Here we are with another month’s roundup of vaping and related news. These lists continue to get longer. That’s in part due to the rate of news happening but it’s also in part due to increased interest in vaping, both the consequences of banning it and the benefits to supporting it. As you can see from this latest roundup, there is positive news in tobacco harm reduction but the attack against it is ongoing and gaining momentum.
UK Health Agency Reaffirms the Power of Vaping to Help Smokers Quit, Alex Norcia, Filter
“This should all be part of a consistent message to people who smoke, encouraging them to give vaping a try,” Ross said of the NICE recommendations. “We know that vaping is a really popular and effective way to stop smoking.” “Now,” she continued, “we have evidence from yet another credible source that we should all put our efforts into getting more people to try it.”
Don’t ban flavoured vapes, David Clement, Financial Post
If Ottawa does gets its ban, many of those targeted by it are likely to return to smoking, and that is something no one should be celebrating. This isn’t just a hypothesis on what may happen; it’s what has happened in jurisdictions that have sought to limit access to flavours.
America’s Illicit Smokes Market Set to Get Larger, Ulrich Boeson, Todd Nesbit PhD, Michael D. LaFaive, Mackinac Centre for Public Policy
Traffic of illicit products from inside and outside the United States may be more pronounced in coming years as some states work to ban menthol cigarettes and the federal government moves to do the same. This popular product makes up more than 30% of the legal marketplace, and it will not simply go way if outlawed. In addition, in April, a federal excise tax hike of an additional $1.01 per pack was proposed in Congress.
Cyber-stalking, anti-vaping fanatics, Christopher Snowdon, Velvet Glove, Iron Fist
Not for the first time, the anti-vaping wing of 'public health' (which, in Australia, is nearly all of them) are annoyed that vaping advocates are telling the truth on social media.
Innovation in nicotine delivery tech seen to reduce deaths from smoking, Manila Bulletin
Dr. Derek Yach, president of the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World said during the 8th Global Forum on Nicotine on June 18, 2021 that the world is experiencing a revolution in nicotine delivery technology, as there are now more than a hundred million people using harm reduction products. “Projections suggest that if these tools were more widely available, we would be able to cut the long-term trends of deaths by maybe between 3 and 4 million, if we acted more vigorously,” Yach said.
Policymakers’ Confusion Will Ultimately Harm Adult Smokers, Lindsey Stroud, Townhall
In the three years since the infamous shot heard round the anti-tobacco control world, states and localities and the federal government have pushed to restrict adult access to e-cigarettes through taxes, regulations, and some have supported all out prohibitions.
Juul Settles NC Lawsuit for $40M, but Faces Bigger Legal Hurdles, Jim McDonald, Vaping 360
Vape manufacturer Juul Labs has settled a lawsuit brought by the state of North Carolina, agreeing to pay $40 million, and to change some business practices. The money will be spent funding “programs to help people quit e-cigarettes, prevent e-cigarette addiction, and research e-cigarettes,” according to a press release.
Homeless people to be given free e-cigarettes as part of new trial, iTV News
Prof Caitlin Notley, from the University of East Anglia’s Norwich Medical School, said: “We know that around 70% of people who are homeless smoke tobacco – this is far higher than the UK average of 14.1%. We also know that e-cigarettes are the most popular method of quitting smoking, with some studies suggesting they are more helpful aids than nicotine gum or patches and much less harmful than smoking tobacco.”
CEI Joins Coalition Urging D.C. City Council to Reject Prohibition of “Flavored” Tobacco Products, Michelle Minton, Competitive Enterprise Institute
Policies that amount to a prohibition for adults have serious implications for racial equity, in terms of both criminal and health justice. Such a ban will trigger law enforcement action, which disproportionately impacts people of color. Furthermore, by prioritizing criminalization over harm reduction and conflating all tobacco products—regardless of their relative risks and potential benefits—it may exacerbate longstanding health disparities in the District.
Nunavut bans smoking in public housing, targets flavoured vaping products, Meral Jamal, CBC
The amendments ban public housing tenants and workers in government housing from smoking in their homes. The Nunavut government houses 1,620 employees, of which 446 are Inuit and 1,193 are non-Inuit. The new law also bans smoking in cars with young people, and prohibits the sale of flavoured vaping products.
Bhutan set to legalise tobacco products to control Covid-19 spread, Sangay Rabten, East Mojo
The Bill was adopted with the vote of majority to lift the ban on selling, buying and possessing, as well as distributing transporting tobacco and tobacco products in Bhutan. Legalising tobacco comes with the aim of putting a check on spread of COVID-19, threatened by the continuous smuggling of tobacco products through Bhutan’s porous southern border.
NICE and PHE publish comprehensive draft guideline to tackle the health burden of smoking, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
“We need to use every tool in our arsenal to reduce smoking rates, including education, behavioural support, financial incentives, and e-cigarettes if people are interested in using them. Combined, we hope that people who smoke will feel enabled to give up tobacco products once and for all.”
