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t is clear from your editing and comments your intention is to edit in ways which are almost certainly contrary to the English Wikipedia's conflict of interest guidelines, and totally contrary to the policy on promotional editing too. The English Wikipedia is not a platform for advertising, promotion, public relations, or a vanity page. See WP:NOTPROMO and WP:PROMO.

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elf_Bar&action=history

https://web.archive.org/web/20230406014259/https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/tobacco/elfbar-tells-retailers-to-keep-selling-over-filled-vapes-amid-withdrawal/676308.article Add link to read full article.

https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/youth-and-tobacco/results-annual-national-youth-tobacco-survey

https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/real-cost-campaign/real-cost-e-cigarette-prevention-campaign

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iTxYYhjQa4&t=1s

https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/public-health-education-campaigns/next-legends-campaign

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji1oFHhW2vs&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fda.gov%2F&source_ve_path=OTY3MTQ&feature=emb_imp_woyt

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elf_Bar&diff=1193446844&oldid=1193446076

https://web.archive.org/web/20231216033903/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/06/style/vape-elf-bar-juul.html

Search - ELF Bar 600 Disposable Vape https://flickr.com/search/?text=ELF%20Bar%20600%20Disposable%20Vape&license=2%2C3%2C4%2C5%2C6%2C9

Rapid growth in disposable e-cigarette vaping among young adults in Great Britain from 2021 to 2022: a repeat cross-sectional survey [1] [2]

Higher Law: Trademarks Suits Targeting Vape Products [3]

Need copy.[1]


Elf Bar
Company typePrivate[2]
IndustryElectronic cigarettes[3]
Founded2018; 6 years ago (2018)[3]
Founder
  • Zhang Shengwei[2]
Headquarters
Shenzhen,[2] China[3]
Area served
  • United Kingdom[4]
  • United States[5]
  • Worldwide[6]
Key people
(CEO[7])
ProductsElectronic cigarettes[3]
Revenue$3.5 billion to $4 billion worldwide in 2023[6]
OwnerZhang Shengwei[2]
Number of employees
Exceeding 700 in 2023 for the company Heaven Gifts[2]
Websiteelfbar.com

Elf Bar (renamed EB Design in the US[5] and renamed again in the US to EBCreate[8]) is a Chinese-based electronic cigarette brand owned by the company Shenzhen IMiracle Technology.[2] Some products state iMiracle HK Limited or VapeOnly Technology as the manufacturer of Elf Bar.[9] The brand started in 2018[3] and its founder is Zhang Shengwei[2] and its CEO is Victor Xiao.[7] The company offers non-reusable[10] and reusable vapes.[3] Elf Bars may contain nicotine, carcinogens, and toxicants[11] and can contain up to 20 mg/ml (2%) of liquid nicotine salts that one can purchase in the UK.[12] The single-use types contain the nicotine concentration equivalent to 48 cigarettes,[12] and one version contains the amount of nicotine equivalent to 590 cigarettes.[13] They also offer no nicotine versions.[14]

Nicotine is highly addictive and poses a myriad of health risks[15] such as the stimulation of cancer development and growth.[16] Although the International Agency for Research on Cancer does not consider nicotine to be a carcinogen, several studies demonstrate it is carcinogenic.[15] Because it can form nitrosamine compounds (particularly N-Nitrosonornicotine (NNN) and nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone (NNK)) through a conversion process, nicotine itself exhibits a strong potential for causing cancer.[17]

It has been sold in the US since November 2021 despite having no authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration.[8] Despite its legal status, it is the most popular disposable vape in the US, as of 2023.[18] In 2022, Elf Bar became the most widely used non-reusable e-cigarette brand in the UK - in part because they are very popular among the Generation Z demographic.[19] They come in a variety of sweet flavors[3] and common ones include apple, blueberry, and watermelon.[11] They have partnered with influencers to target youth.[19]

Some social media influencers state that they get money for promoting Elf Bars products on TikTok, as of 2022.[20] Elf Bars are made in China[3] and the brand has impacted the sales of cigarettes and rolling tobacco.[3] Elf Bar sales were more than $271 million in the US in 2022.[8] In a 12 month period reported in 2023, Elf Bar and its other brand Lost Mary sold more than £900 million worth of vapes, greater than 160 million units, according to NielsenIQ.[21]

Health effects

Benefits

Vaping itself has no proven benefits.[22] Any meaningful favorable effect from nicotine has not been demonstrated.[15]

Effects

External video
- Why everyone is addicted to ELF BARs. | Disposable Vapes

Vaping itself is a deliberate exposure in contrast to numerous other toxicological exposures.[23] E-cigarette use can lead to the inhalation of high amounts of nicotine, coupled with possibly hundreds of other substances.[22] The long-term effects of vaping is unclear,[24] and their short-term use may lead to death.[22]

