Author: Bill Tarling

“E-cigarettes showed considerable promise as a smoking-cessation aid during a study in the U.K. E-cigarettes outperformed both NRT and Champix in first-attempt quits during the trial. The devices achieved a 93 quit rate when used alone and a 72 percent quit rate when combined with NRT. NRT use resulted in a 49 percent quit rate and Champix achieved a quit rate of 57 percent.”

ARTICLE LINK:

E-Cigarettes Prevail in Study Comparing Cessation Aids

STUDY PILOT EVALUATION SUMMARY:

Reed Wellbeing provided E-Cigarette (EC) devices from Feb 2019-2020 to participants via the free One You Haringey stop smoking service. The primary aim was to determine if EC are an effective quit aid when compared to Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) or Champix prescription medication.

E-CIGARETTES FOR SMOKING CESSATION: A PILOT COMPARISON TO NRT AND CHAMPIX

“On November 4th 2020, the key industry players congregated stakeholders from various parts of the world to discuss burning Issues as a continuation of their series which documents the development of Tobacco Harm Reduction as well as use, availability and regulatory responses to safer nicotine products around the world. Clive Bates a renowned Tobacco Harm Reduction advocate, pointed out the ‘good, the bad and the ugly’ outcomes for THR in the same “No Smoke, No Fire” virtual summit 2020. “We need a risk proportionate regulatory regime as well as much more mindfulness on trivial laws and implausible risks. We also need a new narrative to be much more cognizant of the consequences of blundering in a clumsy relentless negativity.” he said. Considering all the above, for THR to work, Jena-Fetalino a Public Relations practitioner based in the Philippines suggested demolition of misinformation, “THR is both a victim of misinformation and disinformation and unfortunately this is at the cost of people’s lives.”

ARTICLE LINK:

The Global State of Tobacco harm Reduction

“The latest issue of Pediatrics journal is carrying yet another anti-vaping research paper. This one pops the broken ‘gateway’ record back on the turntable; “e-cigarette use is associated with a higher risk of cigarette smoking among adolescents who had no prior intention of taking up conventional smoking.” Points the researchers ignored that trying a cigarette once or twice does not make them a smoker and trying an electronic vaping device once or twice does not make them a vaper. Of course, measuring smoking as ‘ever having walked past a shop selling 20 Marlboro’ certainly makes the findings better when applying for further funding. Just because a teenager expressed that they were unlikely to smoke in a year’s time, an awful lot happens in their lives. Pressures change, a likelihood to engage is risky behaviour increases with age.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Broken ‘Gateway’ Record Needs Changing

“The American Heart Association (AHA) has a long history of coming out with nonsense classified as “stupid” to “downright dangerous” by tobacco harm reduction experts. It is now promoting another piece of duff non-peer-reviewed research in the lead up to its online Scientific Sessions 2020 eConference next weekend. The author, Thanh-Huyen T. Vu claims a third of all vapers currently suffer from the EVALI disease (proven to be caused by Vitamin E Acetate in a small American batch of illegal THC liquids). The AHA’s journal is home to some of the worst studies conducted into vaping. Time and again, pseudoscience masquerades as legitimate inquiry to produce shocking findings.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Heartless Heart Association

““Unless California lawmakers want to force hundreds of thousands of vapers back to smoking, they need to reconsider this flavor ban,” said Gregory Conley, president of the American Vaping Association (AVA). “While voting for bans may make legislators feel righteous, the reality is that prohibition is failed public policy and never works for adult consumer products.””

ARTICLE LINK:

Vapor Groups Request California Flavor Ban Repeal

“Viet Nam should not legalise the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and heated-tobacco-products (HTPs) immediately but conduct a pilot phase allowing the production, import and trading of this new-generation cigarettes in the country, officials have said. Representatives from various agencies of the Government were speaking at a workshop on the legal framework for new-generation cigarettes in Viet Nam. The legal framework built upon these assessments should then complement the national strategy on tobacco harm reduction, ensuring the reconciliation of interests of stakeholders, including the State, consumers and tobacco producers and gardeners, and consistency with international practices. The pilot is expected to provide the Government and authorities with sufficient information, helping them accurately assess the socio-economic impact of the legalisation of these products in Viet Nam.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Viet Nam needs a legal framework for new-generation cigarettes, say experts

“From today it will be illegal to sell the vapes to under 18s and advertising and sponsorship of vaping products will be banned altogether. Vaping will also be banned in legislated smoke free areas. Certain flavours will be phased out, except at specialist retailers over the next 15 months. Cancer Society advocacy and wellbeing manager Shayne Nahu said the changes would make a big difference.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Law banning vape advertising and sales to under 18s comes into effect

“Set to take effect in January 2021, the ban would prohibit the sale of all flavored products that contain nicotine, including flavored vaping products and menthol cigarettes. An exception has been made for hookah and premium cigars. However, California should note the unintended consequences of an identical tobacco flavor ban have been destructive in Massachusetts, which is on pace to lose over $93 million in tax revenue after becoming the only other state to enforce similar restrictions. Black markets were more than happy to traffic newly illegal flavored tobacco products from neighboring states. Additionally, the motivation for California’s “Stop Tobacco Access to Kids Enforcement” Act, is built on a false premise. From 2019 to 2020, youth use of e-cigarettes has already dropped almost 30 percent and over 50 percent for high and middle school students, respectively.”

ARTICLE LINK:

How California’s flavored tobacco ban will hurt communities and budgets

“Malaysia will implement an excise duty at an ad valorem rate of 10 percent on all types of vapor and e-cigarette products. Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz says the tax includes all types of electronic and non-electronic cigarette devices, including e-liquids. Electronic cigarettes liquid too will be subjected to an excise duty at a rate of MYR0.40 sen [$0.10] per milliliter. The tax takes effect on Jan. 1, 2021.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Malaysia Announces New Duties

“A new report published by the U.K. public health agency Knowledge Action Change (KAC) demonstrates an urgent need to scale up tobacco harm reduction, which enables smokers to switch to safer nicotine products, eliminating the smoke that causes death and disease. The report further shows how tobacco control policy at the World Health Organization is being influenced by billions of dollars from U.S. foundations campaigning against tobacco harm reduction, while misinformation is discouraging smokers from switching to safer products. Titled “Burning Issues: The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR),” the report reveals that an estimated 98 million people use these products globally, including 68 million vapers, 20 million users of heated tobacco products and 10 million consumers of U.S. smokeless or pasteurized oral snus.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Tobacco Control Urged to Embrace Harm Reduction