Vaping Digest May 22nd
Wednesday’s News at a glance:
Three Takeaways From Filter’s Tobacco Harm Reduction and Health Justice Event ~ European Union Specializes in Nicotine Prohibition ~ Former FDA chief Gottlieb: ‘We struck the wrong balance’ on e-cigarettes ~ State lawmakers balk at more anti-vaping laws, and JUUL hit back at dubious Twitter study ~ Help Required ~ Biz Benefits From NZ THR Approach ~ Four-Pod Teen ~ Aussie Vape Day ~ Regulate, don’t ban ~ Smokers thrown under the bus by ‘vaping specialists’ ~ India has over 100 million adult smokers, yet it wants a safer alternative banned
Three Takeaways From Filter’s Tobacco Harm Reduction and Health Justice Event
Filter Staff, Filter Magazine
On May 17, Filter hosted a panel entitled “Tobacco Harm Reduction, Vulnerable Populations & Health Justice” at New York University, attended by students, harm reduction advocates and Filter readers.
Panelists included Dr. Sheila Vakharia, a researcher for the Office of Academic Engagement at the Drug Policy Alliance; Senior Editor Helen Redmond, LCSW of Filter; and Dr. Marewa Glover, the director of New Zealand’s Centre of Research Excellence on Indigenous Sovereignty and Smoking.
European Union Specializes in Nicotine Prohibition
Michael McGrady, Inside Sources
Despite its approval of the IQOS heat-not-burn system for sale in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration continues down a troubling path that could lead to the prohibition of certain nicotine products. While we can rest assured modified-risk cigarettes or non-tobacco oral nicotine alternatives like Zyn will not be removed from the market in the United States, an analysis of what comes with specific nicotine prohibitions is required.
Former FDA chief Gottlieb: ‘We struck the wrong balance’ on e-cigarettes
Angelica LaVito, CNBC
The Food and Drug Administration struck the wrong balance in its oversight of the e-cigarette industry, former Food and Drug Administration chief Scott Gottlieb said at CNBC’s Healthy Returns conference Tuesday.
While commissioner, Gottlieb championed e-cigarettes as a way to help adults stop smoking. The agency’s delayed oversight has been blamed, in part, on a rise in teen vaping that Gottlieb eventually labeled an “epidemic.”
State lawmakers balk at more anti-vaping laws, and JUUL hit back at dubious Twitter study
Fergus Mason, Vaping Post
There are signs of growing opposition to the USA’s demented war on tobacco harm reduction, with state politicians in California working to reach a compromise that will protect children while letting smokers access safer alternatives. Their counterparts in Arizona have gone a step further and are trying to block towns and counties from imposing any more anti-vaping laws. However, opponents of harm reduction continue to spread misinformation and push for tougher restrictions.
Three from Dave Cross, Planet Of The Vapes:
Help Required
The UK Centre for Tobacco & Alcohol Studies (UKTAS) is conducting work to help identify the top 10 unanswered questions for future research into topics related to vaping. Dr Abby Hunter has completed the first phase, and is now seeking support to prioritise the list of topics.
Biz Benefits From NZ THR Approach
Pod manufacturer Alt New Zealand are reaping the benefits from New Zealand’s intelligent approach to tobacco harm reduction. Just four years old, the company has now achieved its 1000th outlet listing with a product geared towards helping adult smokers break their habit.
Four-Pod Teen
“Honour roll student”, “Eagle scout” and “rehab” all combine to make a worthwhile story in many newsrooms. Add in words like “nicotine”, “addiction” and “JUUL”, and it’s like striking a fat gold seam in America. Who doesn’t adore a great story about failure and redemption? Luka Kinard and his parents presented him as such to the media and they’ve been going back to tell his tale ever since.
31st of May is world anti tobacco day. In Greece at my stores and partners we are doing cigarette/iqos exchange for an EQ and liquid. Hope all vape stores all over the world participate in their way to help eliminate smoking… #vapinsaveslives
— Dimitris 🇬🇷 🇺🇸 (@VapinGreek) May 21, 2019
Aussie Vape Day
Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association (ATHRA), Legalise Vaping Australia and the New Nicotine Alliance Australia
30 May 2019 is the first ever Aussie Vape Day, which aims to educate adult smokers about vaping and encourage them to ‘give it a go’ as a much less harmful alternative to smoking. Aussie Vape Day was established by the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association (ATHRA), Legalise Vaping Australia and the New Nicotine Alliance Australia.
Regulate, don’t ban
Tobacco Reporter
The parties competing in this week’s European elections agree that e-cigarettes need to be regulated but not banned.
Vaping will be among the subjects the next European Parliament and Commission will have to consider, with the planned revision of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) and the upcoming tobacco taxation system. The question goes right down to whether vaping products should continue to be included under tobacco-based rules, or have their own regulatory and tax regime.
Smokers thrown under the bus by ‘vaping specialists’
Simon Clark, Talking Liberties
In conversation with Mark Littlewood at the IEA last week I had a pop at vapers and vaping advocates who “throw smokers under the bus”.
In particular I raged about vapers who claim it’s unfair to ban vaping in the workplace because that will force them to stand outside with the smokers, breathing in all that terrible secondhand smoke (sic).
India has over 100 million adult smokers, yet it wants a safer alternative banned
One would think that in a country with 100 million adult smokers, health officials would do anything to prevent the consumption of cigarettes.
Yet, India is pushing for bans and regulations of products like e-cigarettes that are not only much safer than traditional cigarettes, but are also the preferred method for smoking cessation in many countries.
On this Day…2017
A look back at how things have moved on or otherwise….
Titration Theories
Norbert Zillatron
The existence of self-titration of nicotine when smoking is pretty well established scientifically. It’s easy enough to get reliable figures by measuring the nicotine level in the blood. But often the established level differs from that measured when the smoker could consume his customary fare. This difference is even more pronounced when testing vapers.
New laws in UK ‘stifling vaping’s success’
Jamie Doward, The Guardian
Britain’s burgeoning vaping industry is warning of a rise in homemade versions of the liquids used in the devices as new laws governing their strength take effect this weekend.
Vape shops warn that the health of consumers will be put at risk because people will end up buying stronger products from the black market or the internet that do not meet safety standards.
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