Vapers Digest 13th December
Friday’s News at a glance:
Join VPZ Fighting the Vape Bill – Switchers See Improvements – ASH Briefs About Cochrane – Smoke Free Sweden on Japanese Lives – Nicotine Pouches and Public Health – Tobacco Control Disinformation – Self-defeating policies in Spain – Labour’s Clouded Vision on Vape Ban – American Heart Association on Smokeless Tobacco – Success Rates of Stop Smoking Services – Vaping: A blessing or a curse? – New study dispels gateway myth – Disposable vapes ban – EU countries want vapes included in new tax law – Mexico on verge of becoming first to add vape ban to constitution – Gains and Losses – Time ticking as disposable vapes ban looms – Thinking ’bout THR News & Views – The Five Great Tobacco Control Conspiracies – Smoking giant BAT reports more profit – Policy & Progress in THR – Mixed Opinions About Dual Use – Misinformation By PAVE – Does a youth vaping epidemic exist in the US –
Six from Dave Cross, Planet of the Vapes:
Join VPZ Fighting the Vape Bill
The Government’s vape legislation contains measures to kill off flavoured eliquids, join vape giant VPZ by fighting the Tobacco and Vapes Bill and telling the politicians “No!” As an individual, you may think you can’t make a difference – but leading retailer VPZ says “Your Voice Matters!”
The company adds: “Your voice and experiences are crucial to this effort, and we appreciate your participation in this important initiative.”
Switchers See Respiratory Improvements
A new paper in Nicotine and Tobacco Research, published by Oxford University Press, finds that people who switch from smoking cigarettes to vaping see improved respiratory health, but the same can’t be said for dual users who begin vaping while continuing to smoke tobacco cigarettes.
The research paper’s authors not that adults are increasingly using vapes to try to quit smoking because of the perceived reduced risk of electronic cigarettes.
ASH Briefs About Cochrane
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) has released a briefing paper covering the latest evidence obtained from the Cochrane systematic living review on vaping. The paper covers how long people continue to use e-cigarettes after a quit attempt, the impact and role of e-cigarette flavourings in supporting people to quit, and whether levels of potentially harmful chemicals and toxicants vary between people who have quit smoking and switched completely to e-cigarettes, those who continue to smoke, those who vape and smoke, and those who quit without vapes.
Smoke Free Sweden on Japanese Lives
Adopting comprehensive tobacco harm reduction (THR) strategies could save more than two million lives in Japan by 2060, according to a groundbreaking new report, says Smoke Free Sweden. The analysis, conducted by international health experts, shows the enormous potential of combining better cessation services, improved lung cancer treatment and the introduction of a full range of THR products, such as e-cigarettes and oral nicotine pouches.
With 157,180 Japanese lives lost to tobacco each year, this report calls for immediate action to prevent further needless deaths.
Nicotine Pouches and Public Health
SCoHRE, an International scientific Association of independent experts on Smoking Control & Harm Reduction, hosted a webinar moderated by Dr Konstantinos Farsalinos. He welcomed Professor Karl Fagerstrom, Tim Phillips and David Sweanor, to discuss “Nicotine pouches regulation: Questions, uncertainties, and ways to maximise public health benefit”.
Dr Konstantinos Farsalinos is a Senior Researcher at the University of Patras, Greece, and was one of the first to explore the potential and risks of vaping.
Tobacco Control Disinformation
Anti-vaping organisations, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), are providing a model for tobacco control disinformation, according to The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Advocates. The disinformation flies in the face of research evidence and the real-world experiences of countries like Sweden.
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Advocates (CAPHRA) says: “In the face of disinformation campaigns by groups like Vape-Free Kids NZ, which claim insufficient evidence for the benefits of nicotine products, Sweden stands as a compelling counter-example….”
Self-defeating vape and pouch policies …
In Spain – consultation response – Clive Bates
The irresistible urge to make bad policy that excessively restricts safer alternatives to smoking is on the rise. This time in Spain.
