Vapers Digest 16th September

Monday’s News at a glance:

Ban Threatens Smokefree Progress – UEA Research – Shock poll shows cigarettes and vapes ban is LOWEST priority – Why Tobacco Harm Reduction? – FDA Surveils Industry Trade Show to Find Enforcement Targets – The Future of Nicotine Pouches and the Implications of Canada’s Ban – When Pride Hinders Public Health – Melbourne’s tobacco war is rooted in endless tax hikes on cigarettes – Fewer U.S. teens vaping, few use nicotine pouches – Vaping Restrictions Will Cost Lives – Cost-effectiveness analysis of e-cigarettes

Two from Dave Cross, Planet of the Vapes:

Ban Threatens Smokefree Progress

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) has celebrated New Zealand’s remarkable progress towards its Smokefree 2025 goal, but at the same time it is cautioning that proposed legislative changes, including a ban on disposable vapes, could undermine its tobacco harm reduction leadership in the region.

CAPHRA Executive Coordinator Nancy Loucas stated: “New Zealand stands on the cusp of an historic public health victory. Thanks to progressive policies supporting vaping and other reduced-risk products, the country is poised to reach its target of less than 5% of the population smoking well ahead of schedule.

UEA Research

Experimenting with commercially available vapes may be important for some people’s success in giving up smoking, according to new research from the University of East Anglia. Researchers found that more than a third of quitters who were given a vape in A&E experimented with different devices bought from shops or online and that people who smoke and had little experience with vapes were particularly receptive to an opportunistic approach in a medical setting.

The University of East Anglia led a study which found that giving out free e-cigarette starter packs in hospital emergency departments to people who smoke helped one in four people quit.

Shock poll shows cigarette and vape ban..

Is LOWEST priority among Labour MPs – Ali Anderson

Nearly half of Labour MPs in the UK say the proposed cigarettes and vapes ban is their lowest priority, a new survey has revealed.

Polling firm Survation asked 102 sitting Labour MPs to anonymously rank which upcoming legislation announced in the King’s speech is their priority over the coming months.

The controversial Tobacco and Vapes Bill came in at the bottom of the table, with 48 per cent of those surveyed ranking it LAST – in tenth place. Just four Labour MPs ranked the bill in their top three priorities.

Why Tobacco Harm Reduction?

A First Question of Many – Jonathan Kirkpatrick

When I first heard the words “tobacco harm reduction,” as recently as 2022, I was a little surprised. What is that? I wasn’t turned off. I just had no idea what it consisted of. Was it collecting cigarette butts from places, or passing out those old-fashioned filter tips?

No one in the prisons where I’ve spent the past three decades of my life ever says that chewing is safer than smoking, or that vaping is safer than either. So I was uninformed.

14 years vaping.

No thin lungs, no popcorn lung, no EVALI, no issues from particulates, and still not dead from arsenic. pic.twitter.com/gyhDybjwXC

— Dave Cross (@_Dave_Cross_) September 15, 2024

FDA Surveils Industry Trade Show

To Find Enforcement Targets – Jim McDonald

The FDA announced today new warning letters to six vape manufacturers or distributors offering unauthorized products for sale at a trade show. The agency also sent warning letters to five companies for strictly online sales.

It’s unclear if the trade show surveillance involved other federal agencies that are part of the joint FDA-Justice Department enforcement task force announced in June, or whether surveilling trade events to identify targets will be an ongoing enforcement tactic for the FDA.

The Future of Nicotine Pouches and …

The Implications of Canada’s Ban – Jason Mitchell

Earlier this year, Canada made a significant move by banning nicotine pouches, a decision that has sparked considerable debate within the harm reduction community. The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) voiced their concerns, urging governments to follow New Zealand’s progressive example instead. The land of the long white cloud has shown that allowing the sale of oral nicotine products can dramatically slash smoking rates and bolster public health.

When Pride Hinders Public Health

Clifford E. Douglas

Like most people, I’m uncomfortable having to say these three simple words: “I was wrong.”

