Apple has reportedly removed all vaping related apps from the App Store. The decision came after citing warnings from health experts that the spread of vaping products and e-cigarettes constitutes a public health crisis and a youth epidemic.
In a press statement Apple said: “[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.”
The Company has stopped accepting new vaping apps in June, and it has never allowed the sale of e-cigarette refills or vaping cartridges on its platform.
A total of 181 apps have been removed from the App Store, including games and companion apps that let users control things like lighting and heating on vaping devices. Apps already downloaded will remain usable.
Apple says its decision to remove vaping products from the App Store was directly triggered by warnings such as this. You can read the company’s full statement below:
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.
