Vapers Digest 17th January

Wednesday’s News at a glance:

Paid To Vape? ~ ASH Demands More Regulation ~ Parliament ~ Corruption and Manipulation ~ US Military Personnel Use of Nicotine Pouches is an Endorsement, Not a Problem ~ FDA Admits Reality; Approves Nicotine Pouches For Harm Reduction ~ FDA Authorizes Marketing of 20 ZYN Nicotine Pouch Products after Extensive Scientific Review ~ Regulatory Changes for Nicotine Pouches in Austria ~ FDA’s fantasy modeling doesn’t justify ban on cigarettes ~ The FDA Proposes a De Facto Cigarette Ban, Which Would Expand the Disastrous War on Drugs ~ Reasoned approach to vaping needed ~ UCSF Center for Tobacco Research and Education Supports Near Complete Ban on E-Cigarettes but Only Minor Restrictions on Sale of Real Ones ~ FDA Proposes Nicotine Limit for Cigarettes and Other Tobacco ~ FDA Grants First Nicotine Pouch Authorizations to ZYN ~ The Trump FDA Has an Opportunity to Lead on Illicit Vapes ~ THERAPEUTIC NICOTINE EXPLAINED Pt.1 | Featuring Michael Kariuki

FOUR from Dave Cross, Planet of the Vapes

Paid To Vape?

Smoking rates among socioeconomic disadvantaged populations are vastly higher than among more affluent groups and lead to an increased range of health problems. In addition, these smokers find it harder to quit or make a transition to vaping. A team led by the University of Oklahoma’s Darla Kendzor looked at whether paying disadvantaged adult smokers to switch to vaping was a worthwhile enterprise.

ASH Demands More Regulation

Hazel Cheeseman, the new Chief Executive of anti-smoking charity Action on Smoking and Health, was part of a research group looking at the prevalence of nicotine pouch use among youth and adults in Great Britain. The group made policy recommendations – but failed to appraise the potential impact of that recommendation on smoking rates, similar to the call to ban disposables and eliquid flavours.

Parliament

It’s the new year but the same old political discussions have resumed with the first slew of questions and answers about vaping and tobacco harm reduction. Labour’s Mary Foy began by worrying about vaping industry influence, Mary Glindon injected a modicum of common sense into the debate over ecigs, but (fear not) Lord Bourne returned to worry and concern.

Corruption and Manipulation

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) has called attention to a growing international scandal involving prominent anti-tobacco organisations and their alleged misuse of funds to manipulate policies in developing countries, potentially violating both local laws and the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).

US Military Personnel Use of Nicotine Pouches is an Endorsement, Not a Problem

Mark Oates, The Daily Pouch

UVA Health has published a new paper titled Nicotine Pouch Use Among US Military Personnel. As the name suggests, it examines pouch use among serving US troops. Naturally, a raft of negative press releases and articles followed, with screeching headlines such as U.S. Soldiers 10 Times More Likely to Use Addictive Nicotine Pouches.

FDA Admits Reality; Approves Nicotine Pouches For Harm Reduction

Tim Andrews, Americans For Tax Reform

In a groundbreaking moment for harm reduction, public health, and consumer rights, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—criticized by public health experts for pushing failed prohibitionist policies over evidence-based harm reduction approaches—today finally accepted reality and has taken an important step forward in authorizing nicotine pouches as a critical step for the protection of public health.

Related:

FDA Authorizes Marketing of 20 ZYN Nicotine Pouch Products after Extensive Scientific Review

Regulatory Changes for Nicotine Pouches in Austria

Considerate Pouchers

A proposal from the Ministry of Health, which has been with the coalition partner ÖVP since October 2022, aims to create nationwide regulation. This draft proposes to subject nicotine pouches to the same rules as cigarettes. What does this mean in practice?

Two from Reason

FDA’s fantasy modeling doesn’t justify ban on cigarettes

Guy Bentley

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to mandate the removal of 97 percent of the nicotine in cigarettes, meaning almost every cigarette currently sold in America would be banned. And it’s not just cigarettes in the FDA’s line of fire. Most cigars and pipe tobacco will have to meet the FDA’s new nicotine standard.

