Author: Staff Writer

  • Study: Similar DNA Changes in Smokers and Vapers

    Study: Similar DNA Changes in Smokers and Vapers

    A new study from University College London (UCL) and the University of Innsbruck shows that e-cigarette users with limited smoking history have similar DNA changes to specific cheek cells as smokers, reports Medical Xpress.

    The study was published in Cancer Research. It analyzed epigenetic effects of tobacco and e-cigarettes on DNA methylation in more than 3,500 samples to determine the impact on cells directly exposed to tobacco (e.g., cells in the mouth) and cells that are not directly exposed to tobacco (e.g., blood cells or cervical cells).

    Data showed that epithelial cells in the mouth had substantial epigenomic changes in smokers. Similar epigenetic changes were seen in epithelial cells in the mouths of e-cigarette users who had smoked fewer than 100 tobacco cigarettes in their lifetime.

    “This is the first study to investigate the impact of smoking and vaping on different kinds of cells—rather than just blood—and we’ve also strived to consider the longer term health implications of using e-cigarettes,” said Chiara Herzog, first author of the study. 

    “We cannot say that e-cigarettes cause cancer based on our study, but we do observe e-cigarette users exhibit some similar epigenetic changes in buccal cells as smokers, and these changes are associated with future lung cancer development in smokers,” Herzog said. “Further studies will be required to investigate whether these features could be used to individually predict cancer in smokers and e-cigarette users.”

    “While the scientific consensus is that e-cigarettes are safer than smoking tobacco, we cannot assume they are completely safe to use, and it is important to explore their potential long-term risks and links to cancer,” said Herzog. “We hope this study may help form part of a wider discussion into e-cigarette usage—especially in people who have never previously smoked tobacco.”

    The study also showed that some smoking-related epigenetic changes remained more stable than others after quitting smoking, including smoking-related epigenetic changes in cervical samples.

    “The epigenome allows us, on one side, to look back,” said Martin Widschwendter, senior author of the study. “It tells us about how our body responded to a previous environmental exposure like smoking. Likewise, exploring the epigenome may also enable us to predict future health and disease. Changes that are observed in lung cancer tissue can also be measured in cheek cells from smokers who have not (yet) developed a cancer.

    “Importantly, our research points to the fact that e-cigarette users exhibit the same changes, and these devices might not be as harmless as originally thought. Long-term studies of e-cigarettes are needed. We are grateful for the support the European Commission has provided to obtain these data.”

    In response to the study, the U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) released a statement.

    “While the study data—which one leading academic has described as ‘crude’—implies a link to changes in cheek cells, which could potentially cause cancer, the study authors said their findings did not prove that e-cigarettes caused cancer,” the statement read.

    “The study authors said their findings showed that vapes ‘might not be as harmless as originally thought,’ but it is important to make clear that nobody in the vape industry ever said that vaping was harmless. There are risks from vaping, but they are tiny compared to smoking,” the UKVIA said.

    “This latest study,” the UKVIA statement said, “is also questioned by leading experts such as Peter Shields, an emeritus professor of medical oncology at Ohio State University. He states that critical pieces of information are missing and calls the smoking and vaping data that they are working from as ‘crude.’ He points to the fact that there is no biochemical verification that the vapers are actually not also smokers. He concludes that ‘researchers are still a far distance from being able to show causality, and the data looks like vapers are actually more like never smokers—implying their risk of cancer is not increasing by vaping.”

  • UKVIA Discusses Vaping Waste Management Options

    UKVIA Discusses Vaping Waste Management Options

    The U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) will host a webinar on the “Future of Vape Waste Management Post-Disposables,” according to the organization’s website.

    The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive consultation period ended at the beginning of March. This consultation period has implications for the vaping sector, according to the UKVIA, including: policy makers potentially introducing a dedicated category under the WEEE directive; responsibility for collection and treatment of vape waste possibly moving completely to producers; and a potential new curbside household collection service for electronics, potentially including vape devices.

