Vapers Digest 8th July

Wednesday’s News at a glance:

Parliament Matters ~ Ignorance Leads To Policy Fails ~ A Win for Sweden ~ When the Black Market Starts Writing the Policy Review ~ Treat Adults Like Adults: A Better Approach to Nicotine Policy ~ ETHRA May & June news roundup ~ A Metaverse Program to Prevent E-Cigarette Use Among Adolescents: Pilot Mixed Methods Study ~ Fewer long-term health problems – but more irritations with white snus ”Can be avoided with new technology” ~ The FDA Is Finally Following Its Own Science on Harm Reduction ~ MAGERO: Kenyan lawmakers should pay close attention to landmark US nicotine decision ~ Most UK smokers wrongly think vaping is as harmful as smoking, ASH finds ~ “Not a Solo Act”—The Impacts of Smoking Cessation for Loved Ones ~ The worst idea in the history of tobacco control ~ The Advocates Voice – July 2026

Three From Dave Cross, Planet Of The Vapes

Parliament Matters

Within Parliament, Andrew Rosindell is worried about the discounting of vape products. In the House of Lords, Lord Bourne thinks vaping is linked to heart attacks and wants to know if the government has assessed the risks. Around the corner from the Palace of Westminster, on Monday 13 July at the National Liberal Club in London, the UK Vaping Industry Association Forum 2026 will consider the impact of legislation.

Ignorance Leads To Policy Fails

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) says governments are still making avoidable health policy mistakes because they treat lived experience as optional. The statement accompanied a recent Philippine commentary on vaping and heated tobacco which misrepresented the science by focusing on whether smoke-free nicotine products are harmless instead of whether they are safer than cigarettes for adults who would otherwise continue smoking.

A Win for Sweden

Despite going on to lose 3-0 in the World Cup, tobacco harm reduction experts said that even before kick-off, Sweden had already beaten France – thanks to a super sub. Before a ball had been kicked in the FIFA knockout clash, the Scandinavian nation had already claimed victory in another high-stakes contest.

When the Black Market Starts Writing the Policy Review

Alan Gor

Governments love reviews. When policies begin to falter, ministers announce inquiries, departments commission reports, committees call for submissions, and expert panels are assembled to examine the evidence and determine whether reform is needed. Australia’s tobacco and vaping policies are no exception. Since the introduction of increasingly restrictive nicotine regulation, there have been countless evaluations, consultations, and official assessments, all framed around protecting public health, reducing smoking, safeguarding young people, and strengthening tobacco control.

Treat Adults Like Adults: A Better Approach to Nicotine Policy

N.E. Loucas, Wherever You Go, There You Are

Personal agency is defined as the capacity of individuals to act autonomously and make choices based on their beliefs, subjectivity, and prior experiences, while also being influenced by social and cultural contexts. It encompasses the ability to engage in problem-solving and shape one’s development through individual appropriation of social knowledge and practices.

Personal agency is not some optional extra in health. It is fundamental. It sits at the core of what modern public health is supposed to stand for. Yet increasingly, the way institutions talk about people who use nicotine suggests that this idea is being pushed aside.

A Metaverse Program to Prevent E-Cigarette Use Among Adolescents:

Pilot Mixed Methods Study

Hyunmi Son, Gyumin Han, JMIR Publications

Abstract

Background:E-cigarette use among adolescents presents challenges distinct from traditional smoking issues. The perception that e-cigarettes are less harmful and their distinctive appeal as a means of sensation seeking among adolescents suggest that traditional smoking prevention programs may not guarantee effectiveness in preventing e-cigarette use. Therefore, there is an urgent need for educational interventions to prevent adolescents from using e-cigarettes.

Stefan Mathisson, Vejpkollen

New studies show that white snus affects the oral mucosa differently from traditional snus. At the same time, there is growing interest in how product development can reduce irritation – an issue that entrepreneur Bengt Wiberg has been championing for several years.

People who use white snus are less likely to develop changes to their mucous membranes than those who use traditional portion snus. This is shown by a new clinical study conducted by researchers at the Karolinska Institute. At the same time, the study shows that white snus causes different changes to the oral cavity than traditional snus.

The FDA Is Finally Following Its Own Science on Harm Reduction

Jack Rowlett, Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Now that Marty Makary has departed as Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, the agency he left behind is turning the page on his disappointing legacy. In May, while Makary was still in post, the FDA authorized four vaping products from Glas Inc.—including the first fruit flavors, mango and blueberry, ever to clear its review process. Since then, under acting commissioner Kyle Diamantas, the process has broadened. The FDA reversed its position on UniQure’s gene therapy for Huntington’s disease, accepting the clinical data it had previously rejected. It did the same for REGENXBIO’s Hunter syndrome treatment and Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine, which the agency had refused to review earlier this year. In each case, career scientists had supported authorization. In each case, Makary’s FDA had overridden them.

MAGERO: Kenyan lawmakers should pay close attention to landmark US nicotine decision

Joseph Magero, The Star

As Parliament debates new restrictions on tobacco and nicotine products, one of the world’s most respected health regulators has reached a conclusion our lawmakers cannot afford to ignore.

After an extensive scientific review, the US Food and Drug Administration has authorised 20 ZYN nicotine pouch products to be marketed with the statement: “Using ZYN instead of cigarettes puts you at a lower risk of mouth cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, emphysema and chronic bronchitis.”

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