When vaping appears to be responsible for sending people in the intensive care unit with breathing problems, the tech giant Apple has taken a sensible move and removed all 181 vaping-related apps from the iOS App Store following the rising concern about vaping related health issues.
Apple took this move after almost 42 people died from vaping related lung disease and most of these victims were using cartridges containing Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, though some exclusively used nicotine cartridges.
Cupertino company never allowed direct sale of vaping devices from any app. But some of these banned apps showcased vaping themed games, as well as shared information and news related to e-cigarettes. There are some banned apps which also allowed users to adjust the temperature and other settings of their vaping devices.
It should be noted after the launch of e-cigarettes it has been facing questions related to the health impacts. To continue the production of such devices the manufacturers also portrayed themselves as a safer alternative to usual cigarettes. But as per the health experts as well as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), such claims haven't proven scientifically.
It should be mentioned that nearly 200 e-cigarette users have developed severe lung disease in the US and most of them were teens and young adults. Health experts aren't sure if vaping actually caused these lung problems but believe that the most likely culprit is a contaminant, not an infectious agent.
They also think that possibilities include chemical irritation or allergic or immune reactions to various chemicals or other substances in the inhaled vapours. Typically, symptoms start gradually, with shortness of breath and/or chest pain before more severe breathing difficulty led to hospital admission. Currently, the FDA is planning to put a ban on flavoured vaping products to reduce their appeal to children.
As reported by Axios, Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said, "The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids applauds Apple for taking this important step and doing its part to address the youth e-cigarette epidemic."
Apple stated that the aim of the company is to make the App Store the most trusted place for customers, mostly for the youth to download apps. It stated, "We're constantly evaluating apps, and consulting the latest evidence, to determine risks to users' health and well-being."
The tech company have updated the 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."
