Vapers Digest 2nd May

Friday’s News at a glance:

Trump’s China Tariffs May Impact UK ~ Man Fined for Illegal Sales ~ ETHRA write to EU Commission ~ IBVTA Discusses the Illicit Trade ~ Unpacking the University of Bath’s Flawed Report on Tobacco Harm Reduction: A Call for Balanced Science ~ The Hypocrisy of Vital Strategies: Selective Harm Reduction and the Smearing of Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates ~ Be prepared for disposable vapes ban ~ The WHO’s Failure to Protect Health: Insights from the TPA Webinar ~ New Data: Brazil’s Vape Ban Fails as Vaping Surges 600% ~ ACOSH Doubles Down on Fear—But It’s Time for Facts, Not Fantasy ~ Swedish Government: Absurd Pouch Restrictions Restrict Free Movement of Goods in the EU ~ Philip Morris International U.S. CEO: Nicotine has “cognitive benefits” ~ Sweden stops Spain’s pouch plans – “Smoking is a major health hazard” ~ Don’t Let History Repeat: Greece Warned Against Flavour Ban Mistake ~ Well, That’s One Way to Address America’s Vaping Problem ~ Electronic cigarettes to be completely banned in Uzbekistan ~ Coalition confirms it would introduce vape tax and allow vapes to be sold at retail stores ~ Vape Bans Averted in TN and ND—Just Not for Public Health Reasons ~ More U.S. mental health and drug centres have policies to stop vaping than smoking, new government report finds ~ Vaping in Hong Kong to carry heavy fine from 2026 ~ After Mass Layoffs at the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, What Happens Next? ~ Brian King Doesn’t Have to Pretend He’s Not a Prohibitionist Anymore

Four from Dave Cross, Planet of the Vapes

Trump’s China Tariffs May Impact UK

The UK Vaping Industry Association has published an article written by Barnaby Page of ECigIntelligence. It looks at the possible impacts of the tariffs US President Donald Trump have levied on China as part of his trade war against the rest of the world. It comes with a caveat that Trump’s policies change many times and rapidly, “It seems unlikely that will have changed much by the time you read these words, although the details may well have shifted…in fact, given Trump’s record, it’s likely that they will.”

Man Fined for Illegal Sales

A Derbyshire business has been fined £9,000 and ordered to pay nearly £7,000 costs after admitting selling vapes to an underage person and possession for supply of non-compliant illicit vapes. The successful prosecution was brought by the Derbyshire Trading Standards team following an investigation.

ETHRA write to EU Commission

On Wednesday 16 April the European Commission leadership met to discuss the revision of the Tobacco Excise Directive. Ahead of the meeting, The European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (ETHRA) wrote a letter to the Commission to address the issues it sees with the Directive.

IBVTA Discusses the Illicit Trade

The Independent British Vape Trade Association’s Chair, Marcus Saxton, has spoken to BBC Radio Kent about the illicit ecig trade and the single use vapes ban coming into force in June. The interviewed followed news that a BBC investigation found that over 6 million illegal devices have been seized over the last three years.

Two from Ziauddin Islam

Unpacking the University of Bath’s Flawed Report on Tobacco Harm Reduction: A Call for Balanced Science

End It Foundation

The University of Bath’s Tobacco Control Research Group recently published a study on Tobacco Control (DOI: [10.1136/tc-2024-059000] (https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/early/2025/04/16/tc-2024-059000?rss=1 claiming that evidence for tobacco harm reduction (THR) is “inconclusive” and heavily influenced by tobacco industry funding. Their accompanying [LinkedIn post] (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7323571370024427520-v8ve) doubles down, framing THR as an industry-driven agenda lacking credibility. As a proponent of evidence-based public health, I find the report and its messaging deeply flawed, biased, and counterproductive to reducing smoking-related harm. Here’s a critical, technical dissection of their work and a call for more balanced science.

