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CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A large fire followed by multiple explosions at a building in suburban Detroit killed one person and injured a firefighter. Authorities believe canisters containing gas chemicals may have been responsible for the repeated explosions reported by first responders and witnesses. The building housed a distributor for the vaping industry called Goo, and canisters stored inside contained nitrous and butane, said Clinton Township Fire Chief Tim Duncan. Owners and employees are cooperating with investigators, said Clinton Township Police Chief Dina Caringi. Clinton Township officials asked residents to stay away from the site and said it would be fenced off and guarded as cleanup begins.

Persons: Tim Duncan, Duncan, “, Goo, Dina Caringi, Ben Ilozor, ” Organizations: Authorities, of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives, Fire, Associated Press, Police, Eastern Michigan University, Michigan’s Department of Environment, Energy Locations: CLINTON, Mich, Detroit, Clinton, Great Lakes

☆ 1 Killed as Explosion at Michigan Vape Distributor Sends Canisters Flying
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Emily Schmall | John Yoon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A teenager in Michigan was struck and killed by a flying butane canister from an explosive fire at a vaping distributor’s warehouse about a quarter mile away on Monday night, the authorities said. The 19-year-old man, who was not identified, was among several people injured from chunks of metal that the force of the explosion projected as far as a mile away, Mark Hackel, the county executive in Macomb County in Eastern Michigan, said in an interview. The fire, which began shortly before 9 p.m. on Monday, filled the night sky with flames and smoke, prompted the police to urge residents to avoid the area and left a trail of charred debris along 15 Mile Road, a highway in Clinton Township, Mich.“You could see the amount of fire just coursing in the sky, and the explosions were actually shaking the car,” Tim Duncan, the chief of Clinton Township’s fire department, said in a news conference on Tuesday morning.

Persons: Mark Hackel, Tim Duncan, Clinton Locations: Michigan, Macomb County, Eastern Michigan, Clinton Township, Mich

☆ Here's what it looks like when you hit the vape in an Apple Vision Pro
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Katie Notopoulos | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

You can't get away with secretly hitting the vape during a FaceTime call using an Apple Vision Pro. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementSo you've just purchased your $3,500 Apple Vision Pro, and you're ready to sit back, relax, and do some spatial computing while clandestinely hitting the vape. The Apple Vision Pro's "Personas" is the digital avatar it makes of your face for FaceTime video calls while you're jacked into the headset. (An update to the Personas feature made them look slightly better.)

Persons: that's, — Organizations: Apple Vision, Service, Apple, Business

☆ Any use of marijuana linked to higher risk of heart attack and stroke, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Smoking, vaping or eating marijuana is linked to a significantly higher risk of heart attack and stroke, even if a person had no existing heart conditions and did not smoke or vape tobacco, a new study found. While both daily and non-daily users had an increased risk of heart attack and stroke compared to nonusers, stroke risk rose 42% and the risk of heart attack rose 25% if cannabis was used daily, the study found. Younger adults — defined as men under 55 and women under 65 years old — who used marijuana had a 36% higher risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke regardless of whether they also used traditional tobacco products. Heart disease and marijuana use a known linkPrevious research has already found a link between heart disease and marijuana use. Also called atherosclerosis, CAD is the most common type of heart disease, according to the CDC.

Persons: ”, Abra Jeffers, ” Jeffers, Robert Page II, ” Page, Page, — Organizations: CNN, Massachusetts General Hospital, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, American Lung Association, Getty, American Heart Association, US Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, CDC Locations: Boston, Aurora , Colorado

☆ Nine hours at the most unhinged hole in golf
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Zak Jason | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

But this was Saturday at the 16th hole of Phoenix’s Waste Management Open, also known as the loudest day at the Loudest Hole in Golf, also known as the Greatest Show on Grass. “We’re so back.”In theory, this was a professional golf tournament, one of the oldest on the PGA Tour. Iwas there as an inevitable result of being in all-male group chat, its own black hole of feral manhood. Few were watching golf; most were huddled in circles many yards from the 16th hole, drinking and people-watching. That’s worth the wait.”Inside our box, golf continued to happen, but if the golfers weren’t teeing off, no one was watching the course.

