Author: Bill Tarling

“The initiative – funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research and delivered by NHS specialists ­– offers 12 weeks of free personalised help, including video or phone calls and free nicotine replacement therapies or e-cigarettes.”

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New support on offer to help region’s smokers quit the habit

“The World Health Organization (WHO) has published three reports to inform countries on the current state of scientific knowledge and policy options available for novel tobacco products such as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), electronic non-nicotine delivery systems (ENNDS) and heated tobacco products (HTPs).”

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WHO Launches Reports on New Tobacco Products

“Millions of e-cigarette users or vapers across the globe are celebrating World Vape Day on 30 May 2020, a day before World No Tobacco Day. World Vape Day aims to raise awareness on e-cigarettes or vapes and encourage smokers who are unable to quit on their own or with currently available smoking cessation tools to switch to safer nicotine products. “Safer nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, are the most disruptive influence on smoking in decades. These are the innovations that have the potential to save millions of lives in the Asia Pacific region as well as globally,” said Nancy Loucas, Executive Director of the Coalition of Asia-Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA), one of the lead organizers of World Vape Day 2020.”

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Vapers to celebrate World Vape Day on May 30

“The town of Bethlehem is looking to license tobacco retailers and ban the sale of vaping products within 1,000 feet from a  school as part of a broad new policy that would greatly reduce access to tobacco and especially vaping products in town over the coming years. The town board is holding a virtual public hearing on the proposed new law on Wednesday night. Due to the fact that in-person town board meetings are banned due to the coronavirus pandemic, residents can register for a Zoom meeting that the town has set up for people to comment at the public hearing, which will also include a proposal to extend the ban on new vape shops in town until the end of the year so that the new law can be implemented. Residents can also submit comments by email. The state is implementing a new ban on flavored vaping products starting in July, so tobacco retailers are already having to pare back on their vaping sales.”

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Bethlehem looking to license tobacco retailers as part of vaping policy

“Experts, including Clive Bates, have told the European Union that it isn’t doing enough to combat disease in its ‘Beating Cancer Plan’ because it is failing to recognise the importance of vaping. Bates also spoke to Regulator Watch about teen vaping and the potential benefit of nicotine in the treatment of COVID-19 symptoms. With the European Commission stating it is aiming to eradicate tobacco-related cancer, Clive Bates told EU Today, “that in order to beat cancer public authorities/national governments need to ‘use policy, regulation, fiscal measures and public services objectives to encourage people to stop smoking (or never start) by any means possible, including by switching to vaping, heated tobacco products, snus or oral nicotine products.””

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Clive Speaks Out

“World Health Organization’s (WHO) World No Tobacco Day has introduced some of the worst adverts made about vaping. The lavishly funded campaign has provoked condemnation and anger at the questionable use of children and the inevitable barrage of half-truths and lies. At a time when the WHO is battling for its credibility with countries around the world due to its mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has covered itself in something smellier than glory with the World No Tobacco Day support materials. The World Health Organization’s relationship with billionaire Michael Bloomberg, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Vital Strategies is toxic and destructive. Campaigns like this spread disinformation and lies – resulting in slowing the transition away from tobacco to safer alternatives.”

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WHO Thought This Was A Good Idea

“The Federal Tax Authority, FTA, has issued a decision to postpone the implementation of the ban on supplying, transferring, storing, and possession of water pipe tobacco – known in Arabic as ‘mu’assel’ – and electrically heated cigarettes in the UAE that do not carry digital tax stamps until 1st January 2021. The ban had previously been scheduled to come into effect on 1st June 2020, in keeping with the timeline set for launching phase two of the ‘Marking Tobacco and Tobacco Products Scheme’, the authority said in a statement on Tuesday.”

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FTA postpones ban on water pipe tobacco, e-cigarettes without digital tax stamps to January 2021

“EU member states will ask the European Commission this week to place novel tobacco products, electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products under the EU Tobacco Excise Directive, meaning they would be taxed just like traditional tobacco products, according to draft Council conclusions. “It is therefore urgent and necessary to upgrade the EU regulatory framework, in order to tackle current and future challenges in respect of the functioning of the internal market by harmonising definitions and tax treatment of novel products (such as liquids for e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products), including products, whether or not containing nicotine, that substitute tobacco, in order to avoid legal uncertainty and regulatory disparities in the EU,” the conclusions add. The Council Conclusions are expected to be endorsed tomorrow (27 May) at a COREPER II meeting.”

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EU countries to propose excise tax for e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products

“Senate Bill 793: Both North Coast state lawmakers, Assemblyman Jim Wood and Sen. Mike McGuire are again taking up the fight against flavored tobacco. The bill would ban the sale of any flavored tobacco, including menthol, and flavored tobacco products. The bill’s lead author, Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo), said there are indications the COVID-19 virus could be spread by e-cigarette smokers. The bill passed the Senate Health Committee earlier this month. It is set to be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee June 1.“

𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘: There are no scientific studies or evidence to support or prove Senator Hill’s deceptive claim that vaping is a cause of COVID-19 spreading.

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Capitol Tracker: Lawmakers tackle tobacco

“The vaping industry is demanding to be allowed to sell its products online and for delivery during lockdown level3. They also want to be disassociated from the tobacco sector. Vapour Products Association of South Africa (VPASA) chief executive Asanda Gcoyi told The Star that the narrative that vapour products, cigarettes and tobacco products were the same was problematic. “Vaping is not smoking, those are two different things. Both vaping and cigarettes contain nicotine, but nicotine is not what kills people in smoking, people die because of the tar,” she said. Gcoyi added that categorising them together caused serious problems, because of the global agenda of harm reduction.”

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Vaping body wants to be disassociated from tobacco sector and allowed to operate online during Level 3