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Tag: vape

  • Local Group Pushes Jakarta to Pass Smoke-Free Zone Law in 2025

    Local Group Pushes Jakarta to Pass Smoke-Free Zone Law in 2025

    The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) is calling on the Jakarta government to fast-track the ratification of the long-delayed Smoke-Free Zone Regional Regulation, emphasizing the need to protect public health and uphold consumer rights. YLKI Chairperson Niti Emiliana cited Law No. 17 of 2023 on Health, which mandates local governments to implement smoke-free zones.

    “YLKI also calls for the regulation to include more comprehensive provisions that strengthen consumer protection from exposure to active smokers’ cigarette smoke surrounding them, such as the elderly, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers,” Emiliana said. She stressed that the regulation, currently under review by a special committee, must be passed in 2025.

    However, the draft regulation has faced pushback from the Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI), which argues that some provisions could impose operational burdens on businesses in the hospitality sector.

  • Despite Ban, 1-in-9 Brazilian Teens Vape

    Despite Ban, 1-in-9 Brazilian Teens Vape

    Despite a national ban on electronic cigarettes, one in nine Brazilian teenagers now uses e-cigarettes, according to a new survey conducted by the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp).

    The findings, released this week, are part of the Third National Survey on Alcohol and Drugs (Lenad 3), which surveyed around 16,000 people aged 14 and up across Brazil. The results show that e-cigarette use among teens is five times higher than traditional cigarette smoking, indicating a major shift in youth nicotine consumption.

    Dr. Clarice Madruga, a professor of psychiatry at Unifesp and the study’s lead author, says that easy online access to e-cigarettes—despite the national prohibition—has fueled the trend.

    “We had a major success story with policies that led to a steep decline in smoking,” Madruga said. “But a new challenge has completely disrupted that progress. Today, we’re seeing much higher consumption rates—especially among teenagers—which remain largely invisible.”

  • Australia’s Pharmacy-Only Vape Law Backfires

    Australia’s Pharmacy-Only Vape Law Backfires

    Australia’s strict pharmacy-only vaping law has collapsed the legal vape market and empowered organized crime, with government data showing legal sales make up just 1 in 1,700 vape transactions, according to The Daily Telegraph.

    Documents obtained by the newspaper reveal that pharmacists report fewer than 6,000 legal vape sales per month, while over 10 million vapes flood the black market monthly—mostly Chinese disposables sold in convenience stores and smoke shops.

    The 2024 law allows nicotine vapes to be sold only in pharmacies, without a prescription but under tight restrictions: limited flavors, plain packaging, and no consumer-friendly branding. However, pharmacies were not consulted before the law passed, and as a result, fewer than 700 of 5,900 pharmacies stock the products.

    Health Minister Mark Butler claimed the legislation would “eliminate the black market,” however, since then, “Butler’s ‘world-leading’ vape restrictions—combined with Australia’s astonishingly high cigarette tax—have wiped out the legal vaping sector, expanded the already-huge black market, led to declining tobacco tax revenues, and encouraged organized crime participation in the vape market,” wrote Jim McDonald for Vaping 360.

    Experts and critics now argue that Australia’s approach has failed, calling for full legalization and consumer market regulation to displace the black market and reduce harm.

  • 87% of UK Vapers Purchase Online

    87% of UK Vapers Purchase Online

    Despite the proliferation of brick-and-mortar stores, 87% of UK vapers buy at least some of their products online, according to a survey by Haypp. Convenience was the main reason for 43% of online shoppers, while 38% pointed to better pricing.

    Another notable aspect identified by those who vape is the ability to make more informed purchasing decisions when shopping online, with product information immediately available. At brick-and-mortar stores, they said, product information is often limited to simple display advertising or the random knowledge of the staff members working at the time.

    “We expect there to be a lot of change in the industry over the next 18 months, so staying aware of new product innovations and the changing needs of vape users is incredibly important, not just for retailers but for policymakers too,” Markus Lindblad, director of Haypp, said. “Vape education is key in the UK right now.

    “We recommend retailers focus on providing comprehensive product information, educating consumers, and guiding them towards the alternative product that works for them.” 

    The 35–44 age group is the most likely to buy vapes online (93%), citing access to information as their main reason. The 55+ group has the highest proportion (34%) of users buying all their vapes online, mainly because it’s cheaper (64%).

  • ZMR Introduces Two AI-Powered Vapes in Dubai

    ZMR Introduces Two AI-Powered Vapes in Dubai

    ZMR unveiled two AI-powered vaping devices at World Vape Show Dubai today, The Cube and The Motor. Both products integrate built-in AI-driven technology and self-developed app connectivity to personalize vape modes and usage analytics, and to enable the real-time monitoring of the battery level and liquid volume.

    “The Cube features groundbreaking design as the world’s first 3-in-1 system compatible with ‘disposable, refillable and CBD’ pods,” the company said. “The Motor adopts a module system with a 2.4-inch touchscreen, offering large capacity customization through single-pod, dual-pods, multi-pods, and open system configurations – significantly reducing users’ long-term expenses.”

    Each device is assigned a unique ID, enabling traceability of products and users, optimizing partner sales channel management, and providing robust digital analytics.

  • Dutch Foundation Threatens SnapChat Over Vape Marketing

    Dutch Foundation Threatens SnapChat Over Vape Marketing

    Dutch anti-smoking foundation Stichting Rookpreventie Jeugd is threatening legal action against social media giant SnapChat, accusing the platform of facilitating the illegal sale of vapes to minors. The foundation imposed a two-week deadline to take action before it files a formal complaint with the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) and the European Commission, potentially triggering regulatory intervention.

