Vapouround magazine Vapouround Magazine Issue 26 | Page 21

VAPING “ILLEGAL” IN INDIA India’s e-cigarette sales ban also implies that their use is also banned, according to reports. Reuters news agency quoted court papers from the Indian Health Ministry which said: “Once the import, production, manufacture, distribution and storage of e-cigarettes is prohibited, it is implied that the use of e-cigarettes is also prohibited.” India banned the import, manufacture, sale, advertisement, storage and distribution of e-cigarettes in September. However it is understood that while no action will be taken for “personal use,” vapers still fear police action if they continue vaping. VIRTUAL REALITY CAN HELP SMOKERS QUIT Virtual reality has proved to be an effective smoking cessation tool, according to new research. The study by the University of Catania in Sicily, involved inviting smokers who had no intention to give up, to assess their motivation to quit after viewing different stimuli. The most motivating was a VR experience that showed the development of smoking-related illnesses. Lead researcher Professor Pasquale Caponnetto, said: “The most important aspect underlined by this research is the connection of psychology to technology and the possibility of using the appeal of innovative technological systems to encourage a healthier lifestyle.” KEEP IT TICKING CALIFORNIA SUES JUUL Chronic smokers who switched from cigarettes to vaping saw a signifi cant improvement in markers of heart health after just a month, researchers have found. The University of Dundee study concluded that switching to vaping could lead to signifi cantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Jacob George, a professor of cardiovascular medicine, said: “By switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes we found an average percentage point improvement of 1.5 within just one month. “To put that into context, each percentage point improvement in vascular function results in a 13 percent reduction in cardiovascular event rates, such as heart attacks.” California is suing Juul Labs, alleging that the company deliberately marketed and sold its pod devices to young people. The lawsuit argues that Juul´s past marketing efforts online and in major US cities used bright colours and youthful-looking models to attract underage users. It also alleges that Juul previously failed to adequately verify customers’ ages and identities on its website and distributed free products at concerts and festivals. A Juul spokesman said the company’s intended customers are adult smokers, adding “we do not intend to attract underage users.” APPLE AXES VAPE APPS Apple has removed all 181 vaping-related apps from its online store and will no longer accept any new apps related to e-cigarettes. The apps had allowed users to interact with vape devices, provided vape-related news and social network interaction. Apple said it took “great care to curate the App Store as a trusted place for customers, particularly youth, to download apps” and said the apps it offered were constantly evaluated. Existing users will still be able to use their apps and install them on new devices. VM26 15