Category: Vaping Industry

Info about the vaping industry

CASAA Is Folding

On By michaelvaporsIn Vape Advocacy, Vape Community, Vaping Industry

Dear Members,

Last July, CASAA reached out to our members and allies with an urgent plea for funding. We spent the summer and into the fall approaching potential donors, but fell short of our goal. In turn, CASAA continued cutting costs to the point that we were no longer able to support our small staff of two paid employees. Since August of 2024, CASAA is completely run by volunteers. We have secured funding to enable us to continue our legislative advocacy efforts until August of this year. But beyond that, we do not expect enough future support to continue in any meaningful way.

It is with mixed emotions that we are taking this opportunity to announce that 2025 will be CASAA’s last year of active engagements. While we will be ceasing our legislative advocacy at the end of August, our website, CASAA.org, remains a valuable educational resource documenting the history of vaping, explaining tobacco harm reduction, and celebrating the consumer-led revolution in adoption of safer nicotine products. CASAA will use some of our remaining funds to keep the website active, although we anticipate transforming it into a legacy site. This means that information contained on the site will be pared down so that the site will require little maintenance.

Although we have gratefully received feedback from fellow advocates and industry leaders praising our efforts and noting the significance of our role in the consumer-led tobacco harm reduction movement, those accolades are rarely accompanied by financial support. For the better part of a decade, CASAA has articulated this dissonance by saying that it is absolutely appropriate for businesses to devote most or all of their advocacy budget to state and national trade groups.

While industry support has made up a significant portion of our funding, it was never expected that shops and manufacturers would pay for everything. Being supported by our consumer membership has allowed us to remain independent in our policy positions and advocacy messages that support affordable and legal access to safer alternatives to smoking. But that independence is fragile, and we experienced the consequences from bucking the narrative of the largest tobacco companies when we opposed policies that ban sales of unauthorized products — products that still make up more than 90% of the safer nicotine market.

Since 2009, CASAA has been a tireless voice of and for consumers who switched away from combustion to safer, smoke-free nicotine products. We have done this work on a shoestring, which is a testament to the power of our stories. CASAA has represented our members in city halls, state legislatures, and federal regulatory bodies, as well as shared the consumer view at professional conferences and in the media. We have brought to our work the heart and soul that only comes from genuine grassroots advocacy. Consmers are being recognized as a vital part of the debate over the responsible regulation of less risky tobacco and nicotine products, which is a pillar of CASAA’s mission.

We are not making this announcement from a place of desperation or futility. This is not the end, but merely a step in the evolution of consumers’ awareness, acceptance, and access to safer nicotine products and a healthier future.

Thank you for standing up for tobacco harm reduction!

Sincerely,

Alex Clark, Executive Director, CASAA

The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives (CASAA)
PO Box 2991, | Plattsburgh, New York 12901
Question? Email us at takeaction@casaa.org or call 202-241-9117

Learn how to dispose of Li-ion Batteries

On By michaelvaporsIn Hardware, Vaping Industry

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/lithium-ion-battery-waste-fires-are-increasing-and-vapes-are-a-big-part-of-it/

Clipped from the article above:

The vape effect

Batteries as a whole are a growing concern, but there’s a reason Fire Rover’s report has an image of an exploding electronic vape pen on its cover, with the superimposed message “We are at war 2024.” Fogelman sees a notable shift in publicly reported fire data—not from Fire Rover’s own detection, but from news and other reports and sources—from the 2016–2021 period to 2022–2024. Something is causing this shift, and Fogelman’s most likely culprit is e-cigarettes, vapes, and other battery-powered nicotine devices.

Chart indicating The Vape Effect, with a line showing a marked increase in fires from 2016-2021 and then 2022 to 2024.

Vapes are perhaps the most effective single thing the e-waste and recycling industries could target. 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. As previously noted, you can make a rather powerful e-bike from the vapes left behind at a festival in the UK. In the US, the EPA directs people to bring their e-cigarettes to household hazardous waste (HHW) sites or pick-up events, which are “typically” free.

“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,” the report states.

End Of An Era?

On By michaelvaporsIn Vaping Industry

Statement from Chris Greer, our President & CEO
Dear Vapor Voice Supporter,

I write to confirm from the organization that we made the extraordinarily difficult decision to end
Vapor Voice’s journey with the December digital issues. As stewards of the magazine, we carry
an obligation to our members, sponsors and advertisers to ensure the continuation of valuable,
relevant, and financially sustainable programing across our operations that delivers our core
promise to our supporters and members: to inform stakeholders and convene open and
welcoming forums.

