Vaping Digest May 8th
Wednesday’s News at a glance:
Are vapers like you paying for lost tobacco revenue? ~ Access To Accurate Information About Nicotine Products Improves Quality of Life ~ The war on vaping and the irresistible urge to ban ~ The Upside of Teen Vaping ~ Health advocates urge Quebec to appeal vaping ruling amid spike in youth vaping ~FDA Attack on Underage Vaping Could Backfire ~ My challenge to an NHS hospital’s vaping policy ~ Why you should donate to the Aussie Vape Day campaign ~ US Arrival of Heat-Not-Burn Is Another Option for Smokers to Switch ~ Wins in Canada, losses in the USA – bad vape law keeps spreading ~ Will New Zealand Smokers Quit Scandinavian Style? ~ Council vaping-bans ‘out of sync’ with new Government recommendations ~ THE LEGALISE VAPING BUS STOPS BY THE CENTRAL COAST ~ UPDATE 1-Vaping companies facing European opposition to higher nicotine level ~ Government recommends smokers dump the cigarettes and pick up the vape ~ US e-cigarette maker Juul Labs launches in Irish market ~ E-cig company Juul is diving further into health with an app geared toward turning smokers into Juulers
Are vapers like you paying for lost tobacco revenue?
James Dunworth, Ashtray Blog
In interviews I’m often asked why, if vaping is 95% safer than smoking, there are so many negative stories around vaping.
My answer is that the vaping is a disruptive industry which threatens more than US$700 billion in tobacco revenues and US$250 billion in tax revenues. It’s inevitable there’s going to be opposition to vaping.
Access To Accurate Information About Nicotine Products Improves Quality of Life
Michael McGrady, Vaping Post
Last month, the Smoke Free Alternatives Trade Association (SFATA) announced that they found evidence of an “epidemic” of misinformation when it comes to consumers’ understanding of vaping products and nicotine in general.
“SFATA believes that while the [Food and Drug Administration (FDA)] is busy giving adults and teens an epidemic of misinformation, Public Health England, the national health organization of the U.K., has truthful data showing that ‘vaping may be contributing to 20,000 U.K. smokers quitting every year,’ says Mark Anton, the trade group’s executive director, in a press release.
The war on vaping and the irresistible urge to ban
Suppose that millions of Britons were driving a dangerous type of car that was killing 80,000 people a year. Suppose somebody invented a new car that was much, much safer, significantly cheaper, and emitted far fewer fumes, while performing just as well. Would you a) ban the new car, or b) encourage people to buy it? Not that difficult a question, surely. Yet the reaction of many public health professionals and politicians has been to choose a) in an exactly analogous situation relating to nicotine. Why? Because they would rather you did not drive at all.
The Upside of Teen Vaping
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which responded to an “epidemic” of underage vaping by imposing restrictions on sales of flavored e-cigarettes, admits the policy may deter adult smokers from making a switch that could save their lives. According to the FDA, the price is worth paying to prevent teenagers from using e-cigarettes. But that goal is itself questionable on public health grounds.
Health advocates urge Quebec to appeal vaping ruling amid spike in youth vaping
Brent Stafford, Regulator Watch
Anti-smoking groups are urging the Quebec government to appeal a court ruling that invalidated certain sections of the province’s tobacco legislation dealing with vaping, as health officials across the country grapple with an apparent spike in youth adopting the habit.
FDA Attack on Underage Vaping Could Backfire
Robert Goldberg, Real Clear Health
Scott Gottlieb’s extraordinarily productive tenure as Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be remembered for his crusading against underage use of E-cigarettes and the companies that produce them. But his legacy is not to be found in his jawboning against the retail distribution of vaping products but in the guidance the FDA issued on developing a nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) product that reduces tobacco use.
My challenge to an NHS hospital’s vaping policy
Terry Walker, New Nicotine Alliance
In March, I was looking forward to a local dance event I had planned for the evening but became ill and ended the day in an Acute Medical Unit for the night rather than “tripping the light fantastic”. The cause was an infection which required a long period on antibiotics.
