FDA Orders Removal of Youth Oriented Vape Products

The deadline for PMTA applications has been moved to September 9, 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the FDA has gone after certain products and vendors for selling unauthorized vaping supplies - supplies they say appeals to youth through product design or by promoting a product which helps them hide vaping. Ten companies were sent warning letters regarding their products.

The following companies received warnings due to marketing violations:

• Vaprwear Gear, LLC (manufacturer, online retailer)
• Vapewear, LLC (manufacturer, online retailer)
• Wizman Limited (manufacturer, online retailer)
• EightCig, LLC (online retailer)
• Ejuicepack, LLC (online retailer)
• Vape Royalty, LLC (online retailer)
• VapeCentric, Inc. (online retailer)
• Dukhan Store (online retailer)
• VapeSourcing (online retailer)
• Shenzhen Uwell Technology Co., Ltd. d/b/a DTD Distribution Inc. (importer, retailer)

Products that were said to violate marketing restrictions included:

• A mod based on the original gameboy
• A device that was also a fidget spinner
• Backpacks and hoodies designed to hide vapor clouds
• Two mods that resembled smartwatches
• E-liquids that displayed popular cartoon and videogame characters on their labels
• E-liquids that with packaging that resembles snacks like candy and Pocky

Along with the above products, three additional mods were mentioned in the FDA’s letter to Uwell - the popular Uwell Caliburn Pod Kit, Uwell Caliburn KOKO Kit, Uwell Yearn Pod System.

A majority of the products banned were not unfair targets. Compared to highschoolers, adult vapers will have very little use for a backpack that hides vaping. A fidget spinning device is simply the perfect way to make vape liquids expire faster. 

However, it’s not clear why a majority of the Uwell mods were banned. One of the banned mods resembled a watch, but the FDA listed three additional mods. Unlike the other banned products, the Caliburn and Yearn Kits did not have individual images or text explaining the decision behind the ban. 

All letters can be read on the FDA’s list of Warning Letters (Issuing Office is the “Center for Tobacco Products” and the Year is 2020).

References:

FDA Warns Manufacturers and Retailers to Remove Certain E-cigarette Products Targeted to Youth from the Market

FDA bans products that help teens hide vaping