Why ignore evidence in the debate about e-cigarettes? Marc Gunther, The Great Vape Debate
The study in the American Journal of Health Behavior identified more than 17,000 cigarette smokers who purchased a Juul starter kit, which includes a rechargeable e-cigarette and four flavored pods. A year later, more than half said they had stopped smoking and switched to e-cigarettes, which, by nearly all accounts, cause much less harm than combustible tobacco.
The Vaping Study You Haven’t Heard Of, Jacob Grier, Slate
In addition to finding no association between use of e-cigarettes and COVID diagnosis, the study reports that current smokers were found to be at lower risk of infection of COVID than nonsmokers. (Smoking still has plenty of downsides, including elevated risk of death from numerous causes.). Users of both cigarettes and e-cigarettes fell in between the two groups.
Anti-Vaping Laws Have Criminal Justice Ramifications, Karl Abramson, Inside Sources
When Griffin was tased by police, he was subject to more harm than vaping could ever cause. Since 2000, more than 1,000 people have died after being tased by police. A study has found the shock from a taser can lead to cardiac arrest and sudden death. There has not been a single recorded case of a vaper dying from nicotine-containing e-cigarette. Tragically, nine in 10 of those who have died from being tased by police were unarmed, just like Griffin.
A conceptual framework for assessing the public health effects from snus and novel non-combustible nicotine products, Karl Erik Lund, Tord Finne Vedøy, Sage Journals
Method: In a public health perspective, health gains from substitution must be weighed against the health loss from additional use. The main elements of the weighing will be based on the information about the absolute risk of the products, their relative risk compared to conventional cigarettes and how the users are composed according to smoking status. We apply the framework on snus as used in Norway – a product with an established usage pattern and epidemiologically assessed health risks.
Health Canada Keeps Admitting That Its Vape Policies Could Increase Smoking, Alex Norcia, Filter
For a short time at least, advocates had believed the nation would adopt a THR-oriented approach similar to the United Kingdom. At the moment, however, that could not be further from the case. Because tucked into the analysis statement by the government on the intended flavor ban, Health Canada acknowledges that its legislation could lead to an increase in smoking.
The Canadian Vaping Association's Response to the Youth and Young Adult Vaping Project
Throughout the CVA’s review, it is apparent that the data has been carefully chosen to support these predetermined policy recommendations. An objective analysis finds the data has been selectively collected to support these preconceived recommendations with no consideration for the macro impact on public health. While this report aims to address the issue of youth uptake, it uses dated data to substantiate its claim while omitting more recent data showing a decline in youth vaping rates.
Montrealer fined for vaping while driving, Philippe Teisceira-Lessard, La Presse
Drivers can now be fined for vaping while driving if the device includes an indicator screen, courts have ruled. A Montrealer recently had the unpleasant honour of being the subject of one of the first judgments related to the decision, at the municipal court of Montreal in mid-June.
Feds to cap nicotine levels in vape products, considering flavour ban, Stephen Dafoe, Morinville News
Health Canada, who acknowledges “vaping is a less harmful source of nicotine than cigarettes for those who switch completely to vaping,” has proposed regulatory changes to reduce the flavour options to tobacco and mint/menthol.
Smoking: Should it be banned in Wales' beer gardens? BBC News
Campaigners have called for smoking to be banned in pub gardens and outdoor restaurant seating in Wales. Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) Wales wants a current law to be extended to include outdoor hospitality. Legislation banning smoking in the grounds of schools, hospitals and in playgrounds came into force in March. But a hospitality trade body said extending the ban would be a "hugely disproportionate step".
CBP Atlanta Intercepts Counterfeit Vaping Pens, U.S. Customs and Border Control Protection
On June 16, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of Atlanta seized 66 boxes of vape pens in a shipment that originated from China, destined for distribution in Georgia. CBP officers examined the shipments to make a determination for entry of the merchandise into the U.S. Upon inspection, officers discovered the boxes contained ‘Rick and Morty’ branded vape pens and e-cigarettes.
Flavored Tobacco Ban in D.C. Would Have Disparate and Discriminatory Consequences, Guy Bentley, Reason Foundation
For the City Council to believe it can enjoy all the hypothetical benefits of prohibition without suffering any of the well-known costs is to engage in evidence-making where one starts with a preferred policy outcome and evidence is subsequently produced to support that policy. Youth smoking is already falling and this ban isn’t needed. Information, incentives, and safer alternatives to cigarettes can achieve superior results without overcriminalization. The disparate and discriminatory consequences of paternalistic laws like a flavored tobacco ban may be unintended, but that doesn’t make them acceptable.
Estonia dreams of becoming smoke-free, New Nicotine Alliance
The proposed amendments seek to clarify regulations regarding alternative nicotine products. The aim is to reduce smoking rates in Estonia, improve the safety and accessibility of less harmful nicotine products for smokers. Estonia ranks third in Europe in terms of smoking deaths. One of the bill’s initiators, MP Tarmo Kruusimäe expressed particular concern that the majority of previous amendments to the Tobacco Act, have not only led to an increase of smoking and increased health risks, but unintentionally created a burgeoning black market.
The WHO's war on vapers, Christopher Snowdon, Velvet Glove, Iron Fist
The [COP9] conference is being held entirely online this year. In a sane world, that would mean that it is live-streamed so everyone can see it. I doubt that will happen, but vapers need to make as much noise as possible because I have a feeling the hammer is going to fall quite soon.