I responded to a Spanish Government consultation: Draft Royal Decree amending Royal Decree 579/2017, of June 9, regulating certain aspects relating to the manufacture, presentation and marketing of tobacco products and related products [link][archived] – [proposed amending text]
My letter in response (PDF 6-pages): In English / En español
Labour’s Clouded Vision on Vape Ban
Labour Minister Admits No One From Health Department Has Met With Vaping Industry
The government’s plan to ban disposable vapes by next summer has already been trashed by free-market wonks and industry insiders. Even the government’s own impact assessment admits the ban will lead “29% of current [vapers] will either revert/re-lapse to smoking tobacco”. Now it turns out no one from the Department of Health and Social Care has met with vaping industry representatives…
Despite Labour passing the Tobacco and Vapes Bill and vapes being NHS-prescribed to help smokers quit, the DHSC’s 3,540 staffers – including Secretary of State Wes Streeting – have yet to meet with industry insiders. So much for Labour’s lofty promises to to consult “with all interested parties before any future vaping regulations are introduced”. Up in smoke…
It’s deadline day to get your submission in to Spain’s public consultation which proposes to ban #vape flavours and nicotine pouches.
See ETHRA’s submission here:https://t.co/ENrxRD57jM
See @anesvap guide on submitting:https://t.co/iIDGvVRaP9
— European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (@europethra) December 13, 2024
Up in Smoke:
The American Heart Association on Smokeless Tobacco
Brad Rodu, Tobacco Truth
The American Heart Association published a policy statement in its journal Circulation, titled, “Impact of Smokeless Oral Nicotine Products on Cardiovascular Disease.” (here) Below, I cite with permission excerpts from a review by Clive Bates, along with my comments.
The smokeless tobacco [ST] policy statement from the American Heart Association is too long to review in depth, but my main take outs are:
1. It’s a modest improvement on what came before and it has factually correct things in it, but it does not work as a basis for policymaking or risk communication.
Success Rates of Stop Smoking Services
Local Authorities across the UK work tirelessly to improve the health and wellbeing of the people in their communities. One important way they do this is through the delivery of Stop Smoking Services. Stop Smoking Services provide free expert advice, guidance and support to help smokers to quit. Support in the form of nicotine replacement products such as nicotine patches, sprays or vapes may also be provided.
At Haypp we want to recognise and support the important work local authorities do to help the people in their community and to contribute to a smoke-free future for the UK.
67% of Oxfordshire smokers have successfully quit in 2024
Vaping: A blessing or a curse?
Colin Stevens
EU member states agreed earlier this month in Brussels to reduce exposure to second-hand smoke in some outdoor spaces, including playgrounds and cafe patios. The adopted recommendation calls on EU countries to extend restrictions on cigarettes to cover products such as heated tobacco devices and electronic cigarettes, writes Colin Stevens.
The adopted recommendation is not legally binding but it has given rise to a heated debate in the European Parliament. A resolution failed to pass in plenary on 28 November. Many MEP’s – including those of EPP – would like to exclude novel tobacco products, such as vaping devices and electronic cigarettes from the recommendation.
New study dispels nicotine gateway myth
Snusforumet
Smoking among US high schoolers has “basically disappeared” despite a recent surge in vaping, proving that fears about safter alternatives acting as a nicotine gateway to cigarettes among young people are overblown and unfounded.
Researchers examined more than ten years of data from the US National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) and the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).
Three from Ali Anderson, Clearing the Air:
Northern Ireland, Wales and Jersey…
Approve disposable vapes ban for June 2025
Andrew Muir, Northern Ireland’s environment minister, had previously said he would outlaw the sale and supply of single-use vapes from April 2025. But yesterday, he announced the ban will be pushed back by two months to June.
The new date ties in with similar laws being introduced separately in England, Scotland and Wales. Muir said aligning the dates would give clarity for businesses currently selling single-use vapes.
Senedd backs disposable vape ban for 2025 – BBC
EU countries want vapes included…
In new tobacco tax law
Sixteen countries have called for vapes and other nicotine alternatives to be included in a European law that taxes tobacco.