Nicotine is highly addictive and poses an array of health risks[15] such as the stimulation of cancer development and growth.[16] The International Agency for Research on Cancer does not consider nicotine to be a carcinogen, though several studies demonstrate it is carcinogenic.[15] Because it can form nitrosamine compounds (particularly N-Nitrosonornicotine (NNN) and nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone (NNK)) through a conversion process, nicotine itself exhibits a strong potential for causing cancer.[17] About 10% of breathed in nicotine is estimated to convert to these nitrosamine compounds.[17] Nitrosamine carcinogenicity is thought to be a result of enhanced DNA methylation and may lead to an agonist response on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, which acts to encourage tumors to grow, stay alive, and penetrate into neighboring tissues.[17]

Nicotine has significant biologic activity and adversely affects several physiological systems including the cardiovascular, respiratory, immunological and reproductive systems, and can also compromise lung and kidney function.[25] Children, youth,[26] and young adults are especially sensitive to the effects of nicotine.[27] In addition to its toxicological effects on fetus development, nicotine can disrupt brain development in adolescents and young adults.[25]

Bystanders

E-cigarette use can result in unintended exposures to non-users,[23] and nicotine itself can be harmful to non-users.[28]

Public health

The indiscriminate use of vaping products is a threat to public health.[29] In 2022, public health authorities were dismayed that the influx of non-reusable devices like Elf Bar, which are inexpensive to buy, has led to an increase in their use in youth in the UK.[20]

Positions of organizations

In Scotland in June 2023, the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, Lorna Slater, stated that disposable vapes have turned out to be a "big problem - for our environment, local communities and young people."[30] In 2023, the Local Government Association (LGA) recommended a ban on disposable vapes in the UK by 2024.[30] According to the LGA, disposable vapes are a litter dilemma, can start fires, and are too appealing to young minors.[30] Chairman of the Community Wellbeing Board of the LGA, Councilor David Fothergill, stated that "Disposable vapes are fundamentally flawed in their design and inherently unsustainable products, meaning an outright ban will prove more effective than attempts to recycle more vapes."[30]

Prevalence

Aerosol (vapor) exhaled by an e-cigarette user using an Elf Bar e-cigarette.
A person using an Elf Bar device

In 2022, Elf Bar became the most widely used disposable e-cigarette brand in the UK - in part because they are very popular among the Generation Z demographic.[19] In 2022, Elf Bars has gained popularity among never-smoking college students in the UK.[12] They have been seen at festivals, nightclub smoking areas, beer gardens, parks,[19] pubs, and bars.[31] As of 2021, their prevalence has increased across the UK.[11] By 2023, Elf Bars became the most widely used disposable vaping product across the world.[9]

Elf Bars were the most prevalent disposable vaping product used among children in the UK in 2022[20] and 2023.[2] Vaping among children rose from 4% in 2020 to 7% in 2022.[32] The percentage of children who acknowledged trying a vape has also went up from 14% in 2020 to 16% in 2022.[32] Disposable vapes used among regular youth e-cigarette users was 7% in 2020 and 8% in 2021, to 52% in 2022 in the UK.[32] The Action on Smoking and Health of the UK has stated this rise in 2022 is an area of concern.[32]

Following the loss of a trademark dispute in February 2023, Shenzhen Weiboli Technology Co. was forced to reintroduce its Elf Bar products under a different name called EB Design in the US.[5] The Juul is a sleek, dark rectangle device that looks like a flash drive, which gained popularity throughout the late 2010s, was the most popular vaping device in the US.[13] By 2022, the "vape du jour" of vapes in the US had changed.[13] Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the nonprofit Truth Initiative determined that Elf Bar was the best-selling disposable e-cigarette in the US in 2022 and the third-best selling e-cigarette overall, behind Vuse and Juul.[18]

Despite its legal status, Elf Bars were the most popular disposable vapes in the US in 2023.[18] According to the CDC's 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey, it is the most popular e-cigarette brand among US middle school and high school students who vape.[33]

Motivation

Their low cost, compared to regular cigarettes, is amongst the most captivating things about the devices for Generation Z.[19] They are available in flavors such as cotton candy that can be enticing to youth.[18] Elf Bars have a colorful and toy-like appearance which may appeal to teens.[13] Its aesthetics has been mimicked by similar products, such as Flum Pebble, Juicy Bar, Air Bar Nex, and Lost Mary.[13] In 2023, Jacques Li, a spokesperson for Heaven Gifts, stated that the company's flavors may appeal to minors.[2] In 2023, a female college student at the University of North Carolina Wilmington stated, "They looked really pretty, honestly. I just never had an interest in vaping until the pretty ones started being sold."[13]

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s Director at that time of the Center for Tobacco Products in 2023, Brian King, said "if it looks glamorous and it looks appealing, that’s going to be the first driver that will bring a horse to water. The flavors then get them to drink. And the nicotine keeps them coming back for more."[13]

According to Harvard Medical School's psychiatrist Susan Linn, the appearance of Elf Bars is attractive to teens and children, who are interested in circular shapes and vivid colors.[13] She compares the childish appearance of Elf Bars to Joe Camel, the cartoon character abolished by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company following years of vilification that it was targeting underage minors.[13]

Construction

A lemon-mint BC5000 disposable vape branded as EBCreate.
A lemon-mint BC5000 EBCreate disposable vape