    Despite a national ban on flavored vapes implemented over a year ago, such products continue to circulate online, including on SnapChat.

    “SnapChat is the place for vape dealers to reach teens, children tell us,” said Dr. Daniëlle Cohen, a lung pathologist affiliated with the group. “We are seeing a growing number of young people suffering from serious nicotine addiction, with major consequences for their physical and mental health.”

    Lawyer Laura van Gijn, representing the foundation, says SnapChat is failing to meet its obligations under the Digital Services Act, which requires platforms to actively monitor and restrict harmful content. “If SnapChat can recognize and remove nude images, it can certainly exclude the promotion of vapes,” she told Dutch broadcaster NOS.

  • U.S. Faces Vape Shortage as Tariffs Hit, Seizures Increase

    U.S. Faces Vape Shortage as Tariffs Hit, Seizures Increase

    Popular vape brands like Geek Bar may get more expensive in the U.S.—if you can find them at all, Reuters reports. Shipments of vapes from China to the U.S. ground to a near halt in May from a year ago, official data shows, hit by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and a crackdown on unauthorized e-cigarettes in the world’s biggest market for smoking alternatives.

    That includes Geek Bar, which is not authorized to sell in the U.S. but has been widely available due to porous import controls. Geek Bar was by far the most popular unauthorized vape brand in the U.S. last year, accounting for around a quarter of sales tracked by market research company Circana in 2024 despite lacking a license to sell from the FDA.

    One retailer, who asked not to be named because their business sells unauthorized vapes, told Reuters that one of the store’s vape suppliers normally receives 100 boxes of Geek Bar vapes per week, but is now getting just 10. Another supplier imposed unprecedented purchase limits of five boxes.

    “There were a lot of supply chain issues” during COVID-19, the person said. “But I’ve never seen this.”

    Trump’s decision to impose steep tariffs on China, now at 30% after peaking at 145% in April, as well as blockbuster seizures of unauthorized vapes, have constrained the supply of Chinese-owned vape brands and Geek Bar in particular, according to five industry sources and notices from U.S. Geek Bar wholesalers reviewed by Reuters. In May 2025, the FDA recorded just 71 shipments of products labelled as e-cigarettes or vapes from China, compared with nearly 1,200 over the same period last year.

    To mitigate tariffs, illicit vape producers can mislabel or undervalue their shipments or spoof their origin entirely to make it look like they came from a lower-tariff country like Indonesia, Vietnam or Mexico, said Luis Pinto, a spokesperson for British American Tobacco. Vapes from China are often smuggled into the U.S. disguised as other items entirely, such as shoes or toys, to evade officials hunting for unauthorized vapes at the border, according to public statements from the FDA and Customs and Border Protection.

    The growth of Geek Bar and other unregulated vape brands has eaten into the market share of cigarette companies like Altria and BAT, which estimates unauthorized e-cigarettes accounted for some 70% of all U.S. vape sales last year.

  • Al Fakher Launches MINI 3K

    Al Fakher Launches MINI 3K

    Al Fakher launched the MINI 3K, a “compact and stylish vaping device offering up to 3,000 puffs of rich, smooth flavor.” The device is equipped with a dual-pod system, allowing users to switch flavors easily while maximizing value.

    “In full compliance with the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), the MINI 3K is a safe and legal choice for consumers across the European Union,” the company said. “Each device is clearly labeled and responsibly manufactured to meet the highest regulatory standards.”

  • Bangladesh’s Unchanged Tobacco Taxes Draw Criticism 

    Bangladesh’s Unchanged Tobacco Taxes Draw Criticism 

    Bangladesh’s interim government’s proposed national budget for Fiscal Year 2025-26 (July 2025-June 2026) has drawn criticism from anti-tobacco activists for keeping cigarette prices and taxes unchanged across all tiers. Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed presented the proposed budget, but activists suggest the decision will deprive the government of at least Tk20,000 crore ($2.4 billion) in additional revenue while making cigarettes more accessible to young smokers.

    Activists urge the government to increase cigarette prices across all tiers, particularly by merging the low and medium tiers—which account for 80% of the market—into a single category with a minimum retail price (MRP) of Tk90 ($1.08) for 10 sticks.

    The budget also leaves bidi prices unchanged for the sixth consecutive time, with supplementary duty remaining static for the 10th straight year. Similarly, taxes on smokeless tobacco products such as jarda and gul remain unaltered, sparking concerns among health advocates.

    While the budget raises the advance tax on cigarette manufacturers from 3% to 5% and increases supplementary duty on imported cigarette paper from 150% to 300%, activists argue these measures fall short of ensuring meaningful public health protection.

  • NZ Reminds Vape Retailers No Grace Period for Impending Regulations

    NZ Reminds Vape Retailers No Grace Period for Impending Regulations

    Three weeks in advance of the second step, Health New Zealand and the Ministry of Health sent reminders to nicotine retailers warning them that the next step of significant enforcement changes will begin June 17, with no grace period, and with stronger penalties attached. The June changes include a complete ban on disposable vapes, visibility restrictions on vapes for retailers, and increased restrictions on advertising. They build on those established in December that centered around significant fine increases for sales to under-18s, and proximity restrictions relating to early childhood education centers.

    Director of Public Health Dr. Corina Grey says these changes bring vaping regulations more in line with restrictions on tobacco products. Retailers with stores will no longer be able to promote vaping products, and those online will no longer be able to display images of their products or link to sites with non-compliant pages, including links to sites outside of New Zealand.