Canada Will Prohibit Most Vape Flavors Next Year, Jim McDonald, Vaping 360
The agency is proposing not just a ban on flavor descriptors or “characterizing” flavors—as most flavor restrictions do—but setting out a list of allowable ingredients used to create tobacco, menthol and mint e-liquid flavorings. The agency will impose complete prohibition of all other flavorings, including all sweeteners used in e-liquid. Health Canada estimates that 80-85 percent of existing tobacco and menthol/mint e-liquids will have to be reformulated.
Global Forum on Nicotine Conveys Cautious Optimism for Tobacco Harm Reduction, Alex Norcia, Filter
A hesitant sense of optimism pervaded the conference, as tobacco harm reductionists acknowledged that the demonization they face might slowly—if marginally—be eroding. As they keep speaking up about less harmful alternatives to cigarettes, the scientific literature continues to support their cause, leaving their perspective increasingly difficult to ignore or dismiss.
Africa: Can Tobacco Harm Reduction Make its Way Out of Controversy? Marie Camara, All Africa
David Sweanor is the chair of the advisory board of the Centre for Health Law, Policy & Ethics at the University of Ottawa in Canada. He has been actively involved in tobacco and health policy issues since the beginning of the 1980s. He corroborated Jonathan Fell's demonstration: "A large number of consumers are willing to move to these products and ultimately if you want to win in regulation and politics, in courtroom litigation, you need to have a realistic view of your opponent. And this caricature of the industry is not very effective"
Measures to limit flavours in vaping products to reduce their appeal to youth may also make these products less attractive to people who either vape as an alternative to cigarettes or to stay abstinent from smoking. Adults who successfully quit smoking with vaping products often cite flavours as important in breaking the link with smoking. Fruit flavours are the preferred choice for adults and youth. However, adults are much more likely than youth to also identify tobacco as a preferred or usual flavour. A recent study conducted in both Canada and the United States shows that a variety of non-tobacco flavours, especially fruit, are popular among adults who vape, particularly among those who have quit smoking and are now exclusively vaping. PDF version here
E-cigs vs Covid: never mind the science, let’s all just follow our instincts instead, Aidan Semmens, ECig Intelligence
Since the global outbreak of Covid-19, we have heard a great deal from politicians about “following the science” – a sound principle those same politicians often seem to have trouble sticking to. Even before the pandemic, of course, the word “science” was frequently invoked to justify knee-jerk or emotional responses to vaping – so how closely are the opinion-formers and policymakers following the science now?
Why vaping can spike the cost of your insurance by $1,000 a year, Sigrid Forberg, Moneywise
Over the course of a year, vaping can cost you nearly $1,000 extra on your insurance policies — no small sum, especially if you’re working to pay down debt or running your house on a tight budget.
Health Canada proposes ban on most vaping flavours to curb appeal among youth, Adina Bresge, Global News
The federal government says it wants to ban most flavoured vaping products in a bid to reduce their appeal to youth. Health Canada put forward draft regulations Friday that would restrict all e-cigarette flavours except tobacco, mint and menthol.
Abolition des saveurs dans le vapotage - Le gouvernement Trudeau pourrait retourner des milliers de Québécois à la cigarette, CDVQ, Newswire
Le gouvernent du Canada a déposé aujourd'hui un projet de règlement visant à abolir les saveurs dans le vapotage comportant une saveur ou un arôme autres que ceux du tabac, de la menthe et du menthol. Si ce projet est adopté, le premier ministre Trudeau et sa ministre de la Santé, Mme Patricia Hajdu, pourraient inciter des milliers de Québécois et de Canadiens à revenir sur leur décision d'arrêter de fumer. La Coalition des droits des vapoteurs du Québec (CDVQ) condamne sans réserve ce projet qui ultimement nuira aux efforts de lutte au tabagisme et de santé publique.
My Friend Died Because of Philly’s Addiction-Treatment Smoking Ban, Bill Krinkle, Filter
“I just want to stop. I don’t want to be out here anymore,” he said. “I miss my kids and want to be a good father, but it’s so hard and with this smoking ban, it’s just stupid and too much.” Although replacing cigarettes with vapes would have been a good option for him, the Philadelphia treatment smoking ban, unconscionably, also extends to vaping. The last time I saw Bobby was late December. He was walking along Kensington Avenue with a large blanket around him, trying to keep warm in the subfreezing temperature. Even in the unbearable cold, he tearfully explained that quitting smoking was too difficult for him to consider while managing his opioid use disorder.
Auckland principal defends photo of her checking toilet cubicle to see if students vaping, James Fyfe, Newshub
"We can't even do our business without being scared of being spied on by our principal," someone claiming to be a student said in an email to Newshub. "It is very concerning and many people don't feel comfortable using the toilets any more. It's a total invasion of privacy, a grown woman looking at children underneath bathroom stalls." Barker is not the first principal to express concern at an increase of vaping among students, with Auckland Grammar School's principal previously calling vaping in schools an "epidemic".