    The WEEE consultation section that relates to vaping was designed to review current regulations due to the environmental challenges associated with single use vapes. However, disposables are now about to be banned in the U.K., raising questions about how the WEEE regulatory reform would affect the vapor industry.

    The webinar will discuss these issues and take place on Monday, April 15, 2024.

    Despite these reforms, a UKVIA investigation showed that there is a lack of interest in vape recycling in the U.K.

    The investigation showed that 80 percent of major U.K. city councils and London borough councils surveyed had “no plans” to invest in new vape collection solutions in the next year.  

    As part of the investigation, Freedom of Information requests were issued by the UKVIA prior to the single-use vape ban to 10 major provincial city councils and 10 central London councils, including Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff, Glasgow and Westminster.

    Of those surveyed, 60 percent said they offer vape was disposal at civic amenity sites (or designated collection facilities). One in 10 have introduced vape waste containers in public places while about one-third do not offer vape waste disposal containers or drop-off points of any kind. Only one of the councils has introduced curbside or household vape collection to date.

    “Councils are not anti-vapes, which are shown to be less harmful than smoking and have a place as a tool to use in smoking cessation,” said a spokesperson for the Local Government Association, which represents all the authorities contacted as part of the investigation and is one of the organizations that called for a disposable ban. “However, disposable vapes are fundamentally flawed in their design and inherently unsustainable products, meaning an outright ban will prove more effective than attempts to recycle more vapes.”

    Research by Material Focus showed that 70 percent of people throw away their single-use vapes because “they didn’t know they could recycle them.” Of those surveyed, 44 percent of vapers said they would recycle their single-use vapes if there were recycling points on a street or in a park while half said they would be likely to recycle if curbside recycling was available.

    “Advocating a ban on disposable vapes on environmental grounds while not committing any investment to vape waste collection, despite the need for such facilities in public places—which are controlled by local government—is a cast of the pot calling the kettle black,” said John Dunne, director general of the UKVIA, in a statement. “Even when single-use vapes are no longer available in retail outlets, there will still be millions of rechargeable and refillable vapes sold every year, not to mention a rise in black market products that will arise from the ban on disposables. So, the lack of investment in collection facilities and foresight around the need to make the disposable of vapes as convenient as possible is startling and extremely concerning.

    “We are under no illusions as to what the industry needs to do to ensure it is environmentally responsible, which is why the sector has invested in producing more sustainable products, providing recycling education for consumers, rolling out recycling initiatives and innovations and ensuring it is compliant with regulations. The UKVIA is also involved in the development of a vape licensing scheme, which has just presented to parliamentarians, and, if adopted, will require retailers to provide take-back facilities in-store before being allowed to sell vapes.

    “We can, and will, do much more to ensure environmental compliance across the sector, but that doesn’t mean local government can simply offload its responsibility for providing vape waste collection facilities in public places. The industry pays its business rates like any other sector, and this makes up one of the largest sources of income for local authorities—a percentage of which is earmarked for waste management. If local authorities can provide public waste disposal facilities for all types of waste, why not used vapes?

    “Whilst I am sure vaping manufacturers and retailers could be encouraged to partner with local authorities to create more public collection points for vape waste, the industry can’t just put such facilities on streets and in parks, as is required. We need all the players in the vape waste ecosystem to be joined up if we are to protect both the environment and the health of former smokers.”

    “Currently, a significant volume of used vaping products are being wrongfully disposed of in the general waste bin and ultimately end up at landfill,” said Steward Price, head of producer responsibility services with Waste Experts. “This powerful data demonstrates that much more needs to be done to educate consumers on the correct disposal of their waste vapes and reinforces the need for a much stronger collection and recycling infrastructure for this challenging waste stream.”

  • Federal Judge Gives Final OK in Altria, Juul Class Action

    Federal Judge Gives Final OK in Altria, Juul Class Action

    A federal judge approved the final part of a class action settlement with the e-cigarette company Juul Labs and its parent company Altria, bringing the settlement total to just over $300 million.

    In 2018, the plaintiffs charged Juul Labs with misleading the public about the addictiveness of Juul and the risk of the e-cigarettes and its nicotine cartridges.

