Vapers Digest 16th December

Friday’s News at a glance:

2023 Vape Predictions – Another Lousy Anti-Vaping Study, Debunked – EU should look at Sweden – End Vape Misinformation – King’s College Talks Evidence – Cochrane Report Raises Questions – Healthy Ireland – NZ Minister Standing Firm – Letter To WHO – These Memos Show That FDA Regulation – Vaping review ignores the benefits – Ohio Bill Killing Local Flavor Bans – FDA Approval Process in Shambles – California’s Nicotine Flavor Ban – Westchester Flavored Tobacco Ban Vetoed – New Zealand‘s world-first smoking ban – Most reported substance use – Africa needs THR Sensitisation – Pakistan Nicotine-Pouch Surge – Nicotine Science and Policy Daily Digest

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.

Causal interpretation of the findings and the press release have been subject to expert criticism

EU should look at how Sweden …

Achieved the lowest smoking rate in Europe – Henry St George

At the end of November, there has been some commotion around leaked documents related to the EU’s Tobacco Tax Directive (TED), in which the European Commission not only sets out its preliminary plans for a tax increase on tobacco but also wants to introduce a common European tax on alternative, less risky products, such as vaping devices and heated tobacco products. Rumours of such a proposal have been circulating for some time.

The Financial Times, which had managed to get its hands on a draft proposal from the EC, announced the news in late November. Following this news, rumours also quickly surfaced that both oral nicotine products, the nicotine non-tobacco-containing pouches, and snus, which are banned in the EU, but very popular in Sweden, would also be affected by the new tax, almost doubling their price.

1/14 A recent study purported to show a gateway from #vaping to smoking in youth. Critical examination and reanalysis identifies major flaws in the original study: missing literature, missing data, inappropriate model, and impossible predictions. Read here https://t.co/m7eCIH1QHH pic.twitter.com/EslQotrN2v

— Floe Foxon (@FloeFoxon) December 15, 2022

#vaping can dramatically improve public health in Australia as it has in New Zealand. Its time for Australia to follow the evidence

My interview on @abcsydney with @Jamesologhlin
from 2.36-2.55https://t.co/sbZn1JEcQM pic.twitter.com/Fg9hnrptUw

— Colin Mendelsohn (@ColinMendelsohn) December 15, 2022

End Vape Misinformation…

Tobacco Control Experts Urge Surgeon General – Alex Norcia

In a new paper, a group of leading tobacco control experts urge the US surgeon general and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to correct widespread misinformation surrounding nicotine vapes.

The article, which appears in Addiction, an esteemed peer-reviewed scientific journal, notes that the CDC does not have a clear definition of an e-cigarette. It suggests that the center adopt “e-cigarettes are electronic devices that transform a liquid containing nicotine into aerosol that is inhaled via a mouthpiece.”

5 from Dave Cross, Planet of the Vapes:

King’s College Talks Evidence

The Nicotine Research Group, based at King’s College London, has spoken about the clear evidence that supports vaping and tobacco harm reduction. With cigarettes killing over half of their long-term users, the Group has provided a much-needed body of research to enable an evidence-based approach to policymaking in this area.

“The World Health Organisation (WHO) considers the tobacco epidemic to be one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, killing more than eight million people per year worldwide. Smoking and exposure to second-hand smokes cause 65,000 deaths per year in England alone. It remains the largest single risk factor for death and ill-health and is a leading cause of health inequalities in England,” says the Nicotine Research Group.

Cochrane Report Raises Questions

Following the publication of the recent Cochrane report, the Canadian Vaping Association has questioned the Government of Canada funding the lobbying of itself. The matter has arisen following the government funded Physicians for a Smokefree Canada dismissing the findings of the Cochrane findings in a ridiculous blog post.

Cochrane released its review of the latest findings on nicotine vaping’s efficacy last month. The review concluded, “There is high-certainty evidence that [e-cigarettes] with nicotine increase quit rates compared to NRT and moderate-certainty evidence that they increase quit rates compared to [e-cigarettes] without nicotine.”

