E-Cig Makers Asked to Stop U.S. Advertising

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Late last week, a U.S. House panel asked four e-cigarette companies to stop all print, broadcast and digital advertising of their products in the United States, reports U.S. News. The written requests came the same day as market-leader JUUL said it would pull its ads following a rash of vaping related illnesses across the country.

"I am writing today to respectfully, but strongly, request your company to do the same," Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, chairman of the House Oversight subcommittee on economic and consumer policy, wrote to Fontem Ventures, Japan Tobacco International Inc., Reynolds American Inc. and NJOY LLC.

By the end of the week, there were 805 confirmed and probable cases of lung illness and 12 deaths associated with vaping in the United States, and the Centers for Disease Control was urging consumers to stop using vaping products.

E-cigarettes have been popular in the United States for about a decade, but manufacturers have faced criticism that too many underage consumers are using them. In a statement, Fontem Ventures, maker of Blu e-cigarettes, said that young people should not use vaping products and that it supports initiatives to prevent youth access to its products. Reynolds American said in a statement that it is giving the request "careful consideration." Japan Tobacco and NJOY did not immediately respond to request for comment. Frequent claims that e-cigs are healthier or safer than traditional cigarettes have never been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Krishnamoorthi said.

JUUL, which dominates the e-cigarette market, said on Wednesday it would suspend its advertising and named a new chief executive. The Trump Administration has announced plans to remove all flavored e-cigarette products from the U.S. market in the United States, although no formal action has been taken.

Across the world in India, the country’s recent nationwide ban on e-cigarettes is being challenged in court, according to U.S. News. This month, the Indian government banned the sale, import and manufacture of vaping products, a move that would dash the expansion plans of companies such as JUUL and Philip Morris.

Two separate challenges have been filed in the high court of the eastern city of Kolkata by e-cigarette importer Plume Vapour and another company, Woke Vapors. A senior health ministry official in New Delhi said the government had been notified of the cases.

India’s ban includes a jail term of up to one year and a fine of 100,000 rupees ($1,411) for first-time offenders. The ban covers e-cigarette production, manufacturing, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertisement, although actual vaping by individuals is not prohibited.

An estimated 900,000 people die each year due to tobacco-related illnesses in India, and the government argues that an e-cigarette ban is essential to protect the public, especially young people. Pro-vaping groups argue that vaping is less harmful than smoking tobacco and that the ban will deprive millions of smokers of a safer solution to cut back on smoking.

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