Vapers Digest 18th April

Friday’s News at a glance:

Spanish Policies Could Cost Lives ~ Parliament Matters ~ The Disposables Ban is Imminent ~ Adults Rely on Disposables ~ STROUD: Nicotine-Free Generation: Good Intentions, Misguided Policy on Youth Health ~ Misplaced Parental Fears and Ideological Framing in Anti-Vaping Narratives ~ Smoking – not nicotine – is the primary cause of cancer, says leading French oncologist ~ ‘Era of criminal enterprise’ feared ahead of UK disposable vapes ban ~ The Final Verdict: Snus vs. Pouches ~ Luxembourg’s War on Common Sense: A Nicotine Cap Nobody Asked For ~ Danish flavour ban fail: nicotine restrictions backfire ~ Disposable e-cigarette ban ‘unlikely’ to tackle vaping rates, researchers warn ~ Why Is Tobacco Control Not Getting Behind ZYN? ~ Gold Rush: Measuring Nicotine Mortality by the Millimeter ~ Free vape kits boost smoking quits in Calderdale ~ Arkansas Registry Law Includes First-Ever U.S. Personal Possession Ban ~ Guest Editorial: What a Former FDA Insider Gets Wrong About Vaping ~ Opportunities to Reform the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products ~ UNSMOKE THE WORLD | Inside PMI’s Mission to End Cigarettes

Four from Dave Cross, Planet of the Vapes

Spanish Policies Could Cost Lives

A restrictive approach to safer smoke-free alternatives to cigarettes is hindering Spain’s fight against the toll of tobacco and putting tens of thousands of lives at risk, according to a major new report released today. Over 30,000 deaths could have been avoided, harm reduction experts at Smoke Free Sweden say.

Parliament Matters

In this week’s trip to Parliament, Helen Morgan is concerned about the impact of vape bans on hospitality areas, Kevin Hollinrake wants guidance on public area bans, while the unelected Bishop of St Albans desires a pouch clampdown.

The Disposables Ban is Imminent

While vape flavour and packaging restrictions are still up in the air, the complete ban on the import, manufacture and sale of disposable single-use ecigs comes into effect from 1 June 2025. This is separate to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will introduce a rolling age ban on the purchasing of cigarettes and varied restrictions on vape products. Retailers are being encouraged to act now.

Adults Rely on Disposables

Vapers in the United States and United Kingdom are becoming more sceptical about disposable devices — but that hasn’t stopped them using the products, according to new research, “Consumer survey report: changes in perceptions and consumption behaviour among vapers in the US and UK”, from ECigIntelligence.

For about 50% of US vapers, a disposable was their most-used device in 2024, compared with about 30% in 2022, as revealed in the ECigIntelligence report based on surveys in both years.

STROUD: Nicotine-Free Generation:

Good Intentions, Misguided Policy on Youth Health

Lindsey Stroud, NH Journal

The Somerville, Mass., Board of Health recently held a public hearing on a proposal to implement a “Nicotine-Free Generation” (NFG) policy. It would ban the sale of tobacco and vapor products to anyone born after a certain date.

Though the board unanimously approved the measure – joining a growing list of localities enacting increasingly aggressive restrictions – the hearing exposed a troubling mix of alarmism, misinformation, and misplaced priorities.

Misplaced Parental Fears and Ideological Framing in Anti-Vaping Narratives

09algor, Australia, Let’s Improve Vaping Education (A.L.I.V.E.)

Becky Freeman et al Promote Parental Fear Over Evidence in Anti-Vaping Push

This study claims to offer insights into Australian parents’ perceptions of youth vaping, positioning these views as evidence in support of harsher regulatory action. But scratch the surface, and it becomes clear this is less an objective exploration of social attitudes and more a selective amplification of moral panic to justify prohibitionist policy.

Two From Clearing The Air

Smoking – not nicotine – is the primary cause

of cancer, says leading French oncologist

Ali Anderson

Nicotine alternatives such as vapes do not cause cancer, a leading French oncologist has said.

Dr David Khayat said nicotine itself does not cause cancer, as carcinogens come from the burning of tobacco. The combustion that occurs in conventional cigarettes produces thousands of substances, and a percentage of these are carcinogenic.

‘Era of criminal enterprise’ feared ahead of UK disposable vapes ban

Tim Hong

The upcoming disposable vapes ban could trigger a new ‘era of criminal enterprise,’ an MP and health advocates have warned.

The UK’s disposable vapes ban is set to come into effect on June 1 with the aim of curbing youth vaping. However, shocking new figures reveal the Labour government is woefully unprepared to properly enforce the ban. Critics say its lack of manpower and financial resources risk the market for vapes being handed over to dangerous criminal gangs.

Two From Considerate Pouchers

The Final Verdict: Snus vs. Pouches

Mariam Gogolishvili

Nicotine Pouches vs Snus: Which Is Safer – and Why It Matters

In the world of tobacco harm reduction, snus and nicotine pouches are often mentioned in the same breath. Both are smokeless, both sit discreetly under your lip – and both are miles safer than smoking. But they’re not the same thing, and the difference matters.

Luxembourg’s War on Common Sense: A Nicotine Cap Nobody Asked For

Juan Taborcia

So here’s the story: Luxembourg — a tiny country with very few smokers but apparently a lot of free time — has decided to pick a fight with one of the most promising harm reduction tools in modern public health: nicotine pouches.

