What you need to know
- Apple has removed 181 vaping-related apps from its App Store.
- According to the CDC, 42 people have died from vaping-related lung illnesses.
- Apple stopped accepting new apps that promote vaping in June of this year.
Apple has removed 181 vaping-related apps from its App Store amidst health concerns about the vaping and e-cigarettes.
According to an exclusive report from Axios:
Amid growing health concerns over e-cigarettes, Apple will remove all 181 vaping-related apps from its mobile App Store this morning, Axios has learned.
According to the report, the CDC claims that 42 people have died from vaping-related lung illnesses, mostly due to cartridges containing THC. Apple has never allowed apps where users can directly purchase e-cigarettes or vape cartridges, and in June this year, it stopped allowing new apps that promote vaping onto its app store.
In a statement to Axios Apple said:
"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."
Onlookers welcomed the move, with Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids stating it "applauds" Apple, saying the move would help to reduce youth exposure and discourage use.
The report states that as of today, these apps will no longer be available to download from the App Store. Anyone who already has the apps will be able to continue using them, and they'll be able to install them on new devices. It's not clear however if you'll be able to reinstall an app once you've deleted it.
