Vapers Digest 10th July

Wednesday’s News at a glance:

SMILE Study Researchers Confirm That Exclusive Users of Combustion-Free Products Have Lower Plaque Accumulation Compared to Smokers ~ Advancing public health in the EU through harm reduction strategies ~ New Poll: 1,800 Swing State Voters Reveal Fair and Reasonable Regulation Needed for Flavored E-Cigarettes ~ Zyn Imitators Rush In as Online Sales Halt Worsens US Shortage ~ Atlantic retailers blast federal nicotine pouch restrictions as a threat to autonomy ~Bans on Flavored Vaping Products Are Harming Public Health ~ Ontario’s New Vape Tax Rules Are Costing Customers Way More And People Aren’t Happy ~ New Secretary of State for Health ~ Vapes Help To Drive Down Pregnancy Smoking ~ The costs of prohibition – Panel Discussion #1 | #GFN24 ~ Combustible Cigarette Use Fluctuating Among North Carolina Youth, E-Cigarette Use Significantly Down From 2019 ~ ‘Made in China’ Is the Latest Pretext to Curb Consumer Access to E-Cigarettes ~ Malaysia’s Smoking Rates Stagnate as New Zealand Halves Smoking Through Vaping ~ Photo of hidden stash in Aussie’s kitchen cupboard exposes ‘scary’ problem

SMILE Study Researchers Confirm That Exclusive Users

of Combustion-Free Products Have Lower Plaque Accumulation Compared to Smokers

Center of Excellence for the acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR)

A healthy routine dedicated to oral hygiene is essential to counteract the onset of diseases that damage teeth and gums, which are often at risk due to incorrect habits, primarily cigarette smoking. It is proven that the harmful compounds released by tobacco combustion are among the risk factors for the accumulation of dental plaque, a biofilm composed of bacteria that develops on the tooth surface and can promote the onset of gingivitis and periodontitis.

Advancing public health in the EU through harm reduction strategies

The Parliament

The European Commission is under pressure to review the Tobacco Products Directive, the EU’s main tobacco and nicotine product regulatory instrument. In the light of measures which seek to ban flavoured tobacco products and require more information on the ingredients within tobacco products, The Parliament organised a panel discussion in partnership with the Tholos Foundation to explore new approaches for harm reduction and to forecast priorities for the next European Mandate.

New Poll: 1,800 Swing State Voters Reveal Fair and Reasonable Regulation Needed for Flavored E-Cigarettes

Vapor Technology Association (VTA)

The Vapor Technology Association (VTA) today released polling from American pollster Kellyanne Conway which reveals that once American voters are armed with the facts and scientific studies showing that e-cigarettes are a proven smoking cessation tool for adults, their opinions not only dramatically change, but a majority become opposed to continuing Administration efforts to eliminate flavored e-cigarettes.

Tiffany Kary, MSN

A slew of Zyn competitors are rushing in to capitalize on troubles at the Philip Morris-owned brand, which is facing a run on supply for its popular oral nicotine pouches and a subpoena that prompted a halt in its online sales in the US.

“With Zyn’s falling-out right now, and manufacturing issues, we want to strike while the iron is hot,” Song Jo, a sales manager for California-based wholesaler Apex Distribution, said at the Alternative Products Expo trade show last month in Houston, where he was displaying oral nicotine pouches branded to former professional basketball player Dennis Rodman.

Atlantic retailers blast federal nicotine pouch restrictions as a threat to autonomy

Cosmin Dzsurdzsa, True North Wire

Newfoundland small business owners are upset with a new federal policy restricting the sale of nicotine alternatives, such as pouches, to pharmacies.

The proposed changes, which keep the products out of convenience stores, have sparked concerns about public health, economic impacts, and provincial autonomy, say retailers.

Jeffrey Zamora (Twitter)

“During the @GFNicotine #GFN24, we asked 26 volunteers to pose for a portrait photo; these people have similarities, such as having quit cigarette smoking through harm reduction products and being advocates for vastly safer alternatives to combustible tobacco.”

Editor Note: Jeffery Zamora’s Tweet will not embed properly, here is the link.

https://x.com/jeffzam8/status/1810548756351246423

Bans on Flavored Vaping Products Are Harming Public Health

Martin Cullip, Real Clear Health

Despite a growing body of evidence indicating that flavor bans on vaping products may lead to increased cigarette smoking, policymakers persist in their pursuit of such prohibitions. This approach is not only counterproductive but also detrimental to public health because it undermines the potential benefits of vaping as a harm reduction tool.

