Vapers Digest 6th June

Monday’s News at a glance:

NNA & ETHRA Call For Survey Support – Competing Interests for Nicotine – Setting the parameters for a new TPD –  Los Angeles to Ban Flavored Vapes -Former WHO Directors Slam Organization’s Harm Reduction Stance –  WHO is invited to the Global Tobacco Regulators Forum – Celebrating businesses – FDA Commissioner Misleads – Experts mull impact of PMI’s acquisition – Konsultation zur TPD3 gestartet – Verbraucher fühlen sich von Politik betrogen – Anti-vaping crusade – Imperial’s Strong Sector Performance – NSW Health spins its own data – May 2022 Podcast with Neal Benowitz – Global THR Advocates United – Tobacco Caused Disease – Mexico Prohibits Vape Sales – Can India Really Afford To Ignore THR? – Are harm reduction strategies evidence-based? – Vaping tax – Plea in Delhi High Court – 49pc Malaysian smokers choose vape – Trends in Annual Sales and Pack Price – Charming e-cigarette users – Consumer advocates are for real – Smokefree 2025 or smokescreen? – Nicotine Science and Policy Daily Digest

NNA & ETHRA Call For Survey Support

Dave Cross, Planet of the Vapes

Have your say, says the New Nicotine Alliance (NNA) and the European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (ETHRA) – the European Union (EU) has launched a survey that is seeking to gather evidence to guide its future vape legislation.

The NNA says: “Last week, the EU Commission launched a call for evidence to assess its legislative framework for tobacco control. Its purpose is to evaluate if current tobacco control legislation has fulfilled its goals and whether or not it will further aspirations in Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan to achieve a tobacco free generation by 2040.

Setting the parameters for a new TPD

Christopher Snowdon

The European Commission is asking for feedback on its Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). The call for evidence closes on 17 June 2022 and is intended to ‘assess to what extent the framework has fulfilled its goals and whether it is able to support a “Tobacco-Free Generation” by 2040’. A new TPD is likely to be proposed and brought into law in the next few years.

Article 20 of the existing Directive already places unnecessary limits on nicotine strength, tank size, bottle size and advertising. There are fears that the EU will go even further and restrict or ban e-cigarette flavours (except ‘tobacco’ flavour) and introduce laws to restrict the sale of heated tobacco.

Competing Interests for Nicotine

Alan Beard

As per usual, this is far from an in-depth analysis, but rather for me to attempt to assemble a few shallow thoughts into print. I shall write about Consumers, Tobacco Industry, Tobacco Control, Bloomberg, Government and hopefully see how each has an impact in relation to one another.

Consumers: Nicotine vies with Alcohol and Caffeine as one of the three most popular ***social drugs of choice, but due to many years of negative messaging, has an undeserved awful reputation, widely held by the general public. Smoking has been increasingly vilified since the early 1960’s following the Royal College of Physicians report into the dangers.

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Los Angeles Becomes Largest US City…

To Ban Flavored Vapes – Alex Norcia

On June 1, the Los Angeles City Council voted to ban flavored vapes and tobacco products in a 12-0 decision. The ordinance now moves to the desk of Mayor Eric Garcetti, who’s expected to sign it. The law, which prohibits the sale of non-tobacco flavored vaping products, flavored cigars and menthol cigarettes, would go into effect in January 2023.

The ban, pushed by the Michael Bloomberg-funded Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) and justified as a means to protect youth from nicotine dependence, has been dragged out for years—with lawmakers stopping and starting, revising and revisiting the proposal.

Los Angeles Will Prohibit Flavored Vapes and Tobacco – Jim McDonald

Former WHO Directors…

Slam Organization’s Harm Reduction Stance, And with Good Cause

Martin Cullip – Townhall

Two former Directors at the World Health Organization (WHO) have written a scorching article in The Lancet criticizing their former employer for its casual and damaging dismissal of tobacco harm reduction. They are quite right to do so, and it is regrettable that more academics are not doing likewise.

Robert Beaglehole (chair of Action on Smoking and Health New Zealand), and Ruth Bonita (University of Auckland), both formerly Directors in the WHO’s efforts to tackle non-communicable diseases, take no prisoners in declaring that “tobacco control is not working for most of the world.”

WHO is invited to the …

Global Tobacco Regulators Forum – INNCO

Happy World Vape Day! It’s always a pleasure to greet you. As we celebrate #WorldVapeDay and thank you for the huge work on Social Media, we like to remind you that World No Tobacco Day is tomorrow May 31st, so as we see Twitter flooded with testimonials, graphics, and information regarding Harm Reduction we kindly ask you to keep the efforts going for one more day. Let’s keep it going!

