Vapers Digest 4th September
Monday’s News at a glance:
South Africa’s self-harming anti-vaping legislation – CoEHAR Concerned About South African Bill – France to ban disposable e-cigarettes – Standing for harm reduction: The EU‘s duty to smokers worldwide – Is vaping creating a “whole new generation of nicotine dependency”? – Harmonizing Tobacco Harm Reduction & RRP Waste Management – Ministry of Health admits incorrectly threatening vape retailers
South Africa’s self-harming …
Anti-vaping legislation – Clive Bates, The Counterfactual
South Africa’s parliament is consulting on anti-vaping legislation that is so extreme and ill-designed that it would, if enacted, cause more harm than good. What’s wrong with it, and who is influencing it?
South Africa’s parliament is scrutinising new tobacco and nicotine legislation that would throttle harm reduction approaches for its citizens. South Africa has a high prevalence of smoking (25.8% – see chart), especially among men, and low rates of vape use (2.2%). Yet the legislation is designed to obstruct South African citizens from switching from high-risk cigarettes to low-risk vape products.
CoEHAR Concerned About Bill
Tobacco Reporter
The Center of Excellence for the acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR) has urged the South African government to use risk-proportionate regulation in its tobacco control efforts.
In a reply to a public consultation on the Tobacco and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Control Bill, CoEHAR raised concerns that the current draft will restrict less risky options for people who would benefit from using these products to quit smoking.
“The primary goal of the South Africa tobacco policy should be to prevent and control tobacco- related excess mortality and morbidity. In practice, this means reducing smoking as deeply and rapidly as possible,” wrote Riccardo Polosa and Giovanni Li Volti on behalf of the CoEHAR in their letter.
France to ban disposable e-cigarettes
Reuters
France plans to ban disposable electronic cigarettes, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said on radio station RTL on Sunday.
“It’s an important public health issue,” said Borne, adding that the government is drawing up plans for a national programme to fight tobacco use that she said was responsible for 75,000 deaths a year in France.
So-called “puff” devices generate habits among young people that can lead to tobacco addiction, she added.
Must-read of the week. Every delegate at #COP10 should read this and contemplate how they should responsibly approach their role as a signatory to the @FCTCofficial. #FCTCCOP10 https://t.co/OQE1VjiS6z
— Martin C (@NannyFreeState) September 4, 2023
This Friday the European Parliament’s Working Party on Public Health will discuss information from the Commission and Presidency on WHO FCTC #COP10 preparation https://t.co/rUTjuyWY8r pic.twitter.com/CvLW4A5faU
— European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (@europethra) September 4, 2023
Standing for harm reduction:
The EU’s duty to smokers worldwide – Liza Katsiashvili
In an increasingly interconnected world, the actions of one region can reverberate far beyond its borders. Nowhere is this more evident than in matters of public health and harm reduction. As the European Union grapples with its stance on harm reduction strategies for smokers, the implications of its decisions stretch well beyond its borders, impacting global health and the fight against smoking-related harm.
Panama will be hosting the Tenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) this year in November, and it will carry significant importance for the future of public health. The results will affect harm reduction and vaping policies globally.
FACT CHECK. Is vaping creating a …
“whole new generation of nicotine dependency”?
Colin Mendelsohn
ON 2 MAY 2023, HEALTH MINISTER MARK BUTLER claimed that “vaping is creating a whole new generation of nicotine dependency in our community” and this is the main driver of his vaping crackdown.
This claim has been used repeatedly by health and medical organisations and academics since then and is frequently referenced as a serious concern in the media, eg here, here and here.
This would be a concern if it was true. However based on Australian data it is patently wrong and the Minister should withdraw the claim
Recent Australian research indicates that few non-smoking teens vape regularly and many do not use nicotine.
Harmonizing Tobacco Harm Reduction
& RRP Waste Management: A Dual Road to Sustainability
Idwala Research
In our blog, Is RRP waste the biggest threat to THR?, we argued that the risks of not implementing comprehensive reduced-risk product (RRP) waste management solutions aren’t limited to environmental concerns alone. It threatens the very foundation of tobacco harm reduction. While many opponents of THR have historically hinged their arguments on oft-debunked science, the concerns surrounding RRP waste and its environmental impact stand on firmer scientific ground and indeed need addressing.
The narrative of environmental harm from RRPs has a widespread and passionate constituency. It is emotionally resonant, providing detractors with a potentially powerful tool to counter the many public health arguments favouring THR. It’s a narrative based on concrete evidence, unlike several anti-THR arguments that have failed to withstand scrutiny.
Ministry of Health admits incorrectly…
Threatening vape retailers – Emma Stanford
The Ministry of Health has admitted it incorrectly threatened vape retailers for selling non-compliant products.
In October 2022, in response to an inquiry from Fair Go, the ministry took the position that the smokefree regulations prescribed a maximum nicotine salt strength of 50mg/mL (28.5mg/mL nicotine strength) and threatened to cancel all products that did not comply.
However, the regulations actually set the maximum nicotine strength limit of 50mg/mL.
Specialist vape retailer VAPO | alt. said its repeated requests to meet with the ministry were refused.
On this Day…2022
A look back at how things have moved on or otherwise…
La OMS continúa ignorando a los vapeadores
Alberto Hernandez, World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA)
La Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS), subsidiaria de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) en el continente americano, publicó recientemente su Informe sobre el control del tabaco en la región de las Américas 2022. En él, la OMS se muestra una vez más incapaz de reconocer el papel que puede jugar el vapeo a la hora de reducir los daños causados por el tabaquismo.
Alberto Hernandez, World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA)
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the subsidiary of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Americas, recently published its Report on Tobacco Control for the Region of the Americas 2022. In it, the WHO once again fails to recognize the role that vaping can play in reducing the harm caused by smoking.
Bangladesh’s goal of becoming a tobacco-free country by 2040 will be hindered if e-cigarettes are banned, experts said Thursday.
They were speaking at the webinar “Save Vaping, Save Bangladesh” organised by the Bangladesh-based Voices of Vapers.
The experts addressed the recent proposal to ban vape and other alternative and heat-not-burn tobacco products in a new amendment to the country’s tobacco control legislation.
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