The nations, led by the Netherlands, have asked the European Commission to propose a new law in the coming months that will bring vaping under the same tax legislation as tobacco.
The initiative has the support of Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Slovakia, Spain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Ireland, Slovenia and Portugal.
Mexico on verge of becoming first country
To add vape ban to constitution
The Senate in Mexico yesterday voted unanimously to pass the reform, which will ban the production, distribution and sale of all types of vapes.
The law must now pass the Congresses in each of Mexico’s 28 states – which it is expected to do – before being enacted. The Mexican government says it is concerned about the potential health risks of vaping and increasing numbers of young people becoming addicted to nicotine.
Gains and Losses
Will Godfrey gives us his New Years’ Wishes for 2025
From highs, such as Sweden’s standout THR success in reaching smokefree status, to lows like continued opposition and misinformation from major public health bodies, 2024 has been a year of ups and downs for THR. But underlining all this news is the resounding progress consumers are making in changing perceptions of safer products – join Will Godfrey for a full rundown of this year’s news in this episode of GFN’s New Year’s Wishes!
Vaping & tobacco 2024:
Time ticking as disposable vapes ban looms
The death of the disposable vape may have already begun. Ahead of next year’s ban, the vaping category has shed £43.6m and sold 2.7 million fewer units. Worst hit is ElfBar, best known for its colourful 600 Disposable device. It’s down £284m – the biggest absolute loss in this year’s Top Products.
Indeed take-up of vaping appears to have peaked. It had already begun slowing last year. The most recent ONS figures show 5.9% of people aged 16 and older vaped every day in 2023, up only slightly from the previous year’s 5.2%. Another 3.9% vaped occasionally, up from 3.5%.
Time for a Concerted Push..
To Get Vapes in All Prisons – Jonathan Kirkpatrick
Tobacco harm reduction in the United States, like most other harm reduction, tends to ignore the prison-industrial complex and the people held captive there. But prison is ripe for policy change. Likely, there is no larger group of affected people in the same place suffering in the same way.
Almost all prison smoking bans rely on the social stigma of smoking in order to reach a little further and ban vaping, too. Here in Washington State, vaping is not covered by state law that bans smoking in public indoor spaces and workplaces.
Thinking ’bout THR News & Views
Kim “Skip” Murray
My brain organizes people into boxes, which is helpful when conversing with someone. Because I struggle socially, it is hard for me to make “small talk” with people. I am much more comfortable with a topic to discuss.
It’s like I need a pre-written script composed in my mind to remove some of the awkwardness I feel when talking to someone. From what I’ve read, it appears that this is common for some autistic people.
Five Great Tobacco Control Conspiracies
Richard Crosby
Read enough tobacco control content, and one could be forgiven for thinking they were thumbing through the pages of the National Enquirer. From the University of Bath Tobacco Control Research Group mistaking criticism of their shoddy work for targeted online abuse to the deranged propaganda about vapes and pouches, it’s fair to say that conspiracy theories are alive and well in the space.
Let’s take a look at the top five wacky theories that just won’t go away.
Smoking giant BAT reports more profit
From non-tobacco products like vapes
British American Tobacco (BAT) has said it is on track to make more money from selling vapes in the second half of the financial year than the first.
The smoking giant said in a trading update that it had about 40% vaping market share across key markets like the US and the UK with its Vuse products.
However, it added that global tobacco industry volumes are expected to be down 2% year-on-year as more people turn away from smoking traditional cigarettes.
Introducing Policy & Progress in THR
Joe Murillo
Welcome to Policy & Progress in Tobacco Harm Reduction, a space dedicated to sharing developments in the global tobacco harm reduction (THR) landscape. This Substack is born from a desire to see an ever more robust, science-driven public dialogue around our country’s collective efforts to reduce and eventually end the premature death and disease associated with cigarette smoking.
On these pages, I will share some thoughts on developments in industry, regulation and policymaking in the global effort to eliminate the death and disease caused by smoking.