Elf Bars are available as non-reusable[10] and reusable.[3] In 2022, the company started offering a small cigalike device and a pod mod device.[3] As of 2023, large-format disposable e-cigarettes, including (but not limited to) Elf Bar BC5000, have recently been introduced.[34] They may contain nicotine, carcinogens, and toxicants[11] and can contain up to 20 mg/ml (2%) of liquid nicotine salts that one can purchase in the UK.[12] The single-use versions contain the nicotine concentration equivalent to 48 cigarettes.[12] One version of Elf Bar contains the amount of nicotine equivalent to 590 cigarettes.[13] Some of their vapes contain no nicotine.[14]

They offer disposable vaping devices that can provide 600 puffs.[1] Certain types of Heaven Gifts' vapes can deliver up to 5,000 puffs.[2] In 2023, convenience stores in the US stated that each device contained 5,000 puffs.[8] They are offered in various colors and can fit in one's pocket.[19] The disposable versions are four inches long and resemble the dimensions of a Puff Bar.[35] In 2023, it was reported that the company has stated that products, including disposable vapes and liquids will eventually be changed to plain packaging.[36]

They come in a variety of sweet flavors.[3] Common flavors include apple, blueberry, and watermelon.[11] Other flavors include piña colada, strawberry-kiwi, strawberry-mango, and lemon-mint.[13] They offer vape products in more than 30 flavors.[4]

Elf Bar and its other brand Lost Mary stated in November 2023 that in the UK they will discontinue selling dessert and soft drink flavors, which may entice children.[21] This includes Cotton Candy and Rainbow Candy flavors.[37] Some flavors may be renamed under new names.[21] The Gummy Bear flavor was changed to Gummy, and was renamed in 2023 to Gami.[21] Non-reusable Elf Bars were priced as low as £3.99 a unit, as of 2022.[20]

History

The Chinese e-cigarette company was founded in 2018.[3] There is a scarcity of information seen online regarding who owns and runs Elf Bar, as of 2023.[38] In 2023, STAT stated, "The package of an Elf Bar for sale in Washington stated the product was made by Guangdong Qisitech Company for Imiracle (Shenzhen) Technology Company. Both companies are based in China."[38] Its founder is Zhang Shengwe and he was 50 in 2023.[2] The CEO of Elf Bar is Victor Xiao.[7] Elf Bars hit the market in the UK in 2021, and subsequently in the same year in the US.[2]

Shengwe initially exported vaping products manufactured by the company Ruyan and was not making any of its own products.[2] Shengwe launched Heaven Gifts in a Shanghai apartment in 2017 with five other workers.[2] Under Shengwe's head company, Heaven Gifts, they had more than 700 workers in 2023.[2] The previous year, they had 200 workers.[2]

Mission and scope

According to its website, they are 'making an effort' to create 'innovative products'.[4] Their motto is "Make it Elf, enjoy yourself."[20]

Lighthouse guardian program

Elf Bar stated in 2023 that it is donating money to the American Cancer Society in an attempt to terminate youth vaping.[38] Elf Bar stated it was developing a program, called the "Lighthouse Guardian Program," to halt youth vaping.[38] This program included an oath to give donations to the American Cancer Society for each click made to a button on its website.[38] Timothy Phillips stated, "The American Cancer Society does not partner with or accept funds from tobacco companies and has sent a cease and desist letter to Elf Bar to prevent further public deceit."[38] The cease and desist letter sent by American Cancer Society to Elf Bar stated in part, "immediately cease all use of the American Cancer Society name that falsely implies association with ACS."[38] This includes deleting all content of the American Cancer Society in the company's promotional materials "and any future use of ACS trademarks."[38] 30,000 people have as of February 2023 joined the company's Lighthouse Guardian Program.[38] People must provide their email when joining the program.[38] It is uncertain whether the company will use the emails for promoting its products.[38] Elf Bar has subsequently deleted the press release that cited the American Cancer Society, which was accessible on PR Newswire.[39]

Legal status

President Donald Trump announces a plan to remove flavored e-cigarette products from the market on September 11, 2019, in the Oval Office of the White House.
President Donald Trump announces a plan to remove flavored e-cigarette products from the market on September 11, 2019, in the Oval Office of the White House.[40]

In early 2020, the US FDA imposed legislation to restrict the flavors of reusable vapes to menthol and tobacco – an effort that targeted companies such as Juul.[18] However, the flavor restriction did not apply to disposable vapes.[18] This loophole was created by the Trump administration's decision to omit including disposables in the flavor restriction, which was done without the US FDA's guidance, according to Mitch Zeller, the former director of the organization's Center for Tobacco Products.[41] "It was preventable. But I was told there was no appeal," stated Zeller.[41] According to Zeller, I told the Trump's White House that "It doesn't take a crystal ball to predict that kids will migrate to the disposable products that are unaffected by this, and you ultimately won't solve the problem."[41] Elf Bar hit shelves in the US by November 2021,[8] and were sold in flavors like cotton candy.[18]

