ASA orders Relx and Louis Shaw to stop promoting e-cigarettes on Instagram

Market by The Drum

Jun.29.2022

The ASA concluded that it breached the Cap Code (Edition 12) 2.1, 2.3 and 22.12.

The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has directed Chinese e-cigarette brand Relx and Geordie Shore star Louis Shaw to stop promoting nicotine-containing e-cigarettes on Instagram.

In December 2021 an Instagram story on Shaw’s account showed a hand holding two boxes containing unlicensed e-cigarettes with the brand name RELX, with text stating: ‘@RELXUK’ and ‘GET YOUR OWN – RELAX WITH 15% OFF – LOUISXMAS15.’ This 15% discount code for the product was considered promotional by the ASA.

ASA orders Relx and Louis Shaw to stop promoting e-cigarettes on Instagram — *ASA directs Relx and Louis Shaw to not promote e-cigarettes on Instagram in future*

The ad also featured text saying, ‘This product contains nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance.’

The ASA concluded that it breached the Cap Code (Edition 12) 2.1, 2.3 and 22.12.

The post was investigated on two grounds:

The complainant challenged whether the ad did not make clear its commercial intent

The ASA challenged whether the ad breached the code by promoting unlicensed, nicotine-containing e-cigarettes and their components on Instagram

Also read:

RELX Vapes Seized by Regulator Possibly due to Incomplete Docs

#E-cigarette #E-cigarettes and Tobacco #RELX Technology

China Tobacco Regulation Shift：Policy Updates and Market Impact

Cambodian's Phnom Penh Military Police continue crackdown after 300,000-device raid

Phnom Penh Military Police said they have continued cracking down on locations selling electronic devices used for smoking chemicals, following a major raid last week that confiscated 300,000 electronic smoking devices.

Jan.20 by 2FIRSTS.ai

PMTA Roundtable Opens with Industry Questioning Product Characterization Standards, FDA Defends Regulatory Boundaries

At the opening of FDA’s PMTA roundtable, small ENDS manufacturers warned that unclear product characterization standards are limiting their ability to invest and raise capital. FDA officials acknowledged industry concerns but said regulatory flexibility is constrained by statutory and procedural boundaries.

Feb.11

New Nicotine Products Added to Tax List in Delaware Budget Proposal

Delaware Governor Matt Meyer’s proposed FY2027 budget would significantly raise cigarette and nicotine product taxes to help close a $500 million budget gap and generate new revenue. The cigarette tax would rise from $2.10 to $3.60 per pack, with increases on moist snuff, e-liquids and other tobacco products. Supporters say the move is justified, while small businesses warn of potential sales losses.

Feb.17

Product | VOZOL’s New E-Cigarette Appears on Middle East Social Media, Touted at 40,000 Puffs with Dual Mesh Coils and Dual Modes

VOZOL has recently promoted its MAGIC FLEX 40000 e-cigarette on its official Iraq social media account, using mainly Arabic-language posts and listing Baghdad as the account location. The campaign highlights a detachable/separate battery, the ability to switch flavors at will, ECO/POWER dual-mode operation, and a display-based user interface.

Jan.27 by 2FIRSTS.ai

European survey: current e-cigarette use among 15–19-year-olds rises from 14% (2019) to 22% (2024)

A European study cited in the report says the share of young people aged 15 to 19 who are current e-cigarette users increased from 14% in 2019 to 22% in 2024, with Italy reflecting the broader European pattern. Over the same period, conventional cigarette smoking among young people is described as declining, with the proportion of students who have smoked at least once in their lifetime falling sharply from 1995 to 2024, and the largest drop occurring between 2019 and 2024.

Feb.12 by 2FIRSTS.ai

Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis to hold public hearings on e-cigarette use in the 2026 spring session

Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis will hold public hearings regarding the use of e-cigarettes. The topic has been included in the 2026 spring session work plan of the Milli Majlis Committee on Agrarian Policy. During the spring session, the committee plans to convene a public hearing titled “Health is our goal: an end to e-cigarettes.”

Jan.23 by 2FIRSTS.ai