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  5. Cool Clouds Distribution, Inc. d/b/a Puff Bar - 608526 - 07/20/2020
  1. Warning Letters

WARNING LETTER

Cool Clouds Distribution, Inc. d/b/a Puff Bar MARCS-CMS 608526 —

Delivery Method:
VIA UPS and Electronic Mail
Product:
Tobacco
Recipient:
Recipient Name
Umais Abubaker
Cool Clouds Distribution, Inc. d/b/a Puff Bar

101 N. Verdugo Road #11001
Glendale, CA 91226
United States

support@puffbar.com
info@puffbar.com
wholesale@puffbar.com
Issuing Office:
Center for Tobacco Products

United States

WARNING LETTER

 

Dear Umais Abubaker:

The Center for Tobacco Products of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently reviewed the website https://puffbar.com and determined that the electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products listed there are offered for sale or distribution to customers in the United States.

Under section 201(rr) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) (21 U.S.C. § 321(rr)), these products are tobacco products because they are made or derived from tobacco and intended for human consumption.  Certain tobacco products, including ENDS, are subject to FDA jurisdiction under section 901(b) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387a(b)) and 21 C.F.R. § 1100.1. Therefore, ENDS products are required to be in compliance with the requirements in the FD&C Act.

Please be aware that, effective August 8, 2016, FDA deemed additional products meeting the definition of a tobacco product, except accessories to these newly deemed products, to be subject to regulation under the FD&C Act.  These products include, but are not limited to, ENDS (including e-cigarettes), e-liquids, cigars, and pipe tobacco.  See Final Rule, Deeming Tobacco Products To Be Subject to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as Amended by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act; Restrictions on the Sale and Distribution of Tobacco Products and Required Warning Statements for Tobacco Products, 81 Fed. Reg. 28,974 (May 10, 2016), available at https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-10685.

New Tobacco Products Without Required Marketing Authorization are Adulterated and Misbranded

The FD&C Act requires new tobacco products to have premarket authorization.  A new tobacco product is any tobacco product that was not commercially marketed in the United States as of February 15, 2007, or any modified tobacco product that was commercially marketed after February 15, 2007 (section 910(a) of the FD&C Act; 21 U.S.C. § 387j(a)).  Generally, a marketing authorization order under section 910(c)(1)(A)(i) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387j(c)(1)(A)(i)) is required for a new tobacco product unless (1) the manufacturer of the product submitted a report under section 905(j) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387e(j)) and FDA issues an order finding the product substantially equivalent to a predicate tobacco product (section 910(a)(2)(A) of the FD&C Act) or (2) the manufacturer submitted a report under section 905(j)(1)(A)(ii) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387e(j)(1)(A)(ii)) and all modifications are covered by exemptions from the requirements of substantial equivalence granted by FDA under section 905(j)(3) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387e(j)(3).

Our review of the website https://puffbar.com revealed that you offer for sale or distribution to customers in the United States the following ENDS products without a marketing authorization order, for example: Puff Bar Plus – Mixed Berries, Puff Bar Plus – Cool Mint, Puff Bar – Cucumber, Puff Bar – Mango, Puff Bar – Blue Razz (Blue Raspberry), Puff Bar – Banana Ice, and Puff Bar – Sour Apple.

The ENDS products listed above are new tobacco products because they were not commercially marketed in the United States as of February 15, 2007. These products do not have FDA marketing authorization orders in effect under section 910(c)(1)(A)(i) of the FD&C Act and are not otherwise exempt from the marketing authorization requirement.  Therefore, these products are adulterated under section 902(6)(A) of the FD&C Act.  In addition, they are misbranded under section 903(a)(6) of the FD&C Act because a notice or other information respecting these products was not provided as required by section 905(j) of the FD&C Act.

Modified Risk Tobacco Product Violations

FDA has determined that your ENDS products are adulterated under section 902(8) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387b(8)) because they are modified risk tobacco products sold or distributed without an FDA order in effect that permits such sale or distribution. 

