Author: Taco Tuinstra

Hong Kong Considers Generational Cigarette Ban

Photo: efired
Hong Kong residents who were born in 2009 or after should be banned from buying cigarettes by 2027, the Council on Smoking and Health proposed on Nov. 3, reports the South China Morning Post
The city’s smoking population dropped to 9.5 percent last year—hitting single digits for the first time since tracking began—but Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has pledged to lower the rate to 7.8 percent in three years.
Other measures proposed include doubling the current tobacco tax by 2023-2024, which means a pack of cigarettes currently priced at HKD60 ($7.64) would rise to around HKD100. The council said the tax should be further raised in the following two years, so a pack of cigarettes would cost HKD200 by 2025-2026.
The council also recommended expanding the city’s nonsmoking areas to cover taxi and bus stands, as well as spaces that fall within 10 meters of hospitals, schools and community facilities.
Hong Kong currently does not allow smoking on public transport, including its interchanges, in hospitals, schools, parks and indoor areas of restaurants, bars and malls.
Some lawmakers expressed concern about the proposed measures. Representing the wholesale and retail sectors, Shiu Ka-fai, said poorer smokers would not be able to afford the product following the proposed tax increases.
He also opposed the idea of “smoke-free generation” as the policy would limit freedom of choice.
The Long-term Tobacco Policy Concern Group, which represents smokers, opposed the tax hike, saying that consumers might buy illicit cigarettes instead of quitting, and that the measure would impact the city’s economic recovery.
Council Chairman Henry Tong Sau-chai also opposed a proposal to reverse Hong Kong’s ban on the re-export smoking alternatives as a means to boost the economy.
In April, Hong Kong prohibited the import, sale or manufacture smoking alternatives, such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and herbal cigarettes.
The legislation also prohibits smoking products from being transshipped through Hong Kong when brought in by truck or ship for transport onwards overseas, although air transshipment cargo and transit cargo that stays on a plane or ship are exempt.
Tong worried that the reverse would create a “loophole” where alternative tobacco products would slip to the community.
November 6, 2022
Smoore Showcases Feelm Max at Jakarta Exhibition

Photo: Smoore
Smoore presented its Feelm Max disposable technology solution at the Indonesia Electronic Atomization Exhibition (IECIE2022), which took place at the Jakarta International Convention and Exhibition Center.
Speaking at the exhibition, Smoore Vice President Clayton Shen highlighted the importance of technological innovation in driving progress in the vaping industry.
Feelm Max features a ceramic coil technology that offers more puffs and consistent flavor, according to a company press release. It is currently sold in more than 10 countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. Other features include a semi-translucence mouthpiece and to environmentally friendly packaging.
During his presentation of the Feelm Max, Clayton Shen explained that the closed system is the fastest growing category in the new tobacco market and will claim a significant market share in the long run.
According to Smoore, ceramic coils solve longstanding challenges such as liquid leakage and burnt taste, Ceramic coils, said Shen, are used by leading vapor product manufacturers, such as Reynolds Vapor Co., RELX and NJOY.
One of the most influential exhibition platforms for companies operating in the vaping sector, the IECIE covered an area of over 12,000 square meters in Jakarta, with over 100 exhibitors and more than 10,000 visitors.
In recent years, Southeast Asia has become a new industry hub by virtue of its population base and market development potential. Euromonitor expects the Southeast Asian vaping grow by 29 percent in 2023.
October 24, 2022
British Columbia, Juul Labs Litigation to Proceed

Photo: niroworld
The Supreme Court of British Columbia has dismissed an application from Altria Group to stay or dismiss proceedings against the company in a class action against Juul Labs, reports The Lawyer’s Daily. Altria owns 35 percent of Juul.
The claim alleges that Altria conspired with Juul in the sale of nicotine vaping devices, to youth in particular, with the goal “to convert them into smokers” in part through nicotine addiction.
The class action was initially filed in September 2019, shortly after Health Canada issued an advisory for vapers to “monitor themselves for symptoms of pulmonary illness … and to seek medical attention promptly if they have concerns about their health.”
“This is an important decision that ensures that Canadians are able to sue all the parties that they allege have harmed them,” said Daniel Bach, a partner in Siskinds, about the Supreme Court decision. “We look forward to litigating these issues against Altria on the merits.”
Juul has been pummeled by lawsuits and mounting restrictions on the production and sale of vaping products in recent years. The e-cigarette maker has suffered financially as a result.
Since 2019, Juul has halted all U.S. advertising, discontinued most of its flavors and attempted to rebrand itself as a product for older smokers who seek alternatives to cigarettes.
According to press reports, Juul has been preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
This was the second appeal by Altria in this class action that British Columbia courts have dismissed. In October 2021, the B.C. Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal to an order allowing cross-examination on its affidavits in the company’s jurisdictional challenge.
October 19, 2022
Chinese, European Vape Groups Sign Marketing Code
Photo: IEVA
The E-Cigarette Professional Committee of the China Electronics Chamber of Commerce (ECCC) has signed the Independent European Vape Alliance’s (IEVA) recently updated Code for Responsible Marketing.
The Code for Responsible Marketing contains 14 mandatory principles, focusing on the idea that “e-cigarette marketing should not make vaping seem appealing to minors.”
“As confident as we are that e-cigarettes have significant harm reduction potential, we also recognize that they must be marketed responsibly,” said Dustin Dahlmann, president of IEVA, in a statement.
“The signatories therefore only address adult smokers and e-cigarette users with their advertising and marketing to inform them about the products. Youth protection is imperative for us. We are very glad that we agreed on this with our dear colleagues from China.”
October 17, 2022
BAT Conducts New Study of its Velo Oral Nicotine