The Hypocrisy of Vital Strategies: Selective Harm Reduction and the Smearing of Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates

Vital Strategies, a leading public health organization, champions harm reduction in addressing the opioid crisis, promoting evidence-based interventions like syringe exchanges and naloxone to save lives. Yet, with glaring inconsistency, it fiercely opposes tobacco harm reduction (THR), dismissing less harmful nicotine alternatives like e-cigarettes and vapes that could reduce the global burden of smoking-related diseases.

Two from World Vapers’ Alliance

The WHO’s Failure to Protect Health: Insights from the TPA Webinar

Michael Landl

New Data: Brazil’s Vape Ban Fails as Vaping Surges 600%

The most recent data from IPEC shows that vaping in Brazil has increased by 600% since 2018, despite a total ban on e-cigarettes. This proves that, even under prohibition, demand for safer alternatives to smoking is strong. Instead of disappearing, vaping has simply moved to the illegal market, creating more risks for consumers.

At the same time, Brazil’s smoking rate is falling by just 0.4% per year. Without better policies, it could take decades to achieve significant reductions in smoking.

ACOSH Doubles Down on Fear—But It’s Time for Facts, Not Fantasy

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

In a now-familiar move, the Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACOSH) has issued a media release condemning the Coalition’s plan to regulate and tax vaping through legal retail outlets. With loaded language like “flood the market,” “fuel youth addiction,” and “win for Big Tobacco,” ACOSH clings to a crumbling narrative, ignoring evidence, international precedent, and Australia’s own failures.

Let’s unpack the fear-mongering and set the record straight.

Swedish Government: Absurd Pouch Restrictions Restrict Free Movement of Goods in the EU

Joseph Hart, The Daily Pouch

EU governments are coming up with ever more creative ways to ban things they don’t like. Last year, we wrote about Luxembourg’s attempt to limit nicotine pouch strengths to a barely-there 0.46 milligrams. Spain is the latest country to attempt this de facto ban by implementing a 0.99 mg limit on pouches.

No EU citizen who uses pouches wants this kind of product. It’s been a long time since citizens’ wants and needs have had much purchase in the EU’s legislative process. But Sweden has found a way to bite back.

Philip Morris International U.S. CEO: Nicotine has “cognitive benefits”

Nathan Bomey, AXIOS

The CEO of Philip Morris International‘s U.S. business argued that nicotine is “misunderstood” and contains “cognitive benefits,” contending that American regulators should embrace smoking alternatives as the company pursues its goal of eliminating cigarette sales.

Why it matters: The Trump administration is shaking up the federal government, putting newly appointed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a position to reshape the regulatory framework for Big Tobacco if he wants to.

Sweden stops Spain’s pouch plans – “Smoking is a major health hazard”

Stefan Mathisson, Vejpkollen

The Swedish government is taking action to protect the future of nicotine pouches in Europe. This is clear after the government chose to criticise in the strongest possible way Spain’s request to force the nicotine content of pouches down to 0.99 mg per pouch. In practice, this means a ban, according to the government. “Nicotine pouches are not health products, and that is why we have regulated them in Sweden. But in a situation where smoking is allowed, nicotine pouches should also be allowed,” says Minister for Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa.

Don’t Let History Repeat: Greece Warned Against Flavour Ban Mistake

Diane Caruana, Vaping Post

A growing movement of consumer groups and vaping advocates across Europe is urging Greece to reconsider its proposed ban on flavoured e-cigarettes. The measure, which would restrict flavours to only tobacco and menthol, is sparking fears it could reverse hard-won progress in reducing smoking rates.

THR experts argue that flavours are vital tools for helping smokers switch to safer alternatives and warn the ban could push users back to cigarettes or into unregulated black markets.