The complete Global Forum on Nicotine programme has been revealed, if you like to check it out, you can do it here.

The Topic of the month is the statements of over 100 respected scientific and public health organizations that have reviewed the evidence and agree that safer nicotine alternatives are in fact safer. If you like to tweet these statements is as easy as just clicking any statement you will like to post. Check them out here.

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Celebrating businesses…

That have helped reduce the tobacco burden – Kim Murray

May 30th was World Vape Day. The day urges the globe to recognize the life-saving technology that has helped millions of people quit smoking combustible cigarettes. Yet, many in the tobacco control movement refuse to acknowledge the role of tobacco harm reduction and the public health benefits that vape shop owners have made in helping people who smoke quit.

The percentage of the world’s population that smokes combustible cigarettes has decreased. Despite the efforts by tobacco control groups, including the World Health Organization, to push education, cessation programs, higher taxes, and product bans, the number of deaths per year continues to rise. It doesn’t appear that a decrease in smoking and increase in the number of deaths could be occurring simultaneously.

Alternative Link

Experts mull impact of PMI’s acquisition

Of Swedish Match on harm reduction – Snusforumet

On May 11, Philip Morris International (PMI) announced plans to acquire Swedish Match for $16bn.

“We are pleased to announce this exciting next step in Philip Morris International’s and Swedish Match’s trajectory toward a smoke-free future,” the PMI chief executive, Jacek Olczak said in a statement.

He claimed the deal would create a “global smoke-free champion” by combining Swedish Match’s leading position in smokeless oral products including snus and nicotine pouches, with PMI’s ambition to expand its own iQOS-brand heat-not-burn devices.

FDA Commissioner Misleads

With Grossly Inaccurate Tobacco & Vaping Tweet – Brad Rodu

FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf on May 27 tweeted a grossly inaccurate statement (here): “I worry that our academic centers & professional societies are not activated enough on the tobacco issue.  Almost 500,000 Americans will die this year from tobacco related illness and millions of teenagers are becoming addicted to nicotine through vaping.”

There is no evidence that vaping is enslaving “millions of teenagers.”  The number of high school students who reported vaping in the past 30 days in 2021 was 1.72 million (here), a 58% reduction from the peak of 4.1 million in 2019. Additionally, not all of these teens are or were “addicted”, as the majority in both years used e-cigarettes infrequently.  Only 467,000 in 2021 had not used cigarettes or other tobacco and had vaped 20+ days, which is the baseline for even considering addiction.

Konsultation zur TPD3 gestartet

DampfFreiheit

Die EU-Kommission startet die Überarbeitung der Tabakprodukterichtlinie 2014/40/EU 1 (TPD2). In dieser Richtlinie 2014/40/EU wurde das erste Mal auch E-Zigaretten im Artikel 20 aufgenommen.

Nun soll die Richtlinie mittels TPD3 überarbeitet werden und an die aktuellen Gegebenheiten angepasst werden, dabei soll auch der EU-Plan zur Krebsbekämpfung 2 und der SCHEER Bericht 3 miteinfliessen. Sicherlich wird auch der Bericht 4 der EU-Kommission an das EU-Parlament zum Status der Umsetzung der Richtlinie 2014/40/EU eine Rolle spielen.

Verbraucher fühlen sich Politik betrogen

bvra eV

In einer offenen Verbraucherumfrage hat der Bundesverband Rauchfreie Alternative e.V. (BVRA) Nutzerinnen und Nutzer von E-Zigaretten gefragt, wie ihr Wissensstand bei der neuen Verbrauchssteuer auf E-Liquids ist und wie sie damit umgehen werden. Es zeichnen sich starke Ausweichbewegungen der Konsumenten ab, die die Höhe der erwarteten Steuereinnahmen sehr unrealistisch erscheinen lassen. Außerdem gibt fast jeder fünfte an, nach Einfuhr der Steuer wieder mehr rauchen zu wollen. Das kann doch nicht Ziel einer Lenkungssteuer sein?

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Anti-vaping crusade

By neopuritan moralists is a threat to public health

IN response to “The Ferret: Holyrood vaping plans targeted by ‘astroturf’ campaign from London PR firm” (Jun 5).

I don’t smoke, and I don’t vape, however I did both and doing the latter is how I stopped doing the former. Patches, gum, inhalers, pseudoscientific rubbish like NLP – I tried every ineffectual bit of nonsense that the NHS sanction for treating tobacco addiction and none of it worked, but what did was being able to buy the vape device I wanted to, and the flavour of juice that I enjoyed, and be able to do so at a strength I chose.

