Vapers Digest 13th August

Wednesday’s News at a glance:

Dogs Sniff Out Illegal Vapes ~ VPZ Warns Government About Inaction ~ Impact of The Disposables Ban Revealed ~ More Action in Oxford ~ Announcing a New Lecture Series on Tobacco Harm Reduction ~ Podcast: Should We Urge Adult Smokers To Vape? ~ FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products expected to make more decisions on which vapor products, nicotine pouches are legal to sell ~ CAPHRA Urges Vaping Manufacturers To Champion Environmental Leadership ~ WHO backs Thailand’s E-Cigarette Ban: Ignoring Evidence and Silencing Consumers ~ Daily Pouch Travel: Spain ~ Can Nicotine Pouches Curb Vaping Among Teens? ~ Austria moves to ban disposable vapes ~ Ireland’s crackdown on vape sales to minors proves ineffective ~ Harnessing Curiosity to Correct Nicotine Misperceptions ~ Report finds 85% of UK vapers switched to reusables post-disposables ban ~ #COP11 documents ~ Barbados’s Choice at COP11 ~ Barbados has a unique opportunity to champion harm reduction at COP11 ~ Can heated tobacco products reduce smoking? | Herald NOW ~ Can Flavours Help People Switch from Smoking? | GFN Voices 2025 #6

Four From Dave Cross, Planet of the Vapes

Dogs Sniff Out Illegal Vapes

Dogs have assisted trading standards officers in Hertfordshire and Essex to unearth a haul of illegal vapes as part of Operation CeCe, sniffing out illicit products. A boroughwide operation by Essex Trading Standards officers has seen 39,000 counterfeit cigarettes, 11kg of illicit hand rolling tobacco and over 700 illegal vapes seized. In Hertfordshire, officers raided shops in in Watford, Bushey, Stevenage, Royston and Hatfield.

VPZ Warns Government About Inaction

VPZ, the UK’s leading vape retailer dedicated to responsible vaping and harm reduction, has issued a strong call to the Government to urgently prioritise the long-delayed Tobacco and Vapes Bill when Parliament returns from summer recess. Continued inaction, it argues, is jeopardising both the UK’s smoke-free 2030 goal and the protection of young people from illicit and non-compliant vaping products.

Impact of The Disposables Ban Revealed

Talysis, the UK’s specialist convenience insight agency, has revealed a multi-million-pound impact on convenience stores, in the first week of the government’s ban on disposable vapes. The figures show that convenience stores lost over £5 million of sales within the vaping category, whilst over £1 million worth of illegal vape sales were still taking place.

More Action in Oxford

Yet another Oxford business owner has been fined for illegal tobacco and nicotine product offences following an investigation by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team. The case, relating to Oxford Shop of George Street, was heard at Oxford Magistrates’ Court where Bashar Mizori pleaded guilty to eight offences and was ordered to pay a £1,000 fine (reduced by one third following an early guilty plea), victim surcharge of £400, and a contribution towards costs of £3,500.

Announcing a New Lecture Series on Tobacco Harm Reduction

Dr. Brad Rodu, Tobacco Truth

I am pleased to announce a new lecture series on the medical and scientific evidence for tobacco harm reduction.

This week, I am publishing “Nicotine, Correcting Misperceptions.” The lecture is divided into an introduction and six easily digestible segments; run time and links are below.

Podcast: Should We Urge Adult Smokers To Vape?

Cameron English, Chuck Dinerstein, American Council on Science and Health (ACSH)

Smoking kills hundreds of thousands of Americans annually. As this death toll mounts, studies continue to show that nicotine vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking and far more effective than FDA-approved cessation therapies like nicotine gum. Why, then, do so many public health experts malign vaping as a threat? Let’s take a closer look.

FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products expected to make more decisions

on which vapor products, nicotine pouches are legal to sell

David Spross, CSP Daily News

The Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) is starting to ramp up its actions after Bret Koplow was appointed interim director in the spring. In July, the FDA issued premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) marketing granted orders (MGOs) for Juul pods and device, which included Juul pods Virginia Tobacco 3% and 5%, Juul pods Menthol 3% and 5% and Juul device. In authorizing the MGO, the FDA has determined that these products “are appropriate for the protection of public health.”

CAPHRA Urges Vaping Manufacturers To Champion Environmental Leadership

Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA), Scoop

In response to mounting concerns over the environmental impact of discarded vaping products, the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) is calling on manufacturers to show genuine leadership in sustainability and social responsibility.

The appeal follows a recent report showing the Philippines as one of Southeast Asia’s leading e-waste producers, with vaping devices worsening hazardous pollution via improper disposal. CAPHRA, a prominent advocate for tobacco harm reduction, emphasises that although vaping offers a safer alternative to traditional smoking for adults, the industry must tackle the entire lifecycle of its products to minimise environmental damage.

WHO backs Thailand’s E-Cigarette Ban: Ignoring Evidence and Silencing Consumers

Michael Landl, World Vapers’ Alliance

Thailand’s ongoing ban on e-cigarettes, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), is a policy deeply disconnected from real-world evidence and the voices of those it most affects: the consumers seeking safer alternatives to smoking.

The WHO’s endorsement of Thailand’s ban of vaping products is unsurprising, given its long-standing position under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). However, this approach ignores evidence showing that prohibition does not reduce vaping or tobacco smoking. Instead, bans fuel booming black markets. Anyone familiar with Thailand can attest to vapes being illegally sold everywhere, reflecting the failure of such restrictions. Australia’s experience further confirms this pattern: too strict restrictions only drive illicit trade and violent conflict, reminiscent of the US Prohibition era. The WHO’s ideological focus on banning fails to address these consequences, ignoring the complex realities on the ground.

Daily Pouch Travel: Spain

The Daily Pouch

Welcome back to Daily Pouch Travel, the travel series that recommends destinations based purely on how vape or pouch-friendly they are. Last time out, we ran the rule over France, in light of its ridiculous crusade against pouches. Today, we’ll see if Spain, which is the UK’s favourite holiday destination, is worth a visit for pouchers.

Can Nicotine Pouches Curb Vaping Among Teens?

Manasi Talwadekar, Medscape

Among adolescents who used e-cigarettes, those who used oral nicotine products, like nicotine pouches, and gums and lozenges showed a reduced risk for persistent vaping after 6 months. The use of nicotine pouches was particularly linked to less frequent vaping.

Two from Ali Anderson, Clearing The Air

Austria moves to ban disposable vapes

Austria is set to ban the sale of disposable vapes, citing concerns about youth vaping and environmental risks.

State Secretary for Health Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig told the Austrian newspaper Der Standard that disposable vapes “contain harmful substances and often serve as a gateway to smoking for very young people.”

She added: “They also pose a risk to the environment, as the lithium batteries they contain can easily catch fire during disposal.”

The Austrian Waste Management Association (VOEB) welcomed the ban, with VOEB president Gabriele Jüly calling it “an important step in the right direction.”

Ireland’s crackdown on vape sales to minors proves ineffective

More than 100 retailers in Ireland have been caught selling nicotine vapes to children under 18 since it was made illegal in December 2023, new figures show.

The latest data from Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE) highlights the limited impact of the law so far.

The HSE’s National Environmental Health Service monitors compliance with the legislation through an annual test-purchase inspection programme. Last year, the service conducted 389 test purchase inspections. Of those, 52 were found to be ‘non-compliant’ – where at least one of these products was sold to a child.

Harnessing Curiosity to Correct Nicotine Misperceptions

Global Institute for Novel Nicotine (GINN)

Public misunderstanding of nicotine remains a major obstacle to harm reduction, and the consequences are lethal. Despite decades of public health education about the dangers of smoking, many people still confuse nicotine with the primary causes of cancer and disease. But it’s not nicotine that causes lung cancer, emphysema, and heart disease, it’s the burning of tobacco.