But six years ago, while serving as the national vice president for tobacco control at the American Cancer Society, I found myself saying just that. I had led an intensive process of analysis featuring input from dozens of scientific experts that led me to realize I was incorrect about a core principle of my commitment to reducing the death and disease related to smoking.

Melbourne’s tobacco war is rooted in..

Endless tax hikes on cigarettes

Australia’s tobacco control policies are in disarray. For more than a decade, we’ve seen the introduction of increasingly restrictive and coercive measures that have escalated to such a degree that for many they now constitute prohibition in all but name.

For cigarettes, this has predominantly been through the imposition of an endless series of extraordinary tax hikes in an attempt to force smokers to quit. (Alternative link)

The PackBreakers EP 2

VSML South Africa

Join Kurt as he chats with Fred Roeder (The Consumer Choice Center) and Michael Landl (The World Vapers Alliance) at the annual Vapecon Event.

In this episode, they discuss the international vaping landscape, highlighting the successes and challenges faced by different countries (05:45). They delve into the contrasting global perspectives on vaping and how they’ve shaped diverse policies worldwide (15:08). Additionally, Michael and Fred share their insights on South Africa’s tobacco bill and why they’re visiting the country (22:30). The episode concludes with a discussion of the consumer view on vaping and the surrounding legislation (32:26).

Fewer U.S. teens vaping…

Few use nicotine pouches – Christopher Oldcorn

A new study shows that fewer young people in the United States use e-cigarettes and few use nicotine pouches.

The National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) was released by the government-funded U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The survey asked middle and high school students about their use of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches.

Science is an enabler at JTI

Global Forum on Nicotine

Vaping Restrictions Will Cost Lives

Without Shrinking Nicotine Usage – Justin Leventhal

Youth vaping is down thanks to public education campaigns, social pressure, and increased knowledge of the dangers of smoking and addiction. Despite these promising developments, regulators are still pushing aggressive regulations and using approval processes that restrict adults’ access to a potentially lifesaving alternative to smoking.

Concerns over teen vaping can be partially attributed to the dramatic increase in use from 2012 to 2022. However, data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) shows that the rise in youth vaping from 2012 to 2022 overlaps youth smoking rates falling precipitously

Clearing The Air

Vaping Unplugged Podcast with Peter Beckett Ep. 59

Cost-effectiveness analysis of e-cigarettes

Compared to nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation among Medicaid users in California

Conclusions: E-cigarettes used as a cessation treatment by smokers are more cost-effective relative to NRT. However, e-cigarettes as a treatment are currently unapproved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Despite lack of FDA approval, e-cigarettes are a popular choice among smokers trying to quit. Policymakers should consider whether providing financial support for e-cigarettes as a harm reduction strategy is worth pursuing.

On this Day…2023

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

Responses to the Disposable Ban

Dave Cross, Planet of the Vapes

A number of individuals and organisations have made comment following the news that the UK Government is considering banning the sales of disposable vapes in England. A minister refuses to rule out a ban, the Health Department talks about the need to protect kids, the Welsh Government want the same ban imposed on them, and Angela Rayner admits to being a bit of a “dragon”.

A spokesperson for The Department of Health and Social Care issued a statement saying: “We are concerned about the rise in youth vaping and the environmental impacts of disposable vapes. That is why we launched a call for evidence to identify opportunities to reduce the number of children accessing and using vaping products – and explore where the government can go further. We will set out our response in due course.”

Michelle – Ecigclick

On September 11th 2023 there were a lot of mutterings about there being a ban on single use (disposable) vapes.

For instance The Guardian ran with the headline – “Ministers set to ban single-use vapes in UK over child addiction fears“.

The Guardian article is full of negative messages about disposable vapes in particular but is also slating vaping full stop.

I am pleased to see a follow up article from the Guardian – “Ban on single-use vapes in UK may ‘flood market with illegal products’“.