Electronic cigarettes can be as effective as conventional cigarettes at delivering nicotine, especially when used by experienced vapers, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Health Behavior(https://doi.org/10.5993/AJHB.41.1.2).
The study was carried out as a collaboration between British American Tobacco and U.S.-based Los Angeles Clinical Trials (LACT).
Dr. Ian Fearon, head of clinical research at BAT said that the results of the study had shown that newer-generation electronic cigarettes were more effective than were first-generation devices at delivering nicotine. But smokers needed to be able to adapt their behavior in order to use them to best effect, at least with currently available products.
“Being as effective as cigarettes at delivering nicotine was important,” said Dr. Mitch Nides, president of LACT and a veteran researcher in smoking cessation. This was because it could be a factor in determining whether smokers were likely to continue to use electronic cigarettes in place of regular cigarettes.
In the study, scientists examined changes in blood nicotine from volunteers who used both cigarettes and electronic cigarettes and the results revealed that nicotine delivery from electronic cigarettes differed, according to the type of electronic cigarette used, who used them and how.
“Our results demonstrate that e-cigarettes are effective at delivering nicotine during brief use periods and new-generation devices are even better at it,” said Fearon. “However, elevation of blood nicotine levels during e-cigarette use was greater in experienced vapers compared to e-cigarette naïve smokers and under more real-world conditions, i.e. when the volunteer controlled how they used them.”
Participants in the first study were cigarette smokers who were familiar with but not current users of e-cigarettes,’ said a BAT press note. “They first smoked a typical cigarette for five minutes by taking a single puff every 30 seconds. After a 15-minute break, they smoked cigarettes freely for an hour. At specific time points during both smoking periods, blood samples were taken and participants were asked to rate how much they would like a cigarette. After two days, the procedure was repeated but with a Vype vPro ePen e-cigarette (a closed modular system).
“For these inexperienced (in e-cigarettes) smokers, e-cigarettes delivered less nicotine than [did] conventional cigarettes. During the five-minute defined puffing period, mean peak nicotine concentration from the e-cigarette was significantly lower [at 2.5ng/ml] than for a regular cigarette [13.4ng/ml], although the time to reach it was similar.
“During the free period, mean nicotine concentration reached using the e-cigarettes was higher at 5.9ng/ml, but still not as high as with cigarettes (14.9ng/ml). Both the cigarette and the e-cigarette reduced the urge to smoke.
“Participants in the second study were current vapers who occasionally smoked cigarettes. To start with, they smoked a single cigarette freely for five minutes; blood samples were taken at specific time points before, during and after. The participants were then given Nicolite (an old-style cig-a-like, non-rechargeable first-generation e-cigarette) to familiarize themselves with and, after two days, the procedure was repeated but with a second-generation e-cigarette, a Vype vPro ePen. After two days, the procedure was again repeated.
“For the vapers, mean peak blood nicotine concentration for the Vype e-cigarette was 7.8ng/ml compared to 7.2ng/ml for cigarettes. For Nicolites, mean peak blood nicotine concentration was 4.7ng/ml.
“These results demonstrate that the e-cigarettes, especially the newer models, can effectively deliver nicotine to experienced users. The results also suggest that the experience of study volunteers needs to be considered when planning and executing these kinds of studies to ensure the reliability of results.”
The Philippines’ delegation to the recent Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the World Health Organization’ Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) has come under fire because of its composition and because of at least one of the decisions it took, according to a piece in the Philippine Star.
Writing in the Star, Mary Ann LL. Reyes, asked why a public official, whose office had nothing to do with health, had been the head a Philippine delegation to an international conference that dealt with public health issues?
The Philippines is one of 180 parties to the FCTC; so it sent an official delegation to attend the seventh meeting of the CoP that was held in India on November 7-12.
The CoP, which is the governing body of the FCTC, regularly reviews the implementation of the convention and makes the decisions necessary to promote its effective implementation.
The Philippine delegation was headed by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) chair Alicia dela Rosa-Bala.
In her piece, Reyes said that Bala had been educated in social studies and had extensive experience in social work, having been undersecretary of the Social Welfare and Development department, but she questioned whether this equipped her to support an outright ban on electronic cigarettes or vape devices on behalf of the Philippines.
