Apple has taken away all apps related to vaping from its App Store, referring to warnings from health experts who consider vaping as "a youth epidemic" and "a public health crisis." The tech giant announced it had updated its App Store Review Guidelines to reflect the mobile apps that encourage or facilitate the use of such products that are prohibited as of today. The said apps are not available for download anymore.
In a recently published report, about "181 apps have been removed from App Store, including companion apps and games that let users control things such as heating and lighting on vaping device." In the meantime, users of Apple devices who have downloaded the app already can still continue using them. And, recently, experts from the organizations and agencies like the American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have attributed various lung injuries, as well as death cases to vaping and e-cigarette products.
Apple's Timely Decision
It seems that the decision of Apple to remove all of its vaping-related apps from the Apple Store is very timely because of the growing number of deaths due to lung illnesses, and Vaping is being pointed as the No. 1 culprit. In the same published report, it was indicated that, according to the federal agency, "Vaping is responsible for at least 42 deaths and over 2,000 lung diseases in the United States."
A separate report has it that the iPhone maker ceased from accepting new apps related to vaping in June, and it has not permitted the sale of vaping cartridges or e-cigarette refills on its platform. Apple's decisions are coming at a time when vaping concerns have ramped up to respond to a mysterious lung injury as a result of vaping that killed over 40 people.
Vaping Health Crisis
Prior to this series of lung injuries, there were other apprehensions about vaping products and e-cigarettes. These included the hazards from battery explosions and seizures, as well as the high vaping levels among teenagers. An Apple representative said, as published on forbes.com, the company takes great care "curate the App Store as a trusted place for customers, particularly youth, to download apps."
In addition, Apple said, warnings like this one directly triggered its decision to take out vaping products from its platform. In addition, the leading technology company said it agreed with warnings from the officials on the adverse health effects of vaping, as well as the probable problem which the appeal of the e-cigars to the youths present.
