Vapers Digest 15th December

Friday’s News at a glance:

IBVTA responds to UCL study – Smoking decline stalls since Covid – “EU snus policy favors politics over science” – You snus you lose… Or do you? – Irish Harm Reduction Idiocy – Parliament and Politics – VTA Releases New Poll Findings – Ohio State University Gets $20 Million FDA Grant – The Slow-Moving Train Wreck of Australian Vaping Policy – Australia needs a Royal Commission into corrupt vaping policy – Smoking Cessation, Weight Gain and Vapes – Senators Ask Califf to Explain FDA’s PMTA Review Process – 1.4 Million Disposable Vapes Seized by FDA – Chile’s THR Journey – Consumers Strongly Condemn WHO’s Proposed Ban – WHO’s Misguided Call for Flavor Ban –

IBVTA responds to UCL study

That shows adult smoking prevalence in England is stalling

A significant new study from researchers at UCL shows that the decline in smoking prevalence in England has slowed significantly since the pandemic. The lead author Dr Sarah Jackson cites one of the reasons being the increasing disconnect between the risks of vaping compared with smoking.

Chair of the IBVTA Marcus Saxton commented: “This important research from UCL shows that the Government’s smokefree ambition is stalling. The authors also rightly point to the media attention on vaping and the subsequent disconnect between the substantially greater risks from smoking. 43% of smokers believe that vaping is equally or more harmful than smoking, an increase of 60% since 2019. These are truly shocking figures, reflecting the never-ending cycle of negative stories on vaping, therefore it is of no surprise that smoking rates remain stubbornly high.

expert reaction to study showing that the decline in smoking in England has stalled since the pandemic

Smoking decline stalls since Covid

As more young people take up the habit – Aurelia Foster

A decades-long decline in smoking in England has nearly ground to a halt since the pandemic, a study suggests.

The rate of decline slowed from 5.2% in the years before the pandemic to just 0.3% between April 2020 and August 2022, according to the research.

The lead researcher said it was likely more young people had taken up smoking and that urgent measures were needed.

The government said it was taking “bold action” to make England smoke-free, including raising the legal age.

EU snus policy favors politics over science

Harm Reduction Heroes: Snusforum caught up with Bengt Wiberg, a leading voice in the harm reduction debate. Through his ‘EU for snus’ initiative, he is challenging the EU’s ‘unscientific’ snus policy and wants to show world leaders that snus saves lives.

“If more people used nicotine the way we do in Sweden, we could save many lives from premature death each year,” he says.

In the harm reduction debate, Bengt Wiberg highlights that nicotine itself is not the culprit.

You snus you lose… Or do you?

Ben Gardner

Some great things happen by complete accident. Cornflakes were an effort to create a food so bland that they would crush your libido. Instead, they became a staple of many unimaginative breakfasts.

When Jakob Fredrik Ljunglöf pasteurised his tobacco in the 19th century to speed up production times, he probably did not think he would also be saving lives.

But thanks to Ljunglöf’s impatience, snus is now one of the safest ways to use tobacco, and today a group of 21st century snus advocates are arguing that a UK ban on snus should be lifted.

Comparing daily smoking in 2011/12 to the latest results for 2022/23. Smoking is now under 4% for under 25 year olds, with the biggest drop in the younger age groups. Is this a smokefree generation already? Progress is still too slow for our older age groups who still smoke pic.twitter.com/dSH0tVapH5

— ASH New Zealand (@ASHNZ2025) December 13, 2023

🚨 BREAKING — AVM SCOOP 🚨

A bi-partisan trio of U.S. Senators is demanding answers and documents from @FDATobacco about the agency’s ongoing negligence on vaping policy. Here’s the full letter to @DrCaliff_FDA sent this morning. pic.twitter.com/G5EEyNBu72

— American Vapor Manufacturers (@VaporAmerican) December 13, 2023

Three from Dave Cross, Planet of the Vapes:

Irish Harm Reduction Idiocy

As it passes a law to ban the sale of vapes to under-18s, the Irish Minister for Health announces that he plans to seek further restriction on vaping that will impact on adult vapers and smokers. Stephen Donnelly was delighted with the progression of the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill and has instructed his officials to prepare for the ban.