Our review of the website https://puffbar.com revealed that you sell or distribute ENDS products while explicitly or implicitly representing that: (1) the products present a lower risk of tobacco-related disease or are less harmful than one or more other commercially marketed tobacco products; (2) the products or their smoke contain a reduced level of a substance or present a reduced exposure to a substance; or (3) the products or their smoke do not contain or are free of a substance.  For example, the website https://puffbar.com includes the following claims regarding your ENDS products: 

  • “Made from medical-grade soaked cotton with 5% salt nicotine and flavoring, the Puff Bar heats liquid to product vapor without burning carcinogens.”
  • “Smoking isn’t cheap, so we want a product that motivates you not just for health reasons.”
  • “Value is important because smoking cigarettes is not cheap habit. Making the switch shouldn’t only be a health-conscious decision but a budget-friendly one as well.”
  • “Quit smoking today with Puff Bar. Over 24 options to choose from. Traditional cigarettes contain a laundry list of chemicals that are proven harmful. There is still more research to be done on the negative effects of vaping, but we believe it is the healthier alternative and adults should have that choice. Plus you won’t smell like an ash tray.”

Under section 911(a) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387k(a)), no person may introduce or deliver for introduction into interstate commerce any modified risk tobacco product without an FDA order in effect under section 911(g) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387k(g)). A modified risk tobacco product application under section 911(d) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387k(d)) is required to provide scientific evidence and other information to support issuance of an order under section 911(g) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387k(g)). A product that is in violation of section 911(a) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387k(a)) is adulterated under section 902(8) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387b(8)).

Conclusion and Requested Actions

It is your responsibility to ensure that your tobacco products and all related labeling and/or advertising on this website, on any other websites (including e-commerce, social networking, or search engine websites), in any other media in which you advertise, and in any retail establishments comply with each applicable provision of the FD&C Act and FDA’s implementing regulations.  Failure to address any violations of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 301 et seq., Chapter IX, relating to tobacco products including the tobacco regulations in 21 C.F.R. Parts 1140, 1141, and 1143, may result in FDA taking regulatory action.  However, this Warning Letter does not constitute “written notice” for purposes of section 303(f)(9)(B)(i)(II) of the FD&C Act.  Please note that adulterated and misbranded tobacco products offered for import into the United States are subject to detention and refusal of admission.>

The violations discussed in this letter do not necessarily constitute an exhaustive list.  You should promptly correct the violations that are referenced above, as well as violations that are the same as or similar to those stated above, and take any necessary actions to bring your tobacco products into compliance with the FD&C Act. 

Please submit a written response to this letter within 15 working days from the date of receipt describing your corrective actions, including the dates on which you discontinued the violative labeling, advertising, sale, and/or distribution of these tobacco products and your plan for maintaining compliance with the FD&C Act.  If you do not believe that your products are in violation of the FD&C Act, include your reasoning and any supporting information for our consideration.  You can find the FD&C Act through links on FDA’s homepage at http://www.fda.gov.

Please note your reference number, RW2001367, in your response and direct your response to the following address:

DPAL-WL Response, Office of Compliance and Enforcement
FDA Center for Tobacco Products
c/o Document Control Center
Building 71, Room G335
10903 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002

If you have any questions about the content of this letter, please contact Ele Ibarra-Pratt at (301) 796-9235 or via email at CTPCompliance@fda.hhs.gov.   

Sincerely,
/S/

Ann Simoneau, J.D.
Director
Office of Compliance and Enforcement
Center for Tobacco Products

 

VIA UPS and Electronic Mail

cc:

Cool Clouds Distribution, Inc. d/b/a Puff Bar
Attn: Umais Abubaker
316 E. 4th Street,
Los Angeles, CA 90013

Cool Clouds Distribution, Inc. d/b/a Puff Bar
Attn: Umais Abubaker
14781 Pomerado Road #86628
Poway, CA 92064

Contact Privacy Inc.
Customer 0156679771
Puffbar.com@contactprivacy.com

Tucows Inc.
Domainabuse@tucows.com

Shopify, Inc.
abuse@shopify.com

 
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