As the burdens of operating a professional and high-quality trade journalism program have
exponentially grown our industry and stakeholder community have faced expense and revenue
pressures that impacts our income. Simply put inflows and outflows are unsustainable and
there are no quick prospects for redress.

The news and insights you got from Vapor Voice can still be found across our platforms: our
news program lives on via the reimagined tobaccoreporter.com and more in-depth coverage
can be found at our conferences and forums (ATNF & GTNF) or by joining TMA and gaining
access to your information site tma.org. Further information is obtainable from our relationship
manager, Michelle Parisi, at michelle@tma.org.

Winding down and revamping trade journalism operations has consequences for our dedicated
staff who worked to bring Vapor Voice to life each day. And it is unfortunate that we must
announce that with the magazine closure, we must say goodbye to many of our colleagues.
We’d like to thank Team VV from editor Tim Donohue, VP of content Taco Tuinstra, sales wizard
Will Rasmussen to our intrepid copy editor Kaylin Warpole and our amazing graphic artist Dan
Kurtz. You may have already heard from some of them, and I’ll add my wholehearted
recommendation of each of them to you.

A magazine like Vapor Voice is also a forum for an entire industry and stakeholder community. I
know I’m not alone in expressing our sincere gratitude to our supporters, advertisers and our
readers who made Vapor Voice possible for all these years.

With my Kindest Regards,

Christopher B. Greer | President & CEO of TMA and The GTNF Trust

Just In Time for Halloween … Beware of the Zombie Vapes

On By michaelvaporsIn Vaping Industry
Packages of etomidate confiscated by the Criminal Investigation Bureau are displayed in Taipei on Aug. 21. Photo: Chiu Chun-fu, Taipei Times
Vape found during vape factory bust in central Taiwan. (The Third Special Police Corps photo)

From: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2024/10/28/2003825985 and https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/5958759

“Reported usage of so-called “zombie vapes” has grown 58-fold this year, the Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office said on Wednesday last week.

“Zombie vapes” use etomidate, a type of central nervous system depressant that can induce anesthesia.

The office cited data from the Food and Drug Administration as showing that the number of etomidate-positive non-urine samples has surged by 58.2 times from 22 last year to 1,281 as of last month.

The authorities also seized 2.3 tonnes of cannabis last year, up 9.7 times from 240.5kg in 2021, and 15,360 cannabis plants from January to August, an increase of 1.6 times from 6,692 plants last year, it said.

That indicates that cannabis has become one of the most popular narcotics in Taiwan, it added.

Abusing etomidate could lead to irritability, disorganized behavior, tremors, twitching or even death, Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital pediatrician Lin Yi-ching (林宜靜) said.

Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office prosecutor Chao Yen-li (趙燕利) said the office would clamp down on drug abuse, as cannabis and etomidate-related narcotics are increasingly used among young people and the number of reported seizures has been increasing over the past few years.

The office would monitor the sources and destinations of narcotic ingredients, and sites for drug cultivation, manufacturing and distribution, while working with international law enforcement, he said.

Criminal Investigation Bureau official Liu Chen-ju (劉貞汝) said the number of hit-and-run incidents that occur while driving under the influence of etomidate-related narcotics is increasing.

Two police officers died in the line of duty and five others have been injured this year, Liu said.

From July to this month, authorities seized 14,128 “zombie vape” cartridges, along with e-liquid and powders that could be made into more than 1.83 million cartridges worth about NT$4.6 billion (US$143,432 million), she said.

While etomidate is listed as a Category 3 narcotic, a narcotics review committee meeting would be convened early next month to discuss whether to upgrade the drug to Category 2, Ministry of Justice Department of Prosecutorial Affairs Director-General Kuo Yung-fa (郭永發) said.

Meanwhile, Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office prosecutor Huang Kuan-yun (黃冠運) said the office continues to promote a policy offering deferred prosecution and addiction treatment for drug users.

The recidivism rate for people who received deferred prosecution and addiction treatment was only 22.5 percent, much lower than those who were sentenced to observation, rehabilitation, compulsory abstention or rehabilitation in prison, he said.

The office would request district prosecutors to use deferred prosecution and addiction treatment to encourage defendants in drug abuse cases to abstain from narcotics, Huang said.”

UK Ban on Disposable Vapes Starts in June 2025

On By michaelvaporsIn Vape Community, Vaping Industry

From: https://vaporvoice.net/2024/10/24/2025-uk-ban-on-disposable-vapes-starts-in-june/

YAY! ….The sale of disposable vapes will be banned in England and Wales beginning in June of next year, the government has confirmed.