Elf Bar has not received US FDA authorization and is not legally permitted to be sold in the US.[18] The US FDA has taken steps to stop stores from distributing the product.[18] On June 22, 2023, the US FDA sent warning letters to 189 retailers selling fruit and candy-flavored disposable vapes, such as Elf Bar.[18]

To circumvent the ban, the company changed its name to EBCreate, and put different manufacturers on its products than those singled out by the US FDA.[8] "E-cigarette manufacturers have proven themselves to not operate in good faith. Until there's something global that's a deterrent to selling illegal products this is going to be the status quo," stated Desmond Jenson, a lawyer at the Public Health Law Center.[8] On the packaging of EBCreate vapes it states Nevera HK Limited, who is headquartered in Hong Kong, rather than iMiracle Shenzhen Technology.[8]

Seizures of imported vaping products

In May 2023, US Customs and Border Protection seized shipments of disposable e-cigarettes including Elf Bar that had arrived at US ports.[18] In 2023, Elf Bar (and other companies) have imported vaping products into the US while repetitively eluding US Customs and Border Protection and evading taxes and import fees.[9]

On December 14, 2023, the US FDA, in collaboration with US Customs and Border Protection, announced the seizure of approximately 1.4 million units of unauthorized e-cigarette products, including brands such as Elf Bar, which according to the 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey, is the most commonly used brand among youth e-cigarette users.[42] The estimated retail value of the seized products totals more than $18 million.[42] The seizures were part of a three-day joint operation, which resulted in the seizure of 41 shipments containing illegal e-cigarettes. [42]

"The FDA is committed to continuing to stem the flow of illegal e-cigarettes into the United States," said US FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf.[42] "Unscrupulous companies try everything they can to bring unauthorized, youth-appealing tobacco products into the country. The FDA will remain vigilant, and together with our federal partners, stop these imports before they make it into the hands of our nation's youth."[42]

The US FDA and US Customs and Border Protection conducted the joint operation at a cargo examination site at Los Angeles International Airport, where the team examined incoming shipments for potentially violative items.[42] In preparation for the three-day operation, the team worked for months to review shipping invoices, identify potentially violative incoming shipments, and complete other investigative work that led to this successful operation.[42] Once the merchandise is forfeited to the government, it will be disposed of in accordance with the law; in the case of unauthorized new tobacco products, that generally means they will be destroyed. [42]

“This enforcement action is a prime example of CBP's commitment to keeping our communities safe by disrupting the importation of illegal goods into our country,” said Troy A. Miller, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner for US Customs and Border Protection.[42] "The rise in illicit e-commerce demands that our agencies remain vigilant in intercepting shipments that could pose serious health risks to the public, including youth, while disrupting the supply chains that bring them to our borders."[42]

Upon examining shipments, all of which originated in China, the team found various brands of illegal flavored disposable e-cigarette products.[42] According to recently released 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey data, disposable e-cigarettes are the most commonly used e-cigarette type among US youth and nearly nine out of 10 current e-cigarette users (89.4%) used flavored e-cigarettes, with fruit flavors being the most popular, followed by candy, desserts, or other sweets; mint; and menthol.[42]

In addition to Elf Bar, among the seized e-cigarettes were EB Create products; earlier this year, the manufacturer of Elf Bar began marketing the product under the names "EB Design" and "EB Create."[42] Other seized brands included Lost Mary, Funky Republic, RELX Pod and IPLAY Max, among others.[42] In an attempt to evade duties and detection, many of these unauthorized e-cigarettes were intentionally mis-declared as various items such as toys or shoes and listed with incorrect values.[42]

"Those shamelessly attempting to smuggle illegal e-cigarettes, particularly those that appeal to youth, into this country should take heed of today’s announcement,” said Brian King, director of the US FDA's Center for Tobacco Products.[42] "Federal agencies are on to their antics and will not hesitate to take action.[42] The significant value of these seized products is also a sobering reminder to these bad actors that their time and money would be better spent complying with the law."[42]

Society and culture

Social media

Popular brands including Elf Bar have infiltrated social media.[14] The hashtag #elfbar on TikTok has been viewed 1.3 billion times since 2023, where people created Elf Bar-associated content.[19]

Marketing

Elf Bar has partnered with influencers to target youth.[19] In July 2022, The Observer demonstrated how Elf Bar was evidently, openly disregarding the UK law to promote its brand to youth on TikTok.[43] Some social media influencers state that they get money for promoting Elf Bars products on TikTok, as of 2022.[20] Elf Bars-related videos on TikTok do not have any age restrictions in place and are not at all times obviously marked as advertisisng, as of 2022.[20]

Corporate sponsorship

At the 2022 GT World Challenge Asia in May, Elf Bar sponsored the racing team X WORKS.[44]

Regulations

The Advertising Standards Authority regulations in the UK state that e-cigarette advertisements have to be socially responsible, not be aimed at people less than 18 and they should not be advertised on any site where greater than 25% of the viewers is less than 18.[20] Moreover, people in advertisements promoting such products cannot be, or look to be, less than 25.[20] Advertising Standards Authority, which advocates vaping as a better choice than cigarettes, stated in 2022 that that Elf Bar advertisements were "problematic" and facilitated to "drive the perception of glamour around these devices".[20]

