SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- NJOY Electronic Cigarettes has become the first independent electronic cigarette company to support the nationally recognized We Card Program and join its Manufacturers Advisory Council.
The We Card program is widely accepted across the country as a premier sales training and education program working with retailers, trade associations, government agencies, community groups and others to provide tools and training to retailers to prevent underage access to tobacco products and other age-restricted products.
Through this collaboration, We Card and NJOY will work together to boost awareness of age-restricted sales laws governing e-cigarettes, especially through We Card's training program and in-store materials.
"NJOY is proud to be the first independent electronic cigarette company to join We Card as part of our Gold Standard commitment to be the most responsible electronic cigarette company," said Craig Weiss, CEO of NJOY. "Recently, New York and other states and localities have passed laws prohibiting the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. We support such laws. Now, through our collaboration with We Card, we can better help our retail supply chain with the training and tools they need to help ensure they are in compliance."
Doug Anderson, president of the We Card Program, said, "Retailers' desire for a more comprehensive program covering all age-restricted products is strong. We are very pleased and excited to have NJOY support the mission of We Card to prevent the underage sale of restricted products."
While the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) may regulate e-cigarettes under the Tobacco Control Act, to date it has not done so. Pending the promulgation of such regulations, e-cigarettes are not subject to the provisions of the Tobacco Control Act; however, seven states and several localities have passed laws prohibiting minors' access to e-cigarettes.
"For NJOY, being responsible means setting a national standard even without federal regulations. Joining We Card helps demonstrate that we are serious about preventing underage access to our products--everywhere," said Vito Maurici, senior vice president of sales and distribution.
Added Anderson: "We Card is a widely embraced national training program that has incorporated FDA's recommendations for content, curriculum, extensive record keeping, government health message and more into its training program. Training employees using We Card could mean lower FDA fines and penalties if infractions do occur."
The We Card Program, Inc. is a national, nonprofit organization that provides retailers with training and educational tools to help them in their efforts to prevent underage sales of tobacco and other age-restricted products. The We Card program has provided retailers with more than 1.1 million in-store educational kits and has trained more than 300,000 retailers nationwide. A broad coalition of stakeholders of national and state trade associations, government agencies, community groups and others also support We Card's ongoing efforts to educate and train retailers on preventing underage sales.
NJOY is a leading e-cigarette brand in America, available in almost 30,000 retail stores nationwide, including more than half of the nation's top 20 convenience store chains, the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based company said. NJOY offers a variety of rechargeable and nonrechargeable electronic cigarette products made for adult smokers. These products provide nicotine and tobacco and menthol flavor without smoke or odor.
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