Vapers Digest 23rd October

Wednesday’s News at a glance:

Parliament ~ New Zealand Is Smokefree ~ Vape Flavours Research Results ~ Pharmacological treatments and complementary alternative products: a new study confirms the efficacy of adaptive treatments to quit smoking. ~ Sweden innovates to achieve smoke-free status faster ~ Survey Says: Australian Prohibition Policies are Forcing Vapers Towards the Black Market ~ Hogan says Labor’s vaping prohibition is resulting in more crime ~ Commission hit by ANOTHER complaint against its handling of safer nicotine products: this time on public space use ~ Alarmism Is Ruining Harm Reduction and Lives ~ Irish Government Uses EU Urgency Procedure to “Ram Through” Vape Tax ~ Harris vs Trump on Vaping Freedom and Weed Legalization ~ Tobacco company says it’s launching product in Austin to help smokers quit cigarettes ~ Philip Morris is a growth stock again as shares hit all-time high on Zyn demand boom ~ Kansas City flavored tobacco ban has good intentions, but would produce bad results ~ Harm Reduction in the USA | Vaping Unplugged Podcast with Jacob James Rich ~ LEGISLATING FOR HARM REDUCTION | Stefan Mathisson on Sweden’s new tobacco policy

Three From Dave Cross, Planet Of The Vapes

Parliament

Sarah Green, Chesham and Amersham’s Liberal Democrat MP, is concerned about smoking in and around hospitals. City of Durham’s Labour MP, Mary Kelly Foy, is still pushing for a polluter pays levy to fund anti-smoking programmes – something that could be envisaged for vaping in months or years to come. She is also worried about teen vaping. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Department of Health and Social Care, Andrew Gwynne supplied the responses.

New Zealand Is Smokefree

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) is thrilled to announce that New Zealand has achieved its Smokefree 2025 goal well ahead of schedule, with smoking rates plummeting to unprecedented lows. The announcement comes as the New Zealand Health Survey revealed that smoking rates have fallen dramatically, particularly among youth.

Vape Flavours Research Results

With millions of UK smokers opting for ‘far safer’ nicotine alternatives, mainly vapes, Vape Superstore has conducted a survey and discovered that the main reason vaping helps smokers quit and remain tobacco free are the flavours available. Key findings show that Berry is the most popular vape flavour, over a quarter of Brits want to try birthday cake-flavoured vapes, and Gummy bear is the least popular vape flavour, with just 1% of vapers choosing it.

Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of HArm Reduction (CoEHAR)

Sweden innovates to achieve smoke-free status faster

Inquirer, msm.com

Swedish Match, the makers of oral nicotine pouches that were touted to have played a major role in the decline of cigarette smoking in Sweden, continue to innovate their product line to help the country reach smoke-free status sooner.

Survey Says: Australian Prohibition Policies are Forcing Vapers Towards the Black Market

Joseph Hart, Daily Pouch

Ancient societies like Egypt, Zhou dynasty China, Greece, and Rome all had some version of what we today refer to as clowns. These entertainers occupied different roles, such as entertainment, satirising the powerful, boosting morale, and even playing with social norms.

Hogan says Labor’s vaping prohibition is resulting in more crime

The Lismore App

Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan says today’s suspected arson attack on a tobacconist in Ballina is exactly why we need a regulated vaping model.

Mr Hogan said The Nationals’ introduced a policy more than a year ago to protect our children and reduce organised crime.

Commission hit by ANOTHER complaint against its handling

of safer nicotine products: this time on public space use

Peter Beckett, Clearing The Air

Spanish vape consumers group ANESVAP has filed an official complaint against the EU Commission, claiming that Europe’s executive should have conducted an impact assessment before proposing a ban on vaping in outdoor public spaces.

‘[T]he Commission should have carried out an impact assessment as the Recommendation has “significant economic, environmental or social impacts”, ANESVAP argues in its submission to the EU Ombudsman, which determines whether an EU Institution has committed “maladministration”.

UK eyes vape tax hike on Budget day

Ali Anderson, Clearing The Air

The UK government is considering raising the tax on vapes in the Budget this month, according to reports.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is said to be looking to bring the tax hike forward from plans outlined by the previous Conservative government.