The Elf Bar company has been banned from using the phrase "recycling for a greener future" in their advertisements in the UK in 2023 due to misleading claims related to the environmental harm of their throw away disposables.[45]

The Advertising Standards Authority stated, "We acknowledged Elf Bar's intention was for the ads to educate and encourage consumers to recycle, and that they would be undertaking initiatives that would increase consumers' ability to do so. However, because consumers would understand from the ads that they would be able to recycle Elf Bar’s single-use vapes through a wide variety of routes including by easily accessible routes such as home recycling provisions, when that was not the case, we concluded the ads were misleading."[45]

A spokesperson for Elb Bar stated, "We are disappointed by any confusion this advertisement may have caused. Furthermore, we regret it has distracted from the progress of our GreenAwareness recycling project … As part of the ongoing programme, we have made our product easier to collect and disassemble for recycling purposes and aim to establish a closed-loop system by 2025. We are committed to these measures and complying with the guidelines set forth by the ASA."[45]

Economics

Elf Bars are made in China.[3] The brand has sold more than 55.8 million devices, as of 2022.[7] Elf Bar, Lost Mary, and many other of its brands are estimated to bring in $3.5 billion to $4 billion worldwide in 2023.[6] They have been sold at newsstands, high street shops,[11] convenience stores,[7] and leading supermarkets.[46] They are also sold at Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's,[3] and Tesco.[7]

A 2022 study found that an online vape shop had a 279% jump in non-reusable vape sales in 2021, and it found the bestselling brands were Elf Bar and Geek Bar.[14] Leading closed system vape brands were unfavorably affected by the surge in sales of Elf Bar and other comparable non-reusable brands in 2022.[7] The brand has also impacted the sales of cigarettes and rolling tobacco.[3] Heaven Gifts, the head company who owns Elf Bar, is a competitor of the large companies Juul Labs Inc and British American Tobacco Plc in the US, the UK, and throughout Europe.[2]

In the US, the company disregarded updated regulations and benefited from inconsistent enforcement.[2] In 2023, Jacques Li, a spokesperson for Heaven Gifts, stated that the company is "trying our best to stay compliant in the US."[2] Without mentioning anything specific, Li stated the US FDA policies are hard to understand and confusing as to "what standards you have to meet."[2] A US distributor for Elf Bar products credited the brand's surge in sales to its 30% markup of profit for sellers, compared to 15% for other non-refillables.[9] Elf Bar sales were more than $271 million in the US in 2022,[8] and it was the highest selling disposable vape brand in the US in 2023.[18]

About 168 million non-reusable vapes are purchased every year in the UK, as of 2022.[47] Sales of Elf Bars reached £600 million in the UK in 2022, which represented more than 70% of the single-use e-cigarette market in the UK in 2022.[48] Elf Bar was the bestselling brand in the UK in 2023.[21] Elf Bar, along with its other brand Lost Mary, accounted for more than 50% of the disposable vape sales in the UK in 2023.[21] In a 12 month period reported in 2023, Elf Bar and Lost Mary brands sold more than £900 million worth of vapes in the UK, greater than 160 million units, according to NielsenIQ.[21]

Counterfeit products

The majority of one-time use vapes resemble a handle of leading brands.[41] This includes Elf Bar.[41] Brands copy one another's designs, obscuring the line between the legitimate ones and counterfeits.[41] In 2022, Elf Bar had teamed up with authorities in China to prevent more than a million counterfeit disposable e-cigarette devices from being sold to consumers.[49] In excess of 120 counterfeit manufacturing and sales sites including factories, warehouses, and logistics centers were forced out of business.[50] The illicit fake brands developed their own fake websites which looked exactly the same as the real Elf Bar website.[49] UK consumers and retailers assisted with the company's investigation into the copy-cats by sharing what they knew about any questionable products they had paid for.[49]

Victor Xiao said, "Consumers would be horrified if they saw the conditions in which these products are made and quite rightly so. The criminals behind these counterfeit products care nothing about product safety or the health of consumers and they cut every corner possible in order to maximise their profits. Quite frankly, the conditions in these factories are absolutely squalid where workers man production lines in filthy conditions with no regard to hygiene at all."[50] A spokesperson for the UK Vaping Industry Association praised Elf Bar for going up against the fraudsters.[51]

Voluntarily withdrawal recommendations

In early 2023, Elf Bar vape products were reportedly removed from store shelves following the company stating that they inadvertently were offering products in the UK with nicotine concentrations above the legal limit.[4] The wholesaler Booker told retailers in the UK to stop selling every flavor of Elf Bar 600 disposable vapes.[46] Under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations act in the UK, nicotine is restricted to no more than 2 ml (2%), but a batch of Elf Bar 600 vapes contained nicotine strengths between 3 ml and 3.2 ml.[4] This is a 50% higher amount of nicotine than is permitted under the law.[4] The company recommended that any person concerned with any of their Elf Bar 600 vapes to give them back to the retailer where they were bought.[52]