Persons: seltzer, “ He’s, ”, —, Vuori, Oxford —, there’d, Creed’s, Scott Stapp sauntering, Christian Petersen, Getty “ Scott Stapp, “, Miller, George Bush, Orlando Ramirez, Getty, ” He’d, ctT5HMvIyg, Happy, Thomas Jefferson, MAGA, Him Cook, Ross D, Jesus Christ, Johnny, weren’t teeing, Hey, Potter, hal, Ben Jared, shitshow ” Organizations: Waste, Oxford, PGA, NBC, Alabama, pats, BlackRock, Bulls, WM, SEC, Happy Gilmore Bruins, Mardi Gras, Franklin, Waste Management Locations: Patagonia, Phoenix

☆ What Makes a Good Party? A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Callie Holtermann | Rebecca Smeyne | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

On Wednesday night, two sturdy bouncers framed an unmarked doorway between a pizzeria and a vape shop on West 57th Street. Those granted entry descended a narrow staircase to the door of Silencio New York, where a new offshoot of the swank Parisian nightclub was hosting its inaugural party. The Silencio on rue Montmartre has attracted a cross-section of Paris’s fashion, art and music scenes since it opened in 2011, with the involvement of the filmmaker David Lynch. (Its name references the eerie theater in Mr. Lynch’s 2001 movie “Mulholland Drive.”)Although its new location near Columbus Circle is not slated to officially open until later this month, it opened its doors early for a celebration for “Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys,” the power couple’s exhibition highlighting Black art stars that opens at the Brooklyn Museum on Saturday.

Persons: swank, David Lynch, Lynch’s, Swizz Beatz, Alicia Keys Organizations: “ Giants, Art, Brooklyn Museum Locations: Silencio New York, Montmartre, Columbus

☆ Disposable vapes to be banned in UK after stark warnings of risks to young people
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The U.K. government on Monday announced it will ban disposable vapes, citing an "alarming rise" in the number of young people using them. Brightly colored e-cigarettes which are used once and thrown away have proliferated in the U.K. and other countries in recent years. It is illegal to sell vapes to consumer under the age of 18 in the U.K., but according to government figures, 9% of 11 to 15-year-olds use them. The number of children vaping has tripled over the last three years, it said. Shops which sell vapes to children face higher spot fines.

Persons: vaping Organizations: Monday

☆ UK Government to Ban Disposable Vapes to Prevent Use by Children
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will announce plans on Monday to ban the sale of disposable vapes to prevent their use by children, and reiterate the government's intention to introduce a law preventing younger generations from buying tobacco. Under the new powers, there would be restrictions on vape flavours, a requirement for plain packaging, and changes to how vapes, or e-cigarettes, are displayed to make them less attractive to children. The World Health Organization (WHO) said in December all vape flavours should be banned. "That is why I am taking bold action to ban disposable vapes – which have driven the rise in youth vaping – and bring forward new powers to restrict vape flavours, introduce plain packaging and change how vapes are displayed in shops." The government says that along with the health benefits, the ban on disposable vapes would help the environment, with five million thrown away each week.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, vaping, Michael Holden, Bernadette Baum Organizations: British, World Health Organization, WHO, Vaping Industry Association

When Aaliyah Iglesias was caught vaping at a Texas high school, she didn’t realize how much could be taken from her. ___E-cigarettes have inundated middle and high schools. The episode that got her in trouble happened elsewhere in Texas, at Athens High School, where her debate team was competing last February. She was sent to her district’s alternative school for 30 days, which was the minimum punishment for students caught vaping under Tyler schools' zero-tolerance policy. In a pilot program, the district installed vape sensors in bathrooms and cameras outside the doors.

Persons: Aaliyah Iglesias, vaping, ___, Iglesias, “, ” Iglesias, I’m, Tyler, Rick Cadiz, ”, Michael Allman, Jennifer Villines, they’re, ” Villines, it’s, “ I’m, McCarthy, Yasmeen Saadi, Mikaela, Asplen Gengenbacher, Alexis Simmerman, Parker Daly, Elise Darragh, Ford, Emily Handsel, Henry Hill, Victoria Ren, Shaurya Sinha, Carolyn Stein, Jessica Yu Organizations: Schools, Stanford University, University of Missouri, Associated Press, Tyler High School, Athens High School, Smart Sensors, IPVideo, HALO, “, San Dieguito Union High School District, Coppell Independent School District, vaping, National Honor Society, Tyler Junior College Locations: Texas, Tyler , Texas, Tyler, ” Cadiz, Cadiz, California, Gorman, AP.org