Man, Oh Man, That San Fran Flavor Ban! Brad Rodu, Tobacco Truth
Tobacco flavor bans are all the rage among tobacco prohibitionists. As I noted last week, the first attack on flavored tobacco took place over a decade ago (here). Tobacco opponents pursue flavor bans, rather than outright prohibition, as a form of Tacit Incremental Prohibition - Tobacco Elimination.
Cigarette poverty: Kiwi smokers reusing 'horrible' tobacco as prices soar, NZ Herald
New Zealand's war on tobacco and its ill-fated smoke-free goal for 2025 is causing poorer Kiwi smokers more harm than good. With the country's tobacco prices second only to Australia's as the most expensive in the world, the most vulnerable in society are resorting to reusing tobacco that has already been smoked.
D.C. Council Votes to Prohibit Flavored Vapes, Jim McDonald, Vaping 360
The District of Columbia Council voted 9-3 Tuesday to prohibit sales of flavored vaping and tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes and cigars. In a last-minute change, the council exempted bars and restaurants that sell hookah products. The bill requires a second vote on June 29, but the result isn’t expected to change.
Bid for CT ban on favored vape ends after jockeying by lawmakers, Julia Bergman, CT Post
Gov. Ned Lamont had proposed a ban on flavored e-cigarettes, except for menthol cigarettes, in his state budget. His staff fought unsuccessfully to keep the ban intact during budget negotiations. A spokesman for the governor said Tuesday that Lamont still believes his proposed ban is the best policy for Connecticut.
Experts warn against WHO’s ‘baseless’ vaping guidance, 24 Share Updates
A group of acclaimed experts sent a letter to Asia Pacific’s Health Ministers and Secretaries to express deep concern over the World Health Organisation’s latest Tobacco Product Regulation Report (TobReg). The Expert Advisory Group of CAPHRA (Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates) warns that WHO’s study group is not acting in public health’s best interests by recommending bans on all aspects of vaping that are the cornerstone of its effectiveness.
Exposed: Bloomberg’s Anti-Tobacco Meddling in Developing Countries, Michelle Minton, CEI
For those unfamiliar with Bloomberg’s initiative against tobacco—now expanded to target the use of any non-pharmaceutical nicotine—the headline might come across as sensationalistic. But internal communications from the group orchestrating that initiative, recently obtained by CEI, show the true extent of its influence, which reaches throughout all levels of civil society, media, and even government, and appears aimed at imposing its will on the developing world, regardless of the needs and interests of the people who live there. Worse, it often provides funding to foreign government entities, seemingly without much regard for those governments’ level of respect for liberal values and democratic governance.
CASAA SPEAKS OUT AGAINST OCEAN CITY POLICE VAPING VIOLENCE, RACISM, CASAA
Ostensibly, public use bans on tobacco products and anti-drug laws are enacted to protect children and families. But these policies have an established track record of tearing families apart, promoting deadly interactions with police, and are often exploited as tools for mass incarceration and oppression. Recognition by governments that the Drug War–including the war on nicotine–is built on racism, classism, and silencing political dissent, not protecting or improving public health, is overdue.
EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE TODAY AT OCEAN CITY DURING SENIOR WEEK ON BLACK CHILDREN, ACLU Maryland
This Saturday, Ocean City police officers tased, hogtied, and hurt a young Black teenager over a trivial allegation of vaping on the boardwalk. In a separate incident, an officer kneed a Black teenager while another officer held him down in a prone position – over the same trivial allegation. In the first incident, the Black child had his hands up until police directed him to unhook a backpack strap – police then tased him despite his compliance, causing the teen to lose consciousness and fall to the concrete. Ocean City police officers showed a complete lack of humanity towards these Black children. The police officers showed no regard for their young age or for the pain, trauma, and danger police actions caused them.
Vaping While Black: Cops In Ocean City Taser Teen Who Was Reportedly Vaping, DL Chandler, Hip Hop Wired
Over the weekend in Ocean City, Md., an incident involving a group of teens accused of vaping by police was videotaped and has since gone viral. One young man who appeared to be taking off his backpack was hit with a taser while the crowd looked on, and another person was tasered for trying to stop the police from using more extreme force.
Cops Tased and Beat Teens While Enforcing a Local Vaping Ban, Billy Binion, Reason
"Our officers are permitted to use force, per their training, to overcome exhibited resistance," reads the statement from the government. "All uses of force go through a detailed review process. The uses of force from these arrests will go through a multi-level examination by the Assistant Patrol Commander, the Division Commander and then by the Office of Professional Standards." But what officials in Ocean City appear to miss is that such a scene would not have been possible at all had it not been for the dumb rule they put in place. Legislators need to confront the fact that any law on the books has to be enforced with armed agents of the state.
Oregon's New Vaping Restrictions Will Drive Kids to Smoke, JD Tuccille, Reason
Are advocates of vaping restrictions the best marketers ever for traditional cigarettes? That's a logical conclusion as Gov. Kate Brown (D-Ore.) signs a bill banning the online sale of nicotine-containing vaping products to state residents—to protect the children, of course. She approved the restrictive law despite convincing evidence that limiting access to e-cigarettes drives users, especially young people, to traditional cigarettes that pose greater health risks than their high-tech counterparts.