Ministers in England said the move, first announced in January by the previous government but not enacted before the general election, is intended to protect children’s health and prevent environmental damage.

The government said it had worked closely with the devolved nations and that they would “align coming into force dates” on bans. According to media reports, Wales has already confirmed it will follow suit.

Vaping industry leaders have warned the move could fuel a rise in illegal sales of the products.

The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) said vape usage in England had grown by more than 400 percent between 2012 and 2023, with 9 percent of the British public now buying and using the products.

It is illegal to sell any vape to anyone under 18, but disposable vapes – often sold in smaller, more colorful packaging than refillable ones – are a “key driver behind the alarming rise in youth vaping”, the previous government said when it first set out its plan.

Public health minister Andrew Gwynne said banning disposables would “reduce the appeal of vapes to children and keep them out of the hands of vulnerable young people”.

2025: UK Ban on Disposable Vapes Starts in June

Take the 2024 Vaper Survey!

On By michaelvaporsIn Vape Advocacy, Vape Community, Vaping Industry

Since 2016 CASAA has been working cooperatively with ECigIntelligence, an independent information service focused on tracking regulatory change and market intelligence for the vape sector. CASAA assists them with their annual U.S. survey of adults who vape by helping them develop survey questions that aid us in our advocacy efforts and help take the pulse of the vaping community.

As we do every year, CASAA is asking our members to participate in this year’s survey with the goal of collecting 5000 responses!

Take the Survey!

WHY SHOULD YOU PARTICIPATE?
The data collected from this survey will help inform regulators, advocates, and commentators as we all work to build policies that benefit consumers. The FDA in particular subscribes to this dataset and it can therefore serve as direct feedback on how their policies benefit or harm people who vape.

WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS WILL YOU BE ASKED?
The survey takes about 10-15 minutes to complete, and will ask you a range of questions starting with general demographic information like your age, gender, race, what state you live in, and your household income. Only a few of these demographic questions are required, however, so you can skip any you’d prefer not to disclose. After that you’ll answer a range of questions about your history of tobacco and vapor product use. The survey is anonymous, and none of the information provided can or will be used to personally identify you. You have the option of supplying your email at the end of the survey if you’d like to receive a summary of the results.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY?
Adults over the age of 21 living in the United States who currently use or previously used vapor and tobacco products are encouraged to participate.

HOW ELSE CAN YOU HELP?
After you’ve completed the survey, or if you are disqualified from participating but still want to help, please encourage your friends and family to participate! The goal of the survey is 5,000 respondents minimum, so every person helps!

Thank you for standing up for tobacco harm reduction,

Alex Clark
CEO, CASAA

Disposable E-Waste: Joint Operation Nets $76 Million in Illicit Vapes

On By michaelvaporsIn Vaping Industry

From this article by Vapor Voice: Joint Operation Nets $76 Million in Illicit Vapes

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), announced the administrative seizure of approximately three million units of illegal vaping products.

The products have an estimated retail value of $76 million. The seizures were part of a July joint operation to examine incoming shipments and prevent illegal e-cigarettes from entering the country. 

“The FDA is on high alert and, in coordination with our federal partners, remains committed to stopping unauthorized e-cigarettes at our nation’s borders,” said FDA Commissioner Robert Califf. “These products too often end up in kids’ hands, and the newly formed federal task force is well positioned to collectively combat this unscrupulous activity.”

In June, the FDA and the Department of Justice announced a joint federal task force to curb the distribution and sale of illegal e-cigarettes. Operations like these are an example of ongoing law enforcement work across federal agencies, which are now increasing in frequency with the creation of the task force. 

“CBP’s trade enforcement mission places a significant emphasis on intercepting illicit products that could harm American consumers,” said Troy A. Miller, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner for CBP. “We will continue to work with our enforcement partners to identify and seize unsafe and unlawful goods.” 

In preparation for the operation, the joint team worked for several months to review shipping invoices, identify potentially violative incoming shipments, and complete other investigative work that led to this successful operation, according to a press release. 

Upon examining shipments, all of which originated in China, the team found various brands of illegal e-cigarettes, including Geek Bar and others. In an attempt to evade duties and detection, most of these unauthorized e-cigarettes were intentionally mis-declared as items with no connection to vaping products and with incorrect values. 

Products that are seized and forfeited to the government will be disposed of in accordance with CBP authorities. 

“This isn’t the first joint seizure operation, and it won’t be the last – we will continue to relentlessly pursue those attempting to smuggle illegal e-cigarettes,” said Brian King, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. “The $76 million these bad actors just put in the dumpster should be a sobering reminder that their time and money would be better spent complying with the law.”