Well, That’s One Way to Address America’s Vaping Problem

Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic

The EBCreate “Miami Mint”–flavored vape is truly a wonder. The device is not particularly technologically advanced; the electronic components inside consist of little more than a battery and a heating coil that turns liquid into mist. The vape smells like a mojito that’s gone a bit sour. But for $25 at my local vape shop, I got this tiny trinket that, by one estimate, contains the amount of nicotine found in 25 packs of cigarettes.

Electronic cigarettes to be completely banned in Uzbekistan

Qalampir

On April 30, during the sixth plenary session of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, senators approved the law “On Amendments and Addenda to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Further Strengthen Requirements for the Circulation of Certain Types of Tobacco Products, Tobacco and Nicotine Consumption Devices.” The law provides for a complete ban on electronic cigarettes in Uzbekistan.

Coalition confirms it would introduce vape tax and allow vapes to be sold at retail stores

Holly Tregenza, ABC News AU

The Coalition has confirmed it would allow vapes to be sold at retail stores, tax the products and regulate the industry, in a departure from the current legislation which allows for vapes only to be sold at pharmacies.

The opposition’s costings, released on Thursday, reveal the measure would add $3.6 billion to the budget over four years.

It’s the third biggest saving the Coalition is offering, which will be achieved through a $1 a millilitre tax.

Vape Bans Averted in TN and ND—Just Not for Public Health Reasons

Gregory Conley, Filter

The greatest legislative threat to vaping at the state level over the past four years has been PMTA registry bills—that would effectively ban over 90 percent of the market by tying product availability to the FDA’s dysfunctional approval system.

The federal agency has authorized just a handful of vaping options under its Premarket Tobacco Product Applications (PMTA) process—often outmoded and unpopular, almost entirely tobacco-flavored and all owned by tobacco companies.

Two from Ali Anderson, Clearing The Air

More U.S. mental health and drug centres have policies to stop vaping than smoking, new government report finds

New report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals more U.S. health centres are focused on preventing vaping than far more harmful smoking

57.9 per cent of mental health facilities have vape-free policies while 54.6 per cent have smoke-free policies

43.6 per cent of drug use centres have vape-free policies while 34.9 per cent have smoke-free policies

Vaping in Hong Kong to carry heavy fine from 2026

Anyone caught vaping in public in Hong Kong could soon face an on-the-spot fine of HK$3,000 (€341), it has emerged.

Possessing or using a vape in public will be considered an offence in Hong Kong from April 30, 2026.

According to an amended Bill gazetted by the Hong Kong government, vaping will also be illegal while queuing to enter shared spaces such as cinemas, sports and arts facilities, health clinics and public transport.

After Mass Layoffs at the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, What Happens Next?

Diane Adam, CSP Daily News

Amid the whirlwind of federal government layoffs over the last few weeks, convenience-store operators, manufacturers, suppliers and associations in the tobacco industry paid particular attention to one department—the emptying of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) workforce.

Brian King Doesn’t Have to Pretend He’s Not a Prohibitionist Anymore

Jim McDonald, Vaping 360

Thirty days after being removed as director of the FDA Center for Tobacco Products, Brian King has been hired by anti-tobacco activist group the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. King will serve as executive vice president in charge of the group’s U.S. programs.

“Brian King is extraordinarily qualified to lead our U.S. programs at this critical time.,” said Tobacco-Free Kids CEO Yolonda C. Richardson in a press release. “Brian has dedicated his career to advancing science-based policies and programs that reduce tobacco use and its devastating consequences. His leadership, passion and breadth of knowledge and experience will guide us in the next phase of our work to protect children and end the death and disease caused by tobacco.”

On this Day…2018

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

Special report: Medical opinion shifts from tolerating e-cigs to actively promoting them to smokers

Nick Webster, The National

E-cigarettes have become a dirty word in many countries, amid claims they encourage non-smokers to take up the habit – and make an unpalatable experience attractive to young people.

Public health, e-cigs and heat not burn. Why all the hatred?

Tony, Heat Not Burn

Keep smoking we need the money.

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