Author: James Anderson

Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a groundbreaking bill that would create a “nicotine-free generation” by permanently banning the sale of all tobacco and vaping products to anyone born on or after January 1, 2006. The proposal, filed by Rep. Tommy Vitolo of Brookline and Sen. Jason Lewis of Winchester, took center stage at a heated hearing of the Joint Committee on Public Health, drawing passionate testimony from youth advocates, health professionals, and concerned business owners. This legislative push follows the successful implementation of similar local ordinances in 17 Massachusetts communities, including Brookline, which was the first in the nation to enact…

A coalition of Wisconsin e-cigarette retailers, Wisconsinites for Alternatives to Smoking and Tobacco, Inc. (WiscoFAST), has filed a federal lawsuit to block a new state law that bans the sale of most vaping products. The law, which took effect July 1st, prohibits the sale of any vaping devices that have not received marketing authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Starting September 1st, retailers could face fines of $1,000 per day for each unauthorized vape they sell. The lawsuit argues that the Wisconsin Department of Revenue is overstepping its authority and usurping the FDA’s power to regulate these…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially authorized Juul Labs to continue selling its e-cigarette device and refill cartridges in both tobacco and menthol flavors. This decision reverses a 2022 marketing denial order that had pushed the once-dominant vape company to the brink of bankruptcy and ends years of regulatory uncertainty. The FDA stated that its review of Juul’s submitted scientific data showed that authorizing these specific products is “appropriate for the protection of public health.” Regulators concluded that the evidence demonstrated that adult smokers who switch completely to Juul’s tobacco- or menthol-flavored products can reduce their exposure…

Vapes have been found to be almost three times more effective than traditional nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) like lozenges or gum for helping people quit smoking, according to a new clinical trial from the University of New South Wales (UNSW). The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, focused on smokers from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, a priority group with disproportionately high smoking rates. Researchers recruited 1,045 adults from Sydney who were daily smokers receiving a government pension or allowance and were willing to attempt quitting. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a free eight-week supply of vapes or standard…

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has filed civil complaints against two Valley vape shop businesses, New York Smoke Shop LLC and Pro Source Supply LLC, for allegedly consistently and knowingly selling nicotine products to minors. The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) is seeking penalties of $10,000 per violation and the dissolution of the companies in Arizona. According to the AGO, the businesses demonstrated a reckless disregard for the law during undercover inspections conducted as part of the youth tobacco “Counter Strike” program. New York Smoke Shop reportedly had an 83% failure rate over the last three years, passing only one of…

A new law in North Carolina, House Bill 900, has taken effect, prohibiting the sale of most popular disposable vaping products across the state as of Tuesday, July 1st. Signed into law last year by former Governor Roy Cooper, the legislation restricts retailers to selling only those vape products that have received a form of approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The law, which technically went into effect on May 1st but included a 60-day grace period, mandates that for a vape product to be legally sold, it must either have full FDA marketing authorization or have…

Spain’s upcoming anti-tobacco law will prohibit the use of vapes (e-cigarettes) in all the same public spaces where traditional smoking is banned, according to Health Minister Mónica García. This move aims to equate the regulation of electronic cigarettes with that of conventional tobacco. The expanded ban will cover areas such as bar and restaurant terraces, bus stops, company vehicles, school and university facilities, and public swimming pools. Minister García stated that the goal is to close a regulatory loophole that the industry has “exploited to attract new consumers,” emphasizing that there is no scientific evidence that alternative devices reduce tobacco…

Starting July 1st, consumers of vapes, nicotine pouches, and other tobacco products in Illinois will face higher prices as a new tax hike takes effect. The state tax on vaping products will triple, increasing from 15% to 45% of the wholesale price. Most other tobacco products, including cigars and chewing tobacco, will also see their wholesale tax rate rise to 45%, up from 36%. Additionally, the tax on a pack of cigarettes will increase by $1. This tax increase also applies to popular non-tobacco nicotine products like Zyn nicotine pouches. The price of a can of Zyn, currently around $8…

The Indonesian Vape Consumers Association (Akvindo) has criticized the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government’s Draft Regional Regulation (Raperda) on Smoke-Free Areas (KTR) for treating e-cigarettes (vapes) as equivalent to combustible tobacco. Akvindo Chairman, Paido Siahaan, stated that while they appreciate efforts to protect public health, equating the two products is an incorrect and flawed policy. “Equating e-cigarettes with cigarettes in this regulation is inappropriate,” Paido said. He argued that vapes have different characteristics and risk profiles and should not be treated the same as burnt tobacco under policies like Government Regulation No. 28 of 2024. “E-cigarettes are alternative tobacco products that…

Bulgaria’s National Assembly has passed legislation to implement a nationwide ban on the sale of disposable electronic cigarettes (vapes), a measure that applies to products both with and without nicotine. The bill was approved at its second reading with strong parliamentary support, receiving 133 votes in favor, 30 against, and 8 abstentions. This comprehensive ban targets the sale of single-use vapes, which have become increasingly popular, particularly among young people. The move is part of a broader effort to tighten regulations on tobacco and nicotine products. The updated law also prohibits the sale of all tobacco products, including smokeless, novel,…