Vaping Industry News: Alibaba Suspends E-Cigarette Sales to US Buyers

Alibaba Suspends E-Cigarette Sales to US Buyers
 
Alibaba announced that starting October 10, the company will suspend the sale of e-cigarettes and related products to US buyers. E-cigarettes and related products listed on the company's platform will be invisible to US buyers.

The products included in this category are: box-style e-cigarettes, pen-style e-cigarettes, tobacco sprayers, heated tobacco devices, pod systems, and empty pods containing liquid. The company stated that its current policy has long prohibited the sale of combustible nicotine products and e-cigarettes containing liquid nicotine.

Montana Announces Temporary Ban on Flavored E-Cigarettes: Effective October 22
 

According to reports from foreign media on the morning of October 9, Montana Governor Steve Bullock issued a 120-day ban on the sale of flavored e-cigarette products, stating that the increasingly popular e-cigarettes are harming our youth.

The ban will take effect on October 22, with the 120-day duration being the longest allowed by law. The state plans to implement emergency administrative regulations to temporarily prohibit the sale of flavored e-cigarettes.

Governor Bullock stated that there have been 1,080 confirmed cases of lung disease nationwide, with two occurring in Montana; there have been 21 deaths related to e-cigarette use across 48 states and one territory in the US. More than half of the patients are under 25 years old.

The governor also mentioned that in Montana, about 48,000 users aged 12 to 18 have tried e-cigarette products. Between 2017 and 2019, the percentage of high school students in Montana who used e-cigarette products in the past 20 or 30 days increased by 243%. The daily usage rate of e-cigarette products increased by 263%.

The emergency regulations will be submitted by the Department of Public Health and Human Services on Tuesday. The ban includes all flavored e-cigarette products sold in stores and online, including those containing flavored nicotine, THC, and CBD. According to the Montana state press release, the ban also requires retailers to destroy their existing inventory.

Authorities are investigating which products or chemicals are causing serious illnesses nationwide to implement evidence-based management measures.

Montana officials stated that in addition to Montana, six other states have taken similar actions: Washington, Oregon, Michigan, Rhode Island, New York, and Massachusetts. Additionally, Utah has passed emergency regulations limiting the licensed sales locations for e-cigarettes, and the California governor has issued an executive order to raise public awareness and establish warning signs.

Staff from the governor's office also stated that the Trump administration announced last month that it would ban the sale of most flavored e-cigarettes, but did not provide specific details or timelines.