PARIS (AP) — The French parliament is considering a ban on single-use, disposable electronic cigarettes that are popular with teenagers for their sweet flavors and are under scrutiny as a new source of trash. Disposable e-cigarettes are small, battery-powered devices that deliver vaporized nicotine with various flavorings. While they do not contain tobacco, many include nicotine, a dangerous chemical known for its addictive properties. The surge in disposable e-cigarettes in the U.S. market, primarily from China, following the Food and Drug Administration’s 2020 ban on flavored reusable e-cigarettes like Juul, exemplifies the broader challenge. The flavor restrictions didn’t apply to disposable products, which proliferated in the wake of the regulation.

Persons: Elisabeth Borne, Aurelien Rousseau, Marion Catellin, Alex Turnbull Organizations: PARIS, Health, National Assembly, Alliance Against Tobacco, Associated Press, Food Locations: Ireland, Germany, Zealand, Australia, U.S, China, Paris

[1/2] Vape pens stand in a display cabinet at a vape store, in Melbourne, Australia, May 2, 2023. REUTERS/Sandra Sanders/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Australia will ban imports of disposable vapes in January, the Health Minister said on Tuesday, the first step in a crackdown aimed at curbing the growing popularity of these nicotine-filled devices with young people. Despite one of the lowest rates of smoking in the OECD, a group of mostly rich countries, vaping in Australia is growing rapidly, especially among the young. First flagged in August, the reforms aim to curb the device's popularity in response to research showing the potential for long-term harm. To ensure the bans don't limit access for smokers looking to quit, doctors and nurses will be given expanded powers in January to prescribe therapeutic vapes where clinically appropriate.

Persons: Sandra Sanders, Mark Butler, Butler, Lewis Jackson, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Health, Australian Border Force, Therapeutic Goods Administration, OECD, Thomson Locations: Melbourne, Australia

☆ Russian students are being asked to donate their vapes so the parts can be used in combat drones, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russian students are being asked to turn in their vapes, per a report. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementStudents at a Russian university are asking their peers to donate their vapes to help the Russian military, a report said. Their components can be repurposed to make drones for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to Russian publication Novaya Gazeta Europe.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Novaya Gazeta Europe, Russia's University of, university's Military Department, Kyiv Post Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Russia's, Russia's University of Samara, Russian, Soviet, USSR, Ukrainian, Kyiv

Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to publicly release thousands of hours of Capitol security footage from Jan. 6, 2021, has fueled a renewed effort by Republican lawmakers and far-right activists to rewrite the history of the attack that day and exonerate the pro-Trump rioters who took part. Mr. Johnson’s move last week to make the footage available — something the far right has long demanded — came as he tried to allay the anger of hard-line Republican lawmakers for working with Democrats to keep the government funded. Now, some of the same people who were irate about that decision are using the Jan. 6 video to circulate an array of false claims and conspiracy theories about the largest attack on the Capitol in centuries. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, the hard-right Georgia Republican, was among the first lawmakers to post false information about the newly released videos. But the item in the man’s hand in the screen grab she circulated appears, upon closer inspection, to have been a vape pen.

Persons: Mike Johnson’s, Johnson’s, —, Marjorie Taylor Greene, “, ”, Kevin Lyons Organizations: Capitol, Republican, Trump, Georgia Republican

☆ Fact Check: No evidence convicted Jan. 6 protester is a federal agent
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A photo of a protester who was convicted for participating in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has been shared in online posts that claim, without evidence, that it shows a federal agent. Another post (archived) sharing the image on Facebook said it shows a federal agent disguised as a Trump voter. Page 9 shows Lyons filming as he walked around then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office. One clip shows Lyons starting at the 0:21 timestamp zipping his outer sweatshirt with the object in hand (see video titled “0177USCH01HallofColumnsSouthDoor_2021-01-06_14h49min32s983ms_1.mp4”). The image shows Kevin Lyons, a convicted participant of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

Persons: “, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Kevin James Lyons, Lyons, Nancy Pelosi’s, Ryan J, Reilly, reshared, Lyons ’, Kevin Lyons, Read Organizations: U.S . Capitol, Capitol, Facebook, Trump, Attorney’s, District of Columbia, MAN, Administration, NBC, Twitter, WBBM, CBS, FBI, Reuters, Thomson Locations: an Illinois