Reyes pointed out that two local electronic cigarette consumer groups had criticized Bala for supporting a proposal presented at CoP7 that would allow an outright ban of electronic cigarettes or vape devices in the Philippines without prior consultation with the local vaping community.
Vapers Philippines spokesperson Mark Erana said that, according to fellow vapers in Europe, Bala, as head of the Philippine delegation, had supported a proposal that would allow an outright ban of electronic cigarettes without consulting the Philippine vaping community.
Reyes said that she was not saying whether the WHO position was correct or incorrect. ‘We just want Bala to do her job, and the taxpayers are paying her to take care of the civil service and civil servants, nothing else,’ she wrote.
The London Vape Co., which was formed in 2014 from an online business, now has four retail stores in London, where it employs 15 people, but it is looking this year to expand its presence to 10 stores and is always on the lookout for talented people. It might look to establish itself outside London and even overseas, but, no matter, the “London” in its trading name is not always used. It is known also as The Vape Co. and just Vape Co. Managing Director Anthony Mixides attributes the firm’s success to customer service, the up-to-date advice that it delivers and the fact that it offers the latest vapor products.
“We sell e-liquids, starter vape kits, advanced vape mods and accessories, as well as offering some services, such as coil building and classes,” he says. “We have a company that manufactures our own Vape Co. e-liquids and supplies an array of popular e-liquid and hardware brands. However, mainly we stock the popular—but also the lesser-known—mods, tanks and liquids that we find meet our high standards. Our own range of e-liquids comes in 38 different flavors ranging from fruit-based to tobacco flavors.”
Vapor Voice: How do you add new products to your range?
Mixides: We monitor the marketplace for new product releases and listen to customers’ requests. We stock two categories of liquids: house and guest. Our guest brands are constantly rotated, though if one such brand becomes very popular, we add it to our house list and do our best always to have it in stock.
Are your employees involved in this process? Most definitely. They are all avid vapers; they follow the market very closely and are constantly monitoring what is good and what should be brought into the company. In fact, our mods and tanks generally follow the trends and recommendations of our staff and customers. We have new e-liquids arriving nearly every day, and these are generally tested by our people, who provide feedback to my area managers. We try to avoid having too many overlaps before ordering, and now we are trying to look only at companies that comply with [new EU Tobacco Products Directive] requirements.
Do you offer the same products from each of your stores? Products do vary depending on store locations because some products do well in one store but not in others. The moment we realize this is the case, we quickly move the products in question to the store selling the most of that particular e-liquid or hardware. With e-liquids, we do have store exclusives to encourage customers to visit our other branches. But, on the other hand, we have had one previously exclusive e-liquid that was so popular in one branch that we will be rolling it out to other branches soon.
Is the design of your stores similar in each case? The latest two stores we have opened have the defined look and feel we will carry forward to our new store locations. This design is important because it has given our stores and our company a far more professional look. And that is a look—and feel—that really reflects what we are about: up-to-date advice, latest vape products and great customer service. We want our customers to feel comfortable when entering any of our stores.
Have your sales been increasing? Since we started we have seen a growth in sales month on month. We have a strong repeat-buying customer base and new customers every month. Our loyalty points system really keeps customers with us, and we sometimes have a problem maintaining stocks. Eighty percent of our business comprises e-liquids. For the everyday vaper, our own liquids are the most popular, but more experienced vapers tend to go for our American brands of gourmet liquids. Our most popular device has to be our own starter kit because we see a lot of people looking to quit smoking and that is the best device to get them started.
Who buys from you? The average age of our customers is 25 to 50, with approximately 60 percent of them men and 40 percent women. We find that a lot of people are still unsure about the world of vaping. Some are novices, and for them we offer a “try before you buy” [program] where we explain the different devices that are available and advise them about what we think are the best combinations of device and flavor to help them quit. We have even had maybe one or two customers who were nonsmokers, but that’s not something we have seen regularly.
