Long-Term Health Effects

    Still 10-20 Years From Knowing Vape’s Long-Term Health Effects

    New Zealand researchers are working to find out the long-term health effects of vaping on the nation’s youth, who are nearly three times more likely to vape than teenagers in Australia, Canada, and the United States. And while preliminary research is causing concerns, they admit that concrete conclusions are still years away.

    Kelly Burrows, a researcher at Auckland University’s Bio Engineering Institute, began looking into the matter in 2019 when data suggested that cigarette use was declining but vape use was increasing drastically.

    “You know it took sort of 50 years to find out what the link between smoking and health effects really were,” she said. “I would say because vaping has not been around that long, comparatively, it’ll be at least another 10 years or 20 years before we see the long-term health effects.”

    During the past six years, the associate professor led multiple studies on the topic, focusing on the lungs and respiratory system.

    “Every time you vape, some of that will stay inside your lungs, so the e-liquids that are in vapes are sort of quite an oily substance,” Burrows said. “There’ll be a lining of this oil that will stay inside your lungs and actually one of the things that is designed to get rid of that is the process of inflammation. It’s when you have this inflammation occurring many times a day over many years, which is what leads to disease and tissue breakdown.”

    Burrows worked with engineering students to create a vaping robot, which collected vapor and froze it to be tested for chemicals and contaminants. That method found at least 30 different flavoring chemicals in each e-liquid, and Burrows said no one knows what the health and safety of those flavoring chemicals is. They also found some heavy metals in the aerosol—the substance that is inhaled and exhaled from a vaping device.

    “So normally the heating coil is made from a mixture of different metals and when that gets to really high temperatures, some of that comes off into the aerosol.”

    Another study from Burrows grew lung cells in a lab and exposed them to e-cigarette vapor, where some cells died and others broke apart or became more permeable, meaning chemicals could be more easily absorbed into the bloodstream.

  • Arizona Retailers Claim They Were Duped by Altria Rep

    Arizona Retailers Claim They Were Duped by Altria Rep

    Several Arizona e-cigarette retailers claim they were duped into signing a petition to ban flavored vapes in the state by a representative of Altria. Casey Chanda, the manager of a liquor store, told The Arizona Republic that a representative for the tobacco giant showed up at his shop offering a list of flavored vapes that would be banned under a bill being proposed in the state Legislature. Chanda said he was told he had to sign something to receive the list.

    The next day, Chanda said he saw his store was officially registered on the Legislature’s website as being in support of a bill that would allow only the 34 vape devices currently authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to be sold. Those 34 products are all made by either Altria, R.J. Reynolds, or Japan Tobacco International, The Arizona Republic reported.

    Chanda said he “flipped out” and called his Marlboro rep.

    “I said, ‘Why the f— would I want to stop selling the vapes?’” he said. “‘Do you know how much money I make?’”

    The store is one of nearly 40 liquor and convenience stores that signed “for” Senate Bill 1603 on the Legislature’s “Request to Speak” system, which allows people to add their names and affiliations to support or oppose a bill. The system helps lawmakers decide how to vote on bills.

    Including Chanda, four of five store owners or managers of liquor and convenience stores contacted by The Arizona Republic said they did not intentionally sign up to support the bill.

    Mike Takrouri, owner of Party Stop Market said his Altria rep said the bill would stop the sale of menthol cigarettes. “Then I found it was not about the menthol cigarettes, it was about the vapes,” he said. “I feel like they were not honest from the beginning.” He said he asked the rep to take his name off the Legislature’s site because he’s not in support of the bill, but as of April 7, it was still there.

    Phil Butler, general manager of Chandler Oil One said that during a recent meeting with his Altria rep about the bill, “the way they presented it to me was not right.”

    “I don’t support it,” he said. “When I signed up for it, I wasn’t given all the information on it.

    “It’s Big Tobacco trying to use the legal system to go after these smaller companies, because they’re taking their profits,” he said, adding that his store profits about $2,500 per month on the flavored vape devices, which outsell “Big Tobacco’s” vape products and have a better margin.

    The Arizona Republic said Altria did not respond to requests for comment from the newspaper about these incidents.

  • REJO Expanding its HNB to Europe

    REJO Expanding its HNB to Europe

    REJO, a global provider in heat-not-burn solutions, presented a new product, logo, and slogan as it announced its expansion into the European market.