Mixed Opinions About Dual Use
Based on What Facts? – Diane Caruana
Dual use of vapes and cigarettes sparks debate. Proponents argue that vaping reduces harm by lowering cigarette consumption, citing studies showing improved health. However, critics counter that dual use maintains nicotine addiction, leaving users in a limbo of perpetual nicotine addiction, and therefore never fully quitting smoking.
Research reveals mixed findings, with some studies showing dual users are as likely, or more likely, to quit as exclusive smokers, and others suggesting that dual use may pose health risks equal to or greater than smoking alone
Misinformation By PAVE
Appears to Be Part of a Longer-Term Campaign of Deception
Michael Siegel
Yesterday, I reported that Parents Against Vaping E-Cigarettes (PAVE) is essentially lying on its website about the prevalence of daily e-cigarette use among youth. The site claims that “More than 1 in 4 youth use e-cigarettes daily.” Using data from the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS), I showed that the actual proportion of youth who use e-cigarettes daily is 1.6%, meaning that PAVE is exaggerating this statistic by a factor of 16.
I had assumed that this was just a one-time error and that PAVE was just misreporting data from the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey. But how wrong I was.
Letter to Minister Saks
From Tax Payers Protection Alliance
Please see attached comments from the Taxpayers Protection Alliance on the proposed Canadian ban on flavored products.
With youth vaping having declined in recent years, and youth use of traditional tobacco products at record lows, it is not necessary for Canadian policymakers to prohibit flavors in vapor products.
Does a vaping epidemic exist in the US
And if so, is it really such a bad thing? – Barnaby Page
Is there really a youth vaping “epidemic” in the US, and if so, how much of a bad thing is it? Is it concerning enough to justify draconian restrictions (such as flavour bans) on novel nicotine products that apply across the board and not just to under-age vapers?
This debate – or to put it more honestly, dispute – goes to the heart of US perceptions of and policy on tobacco harm reduction.
Poll reveals what Denverites..
Are more worried about than flavored nicotine
A post-election survey reveals Denverites are concerned about issues ranging from affordable housing and crime to the city’s tax and spending habit.
They’ve got a dozen different worries, but the city council’s proposed ban on flavored nicotine and tobacco products is not one of them.
Not a single respondent out of 459 surveyed in the Independence Institute poll said they are worried the city council vote would fail and Denver would be overrun with nicotine junkies roaming the streets with their watermelon vape and chewing papaya gum.
PMI CEO Olczak laments ban
On tobacco alternatives ‘immoral’
Abu Dhabi—Philip Morris International (PMI) Chief Executive Officer Jacek Olczak on Wednesday, Dec. 11, lamented the existing policies in some countries that ban less harmful alternatives to cigarettes, such as smoke-free products, while countries that allow these alternatives have seen a decline in the number of cigarette smokers.
He made these remarks during the “Technovation Smoke-free by PMI Abu Dhabi Edition”, where Olczak was the speaker for its first session entitled, “PMI’s Journey to Smoke-Free: Past, Present, & Future.”
On this Day…2023
A look back at how things have moved on or otherwise….
Huge potential of THR for people
Experiencing homelessness explored in new GSTHR Briefing Paper
Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction
A new Briefing Paper from the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR), a project from UK-based public health agency Knowledge·Action·Change (K·A·C), examines the significant potential of the approach to help people experiencing homelessness. ‘Tobacco harm reduction and people experiencing homelessness – a UK perspective’ discusses the impact of high smoking rates on homeless people’s lives, health and engagement with support services, and provides insights into harm reduction initiatives in three UK cities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tobacco, Nicotine and the Lesser of Two Evils
Humans in Public Health
We all understand the dangers of smoking—but the debate over vapes, nicotine pouches and other tobacco alternatives rages on: Can vaping really save lives? Or are nicotine alternatives a slippery slope: a dangerous gateway to lifelong substance use? Professors Jasjit Ahluwalia and Jennifer Tidey have spent their careers researching and fighting the global scourge of tobacco-related diseases and fatalities. The two public health professionals discuss their takes on a harm reduction and how it applies to the modern nicotine landscape.
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