A groundbreaking study led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication and published in Science Advances reveals just how deep this confusion runs, and what can be done about it.

Report finds 85% of UK vapers switched to reusables post-disposables ban

Jake Kennedy, Convenience Store

New research released today (7 August) from vape brand Elfbar has shown the majority of regular vapers in the UK are now using reusable devices, following the disposables ban earlier this year. The figure represents 6,000 Elfbar and Lost Mary users who were surveyed, with 84% of these now buying refills.

It also reveals over three-quarters (77%) of those using reusable vapes know used pods and depleted devices should not be discarded in a normal waste bin

#COP11 documents

Loremipsumdolor, COPWatch

The eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) will be held in Geneva from 17 to 22 November 2025. Once again Copwatch will be monitoring the official channels, in our self appointed mission to demystify the workings of the FCTC Conference of the Parties (COP). Will this be the COP where FCTC drags itself into the 21st century, and stops denying harm reduction for people who smoke? Copwatch is sorry to report that the signs aren’t good.

Barbado’s Choice at COP11

Tetiana Rak, Barbados Underground

In 100 days, global health leaders will gather in Geneva for COP11 — the WHO’s major tobacco control summit. As the Secretariat prepares to double down on bans and restrictions, Barbados could enter the room with something more powerful: progress.

Barbados boasts one of the lowest smoking prevalence rates in the Caribbean — a milestone in regional public health. But averages can be deceiving. Among men, smoking remains at nearly 12%, which is five times more prevalent than among women. And with 6.4 percent of all deaths in Barbados attributable to tobacco, smoking still takes more than 100 Barbadian lives every year. These are preventable losses. And they demand more than the status quo.

Barbados has a unique opportunity to champion harm reduction at COP11

Julia Haynes, Nation News

By Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance This year, the world’s eyes will turn to Geneva as leaders gather for COP11, the World Health Organization’s critical conference on tobacco control. As decisions are made that will impact global health for years to come, Barbados finds itself at a crossroads. Will the country simply follow the crowd, or will it seize the chance to be a bold voice for pragmatic, science-driven solutions like harm reduction?

Harm reduction offers a compassionate alternative to the all-or-nothing approach of demanding smokers quit nicotine entirely. For many, quitting smoking is an uphill battle, and traditional methods don’t always work. That’s where safer alternatives such as vaping, nicotine pouches, and heat-not-burn products come in. These options deliver nicotine without burning tobacco, dramatically reducing the harmful toxins that cause cancer, heart disease, and lung illnesses. It’s this simple fact that removing smoke cuts the risk, that has led millions worldwide to quit cigarettes by switching to these less harmful products.

Can heated tobacco products reduce smoking? | Herald NOW

nzherald.co.nz

Emeritus Professor Ruth Bonita from Auckland University discusses how heated tobacco products could help reduce smoking rates.

Can Flavours Help People Switch from Smoking? | GFN Voices 2025 #6

Global Forum on Nicotine

Flavors can play a key role in helping smokers switch. Many start with tobacco flavor but move to others over time — distancing themselves from the reminder of smoking. As adults, we enjoy sweets, drinks, and treats — why should quitting be any different?

On this day…2021

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

Successful Vape Stories:

Vast database reveals the truth! – CASAA

With the goal of creating the world’s largest collection of successful vape stories, two leading consumer advocacy groups have launched the RightToVape.org site.

Already boasting nearly 14,000 testimonials, the site demonstrates growing anger from across the globe that evidence is being ignored and many people’s right to choose safer alternatives is being denied.

How will Australia’s new regime work?

Barnaby Page

In less than two months, Australian consumers will be able to obtain medically licensed nicotine-containing e-cigarettes from community and online pharmacies – but there is still some mystery around how the new system will be implemented.

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