☆ F-1 in Las Vegas: A Roaring Spectacle for Fans, but a Huge Headache for Locals
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Jack Healy | More About Jack Healy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Rajine Jones has a front-row seat to the Las Vegas Grand Prix, one of the most audacious events to roar into a city built on spectacle. On Saturday night, Formula One racecars will be hurtling down the Las Vegas Strip and buzzing past towering casinos, just outside the convenience store where Ms. Jones sells vape cartridges and energy drinks to tourists. But race organizers have shrouded the Strip in black tarp and fencing, and covered the glass on pedestrian walkways with white film and floodlights, obscuring the festivities from those without a $1,000 ticket. “They blocked it,” Ms. Jones said, looking out her front doors at a line of tarp-covered fence. “We can’t see nothing.”Race and county officials described the barriers and film as safety measures to protect the public and drivers.

Persons: Rajine Jones, Jones, Ms Organizations: Las Vegas, Las

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Eight high school students in Las Vegas between the ages of 13 and 17 have been arrested on suspicion of murder in the fatal beating of a classmate, authorities announced Tuesday at a news conference. Johansson said the local FBI office assisted with the arrests Tuesday morning of the eight students. The coroner's office in Las Vegas ruled the beating a homicide. Political Cartoons View All 1247 ImagesThe fight, Johansson said, had been prearranged after the headphones and vape pen were stolen from the victim's friend. After his death, the victim's father, Jonathan Lewis Sr., said his son was attacked while standing up “for one of his smaller friends,” the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

Persons: Jason Johansson, Johansson, Jonathan Lewis Jr, Jonathan Lewis Sr, “, ” Organizations: LAS VEGAS, Las, Authorities, Rancho High School, Las Vegas Locations: Las Vegas

☆ Democrats have purchased $1.2 million in ads to target Lauren Boebert, outspending Republicans by 100 times: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

That's inspired Democrats to heavily invest in the MAGA Republican's defeat in next year's vote. Democrats have so far outspent Republicans on advertising by 100x, The New York Times reported. AdvertisementAdvertisementColorado Rep. Lauren Boebert was first elected in 2020, handily beating her Democratic opponent by more than 25,000 votes. Democrats, including Frisch, a local businessman, have "already reserved $1.2 million in advertising for the race," which isn't until 2024, the Times reported, citing the tracking firm Ad Impact. That, according to the paper, is more than 100 times what Republicans have spent.

Persons: Lauren Boebert, That's, MAGA, —, Adam Frisch, Boebert's, Frisch, Boebert, Donald Trump, Trump Organizations: Colorado, Republicans, New York Times, Service, Democratic, Republican, Colorado Republican, GOP, Times

☆ Starbursts, smuggled coffee and Martin Shkreli: How CNBC reported the Sam Bankman-Fried trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

Artist: Elizabeth WilliamsJust before 8 p.m. on Thursday, 12 jurors found Sam Bankman-Fried guilty of all seven counts against him. (CNBC put out a note requesting access ahead of the trial — an email which was ultimately ignored.) Every exit to file a report included another breakneck trip through security, in a sort of run, rinse, repeat cycle — security, courtroom, exit, photographer's car to file, back up through security, over and over again. CNBC correspondent MacKenzie Sigalos reporting on the Sam Bankman-Fried trial from outside the SDNY courthouse at 500 Pearl Street in downtown Manhattan. Around 8:02 p.m., Bankman-Fried, speechless, began to walk to a room just adjacent to the main court.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Elizabeth Williams, Fried, MacKenzie Sigalos, Dan Mangan, Martin Shkreli, Andrew Ross Sorkin, Michael Lewis, Lewis, Indiana Jones, Ben McKenzie, McKenzie, Damian Williams, They'd, Danielle Sassoon, Jane Rosenberg, Joe Bankman, Barbara Fried, Joseph Bankman, Brendan Mcdermid, gaunt, Kaplan, Bankman, Mark Cohen, Judge Kaplan, blankly, Christian Everdell, Cohen Organizations: Alameda Research, Southern, of, CNBC, Auburn University totebag, Capitalism, U.S, Federal Court Locations: of New York, San Francisco, Vegas, Georgia, Manhattan, Indiana, New York City, U.S

