Big Tobacco Will Take Advantage of the Mysterious Vaping Illness
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/wjwz5x/big-tobacco-will-take-advantage-of-the-mysterious-vape-illness
The nation is in the grips of a moral panic about flavored e-cigs that could ultimately benefit Big Tobacco companies. Following a rash of vaping-related illnesses, including eight deaths largely tied to illicit THC cartridges, New York became the first U.S. state to ban flavored e-cigs on September 17. Michigan, Illinois, and Massachusetts are finalizing similar measures and President Trump has also suggested banning e-cig flavors. (Even India recently announced a ban on all vaping, a move embraced by the World Health Organization.)
More big news dropped Wednesday morning. Kevin Burns, the CEO of Juul Labs, is being replaced by K.C. Crosswaithe, an executive from Altria, the big tobacco company that owns a 35 percent stake in Juul. Other outlets are reporting that Juul is suspending advertising and that layoffs are imminent.