The Joyetech eGo AIOBy Mike HumlJoyetech has done it again. By simplifying some trendy new features currently dominating the vapor market, Joyetech has succeeded in creating the all-around best starter kit for new users. The AIO, or “All-In-One,” incorporates a battery and a tank into a single easy-to-use device. From the fit and finish to the performance, one would be hard-pressed to find a more ideal kit for a wide range of new customers.Joyetech has taken its wildly popular Cubis tank and modified it into a hybrid device atop a 1,500mAh battery. While the idea seems like an obvious application, whether by intention or happy accident, these two pair perfectly. The Cubis is revered for being “leakproof,” and while that may be an exaggeration for the sake of marketing, it’s only slightly so. The only feasible way to make a Cubis (or the AIO, for that matter) leak is to overfill it. Due to the unique cup design of the glass tank, the only place for liquid to escape is through the top. So while the term leakproof may only be 99 percent accurate, it’s far from being false. Knowing this, the largest benefit of the AIO becomes clear. Nothing stops a new user from pursuing vaping faster than a leaky tank, and the AIO solves this problem better than any other device on the market. Leak resistance is, by a large margin, the best reason to carry this starter kit because it’s more likely to satisfy a new user with minimal growing pains. Luckily, the performance, price point and versatility of the AIO only add to its value.Out of all the starter kits designed to mimic the experience of smoking, the AIO comes the closest. While the device is compatible with any of Joyetech’s BF coils, the manufacturer recommends only using the 0.6-ohm stainless steel variety, as this one was designed specifically for the AIO. When using this coil, the user is able to use the device in a way similar to a cigarette, with sharper and faster drags that provide a warm vape with bold flavor. For the best results, the user will want to hold the firing button down until the crackle of the coil can be heard before taking a drag. This will most closely replicate the smoking sensation. However, if a customer isn’t satisfied with the experience, a store owner has a perfect opportunity to show off the value of his or her customer service by experimenting with some of the Cubis’ other BF coils in order to modify the vape to the customer’s liking. Unlike some other starter kits, the AIO outputs an unregulated 3.7 volts, which allows for more options and therefore gives the potential to appeal to more users.While the AIO does offer adjustable airflow, this feature is undoubtedly its weakest point. Airflow is adjusted by rotating the top cap of the tank, with the two indentations lining up to signify open airflow and a 90-degree offset representing tight airflow. However, there is very little difference between the two extremes. On one hand, the airy draw is a significant factor as to why the 0.6-ohm coil works so well, and why sharp mouth-to-lung drags actually produce an impressive amount of vapor without an unreasonably sharp throat hit. It also gives the user the opportunity to try lung hitting, once again providing options that appeal to a wider range of vapers. However, there is a risk of the AIO living in that no man’s land of awkward airflow where it’s just too airy for mouth-to-lung and too tight for lung-hitting. That being said, a new user with no point of reference may not even realize that this is an issue. If he or she does, it’s important that a store employee is aware of this potential problem area in order to address it, particularly if the new user isn’t able to verbalize what he or she is experiencing. For the most part, this isn’t expected to be a widespread complaint, but it’s worth noting for the simple fact that it may be the only complaint that a store owner may come across.Additionally, the AIO is childproof. Again, this is mostly marketing jargon, as nothing is truly childproof, but it is childproof in the traditional sense: The user must push down and twist the top of the tank in order to open it. So while this feature will most likely discourage a child from opening the tank and drinking the liquid, there’s still nothing to keep one from pressing the button and firing the atomizer, above and beyond the five-click on/off feature that comes standard on the majority of vaporizers. Nonetheless, the child-resistant design may be a selling point for anyone worried about children getting a hold of his or her device.Usage of the AIO is as simple as it gets. Unscrewing the child-resistant cap will allow the user to both fill the tank and replace the coil. The coil will be removed along with the top cap, and replacement is as easy as unscrewing it from the top and installing a fresh one. As with any tank, about five minutes of rest time is sufficient to ensure that the e-liquid has saturated the wick. Filling the tank involves only pouring, squirting or dripping liquid into the cup until it reaches the fill line. Depending on the color chosen for the AIO, the fill line may be a fill line proper or where the secondary color of the device sweeps up and meets the primary color. Either way, the AIO stores 2 mL of liquid, which is adequate for a starter kit. An LED illuminates the reservoir from the bottom, not only