The hospital concerned had a strict no vaping rule which I challenged each day to provoke a meeting with senior staff until I was interviewed by Matron and Ward Manager. Far from treating my concerns seriously, I was told that what I had done was classified as Aggression to Staff”!
Why you should donate to the Aussie Vape Day campaign
Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association
The first ever Aussie Vape Day is to be held in under 4 weeks on 30 May 2019 to raise awareness of vaping and to encourage adult smokers who are unable to quit to consider making the switch to a much less harmful alternative.
This campaign will save lives, however, we need your support. All donations, no matter how small are welcome and are fully tax-deductible.
US Arrival of Heat-Not-Burn Is Another Option for Smokers to Switch
Helen Redmond, Filter
Last week the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved IQOS, a device that delivers nicotine by heating, not burning, tobacco sticks with a ceramic blade to produce vapor—not smoke. The decision means that for the first time, a “heat-not-burn” (HNB) product will be sold in the US.
Wins in Canada, losses in the USA – bad vape law keeps spreading
Fergus Mason, Vaping Post
Confusion continues to rule where tobacco harm reduction is concerned. Last Friday a Quebecois judge struck down parts of the French-Canadian state’s tough new anti-vaping laws, ending an advertising ban. However US legislators continue to ram through bans and taxes – and now even China, the producer of most vapour products, is bringing forward new regulations.
Will New Zealand Smokers Quit Scandinavian Style?
, Scoop Business
A new nicotine product is being launched tomorrow to make quitting smoking more attractive. The oral product called White Fox contains no tobacco and is about to be launched nationally with lots of interest among retailers.
• New Zealand smokers get a new option for quitting tomorrow with launch of new nicotine product
• Oral product similar to one which has reduced smoking to 5% in Sweden but contains no tobacco
• Oral nicotine products have cut youth smoking in Norway to 1%
• Repeated scientific research show products are vastly safer than smoking
Council vaping-bans ‘out of sync’ with new Government recommendations
, Stuff
Councils that ban vaping could soon find themselves at odds with the Government.
As the Ministry of Health readies a national campaign encouraging smokers to switch to e-cigarettes, local councils are still debating whether vaping should be included in smokefree policies.
Wellington medical officer of health Dr Stephen Palmer said council bans could be out of sync with what the Government was aiming for.
THE LEGALISE VAPING BUS STOPS BY THE CENTRAL COAST
Skaie Hull, NBN News
The ‘Legalise Vaping Australia’ bus visited Gosford today, encouraging locals to give up smoking and try vaping instead.
The group claims using a vaporiser or an e-cigarette device is a less harmful option.
“There’s actually over 64 studies now that show vaping is either a safer alternative and helps people quit smoking and these aren’t small organisations. These are groups like Public Health England, The Royal College of Physicians.”
UPDATE 1-Vaping companies facing European opposition to higher nicotine level
Government recommends smokers dump the cigarettes and pick up the vape
, Stuff
Vaping is about to become a Government-recommended way for smokers to quit cigarettes.
Despite being increasingly banned in public places, the use of e-cigarettes will soon be promoted as a safer alternative to smoking by the Ministry of Health.
US e-cigarette maker Juul Labs launches in Irish market
, The Irish Times
US e-cigarette maker Juul Labs is targeting the Republic’s 830,000 smokers following its launch here on Tuesday.
Juul, 35 per cent owned by Marlboro parent Altria, is the leading US manufacturer of vapes, less harmful cigarette replacements whose users inhale vapour containing nicotine rather than smoke.
E-cig company Juul is diving further into health with an app geared toward turning smokers into Juulers
Erin Brodwin, Business Insider
The e-cigarette company Juul plans to create a mobile app geared at helping smokers use its device instead
Juul’s sleek devices are the most popular e-cigarette in America and have been tied to a vaping epidemic in teens. But clinicians also see huge promise in e-cigarettes’ potential to improve smokers’ health. Eager to show that its devices can be part of this positive shift, Juul is increasingly pushing into healthcare.
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