Author: Bill Tarling

“Australian academics have attempted to justify the unjustifiable by claiming the clampdown on access to nicotine liquid is in the best interests of all involved. The trio trot out a mix of half-truths and absolute lies to support their position. If anyone wanted to take the piece seriously then the authors should have offered up a balanced perspective, leaning on arguments from all parts of the research spectrum. The authors dip into some woeful work that came out of their home country, take a peek at a selective set of American studies – including misrepresenting the whole view of the US National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine – but pretend nothing has ever been published in the United Kingdom. Not a mention, not a single study or review. None.”

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Academics Not Listening

“The council voted 6-1 during its July 14 virtual meeting to outlaw smoking, including e-cigarettes and vapes, in all public parks and cemeteries owned by the city. Those who violate the new Clean Air Ordinance will first be asked to stop smoking, according to the ordinance. If they do not comply, they will be asked to leave the premises or be subject to a civil infraction and a fine of no more than $100. Councilman Jeromy Alexander cast the dissenting vote.”

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Smoking now banned in Jackson’s public parks

“Health Canada is notifying interested parties that an updated industry guide for vaping products that are subject to the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA) and Part 2 of the Vaping Products Labelling and Packaging Regulations (VPLPR) is now available. The new Industry Guide to Vaping Products Subject to the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act replaces the Guidance on Vaping Products not Marketed for a Therapeutic Use, specifically replacing the information provided on the Consumer Chemicals and Containers Regulations, 2001, with the new requirements set out in Part 2 of the VPLPR.”

GUIDELINE LINK:

Industry Guide to Vaping Products Subject to the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act

“State Local Government, Public Transportation and New Village Development chairman Ng Sze Han today said the Selangor government decided to include outlawing drinking alcohol, smoking and vaping under its 2005 Parks By-Laws of local councils. Ng was also reported by news site Selangorkini as saying that the prohibition is effective from today. “We also encourage the public to file a complaint if they see any individuals who try to smoke, ‘vape’ and drink alcohol in parks,” he was quoted saying, adding that anyone found in violation of the prohibition could be fined up to RM1,000.”

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Selangor bans smoking, vaping, alcohol drinking in playgrounds, parks for health reasons

“Most vapers will no longer be able to get Medicare rebates for telehealth consultations for nicotine prescriptions due to new restrictions from 20 July 2020. Most GPs are not willing to write nicotine prescriptions and vapers have been looking elsewhere. A small number of GPs has been providing nicotine prescriptions for vapers by telehealth (phone or video consultations). In Australia, it is a criminal offence to possess or use nicotine for vaping unless you have a prescription from a doctor. Penalties range up to $45,000 for each offence and up to 2 years jail in some states. From 20 July 2020, Medicare rebates for telehealth will only be available for services from your own GP with whom you have been an active patient within the past 12 months. Requests for a prescription from a remote GP by telehealth will require you to pay a personal fee.”

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Government cancels Medicare rebates for telehealth consultations for most nicotine scripts

“The Office for National Statistics (ONS), the government’s official agency for assessing economic and social behaviour, released its latest bulletin on smoking. The New Nicotine Alliance said, “it made for interesting reading,” and the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) commented that this could be the time to reduce VAT on vape products. The report says: “E-cigarettes are increasingly being used by smokers to help quit smoking. In a recent evidence review, Public Health England found that vaping poses a small fraction of the risk of smoking and that when e-cigarettes are used as part of a quit attempt, success rates are comparable with or higher than licensed medication alone. Welsh Government have also reported that the most common reason for using e-cigarettes was to help stop smoking tobacco (76% of current users).”

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ONS Data Reveals Further Drops

“Juul Labs Inc. launched an aggressive legal campaign to halt what it calls a “seemingly endless stream” of black market cartridges for its e-cigarettes. The vaping company filed a patent-infringement complaint at the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington, naming more than four dozen companies it says are importing copycat cartridges for the e-cigarettes. It’s seeking a blanket order that would block imports of any unauthorized cartridges. “This new ITC action, if successful, would provide the additional public benefit of helping rid the market of unauthorized Juul-compatible products that can be modified by the user, such as empty and refillable pods, or those containing substances such as THC for which the Juul system was not designed,” Juul said in a statement.”

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Juul launches legal fight against black market vaping cartridges

“It was reported in October last year that Singapore’s e-cigarette sellers have become more creative in selling vaporisers here, with an “underground” network of stores and sellers operating to get vape refills from across the Causeway to customers here. Singapore’s laws have made it illegal to possess, purchase and use vapes here since February 2018. Those found guilty of any of these offences can be fined up to $2,000. Penalties for those who buy vaporisers online and have them shipped to Singapore for personal use are much heftier; those found guilty of the offence can be fined up to $10,000 and jailed for six months. Repeat offenders could be fined $20,000 and jailed for a year.”

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ICA foils attempt to smuggle 1,500 packs of e-cigarette refills

“It appears that the plaintiff in Yimam v. Mylé Vape, Inc., No. 2019 CA 008050, 2020 D.C. Super. LEXIS 7 (D.C. Super. June 11, 2020), was on something of a crusade with a test case against a vaping product manufacturer. Maybe he was just out to make some money, but his purchase of the products was clearly to set up the ability to sue. Why do we say that? Well, he bought defendant’s “iced watermelon” and “pound cake” flavored products on November 26, 2019, to “test and evaluate” them and brought his consumer protection case within the next five weeks. We certainly have railed against untimely suits before, but this seems really fast and somewhat suspicious given the regulatory status of the products. The purchase of the products and initiation of the suit just happened to be within a seven and a half month gap when the products were being sold without an arguably required FDA authorization. The short version of this is that FDA had extended the time for certain ENDS products to file necessary premarket tobacco applications until August 2022, but a court struck that down in May 2019; while that decision was on appeal, FDA issued a the replacement guidance in January 2020 that extended the application deadline to May 2020. Id. at **2-4. Got it? So, it does not look like coincidence that the purchase and subsequent complaint occurred before the murky regulatory window closed.”

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“Could This Be the ENDS of Buckman?” Mused The Vaped Crusader

“The UK vaping industry, estimated to be worth more than £1 billion to the economy, can be a valuable partner in helping to deliver on the Government’s objectives and address the smoking cessation plateau. Regulators and health experts in the UK have already acknowledged that vaping could play a crucial role in reducing smoking rates, providing smokers with an effective tool to quit altogether. During my time as Public Health Minister, we laid out its plan for adopting a harm reduction strategy, aimed at maximising smoking cessation among adults and minimising uptake by young people. To encourage smokers to try vaping, they need to have confidence that the products they choose are safe. Greater efforts must also be made to inform the public about the benefits of vaping and how it has already helped thousands of people to reduce their tobacco use.”

NOTE: Steve Brine is a former Public Health Minister, and is MP for Winchester.

ARTICLE LINK:

Making the most of vaping to deliver a smoke-free Britain