Healthy Ireland

The latest survey from Healthy Ireland has been published, showing that the smoking rate has risen from 17% in 2019 to 18%. This comes alongside a decline in the vaping rate to 3% in this year’s results from a recorded 5% in 2019. New Nicotine Alliance Ireland (NNA Ireland) has questioned how this has happened.

The Healthy Ireland Survey is an annual survey conducted with a representative sample of the population aged 15 and older living in Ireland. The sample size is typically in the region of over 7.500 people. Fieldwork to date has been conducted by Ipsos MRBI.

NZ Minister Standing Firm

Associate Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall has done well not to get side-tracked by constant and unrelated attacks on vaping by MPs debating the smokefree amendment bill in Parliament, according to Kiwi Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) advocates.

“Some MPs seem determined to rewrite 2020’s well supported vaping legislation. However, the problems around youth vaping are more around enforcement and, frankly, an absence of parental responsibility,” says Nancy Loucas, co-founder of Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA).

Letter To WHO

CAPHRA’s nine member organisations have written to FCTC delegation heads from around the world, and health ministers and leaders, urging them to review the evidence which supports a Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) approach ahead of the World Health Organisation’s COP10.

With governments sending delegates to COP10 in November 2023, CAPHRA (Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates) was keen to send leaders comprehensive reference material for their COP10 planning, submission writing, and deliberations.

Memos Show That FDA Regulation

Of E-Cigarettes Is Driven by Dubious Value Judgments Rather Than Science

Jacob Sullum- Reason

It has long been clear that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is leery of approving nicotine vaping products in flavors other than tobacco because the agency worries that they appeal to teenagers. Two recently disclosed FDA memos not only confirm that impression; they indicate that the agency is determined to ban all other flavors, no matter how popular they are among former smokers and no matter what evidence a manufacturer presents in favor of a particular product.

The memos came to light thanks to a lawsuit that Logic Technology filed against the FDA after the agency approved the marketing of the company’s tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes but rejected applications for menthol-flavored versions.

It’s blatant, and some think shameful, the degree to which political interference and anti-vaping ideology have hijacked the FDA’s approval process for nicotine vaping products.
Recent comments released by the Reagan-Udall Foundation in its review of the FDA and its Center for Tobacco Products prove as much.

Joining us today is Tony Abboud, the Executive Director at the Vapor Technology Association. We take a deep dive into the problems at FDA and CTP. We discuss the industry’s court challenge to California’s flavor ban and its economic impact. And we learn about VTA’s recommendation for dealing with the flood of disposables on the market.

Vaping review ignores the benefits…

Of vaping for Canadians who smoke – Dr John’s Blog

On Friday afternoon, December 9th, during the Christmas season, Health Canada released its overdue legally-mandated review of the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (TVPA). From the timing, it seemed they wanted to avoid any publicity.

The review pays lip service to vaping as a less harmful source of nicotine, and a pathway to quitting, for Canada’s 3.8m smokers, but then goes on at great length about youth vaping, while largely ignoring the health of the Canadians who still smoke.

The Canadian Vaping Association

Cautions that Quebec’s proposed vaping excise tax will harm public health

A tobacco-free Quebec has been our collective goal. Quebec’s smoking population continues to decline, reducing Quebecer’s risk of serious illnesses caused by combustible tobacco. The Canadian Vaping Association (CVA) has opposed the taxation of vaping products nationally due to the unintended consequences and increased risk to youth. Vaping is an effective regulated product, with quit rates that are double that of cessation products such as patches and gum. This innovative product has contributed to the growth of Quebec’s economy. Tobacco control require viable solutions such as vaping to help adult smokers fight their addiction cigarettes.

Ohio Bill Killing Local Flavor Bans

Jim McDonald

Less than two days after the Columbus city council passed an ordinance banning sales of flavored vaping and tobacco products, the Ohio State Senate passed a bill that would kill the Columbus law by preventing cities from adopting tobacco or vaping products laws stricter than the state’s.