"We found out that some batches of the Elf Bar product have been overfilled in the UK," the company stated.[4] They also stated, "It appears that e-liquid tank sizes which are standard in other markets have been inadvertently fitted to some of our UK products."[4] They have acknowledged the mistake after doing laboratory analysis on their Elf Bar 600 vape products.[4] The company stated, ”Working with our distributors and other supply chain partners we are moving quickly to replace all stock to ensure 100% that no product incorporates the 3ml capacity tank. The new 2ml capacity batches will be arriving in the UK within 30 days."[53] They also stated that the inadvertent higher nicotine concentrations have no impact on the safety of their products.[4] Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury, and Tesco had stopped selling the Elf Bar 600 vapes.[53] A Tesco spokesperson has since made a statement regarding the issue, stating to Metro, "We have temporarily removed one Elf Bar vape line from sale [...] whilst the manufacturer urgently investigates these claims."[4]

Despite saying it will cooperate with the Trading Standards Primary Authority to make certain the withdrawal is successfully conducted, Elf Bar employees instructed retailers to continue to sell the over-filled e-cigarettes during the withdrawal.[54] The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency recommended that the products to be removed from sale, but the recommendation was only voluntarily.[55] Even with this overfilling scandal of containing 50% higher concentrations of nicotine, according to independent tests, than legally allowed in the UK, sales continued to climb in the UK in 2023.[56] A leading UK vaping brand stated to The Grocer that, "If you knew you could go and rob a jewellery store today, and have absolutely zero comeback, then why not go rob the jewellery store?"[57]

Environmental impact

See also: Health effects of electronic cigarettes § Enviromental impact, Environmental impact of electronic cigarettes, and Environmental impact of tobacco

As of 2022, 1.3 million disposable e-cigarettes are being sent to UK landfills on a weekly basis.[19] About two non-reusable vapes are discarded every second in the UK.[47] There is concern regarding plastic pollution.[7]

Public perception

Young people believe these kind of devices are totally safe.[11] A common misbelief is that throw away vaping devices such as Elf Bars is equivalent to inhaling "flavored air".[58]

