Read articles from China
December 11, 2023 by qz.com
Lawmakers seek action against Elf Bar and other fruity e-cigarettes imported from China
House lawmakers are demanding information from federal officials on what they are doing to stop the recent influx of kid-appealing electronic cigarettes from China. Members of a new congressional committee on U.S.-China relations sent the request Thursday to Justice Department and Food and Drug Administration leaders, calling attention to “the extreme proliferation of illicit vaping products.”
December 06, 2023 by reuters.com
China e-cigarette titan behind 'Elf Bar' floods the U.S. with illegal vapes
A new breed of e-cigarette has addicted teenagers and confounded regulators worldwide by offering flavors like Blue Cotton Candy and Pink Lemonade in a cheap, disposable package. The tycoon dominating this latest wave is Zhang Shengwei, 50, a veteran of China’s vape industry in the southern manufacturing hub of Shenzhen. Most people have never heard of him. Zhang quietly rose over 15 years from a boutique exporter to become one of the world’s largest vape manufacturers. His main company, Heaven Gifts, now competes with industry giants Juul Labs Inc and British American Tobacco Plc (BATS.L) in the United States, the United Kingdom and across Europe.
August 25, 2023 by tobaccoinduceddiseases.org
E-Cigarette Awareness and Use, Among Adult Residents in Shanghai, China
The widespread popularity of e-cigarettes is considered an important public health concern. However, only some studies have investigated the prevalence of e-cigarette use in Shanghai, China. This study aimed to estimate e-cigarette awareness, prevalence, and associated factors among adults in Shanghai, China.
July 31, 2023 by 2firsts.com
THR Advocates Applaud China's New Regulatory Move
On June 20, 2023, the Office of the State Tobacco Administration sent out a notification on the "Guidelines for Promoting the Building of Quality Assurance Systems for Exported Electronic Cigarette Products", which the key points of the guidelines include: All e-cigarettes exported from China will need to comply with local regulatory legal requirements and need to be traceable throughout their inbound and outbound transport. All Chinese exports of e-cigarettes that are investigated by authorities overseas for quality issues must be reported to the Tobacco Administration where the manufacturer is located and be subject to relevant investigations. [...]
July 29, 2023 by halfwheel.com
HONG KONG CONSIDERING GENERATIONAL TOBACCO BAN, HIGHER TAXES, PLAIN PACKAGING & MORE
Hong Kong is considering banning those born after a certain date from ever being able to purchase tobacco products, introducing plain packaging for tobacco products, increasing tobacco taxes and more. It’s all being considered as part of a wide-ranging survey from the Hong Kong Health Bureau as part of its Public Consultation on Tobacco Control Strategies, a survey that takes place between July 12-Sept. 30, 2023. Hong Kong’s government has set a goal of reducing the percentage of adults who smoke from 9.5 percent in 2021 to 7.8 percent by 2025. [...]
July 13, 2023 by scmp.com
Increasing Hong Kong’s tobacco tax every year will effectively discourage smoking, says health secretary
Hong Kong’s health chief has said increasing tobacco taxes every year is an effective way to discourage smoking but has stressed that authorities plan to consult the public on the issue.
Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau made the suggestion on Thursday, a day after his bureau launched a 2½-month public consultation on anti-smoking strategies, covering 14 proposed measures ranging from increasing tobacco tax to banning people born after a certain date from buying cigarettes.
July 13, 2023 by scmp.com
Lifetime ban on cigarettes for Hongkongers born after certain date proposed in public consultation on smoking
Banning Hongkongers born after a certain date from buying cigarettes is among measures in an open-ended public consultation on discouraging smoking, although insiders say some of the more controversial ideas were dropped. [...] The consultation, involving a citywide questionnaire, began on Wednesday and is expected to end on September 30.
March 22, 2023 by rti.org.tw
VIDEO: Vape ban officially enacted in Taiwan
Public health is a government priority. The increasing popularity of vaporized nicotine products has raised concerns about its impact on Taiwanese youths, so lawmakers are taking action to address the situation. Vaping, or consuming nicotine through vaporizing devices, has become increasingly popular, especially among teens.
Vapes were once touted as a potentially healthier alternative for smokers. However, starting last year, Taiwanese lawmakers began to propose legislation banning the import, sale, and manufacture of e-cigarettes, another term for vapes.
March 20, 2023 by nypost.com
Colorful Chinese-made e-cigarette Elf Bar using influencers to appeal to kids, Schumer says
Sen. Chuck Schumer is calling on the US Food and Drug Administration to investigate a hot, new Chinese-made e-cigarette that he believes is skirting American advertising laws by appealing directly to kids and teenager via social media.
The New York Democrat said the e-cig — called “Elf Bar” — is wrapped in colorful packaging to attract youthful customers. And it hooks them with kid-friendly flavors like rainbow candy, peach mango, cotton candy and vanilla ice cream, according to a Sunday statement.
February 13, 2023 by scmp.com
All cigarettes, illicit or legal, are a threat
Black market cigarettes may cast a shadow over plans to reduce smoking rates in the city through a proposed increase in tobacco taxes. A recent survey found about 80 per cent of users would rather buy cheaper illicit products than quit. While discouraging, the findings should not prevent the government from considering a tax disincentive and more law enforcement to hit its goal of cutting tobacco use from 9.5 per cent of the population to 7.8 per cent by 2025.
More than 2,000 smokers and non-smokers were approached for the survey by the Long-term Tobacco Policy Concern Group.