1M Filipino smokers switch to 'safer' alternatives, Lea Devio, The Manila Times
"It's difficult to envision how a world without cigarettes can be achieved in a timely manner without noncombustible alternatives. Education about what nicotine is, is required to accelerate innovation and progress. With this, we're hoping that we will be able to help the 16 million smokers in the Philippines," he added.
It’s up to Drug Reformers to Stop the War on Nicotine, Michelle Minton, CEI
If we genuinely want to bring and end to draconian drug laws, minimize encounters with law enforcement, and create a society that treats substance users—regardless of what they use—with respect instead of violence, we must make sure the effort to prevent diseases related to smoking doesn’t turn into a “war” on nicotine and the people who use it.
A Vaping Violation Leads To Violent Arrest of 4 Black Teens At Ocean City Boardwalk, Charise Frazier, Chicago Crusader
Over the weekend four teens were arrested and charged in Ocean City, Maryland, during a violent police roundup that included accusations of vaping along the popular boardwalk. Civil rights groups and critics of excessive force question the tactics taken during the arrests as video evidence proves that unlawful white citizens are routinely taken into custody without physical harm, even when armed.
Peer Pressure, Simon Clark, Taking Liberties
Private members’ bills have little chance of becoming law but the Cigarette Stick Health Warnings Bill is all part of the political circus that tobacco control has created ahead of the announcement of the Government’s new tobacco control plan in the summer. The plan was due to be announced before recess in July and although that would still appear to be the ambition of public health minister Jo Churchill she has given herself some wriggle-room by saying the Government wants to take into account the latest Office for National Statistics’ figures on smoking rates, due to be published next month, before announcing the new plan.
Flavored tobacco bans won’t achieve desired outcomes, Diane Goldstein, Telegram-Press
I support efforts to curb underage tobacco use, but only when they work, and only when they do so without hurting people they are claiming to help. By contrast, Los Angeles councilmembers are expected to introduce a ban on flavored tobacco products on June 16th. I urge the community I have lived and served in to make our voices heard and oppose these efforts, which have been proven to be both ineffective and detrimental to some of our most vulnerable residents.
Voters back controls on vape stores, Jack Marshall, Gisborne Herald
A significant majority think the Council should be able to decide where vape products can be sold around Tairawhiti, according to The Gisborne Herald’s weekly web poll. The poll was in response to an article on a vape store opening metres from three major schools in Gisborne.
Dear Abby | Study explores memory benefits of nicotine, Dr. Paul Newhouse, The Philapdelphia Enquirer
I’m proud to lead the NIH-funded MIND (Memory Improvement Through Nicotine Dosing) Study, which is testing whether memory and functioning can be improved in people with mild memory loss using an unexpected, low-cost and naturally occurring ingredient — nicotine. I realize that because of its association with smoking, nicotine gets a bad rap. But the tar and thousands of other chemicals in cigarettes are what cause cancer, heart disease or respiratory illness — not nicotine. If we could push Alzheimer’s back, by even a few years, it would make so much difference for millions of American families.
Mayo Clinic Study: Vapers NOT More Likely to Get COVID, Jim McDonald, Vaping 360
Despite dire warnings from tobacco control activists, there is no evidence that vaping increases the risk of being infected with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. That’s the conclusion of a study just published by a group of Mayo Clinic researchers in the Journal of Primary Care and Community Health. The team analyzed data from over 69,000 patients who visited Mayo facilities between September 2019 and November 2020, and determined that “current or former e-cigarette use was not associated with COVID-19 diagnosis.”
Study Finds Vapers Not More Likely To Get COVID-19, Guy Bentley, Reason
Vapers are at no greater risk of being diagnosed with COVID-19, and smokers are significantly less likely to be infected. That's according to a new study published in the Journal of Primary Care & Community Health.
370 respirators donated by tobacco industry rotting in DOH warehouse, 24 Share Updates
Some 370 respirators are rotting in the Department of Health warehouse after the agency refused to distribute them to hospitals in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic because they were donated by the tobacco industry. “This is criminal negligence. These respirators could have saved lives. My district in Cagayan De Oro which has one of the highest cases of Covid in the country badly needs these respirators,” an aghast Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez told the House Committee on Good Government.
How to Beat the Tobacco Smoking Epidemic: Set E-Cigarette and Snus Taxes Significantly Lower Than Combustible Tobacco Taxes, Charles Courtemanche, Catherine MacLean, and Michael F. Pesko, Morning Consult
Each year close to half a million Americans die from smoking-related causes, which is comparable to the current coronavirus death toll. Non-combustible tobacco products like e-cigarettes and snus have emerged as less harmful nicotine alternatives with the potential to be more effective than traditional nicotine-replacement therapies (e.g., nicotine gum) in helping smokers quit. But concerns over underage vaping have driven a wave of restrictive regulations that reduce e-cigarette appeal and threaten to reduce the rate of smoking decline.