Imperial’s Strong Sector Performance

Dave Cross, Planet of the Vapes

Imperial Brands has released its half year results which shows the strength in the market and commitment to continue the move away from tobacco products. The six months to March delivered “good progress in delivering on our strategic objectives”. The company says it now plans to continue further market rollouts in heated tobacco and vapour products.

Imperial’s profits are being hit by the Ukraine crisis, forcing it to stop sales in Russia but overall performance was underpinned by strong sales of myblu ecigs and Pulze heated tobacco products (rising 8.7% to a value of £101 million).

Why the War on Vaping Must Stop:

Discussion with Antonella Marty

NSW Health spins its own data

On smoking and vaping – Colin Mendelsohn

Smoking rates are falling faster than any time in the last 15 years in young people (16-24 years) in NSW as vaping rates start to rise. Yet, this massive benefit to public health is denounced as a worrying trend for young people by NSW Health.

Current smoking rates (smoking in the last 30 days) fell by 25% from 2019 to 2021 and current vaping rates doubled. This is great news. Smoking kills 8 million people each year. No one has ever died from nicotine vaping. We should be celebrating.

Mexico Prohibits Vape Sales

By Presidential Decree – Jim McDonald

Mexico will ban sales of all vaping and heated tobacco products, by decree of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The president signed the order in a ceremony held during a press conference Tuesday.

The presidential decree was announced to coincide with World No Tobacco Day, the annual World Health Organization (WHO) celebration of tobacco control efforts. A WHO representative was on hand to give the Mexican president an award in “recognition of his leadership and unwavering support to strengthen tobacco control measures in Mexico.”

How vaping can assist smokers to quit

Kurt Yeo

May 2022 Podcast with Neal Benowitz

In the May episode Jamie Hartmann-Boyce talks with Neal Benowitz, Emeritus Professor at the University of California San Francisco, Professor Benowitz practices medicine, cardiology and clinical pharmacology and has a particular interest in tobacco as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Professor Neal Benowitz talks to Associate Professor Jamie Hartmann-Boyce about the toxicological data from studies of e-cigarettes. He stresses the importance of comparing e-cigarette use to combustible cigarette use, as the exposure to biomarkers that we can measure is much lower in people who vape than in people who use combustible cigarettes.

Global THR Advocates United

Ahead Of COP10 – sCOPe

Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) consumer advocates livestreamed for eight hours on both 30 and 31 May. The panel discussions and presentations included representatives from Asia Pacific, Africa, Europe, North America, and Latin America.

sCOPe’s return on #WVD22 and #WNTD22 followed its five-day livestream last year during COP9 – the 9th Conference of Parties for the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Tobacco Caused Disease –

A Pandemic We Can Rationally Tackle

The most recent pandemic has served as a catalyst for us to restructure how we adapt to new problems and devise new measures to mitigate future shocks. Reduced harm caused by substance addiction is one of the most important components of eliminating vices in the world.

The Economic Times convened a group of prominent specialists to investigate and track the consequences of substance usage over time for the fourth edition of the Consumer Freedom Conclave. David Sweanor, J.D., chair of the Advisory Board at the University of Ottawa’s Centre for Health Law, Policy, and Ethics, Adjunct Professor Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa, Global Leadership Council,

Can India Really Afford To Ignore THR?

What is the cost of a human life? Pretty priceless, one would imagine. But this is a price we pay over a million times every year in India due to tobacco. The real tragedy is that we refuse to learn or strive to improve. Our systems and policies treat human life as an expendable resource.

According to the GATS 2 data, there are about 267 million tobacco users in India. Our quit rate is poor at about 1.15 million each year and in the last seven years, only 8.1 million people have quit tobacco for good.

Are harm reduction strategies…

Evidence-based? – Dr. Kiran Melkote

The pandemic served as a wake-up call for enterprises all over the world, as well as nations, to recognise what is required to mitigate risks of another global shock. Without a doubt, among the countless diseases and ailments, there are those that we can control, and among them is substance abuse.

It is possible to start with harm reduction to attain success from substance usage. Furthermore, one part of harm reduction is to comprehend the fundamental issues that customers experience.

Why Is Vaping Attacked

Instead of Celebrated? Interview with Dr. Bernd Mayer

Vaping tax:

The folly of tax policy replacing public health policy – Asanda Gcoyi

The National Treasury is expected to introduce a tax on electronic nicotine and non-nicotine delivery systems — known colloquially as vaping devices — from January 1.

During his delivery of the 2022-2023 budget speech finance minister Enoch Godongwana made it clear that the tax would have already been introduced if it had been up to him.

The proposed tax is ostensibly meant to curb the growing popularity of vaping because of the potential harm these products pose.