adding a personal touch to the style of the device but also making it easier to see how much liquid is in the tank. The refracting light creates a subtle glow but also a sharp line where the liquid meets the air pocket at the top of the reservoir. In addition, the color of this light can be selected (or turned off) by holding the firing button down while the device is turned off. When it lights up, press the button until the color changes and repeat until the desired color is shown. When firing, the LED will illuminate, then turn off when firing has ceased, then illuminate briefly to indicate battery life before fading out again. While not 100 percent necessary, the LED is a nice touch that goes beyond aesthetics to add some functionality.The eGo AIO will come with an additional 0.6-ohm BF replacement coil, a micro-USB charging cable, a user manual and a mouthpiece. The mouthpiece features an internal spiral design that eliminates spitback without restricting airflow. The USB port is located on the side of the device, allowing it to be set down upright while charging. In addition, the AIO can be used while charging, perfect for heavier users that can’t make a 1,500mAh battery last a full day. It’s a minimalistic package that comes with exactly what is needed, nothing more or less. The only additional purchase required is e-liquid, and with the price point of the AIO being extremely reasonable, this shouldn’t be an issue for any customer.Retail prices hover around the $20 range, making the AIO one of the best starter kits to date in terms of performance, features and value. Joyetech once again pushes the envelope of eGo technology by offering its users not only color choices but coil options, a customizable LED and adjustable airflow for varying vape styles. If that wasn’t impressive enough, the AIO accomplishes this with stunning simplicity, an unbeatable price point and first-to-market features like leak resistance and child-resistant design. The Joyetech eGo AIO would be worth consideration if it were double the price. As it stands currently, picking up this kit is a no-brainer.
Mike Huml
An enthusiast vaper since 2009, Mike Huml is always trying to get his hands on the newest, shiniest mod. Huml has evaluated countless vaping devices over the years, but you’ll usually find him with a mechanical mod and RDA in-hand, surrounded by an aura of fog. His personal motto: “Happiness is a warm coil.”
A reliable all-in-one box mod to rival Kanger’s Nebox
by Mike Huml
Artery Vapor is once again making the smart play by looking at the current market to determine what is popular. The Kanger Nebox took a cue from the Joyetech eGrip and improved upon it, making it larger and more suited to the enthusiast vaper, while still remaining a viable starter kit. Now, Artery Vapor looks to improve this integrated box design even further by increasing build quality, performance and versatility while correcting some of the issues that plagued the Nebox. Enter the Summa.
In a nutshell, the Summa is an integrated box mod, incorporating the “tank” into the mod itself, which results in a compact device that only requires an additional battery and e-liquid in order to function. The Summa uses proprietary ASC coils that utilize top-down airflow similar to the Cubis to eliminate leaking and airflow obstruction due to hand placement. A single 18650 cell powers the device. The cell can be charged internally or removed and charged in an external charger. Maximum output power is 70 watts, which is more than adequate to produce a hot vape with any of the ASC coils. Additionally, the Summa offers temperature control functionality with both nickel and titanium wires.
The box itself feels fantastic to hold. It’s a relatively hefty piece of hardware that radiates quality. The buttons are clicky with nice tactile feedback, without any rattling whatsoever. Both the battery and juice compartment are easy to unscrew, with no crunching or binding. Airflow originates at the top of the device so the user’s hand doesn’t get in the way. As a result, a slight breeze can be felt on the user’s mouth when inhaling, which can be jarring at first but ends up being a pleasant side effect of top-down airflow. In addition, the airflow can be adjusted to a wide degree, with the Summa being capable of both wide, open airflow for lung hits and extremely tight airflow for mouth-to-lung drags, and anything in between. The coils are replaced, again, in a similar fashion to the Cubis. By unscrewing the airflow ring past its stop point, the entire coil/chimney assembly can be removed and the coil replaced. Unscrewing the opposite end of the e-liquid reservoir allows for fast and easy filling. Four holes are set approximately 1 centimeter down, allowing the user to literally dump liquid into the chamber. At maximum capacity, the Summa holds just over 5 mL of e-liquid, which is a downgrade from the Nebox but still above average compared to most modern tanks.
How does the Summa stack up against the wildly popular Nebox? In short: It’s better in every way. One of the most common questions that a retailer will undoubtedly encounter is, “Does it leak like the Nebox?” No! It doesn’t! That fact alone will surely sell the Summa, particularly to Nebox sympathizers who have been willing to put up with the leaking in order to enjoy all its other features.
