Author: Bill Tarling

“Minnesotans younger than 21 would be prohibited from buying tobacco products under a proposal approved on an 89-41 vote Saturday, May 9, in the House of Representatives. The proposal sets a statewide ban on selling tobacco and e-cigarette products to those younger than 21 and bars those under 21 from entering tobacco or vape shops. Businesses that sell tobacco products to those younger than 21 would face a $300 penalty after the first offense with higher fees on subsequent offenses. Those younger than 21 found buying tobacco products would face license suspensions and adults who furnish the products to them would face a $50 fine.”

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Minnesota House votes to raise age of sale on tobacco, e-cigarettes to 21

“The hardware manufacturers in China that produce vapor products for the world market are back in business after a brief hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Based mostly in Shenzhen, the world’s electronics and e-cigarette capital, companies say that they are implementing new standards and processes to keep employees and customers safe. Several companies have also intensified their data-collection efforts for premarket tobacco product authorizations (PMTA) in U.S. market. “The coronavirus is indeed having an impact on the PMTA process,” says Welford Ou, CEO for SmokTech, a major manufacturer. “For example, the behavioral investigations have been stopped, and it also taking more time for us to prepare all the products for the PMTA.” As of this writing, PMTA applications are due to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 12.”

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Chinese Hardware Makers Normalizing Operations

“By late summer, it will be illegal for soldiers under 21 years of age to buy tobacco products at on-post stores, but there are no plans to enforce a smoking ban for underage troops, according to Army health officials. A new law that takes effect Aug. 1 will require all Defense Department retailers to begin checking IDs to prevent the sale of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, dip and other tobacco products to anyone under 21. Currently, the legal age to buy tobacco products at on-post stores is 18. There are no plans, however, to enforce a ban on underage smoking and tobacco use on bases or penalize older soldiers from purchasing these products for underage soldiers”

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Army bases prepare for new ban on under-21 tobacco sales

“To help manufacturers navigate the PMTA process, FDA has finalized a guidance on how to complete it as correctly, efficiently, and cost-effectively as possible. Prior to finalizing this guidance, FDA had issued a draft guidance for ENDS manufacturers in May 2016. While the final version is very similar to the draft, there are a few significant changes that are important to know before submitting a PMTA. These changes have been primarily made to further explain the types of information that may help FDA determine if marketing a proposed new tobacco product would be appropriate for the protection of public health.”

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Marketing ENDS as New Tobacco Products: A Guide for Manufacturers

“U.S.-based electronic cigarette maker Juul Labs Inc. said Wednesday that it will pull out of South Korea one year after its launch here following controversies over health concerns. “We have reached the decision to suspend operations in South Korea after the company’s performance in the country was not up to its expectations,” the San Francisco-based startup said in a press release.”

BILL TARLING — In South Korea, JUUL devices were released at just a 1% nic strength, compared to the 5.9% strength marketed in North America. As with in the EU (which is capped at 2%), JUUL devices weren’t satisfying enough for smokers to switch, and sales kept declining. Without using an exceedingly high level of nicotine, the devices couldn’t retain enough popularity or addictiveness.

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E-cigarette maker Juul Labs to exit S. Korea 1 yr after entry

“The economic downturn caused by COVID-19 is wreaking havoc on the state budget. Tax revenues are expected to plummet for the year after weeks of statewide business closures and stay-at-home orders prompted by the virus. More than $3 billion is expected to be sliced from state spending. The depth of those budget cuts could mean furloughs and layoffs for educators and other employees. But could the financial devastation from COVID lead the state to accept long-stalled ideas to generate new revenue, such as raising the state’s tobacco tax?”

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With state budget under strain, call to raise tobacco tax is renewed

“Opponents and proponents of vaping will have a chance to lobby Melbourne City Council before it decides whether to ban e-cigarettes from smoke-free areas. The public will have about a month to make submissions to the council on a local law to make vaping illegal in the 11 smoke-free zones in the CBD, including at Bourke Street Mall and along the Tan running track.A council committee will review the submissions before making a recommendation to council on whether to proceed with the reform. A vote of the council would then be needed to enact the change.”

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CBD e-cigarette ban to be put to public

““Underage vaping spikes in the north of England”, says The Bureau of Investigative Journalism’s Matthew Chapman. It’s another in a recent series of negative articles that the TBIJ has produced ever since it obtained funding from billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s Vital Strategies organisation. Balance is given short shrift as the Bureau plugs Bloomberg’s biased agenda. At a time when confidence in journalists is plummeting to a record low, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism are on a UK-based, Bloomberg-funded mission to throw as much mud at vaping and tobacco harm reduction as possible. This latest article is neither balanced nor fair. POTV is not linking to articles carried by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism until it improves the standard of reporting.”

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Another $hifty $tory

“The largest Kiwi vape company says its sales of ecig starter kits are up by 30% during the New Zealand COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. The boom in sales coincided with the government shifting measures from the Level 3 to the Level 4 lockdown. “There are a few things at play here. People are quitting cigarettes because of their sheer cost and the increasing pressure many household budgets are now under. At the same time, the threat of Covid-19 has made many smokers more cognisant of their respiratory health and smoking’s second-hand effects on others in their bubble,” Ben Pryor says.”

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Lockdown Starter Kit Boom

“The Fourth Circuit on Monday dismissed an appeal from various vaping groups challenging a compliance deadline for vapor products. The decision states that January directives from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have rendered the appeal moot. In a per curiam opinion, the appellate judges held that guidance issued by the FDA in January moots the vape groups’ appeal because that guidance supersedes older directives from August 2017 at issue in the appeal and leaves “no possible meaningful relief” that the court could grant”

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U.S. Fourth Circuit Denies PMTA Appeal