    The plaintiffs also said Juul had targeted teenagers with candy-flavored Juul pods and “multimillion-dollar ad campaigns and social media blitzes using alluring imagery.”

    The case survived a number of hurdles: The judge denied multiple motions to dismiss the suit and agreed to certify four different classes of plaintiffs (a nationwide class, a nationwide youth class, a California class and a California youth class).

    In January, the judge gave preliminary approval to a $255 million settlement between Juul Labs and the plaintiffs, according to Courthouse news. Friday’s ruling grants approval to Altria’s payment of $45,531,250. The sides have yet to reach an agreement on attorneys fees.

    “Court finds that this monetary recovery is fair, reasonable, and adequate given the risks of proceeding to trial and the maximum recovery potentially available to Settlement Class Members if the Class Representatives had prevailed at trial,” wrote U.S. District Judge William Orrick in his order.

    Last year, Juul agreed to pay six states $462 million to settle claims that it had marketed its vaping products to teenagers. The year before that, it agreed to pay $438.5 million to 33 different states and Puerto Rico.

    Altria Group exchanged its entire investment in Juul Labs in 2023 for a non-exclusive, irrevocable global license to certain of Juul’s heated tobacco intellectual property.

  • Protesters Demand End to Mexico’s Vaping Ban

    Protesters Demand End to Mexico’s Vaping Ban

    Vapers protested in front of Mexico’s Congress of the Union, calling for the country’s vaping ban to be replaced with risk-based regulation. The protest was organized by the World Vapers’ Alliance and All Vape Mexico.

    The protesters also demanded a halt to the constitutional reform proposed by President Andres Mauel Lopez Obrador that would elevate the ban to the Constitution. In addition, they called for approval of a risk-based regulation allowing adult smokers access to vapor products to quit smoking combustible cigarettes.

    Mexico’s vaping ban has been in place since May 2020.

    “The ban was introduced in order to prevent underage vaping; however, minors now have full access to potentially dangerous products on the black market,” said Alberto Gomez Hernandez, policy manager of the World Vapers’ Alliance. “At the same time, smokers who want to quit smoking have difficulty finding safe vaping products. The ban has clearly been a failure and must be reversed as soon as possible. Legislation cannot be based on whim or ideology; it must be based on scientific evidence and the experience of other countries that have had good results.”

    Vapes can easily be obtained on the informal market from underground vape shops and on the black market, which is controlled by organized crime groups.

    “It is very unfortunate that the federal government thought that the ban would prevent many young people from having access to vaping and does not give people who want to quit smoking the opportunity to use this option,” said Deputy Sergio Barrera. “We need to have clear rules. We need to know who can produce it, who can distribute it and who can consume it, and that is why we are pushing for regulation.”

    “The president sees a problem where there is actually a solution to smoking,” said Antonio Toscano, All Vape Mexico spokesperson. “His prohibitionist stance unprotects adult users, who are forced to buy black market products, where there are no quality controls, let alone controls on sales to minors. Prohibition is a danger to public health; good regulation could benefit public health enormously and save millions of lives.”

  • Japan: PMI Launches Latest IQOS, the Lumina i

    Japan: PMI Launches Latest IQOS, the Lumina i

    Photo: Ned Snowman

    Philip Morris International has launched IQOS Iluma i, the latest and most innovative addition to its growing portfolio of smoke-free products, in Japan. The launch marks the 10-year anniversary of IQOS, which debuted in Nagoya, Japan, in 2014.

    “We leverage science, world leading brands and commercial capabilities to provide better alternatives to our consumers. This anniversary provides an opportunity to renew our smoke-free vision and our ambition for over two-thirds of our total net revenue to come from smoke-free products by 2030,” said PMI CEO Jacek Olczak in a statement.

    “IQOS Iluma disrupted the category by introducing induction-heating technology that heats tobacco from within, to provide a consistent taste experience, no tobacco residue, and no need to clean the device. Today, we take IQOS to new heights, with the launch of IQOS Iluma i—the latest innovation in our smoke-free portfolio, offering a range of advanced features for a clean, seamless, and more flexible experience.”