Other names

Elf Bar[2] (stylized as ELFBAR[59][60][61]) is variously known as ELFBAR,[44] ElfBar,[62] or Elfbar.[63]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Thomson, Alice (28 February 2023). "'Harmless' vapes are creating teenage addicts". The Times.
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 Kirkham, Chris; Kirton, David (6 December 2023). "China e-cigarette titan behind 'Elf Bar' floods the US with illegal vapes". Reuters.
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 Leyland, Adam (16 December 2022). "How the ElfBar captured the hearts, minds and lungs of the Zoomer generation". The Grocer.
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 Ingle, Rhiannon (6 February 2023). "Elf Bar vapes removed from shelves after being found to be 50% over legal nicotine limit". LADbible.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Elfbar to Rebrand as EB Design". Tobacco Reporter. 1 March 2023.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Perrone, Matthew (19 December 2023). "'They know how to game this system': The maker of the world's most popular vape mis-labeled them as toys or batteries to avoid customs and import taxes". Fortune. Assocaited Press.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 Nott, George (16 December 2022). "Tobacco & vaping 2022: Disposable vapes drive stunning growth". The Grocer.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 Perrone, Matthew (13 October 2023). "Elf Bar finds an easy way around US vape import ban: a name change". AP News.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Perrone, Matthew (19 December 2023). "Elf Bar and other e-cigarette makers dodged US customs and taxes after China's ban on vaping flavors". AP News.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Patrick, Madeleine; Blakey, Ashlie (4 January 2023). "Boy, 13, told he may lose his foot after trying to 'crush vape pen like a Coke can'". Manchester Evening News.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 Nozari, Aisha (13 June 2022). "Expert Issues Warning Against Elf Bars As They Surge In Popularity Across UK". LADbible.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 SWNS reporter (23 December 2022). "'A lot of them never smoked': How Elf Bars took over Britain's universities". Yahoo!.
  13. ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 Holtermann, Callie (6 November 2023). "Vapes Get a Gen Z Makeover". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Mensah, Katelyn (2022). "Right, so how bad actually are Elf and Geek Bars?". The Tab.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Chaturvedi, Pankaj; Mishra, Aseem; Datta, Sourav; Sinukumar, Snita; Joshi, Poonam; Garg, Apurva (2015). "Harmful effects of nicotine". Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology. 36 (1): 24. doi:10.4103/0971-5851.151771. ISSN 0971-5851. PMC 4363846. PMID 25810571.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Mravec, Boris; Tibensky, Miroslav; Horvathova, Lubica; Babal, Pavel (2020). "E-Cigarettes and Cancer Risk". Cancer Prevention Research. 13 (2): 137–144. doi:10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-19-0346. ISSN 1940-6207. PMID 31619443.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Bracken-Clarke, Dara; Kapoor, Dhruv; Baird, Anne Marie; Buchanan, Paul James; Gately, Kathy; Cuffe, Sinead; Finn, Stephen P. (2021). "Vaping and lung cancer – A review of current data and recommendations". Lung Cancer. 153: 11–20. doi:10.1016/j.lungcan.2020.12.030. ISSN 0169-5002. PMID 33429159.
  18. ↑ 18.00 18.01 18.02 18.03 18.04 18.05 18.06 18.07 18.08 18.09 18.10 18.11 "FDA warns stores to stop selling Elf Bar, the top disposable e-cigarette in the US". AP News. 22 June 2023.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 19.7 19.8 Lawrence, India (3 January 2023). "Will Elf Bars die in 2023?". Time Out London.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.7 20.8 20.9 Das, Shanti; Ungoed-Thomas, Jon (17 July 2022). "Chinese vaping giant flouting UK advertising rules on selling to children". The Observer.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 21.6 King, Ben (30 November 2023). "Elfbar: Top vape firm drops sweet flavours over appeal to kids". BBC News.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Bhatt, Jayesh Mahendra; Ramphul, Manisha; Bush, Andrew (2020). "An update on controversies in e-cigarettes". Paediatric Respiratory Reviews. 36: 75–86. doi:10.1016/j.prrv.2020.09.003. ISSN 1526-0542. PMC 7518964. PMID 33071065.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Bonner, Emily; Chang, Yvonne; Christie, Emerson; Colvin, Victoria; Cunningham, Brittany; Elson, Daniel; Ghetu, Christine; Huizenga, Juliana; Hutton, Sara J.; Kolluri, Siva K.; Maggio, Stephanie; Moran, Ian; Parker, Bethany; Rericha, Yvonne; Rivera, Brianna N.; Samon, Samantha; Schwichtenberg, Trever; Shankar, Prarthana; Simonich, Michael T.; Wilson, Lindsay B.; Tanguay, Robyn L. (September 2021). "The chemistry and toxicology of vaping". Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 225: 107837. doi:10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107837. ISSN 0163-7258. PMC 8263470. PMID 33753133.
  24. ↑ Riwu Bara, Roy Pefi; McCausland, Kahlia; Swanson, Maurice; Scott, Lucy; Jancey, Jonine (February 2023). ""They're sleek, stylish and sexy:" selling e-cigarettes online". Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. 47 (1): 100013. doi:10.1016/j.anzjph.2022.100013. PMID 36641959.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Marques, P; Piqueras, L; Sanz, MJ (18 May 2021). "An updated overview of e-cigarette impact on human health". Respiratory research. 22 (1): 151. doi:10.1186/s12931-021-01737-5. ISSN 1465-9921. PMC 8129966. PMID 34006276. This article incorporates text by Patrice Marques, Laura Piqueras, and Maria-Jesus Sanz available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
  26. ↑ Gilley, Meghan; Beno, Suzanne (June 2020). "Vaping implications for children and youth". Current Opinion in Pediatrics. 32 (3): 343–348. doi:10.1097/MOP.0000000000000889. ISSN 1040-8703. PMID 32332326.
  27. ↑ Dinardo, Perry; Rome, Ellen S. (2019). "Vaping: The new wave of nicotine addiction". Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. 86 (12): 789–798. doi:10.3949/ccjm.86a.19118. ISSN 0891-1150. PMID 31821136.