Minister Donnelly is delighted that the ban on the sale of nicotine inhaling products, including e-cigarettes or ‘vapes’ to under-18s will come into law before Christmas.

Parliament and Politics

Preet Kaur Gill and Kwasi Kwarteng have delivered the final questions about vaping and tobacco harm reduction in the House of Commons. Andrea Leadsom and Robert Jenrick gave the responses and now we wait for the New Year to discover how the government intends to alter its approach to vapes – and whether it has any time or energy left to implement them.

Preet Kaur Gill, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Primary Care and Public Health, asked the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care if the government is going to make an estimate of the number of hospital admissions there have been as a result of lung injuries related to e-cigarette or vaping product usage in each of the last 10 years.

VTA Releases New Poll Findings

The American public is being grossly misinformed about benefits of e-cigarette use to smokers and low risk of vaping, according to the Vapor Technology Association. The announcement follows new polling data released by KAConsulting, a research organisation led by ex-U.S. presidential advisor Kellyanne Conway. The survey reveals that misinformation being spread from public health institutions is creating significant confusion for the American public.

The Vapor Technology Association says the new polling reveals a significant information gap in public perception versus reality regarding vaping being an effective tool for adults in need of smoking cessation and harm reduction alternatives.

Ohio State University Gets $20 Million

FDA Grant to Trash Nicotine Pouches – Brad Rodu

Ten Ohio State University faculty members, led by Brittney Keller-Hamilton, published a study in the journal Addiction concluding that two strengths of Zyn nicotine pouches (3 and 6 milligrams) did not relieve “craving symptoms at 5 minutes as strongly as a cigarette.” They also reported that “using 6-mg pouches was associated with greater plasma nicotine delivery at 30 minutes than 3-mg [pouches] or cigarettes…”

The OSU authors emphasized only one time point for assessing craving relief: five minutes after using the products. They likely knew that cigarettes would win this contest, as no one expects a nicotine pouch to produce a blood-nicotine spike as quickly as inhaled smoke. However, they also acknowledged that “no other differences in craving relief were observed through the 90 minutes of follow-up.”

Smoking Cessation, Weight Gain & Vapes

Kiran Sidhu

The benefits of smoking cessation are numerous and indisputable. But one of the few negatives can be undesired weight gain after you quit. Adding to the seriousness of this, the fear of gaining weight may prevent people from quitting cigarettes—and is often cited as a reason for resumption of smoking among people who did quit.

Nicotine vapes are effective smoking cessation tools. But could they also help with the weight issue?

“I always taught that smoking cessation support should include advice on how to avoid post-cessation weight gain, especially for people who have been advised to lose or avoid gaining extra weight for health reasons,” Dr. Marewa Glover, a behavioral scientist and tobacco harm reduction advocate in New Zealand, told Filter.

Two from Colin Mendelsohn:

The Slow-Moving Train Wreck

Of Australian Vaping Policy

After nearly a decade advocating for vaping as a tobacco harm reduction strategy in Australia, I am stepping away from the field to retire. Witnessing Australia’s descent over these years, from its former status as a global leader in tobacco control to the current slow-moving train wreck, has been profoundly distressing.

Where vaping is seen by other Western democracies as a huge opportunity for public health, successive Australian governments have framed it as a threat. The ensuing prohibitive regulations have neutralized the potential benefits and led to troubling and escalating unintended consequences.

Australia needs a Royal Commission

Into corrupt vaping policy

SMOKING IN NEW ZEALAND continues to plummet to record lows, according to the latest New Zealand Health Survey as smokers switch to vaping. Rather than learn from this incredible public health success story, Mark Butler and his Tobacco Control advisers are certain to completely ignore it.

The NZ experience is breathtaking. The adult daily smoking rate is now 6.8%. This extraordinary success is due largely to the legalization and regulation of vaping in 2021 which has been the only major tobacco control intervention in the last 5 years (other than tax increases with inflation). Smoking rates are declining in line with rising vaping rates. Both countries otherwise have very similar tobacco control laws.