Electronic Cigarette Use Is Not Associated with COVID-19 Diagnosis, Thulasee Jose, Ivana T. Croghan, et al, Sage Journals
This analysis affirms prior studies that conventional cigarette smokers are underrepresented in the population of patients diagnosed with COVID-19.1 As previously discussed the potential for confounding and the limitations of observational cohort studies preclude causal inferences. There is a paucity of evidence regarding association of vaping and COVID-19.8 In contrast to the few prior studies that explored the association of e-cigarette use and COVID-19,4,5 we find no evidence that current or former e-cigarette users are more likely to be diagnosed, although our study design differed substantially, making direct comparisons problematic.
The madcap plans to stop you from smoking, Christopher Snowdon, Spiked
There are two hooks for the new ASH / APPG report. First, when Theresa May was prime minister she set Britain the target of going ‘tobacco-free’ by 2030. This was barely noticed at the time. She didn’t consult anybody about it, let alone smokers, nor did she suggest how it could be achieved. But the target now hangs in the air as if it were a genuine collective commitment.
Secondly, lots of people have just died in an epidemic and ASH is keen to draw a parallel with the ‘tobacco epidemic’.
Why is every on-screen antiheroine suddenly vaping? Walker Caplan, LitHub
Interestingly, Mare’s not the only “difficult woman” to be sporting a vape on television these days. From Rosamund Pike’s unrepentant con woman in Netflix’s I Care A Lot to Hannah Einbinder’s faildaughter comedy writer in HBO Max’s Hacks, vapes are rapidly becoming visual shorthand for a type of dirtbag antiheroine, an acerbic woman with some unlikeable qualities trying to succeed in a hostile world.
Smoking Saved My Life. Here’s How. Alice Kirby, Huffpost Personal
I don’t advocate anyone start smoking, although I have mentioned it in recovery groups as part of my own story and coping mechanism. For me, smoking was a savior. I don’t know if I could have made the leap to a life without alcohol had I not had the stepping stone of nicotine, the ritualism of smoking, the long, steady, slow inhales that calmed my nerves and reminded me I could do this. As a medical professional, I take seriously the creed of nonmaleficence, “do no harm,” and shifted this into “do the least amount of harm you can to stay sober” in early recovery.
Why a Menthol Cigarette Ban Cannot Be the Answer, Helen Redmond, Filter
Will a national prohibition on the menthol brands which nearly 85 percent of Black smokers smoke—Asian American and Hispanic smokers also disproportionately choose menthols—really support racial justice and protect Black lives? The FDA has emphatically stated that enforcement of the ban, which may take years to implement given likely legal challenges, will only be targeted at manufacturers and distributors, not individuals in possession of menthol cigarettes. But there is no guarantee, especially given how law enforcement operates in communities of color.
World No Tobacco Day 2021 Shows Tobacco Control at a Crossroads, Dr. Derek Yach, Medium
Even as the WHO, Mackay, and others perpetuate an unempirical status quo, there are those who argue that ignoring innovation puts lives in peril, plain and simple. In India, where about 120 million people smoke, Vardhan’s opposition to THR was described as scoring a goal in his own net and Dr. Sree Sucharitha called for THR to be incorporated into programs that target low-income and marginalized groups. On the CNBC website, an editorial asked how the WHO can use harm reduction to fight HIV/AIDS and drug addiction, yet continue to resist it as a tool to help the majority of smokers who want to quit but cannot. In Australia, authorities were taken to task for emphasizing tax increases and plain packaging over THR — an opinion echoed over and again on social media. As one Twitter user asked: “Why is your concern about my addiction to nicotine more important than my concern about getting lung cancer?”
SBA Urges Another Year of Sales for PMTA-Submitted Products, Jim McDonald, Vaping 360
A federal agency dedicated to advocating for small business has urged the FDA to pursue permission to allow vaping manufacturers to keep products on the market for another year while their premarket reviews are in progress.
ETHRA EU NICOTINE USERS SURVEY REPORT, ETHRA
Launched online by ETHRA in the last quarter of 2020, the questionnaire addressed consumer use of nicotine products. Topics included smoking and the desire to quit, use of safer nicotine products and barriers to switching caused by European and national regulations. Over 37,000 people, including more than 35,000 EU residents, participated in the ETHRA survey. ETHRA has now processed the data and today we publish our analysis in a report, which opens with a summary of 10 key facts.
Does Smoking Prevent COVID-19? We Don't Know, But Some Journalists Don't Want To Find Out, Cameron English, American Council on Science and Health
Starting in March 2020, studies began to show that smokers were under-represented among COVID-19 patients, suggesting that something in tobacco may offer protection against SARS-COV-2 infection. The evidence remains inconclusive, but it seems that some public health experts and journalists don't want to get to the bottom of this mystery.
National Figures Show Decline In Number of Cigarette Smokers, Benadetta Pisani
The Czech population smokes mostly classic cigarettes, and there are differences between the sexes in the intensity of smoking. Men most often consume 15-24 cigarettes a day, while women smoke from 5-9. On average, men smoke two cigarettes more than women. This is also the case for electronic cigarettes. The data suggests that 4.8% of Czechs used electronic cigarettes in 2020, or 6% of men and 3.5% of women.
