Author: Bill Tarling

“The UK E-Cigarette Research Forum (UKECRF) is an initiative developed by Cancer Research UK in partnership with Public Health England (PHE) and the UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies (UKCTAS). Among other things, it brings together genuine experts to look at research related to vaping and tobacco harm reduction. The UKECRF [link] provides monthly updates aiming giving an overview of new vape. They are aimed at researchers, policy makers, health professionals and anyone else with an interest in tobacco harm reduction. The authors point out that the studies they present are but a snapshot of all the papers published over the last month.”

ARTICLE LINK:   UKECRF roundup

“The Ministry of Health has submitted a written submission to the Health Select Committee, dismissing a Parliamentary petition signed by 17,357 Kiwis supporting ongoing access to vape flavours. Petition organiser, Nancy Loucas, who is co-director of Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA), says the Ministry of Health’s submission is very disappointing given vaping is New Zealand’s most effective smoking cessation tool. She is now calling on new Associate Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall and new Health Select Committee Dr Liz Craig – both public health experts – to follow the evidence, not the emotion.”

ARTICLE LINK:   Petitioner Calls On Two Govt Doctors To Review Vape Flavour Ban

“The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Monday it has ordered five e-cigarette companies including JUUL Labs and NJOY to turn over sales and advertising data. The regulatory agency said it sent orders to JUUL Labs, Inc; R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company; Fontem US, LLC; Logic Technology Development LLC; and NJOY, LLC seeking information from 2019 and 2020 including annual data on sales and giveaways of e-cigarettes and characteristics of their e-cigarette products such as flavors.”

ARTICLE LINK:   U.S. FTC tells e-cigarette firms JUUL, NJOY, others to submit sales, ad data

“Local public health researchers have called on the government to revive legislation intended to regulate e-cigarettes, saying they are being heavily marketed to young people as a means to stop smoking, but don’t help people kick the habit for good. Presenting a body of recent research on e-cigarette use in SA, he said more than 95% of e-cigarette users continued to smoke and few of them managed to stop smoking for more than six months. E-cigarettes have been available in SA for more than 10 years, but are not now taxed. The Treasury said last week that it planned to release a discussion paper on tax proposals for electronic nicotine devices.”

ARTICLE LINK:   Researchers renew call for e-cigarette regulation

“Utah Senator Mitt Romney has called for flavored vaping products to be pulled from shelves across the United States. Romney introduced legislation in September 2019 that would have banned the sale of all flavored vapor products except tobacco flavors, but it was never taken up for a vote. “The analysis shows that nearly one-fourth of high school kids are vaping on a regular basis—tobacco products—and in many cases marijuana as well,” Romney said”

ARTICLE LINK:   Mitt Romney Wants Flavor Ban

“Flavoured vape and e-cigarette products are now banned on Prince Edward Island. The regulation changes are part of a private members bill from PC MLA Cory Deagle, which received unanimous support from the legislature in 2019. “The only flavour you’ll be able to use would be tobacco flavoured so all those other flavours will be gone,” Deagle said. P.E.I. has already made two other changes to the Tobacco and Electronic Smoking Devices Sales and Access Act as part of Deagle’s bill.”

ARTICLE LINK:   Flavoured vape, e-cigarette products now banned on P.E.I.

“Consultation closes in a fortnight’s time on the regulations which will implement Smokefree legislation. Earlier submitters to the health committee which considered the legislation asked for vaping products not to be visible from outside vape shops, and to control displays of vapes in other retail shops. In its proposal, the Ministry of Health said it “considers that existing displays of vaping products within retail premises or on websites (which are now required to be R18) are not problematic. In forming this view, we have taken account of the need to balance protections for children and young people with policies to make it easier for smokers to switch to a less harmful alternative.” It says it does not propose to make all of the regulations that are possible under the Act.”

ARTICLE LINK:   Vape shop display windows allowed under Smokefree rules

“The WHO [World Health Organisation] is recommending governments introduce laws to make vaping illegal. A report published by WHO’s tobacco regulatory committee specifically targets open-vaping which allows “the user to control device features and liquid ingredients”. The argument put forward by WHO is that people are able to add dangerous substances to these vapes in making them more harmful. Governments worldwide have reportedly been issued with the recommendation which will be discussed later this year at a conference in Glasgow.”

ARTICLE LINK:
Form of vaping ‘may be banned for millions of Brits as part of new WHO plan’

“The New Brunswick Medical Society is getting behind Health Canada in its efforts to reduce the amount of nicotine e-cigarette manufacturers are allowed to include in their products. In the survey, 41 per cent of New Brunswick students in grades 7 to12 admitted to having tried vaping at least once in 2018 or 2019. Meanwhile, 27 per cent reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days. Health Canada is also considering to further restrict flavours in vaping products, and require the vaping industry to provide information about their vaping products, including sales, ingredients, and research and development activities. Health Canada says the regulation would align the country with the European Union”

ARTICLE LINK:   Medical society joins call for stricter rules on vape products

“Tobacco [and vaping] legislation and regulation is constantly under review at the local, state and federal levels. In this monthly roundup, Convenience Store News highlights the latest proposals and approved changes happening across the United States.”

ARTICLE LINK:   February 2021 Legislative & Regulatory Roundup