Glimpse of LAMI's Booth at IECIE With Its Director

Unconfirmed documents and videos suggest QISI, maker of Geek Bar, has suspended operations for “rectification” through November. No official response has been issued.

On July 23, South Korea passed a bill banning e-cigarette vending machines in school zones. Previously unregulated due to classification gaps, e-cigarettes are now included under the revised Education Environment Protection Act to better protect student health.

A 19-year-old Singaporean woman was charged for selling and possessing e-cigarettes via WhatsApp. She faces up to six months’ jail, a S$10,000 (US$7,800) fine, or both, amid HSA’s crackdown on e-cigarette offenses.

The Philippines’ Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has filed 75 criminal complaints before the Department of Justice, accusing multiple individuals and businesses of involvement in the illicit trade of vape products, with total tax liabilities exceeding ₱711.13 million (about US$12.28 million). The BIR Commissioner stated that the vapes involved in the cases had not paid the required excise taxes. The accused now face charges including tax evasion, unlawful possession or transfer of taxable goods

On September 4th, a team from the Manisa Provincial Gendarmerie Command seized a large quantity of smuggled cigarettes and e-cigarettes during an operation and detained a suspect. A search of the suspect's vehicle revealed 137 e-cigarettes, 530 packs of smuggled cigarettes, and 41 boxes of nicotine gum. The vehicle was towed to a trustee's parking lot, and the suspect has been charged with violating Law No. 5607 on Combating Smuggling.

Wisconsin is planning to prohibit the sale of all vape products that have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) starting September 1. At present, WISCOFAST, a non-profit trade association formed by vape shop owners, has filed a lawsuit against the state government in an attempt to block the law from taking effect. The court is expected to rule later this week on whether the ban will be enforced.