Maine Should Learn From Massachusetts’ Failed Flavored Tobacco Ban, Guy Bentley, Reason Foundation
Before the Massachusetts bill prohibiting flavored tobacco passed in 2020, its supporters claimed that concerns over tobacco sales fleeing to other states were overblown and they said the expected public health benefits of the ban would offset any potential tax revenue losses. But, with eleven months worth of excise tax stamps, it appears they were wrong.
Supreme Court Rejects Big Time Vapes Appeal, Jim McDonald, Vaping 360
The United States Supreme Court today declined to review a challenge to the FDA’s authority under the Tobacco Control Act. The lawsuit, brought by Mississippi vape shop and e-liquid manufacturer Big Time Vapes and trade organization the United States Vaping Association (USVA), had been rejected by two lower federal courts.
Oxford’s Petty War on Smokers, William Atkinson, The Spectator
The chances of smoking being banned entirely out of a spurt of ‘smoke-free’ moralism seem greater by the day: in Spain, regional governments last year introduced a smoking ban in public places under the cover of preventing the spread of the virus. The Local Government Association tried to get a similar amendment attached to the government’s planning bill. If one really wanted to discourage smoking, a better approach would be to encourage vaping instead. But since many councils (Hull being the outlier) treat vaping as the same as smoking, it is obvious that what really lies behind this approach is a snooty disapproval of smoking in any form.
A local authority wants smoking bans outside pubs. Why not try vaping? Jason Reed, The Article
All these arbitrary new restrictions and charges achieve is nabbing more money from those who can least afford it and making life a little more difficult and a little less free for everyone. But because the powers that be have set their stall firmly in opposition to both vaping and cigarettes, an engorged nanny state is the inevitable outcome, even when it is actively bad for public health.
A Coke, a smoke and policing behaviour: When taxes and public health collide, John Gushue, CBC
Cigarette taxes are regressive too, by the way. We seem to tolerate them because we have seen over a long period of time a dramatic change in public smoking habits, and a product that is a notorious carcinogen. But there is also clear data that cigarettes pose a greater threat to our poorest citizens. According to Statistics Canada's Canadian Community Health Survey, about 12 per cent of the richest fifth of Canadian households have a smoker. In the poorest group, smoking rates are at 22 per cent.
Nicotine Pouches Face Attacks as Their Popularity Grows, Jim McDonald, Vaping 360
There is no evidence that nicotine pouches pose any sort of risk to users. They’re simply a vehicle for delivering nicotine, the same drug contained in FDA-approved stop-smoking medications. But tobacco control organizations have begun to take notice of nicotine pouches, and are already advocating for taxes and flavor bans. Opposition to nicotine pouches is more proof that tobacco control has abandoned its concern over the dangers of smoking, and has shifted its goal from a smoke-free to a nicotine-free society.
The Vape Debate: Sticks and stones may break your bones but inflammatory terminology will cause more harm in the long run, Georgia Mannion-Krase, Cancer Prevention Group Blog
“Needles are not safe, but clean needles are safer than dirty needles.” Professor Jas Ahluwalia boils the debate down to the simplest comparison. Researchers can’t call vapes safe, much like alcohol or roller-skating there is an undeniable risk, but they are safer than smoking tobacco by far.
Nicotine flavor ban: A lesson in why a bill should not become a law, Jeff Stier, Lohud
Such a ban would certainly be intrusive. It would prevent adult smokers from access to a significantly less harmful alternative to cigarettes. Flavors are essential In order for products such as these to be appealing to adult smokers an alternative to a cigarette. “Intrusive” is a rather gentle term when trying to describe a rule that would take ban access to a product that could save an addicted smoker’s life.
Why South Africa needs evidence-based regulations for vapes, issued by Irvine Partners, Biz Community
Much has been said about South Africa's imminent Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (COTPENDS) Bill, but not enough about its critical oversight in respect to electronic vapour products (EVPs). Asanda Gcoyi, CEO of the Vapour Products Association of South Africa (VPASA), outlines how important it is to look at context-specific scientific evidence when legislating EVPs.
Smokers: $3.85bn medical bill can be saved by extending NRT, Recorder Report, Business Recorder
ISLAMABAD: The cigarette use costing a whopping US$3.85 billion to 15 million smokers in the medical bill in Pakistan, can be saved, if the government extends an efficient cessation service including Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) in government healthcare facilities aided by Harm Reduced Products (HRPs).
Britain needs a cigarette, David Hockney, Unherd
I have always thought the world to be mad and it has been madder at other points in my lifetime. I was, after all, born in 1937. I would normally be willing to take on the anti-smokers, but at the moment I’m living a very quiet life in Normandy, working away because I’ve something to do. I have a purpose in life. Not many people in England will defend smoking. They are intimidated by the medical profession and “social pressure”. Well, I’m lucky I can’t hear the “social pressure”, let alone what the doctors have to say. Their obsession with health is unhealthy. Longevity shouldn’t be an aim in life; that to me seems to be life-denying.