    The company introduced new varieties of its TOZE herbal sticks, inspired by East Asia’s rich tradition of tea-based cigarettes, that combine natural tea fibers, nicotine, and precisely balanced flavors. The sticks are meant to pair with the REJO HS40 heating device.

    “Early market feedback from France, particularly among traditional tobacco retailers, has underscored the growing demand for TOZE products,” the company said in a statement. “Praised for their consistent aroma and reduced smoke odor, TOZE herbal sticks are well-positioned to meet the rising market demand for flavored alternatives.

    “As REJO continues its global expansion, the company remains committed to its mission of redefining the smoking experience through innovation, reliability, and sustainability. With a strong foundation in place and ambitious plans for growth in Europe and beyond, REJO is committed to delivering reliable alternatives that empower consumers to make informed choices about their smoking experience.”

    Headquartered in China, the company says it currently has products available in nearly 10,000 retail outlets across Russia, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. The company said it will begin its European expansion initially focusing on the Czech Republic and Switzerland. REJO has already secured key EU regulatory approvals, including: Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) registration, Poison Centre Notification (PCN) compliance, and Track-and-Trace registration.

    The company’s new slogan is, “Take a Break. Take REJO.” Its brand redesign features an extended “O” with a petal-like shape and vibrant color palette that, according to the company, “center around a warm, inviting shade of green-symbolizing comfort, relaxation, and a natural connection to the essence of the product.”

  • Thailand Police Bust $58K Per Day Vape Ring

    Thailand Police Bust $58K Per Day Vape Ring

    Police in Thailand arrested three Chinese suspects, two men and a woman, in a sting operation in Pattaya and seized vape pens and zombie-vape liquid from the suspects, who allegedly admitted to sales worth 2 million baht ($58,000) a day. They were charged with the illegal sale of e-cigarettes and vaping liquid and with selling contraband goods.

    Police Major General Patanasak Bupphasawan said the suspects admitted daily sales of about 1,000 e-cigarettes to tourists and young people. The arresting team also seized about 100 grams of powdered etomidate anesthetic, e-cigarettes, and equipment for mixing the anesthetic and e-liquid to make zombie-vape fluid. The seized products were worth about 513,590 baht ($15,000).

  • Vape Batteries Causing Rise in Waste Fires

    Vape Batteries Causing Rise in Waste Fires

    Last year was “a year of growth” for Fire Rover, but as a company that specializes in fire detection and suppression, that’s not entirely good news. The company, which releases annual reports on waste and recycling facility fires in the U.S. and Canada, said it saw a 60% increase in fire identifications in 2024. Confirmed fires have increased from 1,409 in 2022, to 1,809 in 2023, to 2,910 last year. Publicly reported fire incidents at waste and recycling facilities also hit 398, a new high since Fire Rover began compiling its report eight years ago.

    Fires at waste facilities are nothing new and can be sparked from numerous causes. However, Ryan Fogelman, CEO of Fire Rover, says lithium-ion batteries pose a growing problem, specifically those from e-cigarettes, vapes, and other battery-powered nicotine devices. He said, based on his experience and some assumptions, that about half of the fires he’s tracking originate with batteries. Roughly $2.5 billion of loss to facilities and infrastructure came from fires last year, divided between traditional hazards and batteries.

    “Not only are their batteries being improperly discarded in waste and recycling bins, but the vape industry has done the bare minimum to invest in the technology needed to address the 1.2 billion vapes entering our waste and recycling streams annually,” Fogelman said.

    “Vapes are perhaps the most effective single thing the e-waste and recycling industries could target,” Kevin Purdy, wrote for ARS Technica. “If everybody knew how to dispose of vapes properly, at sites that can safely handle them, there could be a reduction in risk.

    “But that safe, evenly distributed vape disposal network does not exist.”

  • Tennessee Bill Would Outlaw Most Vape Products

    Tennessee Bill Would Outlaw Most Vape Products

    A bill in Tennessee that would impose a state tax of up to 10% on vape products – a higher rate than tobacco – and effectively ban the sale of many vape products in the state by requiring application for FDA approval before products are sold is headed for a final Senate vote this week. Senate Bill 763 passed the Senate Finance Committee in a 9-2 vote, and a counterpart House panel with bipartisan support.

    Bill sponsor Ken Yager said the bill is aimed at stopping “the influx of Chinese vape products that are addicting our children and wreaking havoc on our schools” ― not an attack on Tennessee’s vape industry. However, critics say it is a “legislative weapon for big tobacco to crush competition.”