Today the bill passed the State House and has been sent to Governor Mike DeWine for signature or veto. If DeWine doesn’t sign the bill into law, he has 10 days to veto it or it will become law automatically.

Bill to stop cities from banning sale of flavored tobacco products

California’s Nicotine Flavor Ban

Alex Norcia

On December 12, the United States Supreme Court said that it would not block California’s flavored nicotine ban, legislation that’s soon set to take effect.

At the end of November, in something of perhaps a last-ditch effort, R.J. Reynolds and a handful of other tobacco and vapor companies had filed an emergency application for writ of injunction with the Supreme Court, requesting that the enforcement of California’s nicotine flavor ban be stopped.

They did so after failing to find relief in other lawsuits with district and circuit courts earlier that month, almost immediately after California voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 31.

Westchester County, N.Y.’s

Flavored Tobacco Ban Vetoed

A ban on the sales of flavored tobacco ban in Westchester County has been vetoed by County Executive George Latimer, sending it back to the county’s Board of Legislators for a possible override.

The bill was passed in late November by an 11-6 vote and called for a ban on the sale, distribution and marketing of all flavored tobacco products, including those with menthol, mint and wintergreen. It did not prohibit the use of such products within county lines, however.

New Zealand’s world-first smoking ban

Made viable by legal vaping – Patrick Hannaford

World-first smoking ban only possible because New Zealand legalised safer alternatives, harm reduction advocates have argued.

New Zealand’s new tobacco restrictions, passed on Tuesday, include an age-based ban that makes it illegal for anyone born after 1 January 2009 to buy cigarettes – even after they turn 18. People born before 2009 will be unaffected by the ban.

The laws have been celebrated by anti-smoking advocates, with the Australian National University’s Dr Raglan Maddox telling Sky News Australia the laws are “incredibly exciting.”

Will Australia copy New Zealand’s…

Latest cigarette announcement?

This new legislation has just passed the country’s Parliament and the laws apply to anyone born on or after January 1 2009.

The new laws do not affect vaping, however.

Founding Chairman of the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association Dr Colin Mendelsohn told John Stanley there are potential concerns of a black market response to the laws.

Most reported substance use

Among adolescents held steady in 2022

The percentage of adolescents reporting substance use in 2022 largely held steady after significantly declining in 2021, according to the latest results from the Monitoring the Future survey of substance use behaviors and related attitudes among eighth, 10^th, and 12^th graders in the United States. Reported use for almost all substances decreased dramatically from 2020 to 2021 after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and related changes like school closures and social distancing. In 2022, reported use of any illicit drug within the past year remained at or significantly below pre-pandemic levels for all grades, with 11% of eighth graders, 21.5% of 10^th graders, and 32.6% of 12^th graders reporting any illicit drug use in the past year.

Africa needs THR Sensitisation

THR is a public health strategy introduced to lower the health risks such as lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease caused by combustible cigarette smoking to individuals and wider society associated with using tobacco products.

In his virtual presentation at the 2022 THR Exchange for Reporters Network on Tobacco and Nicotine Industry (RENOTONI) and harm reduction experts, Malawian THR Advocate, Chimwemwe Ngoma said insufficient information on the topic originating from the continent is making it hard for Africans to embrace the idea.

Pakistan Nicotine-Pouch Surge

Brings Harm Reduction Hope in South Asia – Samrat Chowdhery

Globally, almost a third of tobacco consumers use oral products. Smokeless tobacco (SLT) is generally safer than combustibles. But traditional forms popular in South Asia pack a deadly punch, leading to more than 570,000 annual deaths. Despite these products causing 88 percent of SLT-related mortality, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its allies continue to club them alongside much safer SLT options under the risk-blind “all tobacco is bad” paradigm. This funnels interventions into narrow quit strategies and forestalls harm reduction.