Weekly Roundup of Global Vaping Industry Headlines
1. China’s State Tobacco Monopoly Administration released the "E-Cigarette Administration Measures (Draft for Public Comment)". On December 2, the authority officially published the draft and invited public feedback, with comments accepted until December
1. National Tobacco Monopoly Bureau Releases "E-Cigarette Management Measures (Draft for Comments)"
On December 2, the National Tobacco Monopoly Bureau released the "E-Cigarette Management Measures (Draft for Comments)" and is soliciting public opinions until December 17, 2021. It is reported that before drafting the "Management Measures," multiple expert evaluation meetings were held to comprehensively assess the necessity, feasibility, and rationality of issuing the "Management Measures." A qualified third-party organization was commissioned to conduct thorough research and evaluation of the e-cigarette situation nationwide and in key cities, and opinions and suggestions from e-cigarette companies were widely solicited. Based on this, the "Management Measures" were formed, incorporating the characteristics of e-cigarette products, market development situations, and international regulatory experiences.2. National Tobacco Monopoly Bureau: A Transition Period for the E-Cigarette Industry
On the afternoon of December 2, the National Tobacco Monopoly Bureau held a policy briefing to introduce the legal regulation of e-cigarettes and other new tobacco products, further clarifying the legal attributes, regulatory subjects, and scope of regulation for e-cigarettes. During the briefing, a relevant official from the National Tobacco Monopoly Bureau stated that although the amended "Regulations on the Implementation of the Tobacco Monopoly Law of the People's Republic of China" have begun to take effect, the "E-Cigarette Management Measures" and national standards for e-cigarettes have not yet been finalized. Therefore, a transition period has been set before the formal implementation of the e-cigarette management measures and national standards. During the transition period, existing e-cigarette manufacturers can continue their production and business activities normally. Currently, various investors are prohibited from investing in new e-cigarette manufacturing enterprises; existing e-cigarette manufacturers are not allowed to establish or expand production capacity, set up new e-cigarette retail points, or launch new products, and new e-cigarette imports are suspended.
3. National Tobacco Monopoly Bureau Releases National Standard for E-Cigarettes (Draft for Comments)
On November 30, the National Tobacco Monopoly Bureau issued a notice soliciting opinions on the "National Standard for E-Cigarettes (Draft for Comments)." The notice stated that according to the standard revision plan of the National Standardization Administration, the National Tobacco Monopoly Bureau has organized the completion of the "National Standard for E-Cigarettes (Draft for Comments)" and is now publicly soliciting opinions, intending to implement it formally 3-5 months after its release. Written feedback should be submitted to the drafting department by January 29, 2022.4. RLX Technology Inc. Releases Q3 2021 Financial Report
On December 3, RLX Technology Inc. (NYSE: RLX) released its Q3 2021 financial report. The report shows that RLX Technology's net revenue for Q3 2021 was 1.68 billion yuan (260 million USD), a year-on-year increase of 49.7%, but a quarter-on-quarter decrease of 34.0%. The adjusted net profit under non-GAAP was 450 million yuan (70.26 million USD), a year-on-year increase of 84.0%, but a quarter-on-quarter decrease of 30.5%.5. Authoritative Journal "Cancer": E-Cigarettes Significantly Reduce Lung Carcinogen Production
Recently, the latest research published in the authoritative journal "Cancer" shows that e-cigarettes can not only serve as an effective smoking cessation tool but also reduce the production of lung carcinogens in smokers. The study also found that the health risks associated with simultaneous use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes in a short period are very limited. #p#Pagination Title#e# "Cancer" is one of the oldest oncology research journals published by the American Cancer Society. This research was led by a research team from Penn State College of Medicine and Virginia Commonwealth University, supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.6. Juul Labs Sued Again by North Carolina
This Tuesday, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein announced that he is suing Juul Labs founders James Monsees and Adam Bowen. Stein claims that Juul implemented marketing strategies aimed at attracting young users to the brand, profiting billions of dollars, much of which ended up in the personal accounts of its founders and early investors.