Two from Jim McDonald, Vaping 360:

Senators Ask Califf to Explain…

FDA’s PMTA Review Process

A bipartisan trio of U.S. senators has sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, urging him to reform the agency’s tobacco product application process, and asking him to explain and clarify the FDA’s approach to nicotine product regulation.

The letter, dated Dec.13, is signed by Republican senators Ted Budd (NC) and Rand Paul (KY), and Democrat Joe Manchin (WV).

Noting that the Tobacco Control Act requires the FDA Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) to review and decide on premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) and modified risk tobacco product (MRTP) applications within 180 days, the senators correctly note that the FDA has proven itself incapable of meeting review deadlines, and has authorized just a handful of non-combustible nicotine products.

1.4 Million Disposable Vapes Seized by FDA

May Have Been Counterfeits

In the latest skirmish in the FDA’s war on disposable vapes, the agency has teamed up with customs inspectors to intercept 41 shipments of products intended for store shelves around the United States. The agency says it seized 1.4 million devices worth $18 million at retail.

The products were seized by a team of FDA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) employees at Los Angeles International Airport in what the FDA described as a “three-day joint operation.”

But according to an industry insider involved with the import of some of the brands the FDA intercepted, many of the seized disposable vapes are likely counterfeit products.

Joint Federal Operation Results in Seizure of More Than $18 Million in Illegal E-Cigarettes

Chile’s THR Journey

Ignacio Leiva discusses Chile’s historic vaping legislation | #GFNNews

Chile’s upcoming vaping legislation sets the bar high for neighbouring countries – with significant gains made by THR advocates, what does this mean for Chilean vapers?

Consumers Strongly Condemn WHO’s…

Proposed Ban

The World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) today issued vehement criticism of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) now demanding to globally ban vaping flavours. This move by the WHO, which marks an escalation in its campaign against vaping products, has been met with severe backlash from harm reduction and public health advocates.

“The WHO’s latest stance on vaping flavours is not just misguided, it’s dangerously out of touch with scientific reality. By pushing for a blanket ban, the WHO blatantly disregards a wealth of scientific evidence that underscores the benefits of vaping when compared to alternatives….”

More Anti-Vaping Myths From Bloomberg-Funded World Health Organization

WHO’s Misguided Call for Flavor Ban

Mazen Saleh

The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for urgent action against e-cigarettes in an effort to protect youth. In today’s press release, they argue e-cigarettes are not effective for smoking cessation and harmful to health. It is a good thing WHO guidance is non-binding because, in their pursuit to protect youth, they are abandoning one billion smokers globally.

Protecting youth must, of course, be a priority. In the United States, for example, our laws restrict the purchase of tobacco or nicotine-containing products to individuals 21 years of age and older. Raising the national age to purchase these products, coupled with effective enforcement, has been key to reducing youth use.

On this Day…2022

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

2023 Vape Predictions

17 Top Experts Share Their Thoughts – James Dunworth

Predicting the future of vaping can be hard – but whether you’re in industry, research or advocacy, it’s also key to making effective decisions.

So every year we invite top experts from different countries, continents and fields to use their unique insight and expertise to peer into the future of vaping. (The extent of geography also means there is a bit of a switch between British and American spelling!)

This is a long post, so for those of you short of time, do check out our 7 big vaping themes, which sums up some of the key ideas from our predictors.

Another Lousy Anti-Vaping Study…

Debunked – Cameron English

“Vapes DON’T help people quit smoking normal cigarettes,” the headlines blared this week, based on the results of another awful study. Let’s examine the critical details most reporters overlooked.

Anti-smoking groups had a serious problem on their hands. About a decade ago, studies began to show that vaping helped smokers abandon their deadly cigarette habit, and the evidence has only grown more convincing since then. Many tobacco researchers handled this dilemma the way any good scientist should: they concocted increasingly complicated study designs to avoid the obvious conclusion: vaping works.