If leak resistance isn’t persuasive enough, simply holding the Summa in one hand and a Nebox in the other will serve to demonstrate the quality difference. While the Nebox feels light and fragile, almost like a toy, the Summa feels solid and durable—a device belonging to a higher echelon of vapor products for the discerning, professional vaper. Regardless of which color appeals to a customer, the overall aesthetic sets it apart from many other devices originating in China. It’s bold, slick and looks exactly like it belongs in a well-lit display case. Underneath it’s eye-catching exterior, the Summa has the performance to back it up.
What makes the Summa truly great is its versatility. Regardless of a user’s vape style, the Summa pulls it off with gusto. This is mainly due to its incredible airflow range and coil quality. Each coil uses a vertical coil design with organic cotton wick, which is no revelation in the age of sub-ohm tanks. However, the ASC coils last for much longer than Kanger’s coils and have virtually no break-in time. Provided that the user has either primed the coil or let it sit in a full tank for several minutes, the flavor is true from the first hit to the last. As for airflow, lung hitting is no problem at all. Because of the exceptionally long chimney and distance from the coil heating element, spitback is nowhere to be found. It’s a smooth draw with nothing unsavory of notice. What’s truly impressive is how well the Summa can be used to mouth-to-lung hit, especially when used with temperature control. At its most restrictive, the Summa’s airflow is reminiscent of a full-flavor or filterless cigarette. It’s extremely tight, and brings back memories of Vivi Novas and DCT tanks, in the best way possible. Out of all the modern systems that try to replicate the draw of a cigarette, the Summa not only comes closest but flat-out nails it. Any user should be able to easily pick up the Summa and vape however they prefer.
The menu system is basic, functional and concise. By pressing the plus and minus buttons simultaneously, the user can quickly access the menu and change settings such as the mode, temperature, auto shut-off time and screen orientation. This is also where one would go to update the firmware or check the current version. In an era of ever-expanding features and clunky key combinations, it’s a relief to see a menu system like the one found in the Summa. It’s straightforward and gets the job done.
In addition to correcting some of the issues inherent to the Kanger Nebox, it improves upon every other aspect as well. Build quality is top-notch, performance is stellar in terms of both vapor production and flavor, and it has the potential to appeal to each and every vaper. If there were a single word to describe what makes the Summa an excellent addition to any store shelf, it would be “versatility.”
As a starter kit, it’s extremely easy to use and performs well for those looking to replicate a cigarette-style experience or produce formidable clouds. E-liquid of any viscosity will work, and for beginning users, the 5 mL capacity should last a full day or longer. The Summa also lends itself to experimentation, allowing a new vaper the opportunity to try out multiple vaping styles. Internal charging eliminates the need for a separate charger and helps to mitigate the cost of entry. For a first-time customer looking to invest in a device that will last, this might be the best option available.
For an intermediate user, the Summa could be sold as a flat-out replacement for his or her Nebox. It’s a similar experience with a better aesthetic, improved performance and no leaking. Anyone who liked the Nebox but has grown weary of its quirks will jump on this opportunity right away. Nothing is more tempting than holding an inferior device and staring its arguably better competition in the face. Anybody who is using or has used a Nebox, or anyone using a single 18650 device for that matter, will immediately be drawn to the Summa, and getting a bite out of them may only require that you let them hold it for a moment.
The toughest customer will most likely be the enthusiast. To see a device that only uses a single 18650 with no rebuildable option might immediately be a turnoff. They’ve heard of the Nebox and they’ve passed on it. If they’re going to buy a device, they want to use what they already know they like, and not be limited to a device with no 510 connection. That being said, never forget that enthusiasts don’t own just one device. The Summa may not be their daily driver, but it could fill a need, such as a backup or travel device. Even advanced users grow tired of carrying around large mods, extra batteries and a bottle of liquid to drip everywhere they go, but they grin and bear it in order to always have the best vape experience. A retailer simply needs to show that the Summa is a great vape experience and, although it may not replace the customer’s staple setup, there is value to be found. The trick is to listen to the customer and find a way in which the Summa can fill a gap in the enthusiast’s arsenal. It may be convenience or simply aesthetic design, but the gap is there, no matter how small. Find it, and you’ve got a sale.
