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

[MacRumors]

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.

Note: This discussion thread is located in our Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

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

 

[martyjmclean]

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.

 

[ocnitsa]

Always thought it was just vaporware.

 

[Quu]

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.

 

[omglolbbq]

Daddy Apple

 

[Return Zero]

WTH does a vaping-related app even do? I'm picturing in my mind something like that smule ocarina, where you suck/blow into the microphone and realistic smoke billows across the screen.

 

[SBlue1]

Since those things are marketed more and more towards teens and I have kids I am for this move. I just wish my home country (Germany) would also ban apps and ads for cigarettes. I think we are the last country where you can see tobacco ads in magazines and movie theaters.

 

[al256]

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?

 

[russell_314]

It’s whatever is socially acceptable. You can have apps on using illegal drugs but vaping is bad LMAO

 

[nvmls]

Only Apple's smoke is allowed, sorry fellas.

 

[WannaGoMac]

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).

 

[Itada]

Vaping is lame.

 

[haruhiko]

Apple does something, people complain. Daily ritual.

 

[iapplelove]

Just Tim being Tim..

 

[russell_314]

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

 

[orbital~debris]

An app had no influence over my decision to smoke/vape.

oK good. But how about others who may be more impressionable? They could have found apps supporting the practice on the App Store, which could solidify their forays into vaping?

 

[cardfan]

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. All these things hurt public health and cost us money in long term healthcare costs (both financiak and other costs).

I don’t smoke. (Or why id need an app for it if I did)But the only concern is Apple censoring. You agree with this one. How about the next one that Apple thinks is bad for you?

 

[k1121j]

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.

 

[BigBoy2018]

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).

Spending WAY too much time with gaming apps is destroying our kids, distracting them from their schoolwork, introducing them to cartoon violence (which leads to real violence).

So let's BAN all gaming apps.

 

[Textime]

I can watch porn and buy not appropriate things on Safari. Why not banning that one?

 

[jimothyGator]

You realize vaping isn't about drugs?

Forgive the nitpicking, but yes, it is. Nicotine is a drug.

Edit: This isn't advocacy for Apple's decision to ban the apps; I think that's silly (and I also think vaping is silly) and likely to have about zero impact. And if it does happen to reduce vaping use, that's probably bad for public health, because vaping looks so far to be less harmful than cigarette smoking. When vaping products are banned (not by Apple; I'm talking governments here), cigarette usage is likely to go up.

My unsolicited advice: Don't smoke. Don't vape. But if you must do one of the two, vape instead of smoke. And use legal vaping products, provided they still exist.

 

[Luap]

The cannabis apps are ok then?

 

[az431]

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.

An app that provides information about vaping has no influence on a person’s decision to vape?

Ok.

 

[neliason]

I understand why they did this. The government is going after vaping. It starts by getting the government’s science arm to make up lies about vaping. Then they seize the money of vaping businesses. Once this happens anyone associated with vaping can be held liable and have their assets seized by the state or private citizens in ridiculous civil lawsuits. So Apple decided to limit their liability.

I can watch porn and buy not appropriate things on Safari. Why not banning that one?

Porn is a huge epidemic destroying lives. It is funny how the government doesn’t do anything at all to stop it. It is freely available to not just minors but the very young. So it isn’t like the government really wants to protect citizens, especially the very young.

 

[TheFluffyDuck]

Apple is concerned about your lungs. But Chinese nationals persecuted by their government? Not so much. I can't take any of their virtue signalling seriously. But it must work on some people.