Vapers Digest 15th June

Wednesday’s News at a glance:

A targeted approach to using e-cigarettes for harm reduction in adults ~ It’s Complicated: Harm Reduction Through Nicotine & Tobacco Use ~ Authorizing Very Low Nicotine Cigarettes Is Short-Sighted ~ FDA’s New Plan to Eliminate Most Nicotine in Cigarettes ~ Anti-vaping campaign to send NZ youth back to smoking ~ Experts React to Khan Review ~ Opinion: Taxing vaping promotes smoking. So why is Ottawa doing that? ~ Colby Cosh: Warnings printed directly on cigarettes won’t make people butt out ~ Utahns eligible to aid in study exploring if nicotine can improve memory ~ UofL to use $3.6 million federal grant to study the effects of flavorings in e-cigarettes ~ Supreme acquires vaping manufacturer Liberty Flights in deal worth estimated £12m

Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the US. While e-cigarettes (EC) are undeniably harmful when used by adolescents and nonsmokers, the perpetuation of the increasing negative perceptions of EC and widespread false belief that EC are equal or more harmful than combustible cigarettes (CC) represents a significant missed public health opportunity. EC have great potential to serve as a mechanism for smoking harm reduction among hard-to-treat populations of smokers who have failed to quit with currently available treatments. In this paper, we outline why we need to overcome the hostile EC research environment to explore the potential use of EC as a harm-reduction strategy in hard-to-treat populations.

Authorizing Very Low Nicotine Cigarettes Is Short-Sighted

Martin Cullip, Filter Magazine

In a surprising decision at the end of 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted a new tobacco company, 22nd Century Group, the right to market its very low nicotine cigarettes—VLN King and VLN Menthol King—as modified risk tobacco products (MRTPs). This is a short-sighted move that may do more harm than good, because limiting nicotine is not a way to reduce the harm from a combustible cigarette.

FDA’s New Plan to Eliminate Most Nicotine in Cigarettes

Jim McDonald. Vaping 360

The FDA plans to impose a product standard that would eliminate most nicotine from cigarettes, making them effectively non-addictive, and neutering the tobacco industry’s market power. The story was first reported last Friday by the Wall Street Journal.

The news wasn’t unexpected. The Journal reported over a year ago that the Biden administration was considering a revival of former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb’s “comprehensive plan” that included both mandated nicotine reduction and a menthol ban for cigarettes. FDA and Biden administration officials have so far not commented on last week’s WSJ story.

While it is good that FDA is authorizing more ENDS, I have a real concern about the message these particular authorizations (for high nicotine salt tobacco-flavored closed-systems) @FDATobacco is implicitly sending to the millions of adults who have for years been vaping (1/3) https://t.co/eqC4hwz2vw

— Azim Chowdhury (@ECIGattorney) June 10, 2022

Editor note:

The article referenced in Elizabeth Stevens’ tweet is the 1st link at the top of this edition.

Having #research publications stuck behind a #paywall is a frustrating obstacle for many. So for those #ecig folks, I wanted to recirculate this, which has just been given #OpenAccess for the next 60 days. https://t.co/W8dQcyxtMB

— Elizabeth Stevens (@ERS_PhD) June 13, 2022

One from Dave Cross, Planet of the Vapes

Experts React to Khan Review

The UK Government have published the Khan review, an independent review by Dr Javed Khan into the government’s ambition to make England smoke free by 2030. Experts in the field of tobacco harm reduction have responded to Dr Khan’s findings and recommendations.

On this Day…2020

Clive Bates at GFN20: What’s Gone Wrong?

Saddlehorse Blues

The Global Forum on Nicotine 2020 just wrapped, their first forum to be held virtually in light of the pandemic. The theme of GFN20 was Nicotine: science, ethics, and human rights. Participants were spoiled for choice with the incredible lineup of speakers and engaging question and area periods. If you did not attend the live event, you can find recordings of the full event here.

Clive Bates, former Director of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) in the UK and now Director of the Counterfactual, kicked off the forum with a discussion titled What’s Gone Wrong? While many of us connected with the tobacco harm reduction field might well have been preparing our own mental lists of ‘what’s gone wrong’, Clive Bates chose to begin his eight point address with ‘what’s gone right.’

The Odd Case of Tobacco….

Nicotine, and COVID-19 – Joe Gitchell

In the early reports of patients in the hospital for COVID-19, careful observers noticed an odd pattern. COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory syndrome and smoking badly damages lungs. But hospitalization was not more likely for smokers. In fact, it was less likely. This correlation kept appearing in sample after sample  – though with substantial uncertainty. So these researchers and others began pondering whether something in tobacco smoke might actually be causing a beneficial effect. Their attention turned to two potential roles of nicotine in COVID-19. One role, they reasoned, might be in reducing the risk of initial infection. The other role might be in moderating the overactive response of the immune system.

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