Artery Vapor couldn’t have produced a better sophomore introduction to its lineup. Banking on the popularity of the Nebox and improving every facet of it is a slam dunk. As such, the Summa has a definite place in the vape community, and as a store owner, it would be wise to capitalize on that. With a wide potential market, excellent performance, superior quality and a proven demand, there’s no reason why a space shouldn’t already be prepared on store shelves.
As electronic cigarettes and other nicotine-vapor products grow in popularity, US state and local jurisdictions that rely extensively on revenues from cigarette taxes face new challenges in determining which policies best promote public health, a new R Street Institute policy study has found.
R Street describes itself as a non-profit, non-partisan public policy research organization whose mission is to promote free markets and limited, effective government. In a press note, the study’s authors, state programs director Cameron Smith and research associate Dan Semelsberger, said they had examined the tax and regulatory environments for electronic cigarettes and nicotine-vapor products across 52 major US cities, evaluating the degree to which each promoted a harm-reduction approach to tobacco. ‘Our first Vapescore analysis reveals a rapidly developing policy area rife with misinformation and heavily motivated by a political desire to replace declining cigarette revenues,’ Smith and Semelsberger wrote.
‘We anticipate our scoring to change significantly in future iterations of Vapescore, as more state and local governments actively develop policies for emerging alternatives to cigarettes.
‘We likely will need to address novel products, such as so-called “heat-not-burn” offerings, as they become available in the United States.’ The report is said to focus specifically on currently available vapor products that most nearly replicate the smoking experience, but without the harmful tar and other chemicals that cause cancer and a host of other smoking-related diseases. ‘As vapor products and other less harmful alternatives to cigarettes gain a proportionally larger share of the marketplace, policymakers must carefully ensure that the quest for tax revenues doesn’t undermine the laudable goal of improving public health,’ the authors said.
‘Rather than arbitrarily and unscientifically drawing the conclusion that cigarettes and vapor products are equivalent, public officials should consider policies treat vapor products proportionally to their health impacts.’ The full report, including sources and methodology, is available here: http://www.vapescore.org/
A class action failure-to-warn lawsuit against electronic cigarette companies was thrown out by the Central District Court of California last week, according to a story on natlawreview.com.
The suit, filed by plaintiffs from California, Illinois, and New York, included claims that the accused companies, including Lorillard Tobacco Co. and Reynolds American Inc., which bought Lorillard in 2014, deceptively advertised the health benefits of electronic cigarette products over traditional cigarettes.
The judge ruled federal law superseded state regulations citing the US Food and Drug Administration’s rule making electronic cigarettes subject to the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. Under Federal law tobacco products only need to carry a warning regarding the addictive properties of nicotine and states cannot mandate stricter labeling requirements.
The Review said that the only claim that appeared to have survived was an unfair competition claim that the companies neglected to warn consumers of the dangers of toxic chemicals in the products.
If complying with new vape-product regulations is not to become a competitive disadvantage in the UK, those regulations need to be enforced from day one, according to the Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA).
The IBVTA said that from today only vape products (electronic cigarettes and e-liquids) that complied with all the requirements of the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR) could be manufactured or imported to the UK.
“Producers (i.e. anyone who imports, manufactures, or re-brands a product) cannot sell any remaining stocks of non-compliant products after 21st November 2016, unless those products have been notified by 21st November 2016,” it stated in a press note. “Retailers that do not engage in importation or manufacture may continue to sell non-compliant products up until the 19th May 2017 provided the product was sourced from a UK manufacturer and was in stock prior to the 21st November or has been notified as non-compliant by the producer.”
The IBVTA said that while its members had worked hard and spent a significant sum of money to meet this deadline, some companies had been entirely, and often willfully, ignorant of, and unprepared for, their responsibilities under the new regulations.
“IBVTA members have collectively spent millions of pounds to comply with these regulations, and to meet deadlines set back in 2014,” said Fraser Cropper, chairman of the IBVTA. “If these regulations are not enforced and policed from the 22nd November, this expenditure will in effect be money down the drain.
“That ‘doing the right thing’ could become a disincentive, as well as a competitive disadvantage, would be an outrageous affront to those that have willingly worked with regulators and made significant commercial investment to help make a difficult, ill-conceived, and counterproductive piece of legislation vaguely palatable.”