    “I don’t take my orders from big tobacco,” Yager told reporters.

    If signed into law, the bill would ban the sale of vapor products including hundreds of disposable and flavored products in Tennessee that are not approved or in the process of being approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Currently, just 34 vapor products have been approved by the FDA, and all are tied to big tobacco companies. Most vape products sold in the U.S. are imported from China. If passed, the bill would fine vape retailers $500 to $1,500 per product illegally sold.

    According to The Tennessean, Tennessee is one of about 20 states that does not currently levy a tax on vape products. If passed, the bill would impose a 10% tax on open system vape products and a 7% tax on closed system vape products. Tennessee taxes tobacco products at 6.6%. Yager told reporters his proposed tax on vape products “is really no different from the tax on other nicotine products.”

  • Company Launches Sensors that Detect Vaping

    Company Launches Sensors that Detect Vaping

    Today (March 25), Eagle Eye Networks launched Eagle Eye Sensors that detect and alert when someone is vaping. The sensor detects environmental shifts such as air quality and temperature changes, and water presence. The sensors combine with video surveillance to monitor a variety of environmental conditions and give customers real-time data and a comprehensive view of what’s happening in their buildings.

    The sensors themselves can monitor sensitive areas where security cameras are not allowed such as restrooms, locker rooms, health care facilities, etc.

    “With intelligent automation, real-time alerts and actions, Eagle Eye Sensors can prevent costly damage, save money, and help organizations run more efficiently,” said Dean Drako, CEO of Eagle Eye Networks. “Eagle Eye Sensors also help create healthy environments with clean air and well-functioning systems, which is essential to the well-being, productivity and success of students and workers.”

  • New Zealand Study Says Vape Not Helping End Smoking

    New Zealand Study Says Vape Not Helping End Smoking

    Health researchers in New Zealand examining the long-running Year 10s smoking study say the e-cigarette companies are wrong: vaping is not displacing smoking among young people. Researchers from the University of Auckland, Australia’s Cancer Council New South Wales and the University of Sydney’s Daffodil Center, looked at vaping and smoking trends among New Zealand adolescents.

    Published last Friday (March 21), the study analyzed 25 years of data, from 1999 to 2023, examining the potential impact of vaping on smoking trends among nearly 700,000 students aged 14 to 15 years old.

    Researchers expected to see a decline in smoking after vapes were introduced, but University of Auckland research fellow Dr. Lucy Hardie said that while youth smoking rates in New Zealand were declining steeply before vapes came on the scene in 2010, that progress has slowed.

     “What we found instead was that actually the rates of decline slowed, rather than speed up,” Hardie said. “For us, this means that potentially, young people are experimenting more, rather than less, with the advent of vaping.

     “That might be down to things like vaping being more socially acceptable, in this younger age group, and so it may not be such a leap to then start experimenting with cigarettes as well.”

    In 2023, approximately 12.6 percent of 14 to 15-year-old students in New Zealand had ever smoked, nearly double the 6.6 percent predicted in the pre-vaping era. Similarly, in 2023, around 3 percent of Year 10 students were smoking regularly, but this rate would have been just 1.8 percent had it followed its pre-vaping trend.

    The research contradicts an earlier and oft-quoted study from 2020 that suggested vaping might be displacing smoking among New Zealand youth. The new study uses the same data but drew on a much wider time period, Hardie said.

    The researchers found that vaping may have actually slowed New Zealand’s progress in preventing adolescent smoking. Meanwhile, the new research also shows the prevalence of daily vaping in New Zealand increased from 1.1 percent in 2015 to 10 percent in 2023.

  • $3.9M of Illegal Vapes Seized in Thailand 

    $3.9M of Illegal Vapes Seized in Thailand 

    The Metropolitan Police Bureau’s investigation team raided warehouses in Thailand’s Nonthaburi province yesterday (March 18) and seized more than 260,000 e-cigarettes with a street value of over 130 million baht. ($3.9 million). Investigators believe the vaping products had been smuggled in from China through the Laem Chabang port in Chonburi and distributed to more than 100 retail outlets nationwide.

    Dubbed “Operation Smoke Out,” police said they targeted six warehouses in the province that were linked to five individuals who were responsible for shipping and distributing the products. Two men were arrested, the police said, adding that the suspects were allegedly paid 20,000 baht ($600) each to look after one of the warehouses.

    “This is considered a major raid with high value,” Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said while visiting the scene. “The officers will expand the investigation to the masterminds and bring them to justice.”