  28. ↑ Merecz-Sadowska, Anna; Sitarek, Przemyslaw; Zielinska-Blizniewska, Hanna; Malinowska, Katarzyna; Zajdel, Karolina; Zakonnik, Lukasz; Zajdel, Radoslaw (19 January 2020). "A Summary of In Vitro and In Vivo Studies Evaluating the Impact of E-Cigarette Exposure on Living Organisms and the Environment". International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 21 (2): 652. doi:10.3390/ijms21020652. PMC 7013895. PMID 31963832.
  29. ↑ Jimenez Ruiz, CA; Solano Reina, S; de Granda Orive, JI; Signes-Costa Minaya, J; de Higes Martinez, E; Riesco Miranda, JA; Altet Gómez, N; Lorza Blasco, JJ; Barrueco Ferrero, M; de Lucas Ramos, P (August 2014). "The electronic cigarette. Official statement of the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) on the efficacy, safety and regulation of electronic cigarettes". Archivos de Bronconeumologia. 50 (8): 362–7. doi:10.1016/j.arbres.2014.02.006. PMID 24684764.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 King, Ben (15 July 2023). "15 July 2023". BBC News.
  31. ↑ Biggs, Jade (14 November 2022). "This doctor is warning against using those Elf and Geek bars you've seen all over TikTok". Cosmopolitan.
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 "Fears of growth in children vaping disposables backed up by new national survey". ASH UK. 7 July 2022.
  33. ↑ Birdsey, Jan; Cornelius, Monica; Jamal, Ahmed; Park-Lee, Eunice; Cooper, Maria R.; Wang, Jia; Sawdey, Michael D.; Cullen, Karen A.; Neff, Linda (3 November 2023). "Tobacco Product Use Among U.S. Middle and High School Students — National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2023". MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 72 (44): 1173–1182. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7244a1. PMC 10629751. PMID 37917558. {{cite journal}}: Check |pmc= value (help)
  34. ↑ Ali, Fatma Romeh M.; Seidenberg, Andrew B.; Crane, Elisha; Seaman, Elizabeth; Tynan, Michael A.; Marynak, Kristy (23 June 2023). "E-cigarette Unit Sales by Product and Flavor Type, and Top-Selling Brands, United States, 2020–2022". MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 72 (25): 672–677. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7225a. PMC 10328473. PMID 37347717. {{cite journal}}: Check |pmc= value (help)Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  35. ↑ Patrick, Madeleine; Shaw, Neil (4 January 2023). "Mum told son's foot may need to be amputated after he stamped on vape pen". Wales Online.
  36. ↑ Vij, Anish (18 October 2023). "Vape maker to scrap coloured vapes and give new 'age appropriate' names amid UK crackdown". LADbible.
  37. ↑ Reid, Claire (30 November 2023). "Dentist explains why smoking Elf Bars is not the same as smoking flavoured air". LADbible.
  38. ↑ 38.00 38.01 38.02 38.03 38.04 38.05 38.06 38.07 38.08 38.09 38.10 Florko, Nicholas (14 February 2023). "Vape maker Elf Bar wants to donate to the American Cancer Society, but it doesn't want tobacco money". STAT.
  39. ↑ Mole, Beth (14 February 2023). "American Cancer Society to vape company: Keep our name outta your mouth". Ars Technica.
  40. ↑ Kaplan, Sheila (11 September 2019). "Trump Administration Plans to Ban Flavored E-Cigarettes". The New York Times.
  41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 41.2 41.3 41.4 41.5 Perrone, Matthew (26 June 2023). "Thousands of unauthorized vapes are pouring into the US despite the FDA crackdown on fruity flavors". AP News.
  42. ↑ 42.00 42.01 42.02 42.03 42.04 42.05 42.06 42.07 42.08 42.09 42.10 42.11 42.12 42.13 42.14 42.15 42.16 42.17 "Joint Federal Operation Results in Seizure of More Than $18 Million in Illegal E-Cigarettes". United States Food and Drug Administration. 14 December 2023.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  43. ↑ Das, Shanti; Ungoed-Thomas, Jon; Packham, Alfie (23 July 2022). "Child vaping risks becoming 'public health catastrophe' in UK, experts warn". The Observer.
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 "A Premier Collaboration Between X WORKS Racing and ELFBAR". Business Wire. 19 May 2022.
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 Marsh, Sarah (28 November 2023). "Elf Bar vape adverts banned in UK over 'greener' recycling claims". The Guardian.
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 Lupupa, Jill (8 February 2023). "EXCLUSIVE: Booker drops all Elfbar 600 lines and tells stores to remove products from sale". Better Retailing.
  47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 Snepvangers, Pieter (2022). "It's time to admit that your Elf Bar habit is killing the planet". The Tab.
  48. ↑ Barnes, Oliver; Heal, Alexandra (2023). "The environmental cost of single-use vapes". Financial Times.
  49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 49.2 "Elf Bar halts illicit vape haul". Convenience Store. 15 July 2022.
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 Fortune, Aidan (14 November 2022). "Health risk of fake vape product highlighted by Elf Bar". Convenience Store.
  51. ↑ "Elfbar Warns of Fake Vapes". Tobacco Reporter. 29 November 2022.
  52. ↑ Britton, Sarah (21 February 2023). "Booker withdraws Elf Bar's Lost Mary BM600 disposable vapes". Convenience Store.
  53. ↑ 53.0 53.1 Britton, Sarah (9 February 2023). "Booker withdraws Elf Bar 600 and supermarkets take it off sale". Convenience Store.
  54. ↑ Nott, George (15 February 2023). "ElfBar tells retailers to keep selling over-filled vapes amid withdrawal". The Grocer.
  55. ↑ "Elf Bar Comments on E-Liquid Controversy". Tobacco Reporter. 13 February 2023.
  56. ↑ Nott, George (15 December 2023). "Vaping & tobacco 2023: Controversy can't prevent ElfBar boom". The Grocer.
  57. ↑ Nott, George (29 January 2024). "Will disposable vape ban be the death of Shenzhen brands?". The Grocer.
  58. ↑ Wood, Tom (23 August 2022). "Dentist explains why smoking elf bars is not the same as smoking flavoured air". LADbible.
  59. ↑ "Warning comes after an investigation into fake vape factories by ELFBAR". PR Newswire. 22 November 2022.
  60. ↑ "Partnership promotes first in-store recycling of used vaping products | TheBusinessDesk.com". North West. 12 January 2024.
  61. ↑ Searle, Joshua (9 February 2023). "Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury's ban sale of product". Telegraph & Argus.
  62. ↑ Nast, Condé (30 December 2023). "I Accidentally Got Addicted To Vaping. Now, I'm Determined To Quit". British Vogue.
  63. ↑ Isom, Zhane (27 February 2023). "Elfbar Manufacturer Banned from Marketing E-Cigarettes". CStore Decisions.

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