Meanwhile, Nigel Quine, deputy chairman of the IBVTA said the association applauded the constructive attitude taken by the Department of Health and the MHRA [the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency] with regard to the implementation of the regulations.
“However, if the responsible industry is to retain confidence in the TRPR going forward, then deadlines need to be met and enforced, not just for the sake of the responsible industry, but also for consumer safety and confidence,” he said.
Early Tuesday afternoon the rumors started. The U.S. FDA was changing the deeming date. While being true in a sense, it wasn’t quite what was expected. Today’s announcement will be almost meaningless to the vapor industry.
Mitch Zeller, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, has said that the FDA considered a number of factors in developing the rule and “believes our approach is reasonable and balanced.”
The FDA will publish a rule change today, Sept. 16, that will address how it “refuses to accept” premarket tobacco applications (PMTA).
The rule change does matter to many, though. Changing its direct final rule regarding procedures for refusing to accept PMTA will undoubtedly give those (mostly tobacco) companies much-needed time to comply with an onerous regulation that isn’t far off for the vapor industry.
This change does give hope, however, that the FDA is susceptible to public outcry, according to many vapor industry experts.
A new trade body for the UK vaping industry has condemned the World Health Organization’s stance on vaping regulation as part of its plans for tobacco control.
The biennial gathering of the Conference of the Parties (CoP7) to the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, described by one British MP as a “waste of money”, met in India last week to discuss international strategies for tobacco harm reduction.
‘The COP7 conference’s core mission is to combat tobacco use and promote public health, but this secretive gathering has also begun spreading its influence into the area of vaping – an area for which it has no mandate,’ the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), said in a press note.
‘Despite many governments, such as the UK’s, seeing vaping as a powerful tool for smoking cessation and harm reduction, the WHO has said that prohibition of vaping products is a viable option in tobacco reduction strategies.’
The UKVIA said it was dismayed by the tone this set for public health officials who were currently reviewing their own approach to vaping.
“The WHO’s position on vaping is entirely counterproductive,” said Brett Horth, a UKVIA board member and CEO of Guildford-based Vapouriz. “How can we be in a position where respected health agencies, like our own Public Health England, are saying that vaping is up to 95 percent safer than tobacco use but at the same time announce an extra £15 million funding for an international organization like the WHO which says it’s acceptable to ban it?
“If a complete ban was ever brought in, preventing people from using vaping as a highly beneficial route towards smoking cessation, it’s no exaggeration to say it could cost lives in the long term.”
Public Health England, Action on Smoking and Health and Cancer Research UK have all recently acknowledged that vaping could play a significant part in reducing tobacco use, and ultimately save lives.
“The UK has so far taken a very enlightened approach to vaping technologies and their potential for tobacco harm reduction,” said John Dunne, a UKVIA board member and MD of Nicopure Labs. “In fact many Stop Smoking Services across the country have started using them as part of their offer to smokers trying to quit. What message does this send to them?
“The tone the WHO are setting by leaving the door open to prohibition could be a public health disaster that would cost lives, and a real missed opportunity for those trying to break the link with tobacco. We urge the UK government to take a stand against this decision.”
Public Health Minister, Nicola Blackwood, was quoted as saying during a recent Westminster debate that it was notable that one of the most significant disruptions to smoking in recent years had had nothing to do with government intervention. “We have seen considerable take-up of e-cigarettes in the UK, and we know that almost half of the 2.8 million current users are no longer smoking tobacco,” she said.
The UKVIA says it was formed in September 2016 as a partnership of the leading producers, distributors and vendors of vaping products. UKVIA had been established to support all parts of the vape industry, and aimed to represent all responsible and ethical vaping businesses in the UK, irrespective of the size of their companies and operations.
UKVIA is made up of 13 founding members, with varying shares of the vaping market both in terms of production and retail. All members have equal voting rights in the future direction of the association, and share the costs of running the association equally.
The founding members are: Vape Club; Vapouriz; Madvapes; British American Tobacco; E cig Wizard; Gamucci, Fontem Ventures (Imperial Brands); Nicopure; Japan Tobacco International; Multicig; Nerudia; Philip Morris International; Vaporized.
