Illegal tobacco and vapes are a growing concern in Staffordshire, as evidenced by recent seizures worth £24,000 resulting from three raids at premises in Lichfield and Stafford in March. The seized items included 29,100 illicit cigarettes, 0.55kg of illicit hand rolling tobacco, and 2,064 illegal vapes, all of which were hidden in flats above the premises and ready to be sold to consumers. This operation was carried out by Staffordshire County Council’s Trading Standards officers, with support from Staffordshire Police and a specialist dog search team, as part of Operation CeCe, a National Trading Standards initiative in partnership with HMRC to tackle the supply and sale of illegal tobacco.
Philip White, Deputy Leader at Staffordshire County Council, stated that the council’s Trading Standards officers have been working tirelessly with partner agencies to take these harmful products off the streets. While the availability of illegal tobacco and e-cigarettes in Staffordshire may not be higher than in other areas, it remains a concern for officers. In fact, there has been a steady increase in seizures of counterfeit and oversized vapes, as well as those under recall. Since April 2022, over 9,684 illegal products with a street value of £128,106 have been seized by officers, many of which could have ended up in the hands of children if they had not been removed from the market.
Vape Detectors to Be Installed in MCPS High Schools: A New Safety Initiative for Bathroom Safety
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has recently announced that it will install vape detectors in several high schools as part of a new safety initiative to prevent students from smoking and congregating in school bathrooms. MCPS officials say that these detectors will provide administrators with an opportunity to take appropriate action by helping to identify instances of vaping and smoking. In addition to installing vape detectors, MCPS plans to pilot a program involving students wearing ID badges on campus to help staff and security recognize who belongs on campus.
JUUL to Pay $462 Million Settlement for Underage Marketing: Multistate Agreement
Several attorneys general have announced a new $462 million settlement from e-cigarette manufacturer JUUL Labs. The settlement is the largest multistate settlement, which includes the most stringent restrictions on the company’s marketing and sales to protect and prevent minors from vaping. Juul has been accused of playing a central role in the youth vaping epidemic. Today, Juul is paying for the widespread harm it caused and will undergo severe restrictions on its marketing and sales practices.
Juul’s Marketing StrategyJUUL’s decision to target underage students was widespread. The e-cigarette company targeted middle and high school students using colorful ads featuring young models and flashing parties in New York City and the Hamptons. The company downplayed the harmful effects of vaping, which encouraged minors to purchase and use JUUL’s addictive products.
Malaysians Losing Battle on Vaping
In a surprising move, the Malaysian government recently legalised vaping, allowing the sale and taxation of nicotine liquids and gels. This exemption happened before the anticipated law to govern the sale of vape products was tabled, creating a legal loophole that could lead to an increase in the number of young smokers. The legalisation of vaping has raised concerns among health experts, policymakers, and anti-tobacco activists who fear that this decision could undo decades of efforts to end smoking and prevent related health problems and deaths.
Malaysia urged to exclude vaping from GEG law for effective harm reduction
The Vape Consumer Association of Malaysia (VCAM) has reiterated its appeal to the government to exclude vape products from the proposed tobacco generational endgame (GEG) law. This comes after the Health Ministry’s decision to remove nicotine from the Poisons Act 1952 next month. The VCAM president, Tengku Aslahuddin Ja’afar Tengku Azlan, suggests that the government should follow New Zealand’s example, where vape products are utilized as a tobacco harm reduction tool.
Schumer Urges FDA to Investigate and Take Action on Elf Bar
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take immediate action against “Elf Bars,” a brand of vape cigarettes made in China that he says are being marketed to students in New York. The product has been linked to an escalating regional epidemic, with school administrators confiscating hundreds of the disposable e-cigs across Syracuse and Central New York schools this year alone. Schumer has called on the FDA to investigate the sale of Elf Bars and their social advertising and be prepared to ban them to protect children from the harmful effects of nicotine addiction.
The China-based product has been criticized for having lower product safety and consumer protection standards than similar products made in the United States. Schumer warns that, if left unchecked, Elf Bars could become the next Juul, with even worse health consequences because of their shoddy manufacturing and commonly mislabeled nicotine levels.
Valley Police Departments and Parents Take Action Against Teen Vaping
Teen vaping has become a major concern for law enforcement agencies in the Rio Grande Valley. Vape pens, which can be flavored or infused with nicotine or THC oil, have made their way into high schools, middle schools, and even elementary schools. In response, police departments in Harlingen and the McAllen Independent School District are cracking down on teen vaping and educating parents and students on the dangers of this habit.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the issue of teen vaping, the risks involved, and what parents can do to keep their kids safe.
A Study on Vapings Effectiveness for Smoking Cessation in Adults
In recent years, e-cigarettes have become increasingly popular as a potential aid for adults seeking to quit smoking. A study led by Kenneth E. Warner, PhD, a professor emeritus of the Department of Health Management and Policy at the University of Michigan, provides ample evidence supporting the use of electronic cigarettes for this purpose.
What are E-cigarettes?E-cigarettes are hand-held, battery-operated devices that heat a liquid containing propylene glycol and/or glycerin, flavoring compounds, and typically nicotine. This process produces an aerosol that users inhale, or vape.
MSHR Urges Government to Regulate Vape Products for Harm Reduction
The Malaysian Society for Harm Reduction (MSHR) has urged the government to amend existing laws to regulate vape products following the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) decision to exempt nicotine from the Poisons Act. The MSHR believes that the wait for the introduction of the new law, which will regulate all smoking products, including vape products, is too long. Therefore, the government should look into existing laws that can be amended or expanded to include vape products.
MSHR Urges Government to Regulate Vape Products for Harm Reduction
If you think that e-cigarettes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes, you are not alone. But the truth is that e-cigarettes, also known as vapes, are not safe, especially for children and teenagers. In fact, the use of vapes among young people has surged dramatically in recent years, and this trend is causing concern among medical professionals, parents, and teachers.
In this article, we will discuss the risks of vape products, particularly disposable fruit-flavoured vapes, which are highly addictive and appealing to young people. We will also cover the dangers of plastic waste and the impact on the environment and wildlife.