    The IQOS Iluma i series offers three devices in Japan: IQOS Iluma i PRIME, IQOS Iluma i and IQOS Iluma i ONE. All three devices bring a range of adaptable new features.

    The new touch screen on the device’s holder allows users to see experience-relevant information quickly and easily. To personalize the experience, IQOS Iluma i introduces a new pause mode. By swiping up or down on the touch screen, users can pause and resume their consumption according to their preferences.

    The new IQOS Iluma i also includes smart features that help prolong the lifespan of the holder’s battery. Furthermore, the door for IQOS Iluma i is made from aluminum produced with renewable energy and the inner textile layer of IQOS Iluma i’s Prime leather-like wrap is made of 100 percent recycled plastic.

    “IQOS Iluma i is our most innovative offering to date and the new flagship in our portfolio of scientifically substantiated, heat-not-burn smoke-free systems,” said Bertrand Bonvin, president heat-not-burn platforms at PMI. “Like previous IQOS devices, it emits, on average, 95 percent lower levels of harmful chemicals compared with cigarettes. We are proud that consumer feedback continuously fuels our innovation, and IQOS Iluma i is a testament to that.”

  • Consumer Group Warns Against State PMTA Registries

    Consumer Group Warns Against State PMTA Registries

    U.S. states must recognize the unintended consequences of passing laws requiring premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) registries for alternative nicotine products such as vaping devices, heaters, and nicotine pouches, according to the Consumer Choice Center, an organization claiming to represent consumers in more than 100 countries.

    In the first months of 2024, more than a dozen bills have been introduced in U.S. states calling for a state-based registry for alternative nicotine products. Such legislation has already been passed in Oklahoma, Louisiana and Alabama.

    “While the intention behind these bills is to manage consumer access to unregulated nicotine products on the illicit market, the reality is that the FDA is not approving enough new devices and products to create a competitive, regulated marketplace that meets consumer demand,” said Elizabeth Hicks, U.S. affairs analyst at the Consumer Choice Center.

    While 26 million nicotine alternative products submitted PMTAs to the Food and Drug Administration, only 23 have been approved. Of those 23 approved products, 12 are tobacco-flavored e-liquid refills.

    “The FDA is hiding the ball here on product approvals and how few new products are actually coming to market. If the goal is to improve public health across the country, then consumers deserve to choose from a variety of different nicotine alternatives,” said Hicks.

    The Consumer Choice Centers urges state legislatures to refrain from adding to counterproductive federal policies and instead advance tobacco harm reduction through a competitive marketplace.

  • Critics Claim New U.K. Levy on Vapes is ‘Stupid’

    Critics Claim New U.K. Levy on Vapes is ‘Stupid’

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    Image: vadymstock

    The imposition of a vape levy in the U.K. is “stupid, short-sighted and potentially counterproductive,” according to smokers’ rights group Forest.

    During his budget speech in Parliament on March 6, Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt said he is planning to introduce an extra tax on e-cigarettes from October 2026, aiming to make vaping more expensive and deter nonsmokers from taking it up.

    Currently, most vapes in Britain are subject to value-added tax at the standard 20 percent rate, but there is no extra levy applied. Hunt said the government would also introduce a one-off increase in tobacco duty to maintain the financial incentive to choose vaping over smoking.

    Nonetheless, critics warned that the new vape tax would discourage smokers from transitioning to less harmful nicotine products.

    “If the government is serious about advocating vaping as a substantially less harmful alternative to smoking, a levy on vaping products sends completely the wrong message to consumers,” said Simon Clark, director of Forest.

    “Vaping products are already subject to VAT. Imposing excise duty as well is a stupid, short-sighted and potentially counterproductive measure that could deter many existing smokers from switching to a reduced-risk product that has helped millions of smokers to quit.”

    Maggie Rae, president of the Epidemiology and Public Health Section of the Royal Society of Medicine, said any tax must be carefully considered to ensure it benefits public health.