☆ E-cigarette use declines among high school students, FDA and CDC say
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Elf Bar disposable vape flavored vaping e-cigarette products are displayed in a convenience store on June 23, 2022 in El Segundo, California. The findings, a part of the 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey, showed that from 2022 to 2023 e-cigarette use among high school students declined to 10% from 14.1%, a drop representing about 580,000 fewer high schoolers. Current use of any tobacco product by high school students declined by an estimated 540,000 students, to 1.97 million in 2023 from 2.51 million in 2022. E-cigarette usage has been the most commonly used tobacco product among both high school and middle school students for a decade. "The FDA remains concerned about youth tobacco product use, and we cannot and will not let our guard down on this issue," King said.

Persons: Patrick T, FALLON, PATRICK T, Brian King, King, we're Organizations: Juul Labs, US Food and Drug Administration, Getty, Tobacco Survey, Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, FDA's Center for Tobacco Products, FDA, Esco Locations: El Segundo , California, AFP

NEW YORK (AP) — Fewer high school students are vaping this year, the government reported Thursday. In a survey, 10% of high school students said they had used electronic cigarettes in the previous month, down from 14% last year. Use of any tobacco product— including cigarettes and cigars — also fell among high schoolers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. — About 1 in 10 middle and high school students said they recently had used a tobacco product. There was a slight increase in middle schools students who said they had used at least one tobacco product in the past month, while that rate fell among high school students.

Persons: —, ”, Kenneth Michael Cummings, vape, Kurt Ribisl, Cummings, ___ Perrone Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, University of South, Drug Administration, FDA, CDC, University of North, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: University of South Carolina, China, University of North Carolina, Washington

casey newtonAnd this caused a big sort of emotional reaction that said, wow, that feels like really, really icky. It’s just really, really awful. How do I get really, really good at this? But we have that explosion at the beginning, which is really, really exciting. I’m still interested in smartphones because I think they’re really, really advanced pieces of tech.

Persons: kevin roose, Kevin Roose, ” casey newton, Casey Newton, ” kevin roose, casey newton Oh, casey newton, ” kevin roose You’re, kevin roose That’s, kevin roose I’m Kevin Russo, Marques Brownlee, a.k.a, We’ve, don’t, casey newton Well, Meta, It’s, casey newton Right, casey newton It’s, kevin roose Totally, I’ve, you’re, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, They’re, that’s, kevin roose Casey, Hansel, Gretel, let’s, they’re, casey newton Jewel, ”, Juul, Meta didn’t, we’ve, “ We’re, There’s, Al Capone, They’ve, —, Kevin, casey newton I’ve, casey newton That’s, Marquez Brownlee, Casey, He’s, Marquez, he’s, Elon Musk, Sundar Pichai, you’ll, marquez brownlee, casey newton I’m, You’ve, casey newton Let’s, you’ve, it’s, I’m, he’ll, kevin roose Marquez, PewDiePie, marquez brownlee I’ll, they’ve, Ralph, That’s, kevin roose It’s, you’d, we’re, I’d, casey newton Libraries ! marquez brownlee, everyone’s, Samantha, Davis, Fancy, Bard, DALL, Midjourney, ChatGPT, Bing, who’s, it’ll, OpenAI, Pope, kevin roose Pope, — casey newton, casey newton Ah, Mickey Mouse, Eli Lilly, barbecuing, bro, Fabio, Getty, Greg Rutkowski, kevin roose Really, Greg, there’s, Ben Zhao, casey newton We’re, Bob Ross Organizations: The New York Times, YouTube, Meta, pharma, AGs, Netflix, COPPA, Facebook, Congress, Digital Services, Federal Communications Commission, ABC, CBS, FCC, Samsung, casey newton Libraries, VR, Apple, ChatGPT, Enterprise, DALL, Disney, Twitter, Getty, “ MIT Tech, University of Chicago, Adobe Locations: California, Colorado, what’s, you’re, Europe, United States, China, earbuds

☆ Griner receives WNBA Cares Community Assist Award
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 21, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) reacts after scoring against the Chicago Sky in the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 27 (Reuters) - Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner has received the season-long WNBA Cares Community Assist Award in part for her continued work in championing the safe return of wrongful detainees overseas, the league said on Friday. Throughout the 2023 WNBA season, Griner, who was freed from a Russian penal colony in a high-profile prisoner exchange last year, worked with Bring Our Families Home, a campaign that helps spread awareness about wrongfully detained Americans. "I know the opportunity, privilege and responsibility I have to make a difference in the lives of others, and I'll always remain committed to that," Griner said in a WNBA news release. During the season, Griner and the Mercury also hosted families and friends of wrongful detainees at their games.