Flavors in vaping products play a crucial role in the success of helping smokers quit, and the evidence is clear that removing these options drives users back to more harmful combustible tobacco. Understanding why policymakers continue to endorse these bans and what steps can be taken to educate the public about their dangers is essential.

Ontario’s New Vape Tax Rules Are Costing Customers

Way More And People Aren’t Happy

Becky Robertson, BlogTO

Vaping is a more popular vice than ever among young people, and if you’re one of the countless Ontarians who partake in the habit, you’ve likely noticed that taxes on nicotine vapes just made a huge jump.

At the beginning of this month, vape tax amounts in the province more than doubled, serving as the cornerstone of the provincial and federal governments’ efforts to “deter the consumption of products that pose health risks.”

Two From Dave Cross, Planet Of The Vapes

New Secretary of State for Health

Wes Streeting has been appointed as the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as part of the new Labour Government. Planet of the Vapes takes a comprehensive look at what he has said about vaping and tobacco harm reduction while in opposition.

Vapes Help To Drive Down Pregnancy Smoking

Smoking rates among pregnant women have hit an all-time low, aided by women choosing to switch to vaping, according to anti-smoking charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). The last government pledged to encourage all smokers to switch to vaping as part of the national ‘smoke free scheme’. A programme offering virtually 400,000 vape kits was rolled out in February.

The costs of prohibition – Panel Discussion #1 | #GFN24

Global Forum on Nicotine

An examination of the health, social and economic costs of prohibition, with a panel reflecting on parallel experiences with illicit drugs and alcohol. The panel comprises politicians, thought leaders from the drug and alcohol fields and a consumer/vape trader perspective. GFN 2024 Panel Discussion #1 – hosted by Ethan Nadelmann with panellists: Fiona Patten, Lindsey Stroud, Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh, Harry Shapiro.

Click to visit Danish Vapers Association

Combustible Cigarette Use Fluctuating Among North Carolina Youth,

E-Cigarette Use Significantly Down From 201

Lindsey Stroud, Independent Women’s Forum

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction has released the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) results. This biennial study, conducted in coordination with federal agencies, tracks various behaviors of American youth, including dietary habits, physical activity, mental health, and substance use.

The survey brings encouraging news for policymakers: youth vaping is on the decline, and traditional tobacco product use remains low.

‘Made in China’ Is the Latest Pretext to Curb Consumer Access to E-Cigarettes

Christian Josi, PJ Media

It’s a familiar tactic—hysterically wailing about the imperiled health of children as an excuse to ban products for adults. And nowhere have we seen it invoked more than we have in the nanny state war against e-cigarettes, or vapes as they are more commonly called. Thankfully, the tired tactic is showing its wear in this case and not getting the job done.

The anti-vape activists, regulators, and politicians — whose generally asinine efforts in addition to child health scaremongering thankfully continue to be foiled — have pivoted to a new bogeyman: imported e-cigarettes and vaping tools from foreign nations such as China.

Malaysia’s Smoking Rates Stagnate as New Zealand Halves Smoking Through Vaping

Smoke Free Sweden

New Zealand’s approach to smoke free nicotine alternatives has halved smoking rates in just five years while Malaysia continues to have 5 million smokers, according to Smoke Free Sweden.

A new report authored by New Zealand’s Dr Marewa Glover for Smoke Free Sweden, highlights the critical role of vaping in New Zealand’s public health transformation and offers a path forward for Malaysia, where hostility and misinformation continue to dominate and keep smoking rates high, at 17%.

Photo of hidden stash in Aussie’s kitchen cupboard exposes ‘scary’ problem

Joe Attanasio, Yahoo News

Almost everyone knows someone who uses a vape. Among young people, they’re extremely popular and many studies have linked the rise of nicotine consumption in our youth to the devices.

It’s been estimated there are now almost two million Australians who vape, but according to one of the nation’s leading tobacco experts, Dr Colin Mendelsohn, hardly anybody knows how to dispose of them. It means they’re ending up in landfill — or worse, on fire — due to a dangerous mix of their lithium-ion batteries and toxic chemicals.

On this Day…2023

A look back at how things have moved on or otherwise…

WHO asked to stop opposition to THR

To help over a billion smokers

Public health advocates who attended a recent global forum called on the World Health Organization to stop its opposition to the tobacco harm reduction approach and insistence to ban less-harmful tobacco alternative products like vapes and heated tobacco.

Do you know the real, inside story

Pritam Sengupta

A newly published book, “E-Cigarettes and the Comparative Politics of Harm Reduction: History, Evidence and Policy”, has offered some serious arguments about benefits of vaping and the troubles of tobacco.

Visit Nicotine Science & Policy for more News from around the World