Apple Removing Vaping-Related Apps From App Store Today Amid Public Health Concerns

Friday November 15, 2019 4:59 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple is removing all vaping-related apps from the App Store today, according to Axios, shortly after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 2,172 lung injury cases linked to e-cigarette or vape products.


In a statement issued to Axios, Apple said it agrees with expert opinions that vaping is a "public health crisis" and a "youth epidemic":
We take great care to curate the App Store as a trusted place for customers, particularly youth, to download apps. We're constantly evaluating apps, and consulting the latest evidence, to determine risks to users' health and well-being.

Recently, experts ranging from the CDC to the American Heart Association have attributed a variety of lung injuries and fatalities to e-cigarette and vaping products, going so far as to call the spread of these devices a public health crisis and a youth epidemic.

We agree, and we've updated our App Store Review Guidelines to reflect that apps encouraging or facilitating the use of these products are not permitted. As of today, these apps are no longer available to download.
Apple had already took a step in this direction in June, when it updated its App Store Review Guidelines to indicate that apps encouraging consumption of vape products are not permitted on the App Store.

Vaping-related apps already installed on iOS devices will continue to function.

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Tags: App Store, App Store Review Guidelines
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ocnitsa
4 weeks ago
Always thought it was just vaporware.
Rating: 57 Votes
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martyjmclean
4 weeks ago
I get Apple can do whatever they want in their Store, but this is stupid.

An app had no influence over my decision to smoke/vape.
Rating: 52 Votes
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Quu
4 weeks ago
I don't vape but I think this is a bit absurd. These apps aren't the vapes themselves. People who already chose to vape will continue to do so regardless of the apps existence and from what I saw in the news those who had infections in their lungs caused by vaping were all using unlicensed THC liquid in them.

But ya know it's Apples store so whatever.
Rating: 40 Votes
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al256
4 weeks ago
I've never vaped. But how absolutely weak willed is this... Will Apple force all its credit card users to no longer be able to purchase at vape shops too?
Rating: 27 Votes
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russell_314
4 weeks ago


I think it’s funny that so many here are defending drug distributors apps. I frankly don’t care if the poor vape manufactures can’t have an app.

In the scheme of things be upset about this is just stupid. Fact is vaping is bad for you and I agree with not letting it easy to advertise. Why should they be any different than tobacco products. they both hurt public health and cost us in long term healthcare costs (both financial and resource utilization).

You realize vaping isn't about drugs? Yes you can use it for drugs but that’s not the common use. Don’t worry though apps for illegal drugs are allowed in the App Store. If you worry about public health cost then perhaps they should remove fast food apps because that’s the number one killer in America

Edit: In case you’re wondering I don’t vape because it’s silly in my opinion
Rating: 27 Votes
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omglolbbq
4 weeks ago
Daddy Apple
Rating: 21 Votes
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WannaGoMac
4 weeks ago
I think it’s funny that so many here are defending drug (illegal and legal) distributors apps. I frankly don’t care if the poor vape manufactures can’t have an app.

In the scheme of things be upset about this is just stupid. Fact is vaping is bad for you and I agree with not letting it easy to advertise. Why should they be any different than tobacco products. they both hurt public health and cost us in long term healthcare costs (both financial and resource utilization).
Rating: 21 Votes
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smaffei
4 weeks ago


Lemmings. 15 years of vaping and overnight people start dying this is all way to fishy to me. On top of it all has anyone found the vapes bought from reputable retailers to be the cause??? Since those are the ones being banned all over so you know people will move back to black market vapes. Ughh.... Well executed big tobacco ppl are stupid..... no I dont smoke or vape either.


The CDC has determined that the vapes causing the "vaping illness" are THC ones bought off the streets that also contain vitamin E acetate. Vitamin E acetate is extremely toxic when inhaled.

Legitimate nicotine vape companies should not be punished because of this underground activity. Nicotine vaping has safely been around for almost 15 years now. Only now, when these THC vapes hit the streets, do we have this problem.

But, of course, Apple isn't going to factor that into its thinking. It's just gonna take the "ban everything" PC approach that is prevalent in today's "let's not think too hard about it" society.
Rating: 19 Votes
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russell_314
4 weeks ago
It’s whatever is socially acceptable. You can have apps on using illegal drugs but vaping is bad LMAO
Rating: 18 Votes
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k1121j
4 weeks ago
Lemmings. 15 years of vaping and overnight people start dying this is all way to fishy to me. On top of it all has anyone found the vapes bought from reputable retailers to be the cause??? Since those are the ones being banned all over so you know people will move back to black market vapes. Ughh.... Well executed big tobacco ppl are stupid..... no I dont smoke or vape either.
Rating: 18 Votes

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