Their draft bill, submitted to the EU, proposes a nicotine cap of 0.048 mg per pouch.

Yes, you read that right. Not 4.8. Not even 0.5. Zero-point-zero-four-eight.

Danish flavour ban fail: nicotine restrictions backfire

SNUSFORUMET

A Danish flavour ban and other restrictions haven’t prevented the share of young Danes who vape from almost doubling over the past two years. A new report reveals that banned vaping flavours remain the most popular.

“This is a clear demonstration that restrictions and bans rarely work as intended — and can even have the opposite effect,” says Patrik Strömer, Secretary-General of the Association of Swedish Snus Manufacturers.

Disposable e-cigarette ban ‘unlikely’ to tackle vaping rates, researchers warn

Storm Newton, Independent

The forthcoming disposable vapes ban may have a “limited impact” on the number of people using e-cigarettes, according to researchers.

It comes as a study highlighted there has been a “shift away” from disposable vapes since the ban was announced, with more people opting for refillable and reusable devices.

Gold Rush: Measuring Nicotine Mortality by the Millimeter

Dr. Brad Rodu, Tobacco Truth

The New Yorker magazine recently published an article, “Zyn and the New Nicotine Gold Rush,” that included a remarkable passage from a discussion between the author and Thomas Ericsson, a former Swedish Match employee. It perfectly describes the risks of using snus and nicotine.

Free vape kits boost smoking quits in Calderdale

Nikki Brady, The Yorkshire Post

A new report has revealed that the number of people giving up smoking increased from 64% to 75% after the kits were offered during a trial funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research and delivered by Yorkshire Smokefree Calderdale.

Yorkshire Cancer Research supports the use of vaping as a tool to quit smoking and has spearheaded programmes and initiatives to help bring better access to vapes for people who smoke across the region.

Two From Vaping 360

Arkansas Registry Law Includes First-Ever U.S. Personal Possession Ban

Jim McDonald

Arkansas became the 12th U.S. state to pass a PMTA registry law when Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed Senate Bill 252 into law on Monday.

The law is the first in the United States to ban personal possession of some vaping products by individuals.

Like other PMTA registry laws, Arkansas’ was originally created and promoted in the state legislature by tobacco industry lobbyists working for either Altria or R.J. Reynolds. Vape industry groups managed to mitigate some of the damage, allowing some open-system products to remain exempt from restrictions.

Guest Editorial: What a Former FDA Insider Gets Wrong About Vaping

I met David Oliveira last year at an industry conference, just as he was wrapping up a six-year run in leadership at the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. In our conversation, he struck me as more pragmatic than most of his colleagues. So when Fox News Digital published a video interview with him last week framing him as an FDA “whistleblower,” I was curious to hear what he had to say.

To his credit, Oliveira gets some important things right. He calls out the mismanagement under Brian King, the agency’s now-former tobacco chief. He criticizes the FDA’s fixation on optics over outcomes, especially how DEI initiatives crowded out core public health missions.

Opportunities to Reform the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products

Adam Hoffer, Tax Foundation

Amid the flurry of federal government activity over the last few weeks, the US Department of Health and Human Services announced a reduction of roughly a quarter of its workforce. Among other things, this is producing a change in leadership at the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products (CTP). New leadership will face significant challenges but will also have the opportunity to revisit decisions that have shifted consumption to illicit products and discouraged harm reduction—policies that, however well intended, have come at a significant cost in lives. In this blog post, we detail some of the lingering challenges plaguing the CTP and suggest a pathway forward.

The UK’s Turning Point: what’s next in the fight for better health? with Mark Oates | Ep. 81

Vape TV / World Vapers’ Alliance

The United Kingdom has long been considered a global benchmark for progressive harm reduction policies. But today, that reputation is under threat.

In this episode, host Liza Katsiashvili speaks with Mark Oates, one of the most vocal advocates for safer alternatives. The conversation dives into the UK’s changing approach to harm reduction, including the proposal of a nationwide flavour ban, its political motivations, and the real consequences it may bring for general health.

UNSMOKE THE WORLD | Inside PMI’s Mission to End Cigarettes

Global Forum on Nicotine

In 2016, PMI pledged to transition the company away from cigarette sales – and almost ten years later, they’ve made progress towards their promise. But instead of celebrating as 40% of PMI’s business goes smoke-free, many in tobacco control would rather stand in the way. Why is that? And can anything be done to change their minds?

On this Day…2018

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

Heat Not Burn Products:

The New Nicotine Alliance Steps Into The Debate

Sarah Jakes, Ecig Click

In an explosive interview Sarah Jakes the Chair of the New Nicotine Alliance explains why the advocacy charity not only supports the use of heat not burn products to quit smoking but says vape shops should openly sell them alongside e-cigarettes.

An uncivil war

Headrambles

Why is there friction between Smokers, Vapers and those new kids on the block – the Heat not Burn [Scorchers?] crowd?

It makes no sense. If the Vapers are worried that the Scorchers are going to somehow put electrofags out of business then that is a patent nonsense. If there is a demand for electrofags then there will be a supply. No one is suggesting that Vapers be forced to become Scorchers?

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