Apple has announced it will remove vaping related apps from its app store after the Centers for Disease Control reported 42 people have died from vaping illnesses.
“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,” Apple said in a statement to Axios.
Apple does not sell vaping related products directly to customers but said it would remove 181 programs that allow users to control features on their devices.
“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,” Apple said.
“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,” they added.
The American Heart Association applauded the move, according to 9to5Mac.
“We are grateful that Apple is joining with us and others on this historic day to stand against big Vape and their lies by removing all vaping apps in the App store,” said CEO Nancy Brown,. “Our hope is that others will follow our lead and follow with their own powerful message that nicotine and nicotine addiction caused by e-cigarette use are leaving thousands sick and dying across the globe.”
A CDC report recommends people to discontinue vaping until they do the tests necessary to determine what are causing these illnesses.
• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.
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