A new tax on vaping products was set to take effect from 1 October 2026, after the Conservatives introduced the measure in their Spring Budget in March this year.

Alarmism Is Ruining Harm Reduction and Lives

Lindsey Stroud, Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Recent data and discussions around oral nicotine products like Zyn and other nicotine pouches call for a nuanced examination of public health policies targeting these alternatives to combustible cigarettes. Despite concerns over youth usage, the evidence suggests that these products do not pose the same level of risk as traditional tobacco products, and restrictive policies may be overlooking their potential benefits.

Irish Government Uses EU Urgency Procedure to “Ram Through” Vape Tax

Kiran Sidhu, Filter

Ireland’s government has cynically “rammed through” a move to impose heavy taxes on vape e-liquids without consultation, tobacco harm reduction advocates say. Higher prices for vapes will disincentivize switching from cigarettes.

The Irish government notified the European Union of its proposed E-Liquids Product Tax on October 14.

Click to visit Danish Vapers Association

Harris vs Trump on Vaping Freedom and Weed Legalization

Jim McDonald, Vaping 360

With less than two weeks until the Nov. 5 general election, some U.S. voters who vape or use nicotine pouches are wondering which presidential candidate would be best on the issue of access to nicotine products.

It’s a complicated question, and the likely answer is that neither candidate will be especially helpful. But it is certainly true that Democrats in general are more likely to give the FDA leeway and encouragement to impose restrictive regulations on vapes, and Republicans more likely to appoint judges willing to question actions by federal agencies.

Tobacco company says it’s launching product in Austin to help smokers quit cigarettes

Tom Miller, KXAN

Tobacco company Philip Morris International Inc. is launching a new product pilot in Austin, which it says is designed to help smokers quit cigarettes.

IQOS is a new, smokeless way to consume nicotine that heats up tobacco rather than burning it, the company said.

Consuming the product still comes with health risks. However, the company said it significantly reduces the intake of harmful chemicals compared to conventional cigarettes.

Philip Morris is a growth stock again as shares hit all-time high on Zyn demand boom

Alex Harring, CNBC

Philip Morris Internationalshares reached record highs Tuesday after the tobacco company’s Zyn brand reported soaring demand.

Shares of the Connecticut-based company jumped to $131.97 at session highs, marking a new intraday record. The stock notched an all-time closing high and saw its biggest one-day gain since October 2008.

Kansas City flavored tobacco ban has good intentions, but would produce bad results

“Guest Commentary”, Kansas City Star

History shows that banning flavored tobacco and nicotine products has little positive impact, and instead results in a long list of negative consequences. Unfortunately, despite this knowable outcome, the Kansas City Council is once again taking steps to implement such a ban. This is a mistake, from both an economic and a public health perspective.

Harm Reduction in the USA | Vaping Unplugged Podcast with Jacob James Rich

Vape TV / World Vapers’ Alliance

In this episode of Vaping Unplugged, host Michael is joined by Jacob James Rich, a Policy Analyst at the Reason Foundation, for an in-depth discussion on harm reduction in the United States. Jacob, with a background in health care policy and a specialization in prescription and illegal drug regulations, brings a wealth of expertise to the table.

LEGISLATING FOR HARM REDUCTION | Stefan Mathisson on Sweden’s new tobacco policy

Global Forum on Nicotine

Sweden’s government now recognises that reduced risk nicotine products are key to the country’s low smoking prevalence. A new risk proportionate tobacco policy is being devised, but there is opposition. Will tobacco harm reduction be fully integrated into Swedish legislation? Stefan Matthison fills us in on the current state of play.

On this Day…2023

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

FCTC budget: nice work if you can get it

COPWatch

Here Copwatch brings you what you need to know about the COP10 documents relating to the FCTC budget. This covers three documents, all posted on the COP10 main documents page:

Raise Your Voice Ireland Consultation

ECigClick

Following on from the news that the UK Government is launching a public consultation on smoking & vaping, we now have an Ireland Vaping Consultation on the way.

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