Now they want to ban smoking outdoors, Ella Whelan, Spiked
There is a stereotype of smokers as rude people who delight in blowing clouds of fumes into the faces of children. In reality, the few smokers that are committed enough to huddle in the pub garden under a heater in cold weather are quite happy to accommodate those who don’t like the smell. What the zealots banning outdoor fags don’t understand is that normal people don’t want or need bans or guidelines to be able to interact with one another.
Clive Bates: “We must restore the confidence of consumers lost because of misinformation”, 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.
India Missed A Public Health Opportunity With The Ban Of ENDS or E-cigarettes: IHBAS Director, editorial team at Health Insite
Many countries around the world, including UK and Japan, have successfully regulated ENDS products like e-cigarettes to make less harmful alternatives available for smokers. Banning products is the worst form of regulation and should be avoided, says Dr. Nimesh Desai, director of IHBAS.
Did the CDC’s Lack of Transparency Lead to More EVALI Deaths? Lindsey Stroud, Townhall
The truth is that e-cigarettes have been available in the United States since 2007, and all legally regulated vapor products were required to register with the FDA and submit ingredient listings in 2017. The outbreak of lung injuries associated with vaping was weird to say the least. And, it was apparent as early as August 2019 that it was not these legal products that were causing EVALI.
Will China Bring Vapes Under the Country’s Tobacco Monopoly? Alex Norcia, Filter
Much of China’s vast e-cigarette manufacturing industry is based in Shenzhen, a city just north of Hong Kong that has been described as the “vaping capital of the world.” The industry employs many millions of people. But a recent Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction report estimates that there are only 7.7 million vapers in China itself, or 0.6 percent of the population—a significantly lower number than that of smokers, but a substantial proportion of the 19.2 million nicotine vapers across Asia.
The Canadian Vaping Association: Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control continues to deny the science on vaping, John Xydous, Globe Newswire, Financial Post
More than 90,000 Canadians have emailed their Member of Parliament, stating the importance of flavours for quitting smoking. The testimony of vapers is further validated by Yale researchers, who found that adults who quit using a flavoured product were 2.5 times more likely to be successful quitting smoking. The study concludes, “While proposed flavour bans are well-intentioned, they have disastrous outcomes. Legislation on vaping flavours must take the facts of smoking cessation and harm reduction into account, and we urge legislators against the widespread implementation of such bans.”
The Canadian Vaping Association: Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control continues to deny the science on vaping, Globe Newswire
More than 90,000 Canadians have emailed their Member of Parliament, stating the importance of flavours for quitting smoking. The testimony of vapers is further validated by Yale researchers, who found that adults who quit using a flavoured product were 2.5 times more likely to be successful quitting smoking. The study concludes, “While proposed flavour bans are well-intentioned, they have disastrous outcomes. Legislation on vaping flavours must take the facts of smoking cessation and harm reduction into account, and we urge legislators against the widespread implementation of such bans.”
The WHO’s opposition to vaping could cost millions of lives, Tom Chivers, The Post
A recent attempt in the BMJ to model what would happen if all smoking was replaced by vaping found that it would save between 1.6 million and 6.6 million lives over 10 years in the US alone.
It’s worth noting that public communication of the risk of vaping has been absolutely terrible. Two surveys (1, 2) have found that, while people used to think, correctly, that vaping was much less dangerous than smoking, they now often think it is just as bad. The PHE evidence review says that it is important to “communicate the large difference in relative risk unambiguously so that more smokers are encouraged to make the switch from smoking to vaping”, but that has conspicuously failed to happen.
The WHO is acting like it wants to be defunded – so what are we waiting for? Christopher Snowdon, CAPX
India has 120 million smokers. Thanks to Dr Vardhan, they no longer have the option of switching to a vastly safer substitute. The main beneficiary of the ban on e-cigarettes has been the India Tobacco Company, which is part owned by the Indian government. This should merit international condemnation. Instead, the WHO has slapped the Indian government on the back.
Oxfordshire to become first 'smoke-free' county in England as health chiefs ban smoking outdoors as lockdown ends, Cormac Connelly-Smith
Oxfordshire could be the first county in England to go smoke-free by the year 2025, as a plan agreed by public health officials before the pandemic began in February last year finally gets underway. A crackdown on smoking in will begin in earnest as lockdown ends, with outdoor dining areas and workplace fag break spots as the top targets to go smoke-free. The priorities for the county's smoking strategy this year include creating more spaces where people feel 'empowered' not to smoke.
Spoken presentation - Draft. Meeting with parliamentary representative on Thursday June 3rd. Thomas Kirsop, Shop Talk
My business, Alternatives & Options Vapourizers and E-liquids Ltd. opened its doors in Morinville in February of 2016. Currently, that location serves 250 customers a week, the vast majority of whom are former smokers. This consumer count is the equivalent of 13.4% of Morinville's statistical smoking population from 2017. The 2019 Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey (CTNS), which replaced CTADS, tallied Alberta "Current Smokers" at 9.7%.
Morinville's current population is 10,578 (2020), with approximately 1,026 smokers. That is a drop of 835 smokers over two years. My little business can reasonably claim that we are responsible for at least 250 (29.9%) of those former smokers, not accounting for customers we helped transition and who then stopped vaping or those that moved away.