The FDA Proposes a De Facto Cigarette Ban, Which Would Expand the Disastrous War on Drugs

Jacob Sullum

On its way out the door, the Biden administration has proposed a rule that would effectively ban cigarettes by requiring a drastic reduction in nicotine content. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which unveiled the proposed rule on Wednesday, says the aim is to make cigarettes unappealing by eliminating their “psychoactive and reinforcing effects.”

Reasoned approach to vaping needed

Shrey Madaan, The Statesman

In the never-ending debate on public health, some products are subjected to great scrutiny while others enjoy free access to markets. Some recent articles have highlighted speculative health concerns associated with vaping, particularly regarding reproductive and cardiovascular health. While these findings call for scrutiny, they also underscore glaring discrepancies in how products with similar or, at times, worse health risks are treated in the marketplace. Products like fast foods, alcohol, faux meat, and cigarettes face no comparable stigma or restriction.

Click to visit Danish Vapers Association

UCSF Center for Tobacco Research and Education Supports

Near Complete Ban on E-Cigarettes but Only Minor Restrictions on Sale of Real Ones

Dr. Michael Siegel, The Rest Of The Story

In what I find a shocking policy revelation, the director of the UCSF Center for Tobacco Research and Education stated on ABC News that she supports a nearly complete ban on the sale of e-cigarettes in San Francisco while real cigarettes continue to be sold with almost no restrictions (the story begins at 37:58). In 2019, the city of San Francisco banned the sale of virtually all e-cigarettes. The only products allowed to be sold are those which are tobacco-flavored. This represents about 95% of the e-cigarette market. On the other hand, the city allows the unfettered sale of deadly tobacco cigarettes. The only restriction is that menthol cigarettes may not be sold. This represents about 37% of the cigarette market.

Two from Jim McDonald, Vaping 360

FDA Proposes Nicotine Limit for Cigarettes and Other Tobacco

The FDA today announced a formal proposal to reduce nicotine in cigarettes and other combustible tobacco products below addictive levels. Under the rule, if it is finalized, the only legal combustible cigarettes would be so-called very low nicotine (VLN) cigarettes, which contain about five percent as much nicotine as standard cigarettes.

FDA Grants First Nicotine Pouch Authorizations to ZYN

The FDA has authorized the sale of all 20 varieties of ZYN nicotine pouches, granting marketing permission to manufacturer Swedish Match, which is a division of Philip Morris International (PMI). Swedish Match submitted premarket tobacco applications (PMTAs) for the products over four years ago.

The Trump FDA Has an Opportunity to Lead on Illicit Vapes

Dave Dobbins, DC Journal

Priorities for the new Trump administration will soon begin to take shape. If his campaign is any indication, promoting tobacco harm reduction through vaping and tackling the use of illicit vapes by American youth — an issue touching on children’s health and well-being, secure borders and national security — should be priority issues over the next four years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released the results of its 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey. These results demonstrate an incredible victory for public health!

THERAPEUTIC NICOTINE EXPLAINED Pt.1 | Featuring Michael Kariuki

Global Forum on Nicotine

Public perceptions of nicotine have long been marred by its association with harmful constituents of tobacco smoke, despite the substantial evidence showing that nicotine is not responsible for the many non-communicable diseases caused by tobacco smoking. Nicotine, safely administered, has long been accepted by governments and health authorities, including the WHO, as a valuable tool to aid smoking cessation in the form of nicotine replacement therapy. Joining us today is Michael Kariuki, a consultant pediatrician and epidemiologist from Kenya, to discuss the therapeutic applications of nicotine and the vital role of safer nicotine products in aiding smoking cessation.

On this Day…2024

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

Evidence briefs for tobacco harm reduction

Clive Bates, The Counterfactual

Here are my new evidence briefs on the scientific and policy considerations for e-cigarettes or vapes and other smoke-free products that support tobacco harm reduction

FDA Denies PMTAs for 22 SMOK Devices, Pods and Coils

Jim McDonald, Vaping 360

The FDA today took a major step toward banning open-system vaping hardware sold without e-liquid. Open-system products are refillable, allowing consumers to use them with bottled e-liquid from any manufacturer—including e-liquid that contains no nicotine, or non-nicotine ingredients like CBD.

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