Persons: Rick Scuteri, Griner, Viktor Bout, Frank Pingue, Ken Ferris Organizations: Phoenix Mercury, Chicago Sky, Footprint Center, Mercury, Griner, BG, Phoenix Rescue, National Basketball Association, Russia, Thomson Locations: Phoenix , Arizona, USA, Russian, Phoenix, Moscow, Ukraine, Toronto

☆ Marlboro maker Altria reports declining revenue, citing competition from illicit e-vapor products
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Altria Group, the parent company of Philip Morris USA and the nation's largest tobacco company, reported third-quarter results Thursday that fell short of Wall Street's expectations as demand for its core cigarette business cools and illicit e-vapor products flood the market. The Marlboro maker said its domestic cigarette shipment volume decreased 11.6%, primarily driven by wider declines across the industry and competition from illicit e-vapor products, among other factors. In a conference call with analysts, Altria CEO Billy Gifford said the lack of regulation of illicit e-vapor products has come at the expense of legal operators and approved. Although federal crackdowns have placed more restrictions on the flavors and marketing for tobacco products, illicit operators are skirting many tobacco-related laws and are flooding the market with disposable e-cigarettes that aren't FDA-approved and are illegal to sell. Like many other tobacco companies, Altria is moving beyond traditional, combustible cigarettes and towards smoke-free products.

Persons: Philip Morris, Altria, Billy Gifford, Gifford Organizations: Marlboro, Altria, Philip Morris USA, LSEG, Anheuser, Busch InBev, FDA, NJOY's, U.S Locations: San Francisco , California, Marlboro, JUUL, Juul

But the recent shift toward e-cigarettes that can’t be refilled has created a new environmental dilemma. U.S. teens and adults are buying roughly 12 million disposable vapes per month. But the quantities used in vaping devices are too small to warrant salvage. Disposable e-cigarettes currently account for about 53% of the multi-billion U.S. vaping market, according to U.S. government figures, more than doubling since 2020. The company has incinerated more than 1.6 million pounds of vaping waste in recent years, mostly unsold inventory or discontinued products.

Persons: ”, Yogi Hale Hendlin, Michael Garland, ” Garland, Brian King, “, New York Sheriff Anthony Miranda, Bob Cappadona, Daniel Ryan, Shelly Fuller, ” Fuller, Joseph Frederick, Matthew Perrone Organizations: WASHINGTON, University of California, Environmental, Agency, EPA, FDA, Regulators, New, Veolia, Centaurus High, ”, Twitter, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: U.S, San Francisco, Monroe County , New York, Arkansas, New York City, New York , California, Monroe County, “, New York, Gum Springs , Arkansas, Boulder County , Colorado, Boulder

WASHINGTON (AP) — Four months after U.S. regulators tried to block imports of Elf Bar, the top-selling Chinese disposable e-cigarette remains widely available thanks to a simple but effective tactic: a name change. In May, it directed customs officials to seize incoming shipments of Elf Bar and EBDesign, two of the company's U.S. brand names. Elf Bar generated U.S. sales of over $271 million in the past year, according to retail data tracker Nielsen. Public records show how quickly Elf Bar was able to rebrand itself when the FDA announced its import ban in May. “FDA has confiscated more heads of romaine lettuce than it has illegal e-cigarettes in the last five years,” said Jenson.

Persons: ”, Desmond Jenson, Brian King, ” King, Nielsen, EBCreate, Rob Handfield, Jenson, “, Matthew Perrone Organizations: WASHINGTON, Washington D.C, Drug Administration, FDA, Public Health Law Center, Associated Press, AP, U.S . Patent, iMiracle, iMiracle Shenzhen Technology, Nevera HK Limited, Shenzhen, U.S, North Carolina State University . “ Customs, Border Patrol, Department of Justice, Regulators, Twitter, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group Locations: Washington, Philadelphia , New York, U.S, Los Angeles, Houston, iMiracle Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Mexico, Shenzhen, romaine

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