    “It’s imperative we ensure medicinal use of vapes continues to be encouraged, as smoking cessation remains the matter of greater importance,” she said.

    Clark noted that above-inflation increases in the cost of tobacco disproportionately punish those on lower incomes.

    “Further tax hikes will drive even more smokers to the black market, taking money from legitimate retailers and putting it into the hands of criminal gangs,” he said.

    Jefferies analyst Owen Bennett said the tax could benefit larger players like BAT by making it harder for smaller players to compete.

    “BAT, especially given its highly profitable broader cigarette business, can afford to swallow the tax and not adjust prices,” he told Reuters, whereas it could make smaller firms’ products unviable.

  • Belarus Bans 47 Vape Brands for High E-liquid Levels

    Belarus Bans 47 Vape Brands for High E-liquid Levels

    Image: natatravel

    Belarus’ State Committee for Standardization has banned 47 types of electronic cigarettes from sale, reports Novosti.

    In January and February, authorities in the Gomel region identified traders that were selling electronic smoking systems that failed to comply with legislative requirements. Some vapes exceeded the permissible nicotine level of 20 mg per ml, while others lacked health warnings, declaration on usage limitations and expiration dates,

    Many of the vapes were sold without documents proving compliance and safety of the product.

    The dangerous products were withdrawn from sale, and authorities have taken administrative measures against their sellers.

  • UKVIA Seeking Clarity on Vape Advertising Notice

    UKVIA Seeking Clarity on Vape Advertising Notice

    Photo: New Africa

    The U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) is seeking clarification following the recent Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) enforcement notice on the prohibition of vaping ads on social media.

    The UKVIA is particularly concerned that “factual (nonpromotional) information” should only be made available to those who have “actively and specifically sought it out,” which would limit such content to social media accounts set to “private.”

    The industry group is especially worried that this means factual posts, such as repeating evidence-based statistics such as vaping is 95 percent less harmful than smoking, for its annual VApril Vape Awareness Month will now be deemed unlawful.

    “Around 40 percent of U.K. smokers wrongly believe that vaping is at least as harmful as, or even more harmful than, cigarettes, which suggests we need more evidence-based vaping facts on social media, not less,” the UKVIA wrote in a statement.

    One of the main aims of VApril is to use both paid and organic posts on LinkedIn, X and Facebook to give facts to smokers to help them make informed decisions over how they consume nicotine.

    The CAP says that after March 28, it will enforce restrictions under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, which prohibit “ads that have the direct or indirect effect of promoting nicotine-containing electronic cigarette products” from being shown in most social media.

    The Enforcement Notice says: “Electronic cigarette ads are prohibited in any online media where content is shared to users who have not specifically sought it out.

    “This means paid-for display ads in all online space are prohibited, but it also means that regular, non-paid-for posts and content in social media, which might get shared by an algorithm to users, are prohibited too.”

    The Advertising Standards Authority will hold a webinar on March 21 where the rules on social media vape ads will be explained.

  • Ireland Preparing to Implement E-Cigarette Tax

    Ireland Preparing to Implement E-Cigarette Tax

    Image: Zerbor

    The government of Ireland is working to introduce a tax on e-cigarettes in 2025, reports The Irish Times.

    Finance Minister Michael McGrath confirmed that his department had started work with the revenue department to announce the tax in the next budget and introduce it next year.

    McGrath cited the vaping industry’s “insidious” targeting of e-cigarettes toward young people as justification for the tax.

    “There’s no doubt, but it is a deliberate policy,” he was quoted as saying. “In my mind, what is happening when you see all the attractive flavors and names, it’s definitely targeting young people and very successfully.”

    While acknowledging that e-cigarettes are helping some smokers quit more harmful combustible cigarettes, McGrath also noted that there are many unknowns about the long-term effects of e-cigarettes.

    He said it was important for the Department of Finance’s proposed tax to align with policies of other departments around e-cigarettes and vapes, such as the Department of Health and the Department of Environment.