Author: Bill Tarling

Consumer groups The New Nicotine Alliance (NNA) and the European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (ETHRA) have made submissions to the UK government as part of The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR) consultation exercise. The government will now factor all of the responses into how it revamps post-Brexit vape legislation.

ARTICLE LINK:   TRPR: Consumer Bodies Comment

“The Connecticut General Assembly will consider a bill that would ban the sale of flavored tobacco and e-cigarette products in an attempt to reduce addiction, which disproportionately affects young adults and people of color. The ban would target vape products with fruity flavors that are popular with young people. The bill would also prevent the sale of menthol flavored products. The bill advanced from the state’s public health committee to the full Legislature on March 5. Senate Committee Chair Mary Daugherty Abrams said during the press conference that she thinks that there is a “strong” chance that the bill passes through the legislature. If the bill is enacted, the ban would go into effect in October.”

ARTICLE LINK:
Connecticut Could Ban Flavored E-Cigarettes, Menthol Tobacco Products By October

Dozens of Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging the agency to take all flavored e-cigarettes off the market. The 43 House Democrats sent the letter to Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock as the agency reviews premarket tobacco applications and flavored e-cigarette. The lawmakers want the FDA to ban all flavored e-cigarettes upon further review and nix the exemption the FDA has for methanol and disposable e-cigarettes. Along with a ban on flavored e-cigarettes, lawmakers want a ban on premarket tobacco applications and the marketing of e-cigarettes that target minors.”

ARTICLE LINK:   Democrats urge FDA to clear market of all flavored e-cigarettes

“Consumer groups in the Asia-Pacific region warned that a blanket ban on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs) in low- and middle-income countries, as proposed by an anti-tobacco non-government organization funded by Bloomberg, will only inflame the smoking epidemic and result in higher death toll from smoking-related diseases. The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) issued the statement in support of a report released by the International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organisations (INNCO) that tobacco harm reduction (THR) alternatives like e-cigarettes and HTPs would help, and not hinder, the aims of global tobacco control. INNCO also said banning reduced harm alternatives would only lead people back to smoking and greater harm. It said blanket bans in LMICs are a form of ‘philanthropic colonialism’. The Union, a Bloomberg partner for ‘The Initiative to reduce tobacco use’, published its fourth position statement on e-cigarettes last year which called for a blanket ban on all electronic nicotine delivery systems and HTPs in LMICs.”

ARTICLE LINK:   Ban on Safer Nicotine Products in LMICs to Inflame Smoking Epidemic

“Two of China’s regulators plan to bring the rules governing the sale of e-cigarettes and other new tobacco products in line with those for ordinary cigarettes. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and China’s State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, posted online the draft regulations that could potentially curb a fast-growing industry. China’s tobacco industry is controlled entirely via a government monopoly, and strict controls determine what companies and retailers can produce and sell cigarettes. Cigarette sales generated 5.45% of China’s overall tax revenue in 2018. For this reason, industry experts have long expected the state to intervene in the business operations of China’s private e-cigarette companies.”

ARTICLE LINK:
China mulls bringing e-cigarette regulation in line with traditional tobacco products

“Research for the Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) found only 24% of people agreed that access to such products, or information about them, should be restricted. With almost half those questioned were opposed to this – with 24% saying they “strongly disagreed” and a further 24% who said they “tended to disagree”. The latest research, by the Diffley Partnership, asked more than 2,500 people for their views on smoking and vaping – with just under half of those surveyed being current or ex-smokers, while around one in six are current or former users of e-cigarettes. Almost two thirds (63%) of those questioned agreed that vaping is “definitely less harmful” than smoking, with only 15% disagreeing with this. “Our member convenience stores want to play their part in the massive effort needed to switch smokers to vaping.” Dr Lion Shahab, professor of health psychology at University College London, said: “Achieving a ‘smoke-free’ Scotland by 2034 requires a concerted effort by public health bodies as well as civic society. E-cigarettes have an important role to play in achieving this aim.”

ARTICLE LINK:   Lack of support for restrictions on e-cigarettes, survey finds

“Vaping advocates in the Asia-Pacific region have launched a petition that urges the World Health Organisation (WHO) to respect consumer rights and end lies against innovative nicotine products. Leading Kiwi vaping advocate Nancy Loucas, who is Executive Coordinator of CAPHRA, says WHO continues to insist that safer nicotine products, such as vapes or e-cigarettes, are as harmful and dangerous as combustible tobacco and should be banned or heavily restricted. The petition implores WHO and health authorities around the world to regulate based on sound scientific facts that include consumer participation as part of the decision-making process. “Millions of former smokers have successfully switched to safer nicotine products and are now living better lives, not just for themselves but for their loved ones too. WHO, however, is trying to prohibit or heavily restrict the use of these products,” she says.”

ARTICLE LINK:   Kiwi Leads Petition Imploring WHO To End Lies On Vaping

“The National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD) has instructed all relevant ministries and institutions to take immediate action to stop the use and commercialisation of heated tobacco products (HTPs) – devices that heat actual tobacco to release its nicotine content – and Electronic Delivery of Nicotine Systems (EDNS), which are popularly known as vaporisers or vapes and utilise liquids containing nicotine. The NACD announcement, citing a World Health Organisation finding, said the use of cigars, EDNS and HTPs can lead to serious lung disease and even death. According to the NACD, Cambodia has issued guidelines and taken measures to prevent the use, exploitation and importation of cigars and EDNS since February 2014, but the guidelines do not include all of the new HTPs available on the market. According to the NACD, Cambodia has issued guidelines and taken measures to prevent the use, exploitation and importation of cigars and EDNS since February 2014, but the guidelines do not include all of the new HTPs available on the market.”

ARTICLE LINK:   New tobacco device banned

“The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued letters to four companies requesting information about their use of social media marketing and influencer marketing related to their electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) brands: Aspire, Joyetech, Vaporesso and Voopoo. FDA said it used a systematic process in selecting Aspire, Joyetech, Vaporesso and Voopoo from among more than 40 leading ENDS brands, evaluating their presence, reach and activity on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and whether they use age restriction tools for these platforms. FDA said that its research has found that most leading ENDS brands use multiple social media platforms to market their products and do not use age restriction tools to prevent youth exposure to their marketing.”

BILL TARLING — Most Social Media platforms have age restrictions, but don’t do any age verification and very little enforcement — yet they aren’t under question, nor are they active in preventing underage usage of the platform where they’re involved in illegal activities

ARTICLE LINK: FDA Looking Into Social Media Marketing of E-Cig Brands

“Connecticut is sending mixed signals when it comes to age-restricted products. Gov. Ned Lamont, along with the support of many in the legislature, wants to legalize adult-use marijuana and sports wagering, in his words “rather than surrender the market to other states or the black market.” But various flavored tobacco ban proposals making their way through the legislature would send menthol cigarettes, mint smokeless and vape into those same black markets. The governor’s public health bill, HB6450, seeks to ban flavored electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), commonly referred to as vape, and, worse, the Public Health committee recently approved SB326, a bill that would ban all flavored tobacco, including adult-preferred menthol cigarettes, from legal sale within the state.”

ARTICLE LINK:   Mixed signals on age-restricted projects: marijuana is okay, but menthol is not?