Plea in Delhi High Court

Challenges ban on vaping devices in airports, aircraft

The petition submitted that this action by the Ministry of Civil Aviation was taken without any rhyme or reason, and lacked consideration of the provisions of the Act, which allows for personal use of electronic cigarettes, as per various clarifications given by authorities and the concerned ministry respectively.

Further, the petition contended that this action was an abuse of power that has led to the confiscation of vaping devices from travellers passing through Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, Goa, Bhavnagar and other airports.

World Vape Day 2022 Interview

With Dr Colin Mendelsohn

49pc Malaysian smokers choose vape

A new survey of Malaysian smokers reveals that nearly half, or 49 per cent, choose to vape to cut down on smoking cigarettes or quit completely.

The survey, carried out by Kantar Group, an international research agency, in late 2021, outlines usage and attitudes towards vaping, tobacco products and cigarettes in Malaysia and interviewed 500 people in the country.

“This appears consistent with mounting scientific evidence that smokers prefer vaping and is effective to help them kick the habit,” said Health Diplomats’ president and chief executive officer Dr Delon Human.

Trends in Annual Sales and Pack Price

Of Cigarettes in the US, 2015-2021

A 2020 Federal Trade Commission (FTC) report1 revealed that the number of cigarettes sold to wholesalers and retailers had increased for the first time in 2 decades, prompting concern about a potential reversal to the 30-year decline in cigarette use in the US2 However, these data did not reflect actual sales to consumers. National surveillance studies have indicated a decline in cigarette use among youth3 and adults.4 To examine cigarette market changes in relation to actual consumer purchases, this cross-sectional study assessed trends in total cigarette retail sales, menthol cigarette sales, and cigarette prices in the US from 2015 to 2021.

The Benefits and Myths of Vaping

Charming e-cigarette users

With distorted science: a survey examining social media platform use, nicotine-related misinformation and attitudes towards the tobacco industry

Nathan A Silver, Elexis C Kierstead, Jodie Briggs, and Barbara Schillo

Objective: To examine the role of social media in promoting recall and belief of distorted science about nicotine and COVID-19 and whether recall and belief predict tobacco industry beliefs.

Design: Young adults aged 18–34 years (N=1225) were surveyed cross-sectionally via online Qualtrics panel. The survey assessed recall and belief in three claims about nicotine and COVID-19 and three about nicotine in general followed by assessments of industry beliefs and use of social media. Ordinal logistic regression with robust standard errors controlling for gender, race/ethnicity, education, current e-cigarette use and age was used to examine relationships between variables.

Consumer advocates are for real

Cheryl K. Olson

“My initial reaction is that I’m surprised. That’s not a sentiment I’ve heard from industry before,” said Danielle Jones, president of the board of the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association (CASAA). I was passing on what I’d been told by industry sources: that consumer advocates should take the lead in correcting widespread public perceptions about nicotine harm reduction.

“From a personal standpoint, it’s a little disheartening,” she added. “Because that’s a lot of responsibility to put on underfunded nonprofit advocacy groups.” However, unlike industry, “we can’t get in trouble for saying whatever we want.”

Smokefree 2025 or smokescreen?

Tumamao Harawira

A decade has passed since New Zealand adopted the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 goal but is the goal attainable?

Smokefree advocate, Hone Harawira says the funding models to reach that goal are inequitable and leave Māori behind the rest of the country

“We want our people to get to that place of being smoke-free.”

The Smokefree 2025 campaign aims to have less than 5% of the population smoking tobacco by 2025.

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On this Day…2021

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

We must restore the confidence…

Of consumers lost because of misinformation

Clive Bates, Catania Conversation

Catania Conversation contacted Mr Bates to discuss the state of THR in the United States, which has recently seen a new surge in the numbers of smokers during 2020 after a period of increasing decline in the consumption of conventional cigarettes. A restrictive regulation on smoke-free products, an aggressive media campaign against it, together with unreasonable bias by lawmakers inflicted a huge blow on the opportunities given by those products. While the new President of the United States, Joe Biden, recently inaugurated a new approach on Harm Reduction and reduced risk devices, the country still has a long way to reach a comprehensive and effective strategy.

Ethan Nadelmann on Harm Reduction

Brad Rodu, Tobacco Truth

Ethan Nadelmann is a world-class, eloquent, passionate expert.  Spend 18 minutes watching his inspirational speech, “We’ve Seen This Before: Tobacco Harm Reduction Opponents Mimicking Old Drug War Tactics and Rhetoric.”

Nadelmann founded the [Alfred] Lindesmith Center, which honors the Indiana University sociology professor who pioneered drug harm reduction research and policy development.  Nadelmann, who also founded the Drug Policy Alliance and was described by Rolling Stone as “The driving force for the legalization of marijuana in America,” was the keynote speaker at last month’s E-Cigarette Summit.

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