Photo: BAT
BAT has conducted a cross-sectional clinical study of Velo, which is designed to provide new insights into the real-world health impact of its modern oral nicotine pouch product compared to smoking. Protocol details explaining the design have been published in the journal JMIR Research Protocols.
The study evaluates exposure to certain toxicants and early indicators associated with smoking-related disease in people who have been exclusively using Velo for over six months and compares them with groups of smokers, former smokers and never-smokers.
The results are currently being analyzed and will be published by the end of the year.
“Modern oral nicotine pouches are an exciting product category, which build upon the extensive scientific evidence available for snus but are designed to offer adult consumers an improved tobacco-free, reduced-risk alternative,” said Sharon Goodall, BAT’s group head of regulatory sciences, in a statement.
“We have already generated data that shows Velo has a toxicant profile better than snus and is comparable to nicotine-replacement therapy. However, we wanted to generate further evidence to demonstrate the important contribution it can make to tobacco harm reduction. I believe the results of this study will provide important new information, and we look forward to sharing them once available.”
October 17, 2022
Asia Harm Reduction Forum 2022 set for Oct. 28

The Fifth Asia Harm Reduction Forum (AHRF 2022) will take place Oct. 28 at The Manila Hotel in the Philippines.
Under the title, “Integrating Harm Reduction in Asian Policies: A Major Win for Public Health,” the forum will cover the merits of harm reduction as the most effective tool to address the smoking epidemic in the Asia-Pacific region.
Ron Sison
“This key event comes at a critical turning point, as tobacco harm reduction (THR) takes root in several Asian countries,” says AHRF 2022 Lead Convenor Ron Sison, who is also president of The Harm Reduction Alliance of the Philippines.
A hybrid event, AHRF 2022 will engage scientists, consumers, legislators and policymakers. The sessions will be streamed live on the AHRF YouTube Channel and Facebook.
“Asia is actively tackling the steps towards securing a smoke-free future,” says Peter Dator, president of Vapers PH, a consumer group. “The Philippines recently lifted its vaping ban, regulating the importation, manufacture, sale, and marketing of vaping products. Malaysia and Thailand are also set to regulate, thanks to the sheer weight of scientific evidence and the hard work of THR advocates.”
“Despite more countries supporting vaping, we must remain vigilant and active in our THR discussions and advocacy,” says Asa Saligupta, director of ENDS Cigarette Smoke Thailand. “Let’s not forget the most convincing smoking cessation devices remain illegal in many parts of Asia-Pacific. We’ve got plenty of work to do, with AHRF 2022 key to this region’s future success.”
October 17, 2022
FDA Gives Most Warning Letters to Small Companies

Photo: Postmodern Studio
Current U.S. Food and Drug Administration oversight of the vaping industry in the U.S. is likely to have minimal impact, suggests an analysis of the regulator’s warning letters for marketing violations, published online in the journal Tobacco Control.
The regulator is failing to target the key players or the products most popular with young people, the analysis suggests, with over 90 percent of warnings sent to small online retailers rather than leading tobacco companies, and a focus on refillable devices.
While the prevalence of vaping among U.S. adults remains low, at just under 4 percent in 2020, it is four times higher among young people.
In 2016, the FDA announced plans to regulate the vaping industry, including a requirement for the manufacturers of e-cigarettes to obtain premarket approval (PMTA) to ensure that their products protect public health.
In 2017, the regulator began sending warning letters to manufacturers, retailers and distributors for potential violations, such as advertising to young people, selling to minors, packaging or labeling that contravened regulations, and failure to apply for a PMTA.
But little is known about who received these letters, the types of product they concerned, or details of the violations and their consequences.
To try and find out, researchers from Truth Initiative assessed the content and recipients of publicly available FDA warning letters issued in 2020 and 2021. In total, the FDA issued 303 warnings: 126 in 2020 and 177 up to Sept. 9, 2021.
The analysis revealed that in 2021, over 98 percent of all the targeted companies fulfilled all three roles (manufacturer, distributor and retailer).
But nearly all the letters (97 percent) were sent to small online retailers, none of which were large companies with measurable market share, as evidenced by sales data.
Companies were cited for between one and three infractions. Most involved failure to obtain a PMTA. In 2020 and 2021, respectively, 56 percent and 99 percent-plus of the infractions concerned a PMTA violation.
And more than 90 percent of the products cited—880 different ones in total—were flavored refillable e-cigarette liquids rather than the disposable vaping devices that the evidence indicates are most popular with young people.
Penalties ranged in severity from product detention to product seizure and fines. But loss of tobacco distributor license and criminal charges appeared less frequently in both years than these other consequences.
At the time of the review, most (72 percent) of the websites cited for 2020 infractions were still operating as were 29 percent of websites cited for 2021 infractions.
And as the authors note, it was impossible to find out how the targeted companies responded and whether the FDA followed through with the consequences cited in the warning letters because that information isn’t publicly available.
“While current research estimates that online sales comprise around one-third of the marketplace, data tell us that most young people get their products from friends (32.3 percent), buy them from another person (21.5 percent) or purchase from a vape shop (22.2 percent),” the authors noted in a statement.
“Prioritizing the products most accessed by youth, which are made available from a variety of sources, will be important to curb youth use,” they add.
“Strong, impactful and transparent consequences need to be in place to prevent the sale of products that violate regulations necessary in protecting the health of adult users of e-cigarettes and preventing youth use alike,” the authors added.
“The FDA should use its enforcement powers to target the manufacturing, distribution and sellers of the tobacco products that have the greatest impact on youth and products that provide no public health benefit.”
October 14, 2022
‘U.K. Unlikely to Enact Khan Recommendations’

Photo: William Richardson
The U.K. government is unlikely to enact the actions recommended by Javed Khan in his recent report on smoking, according to an article in The Guardian citing insiders.
The British government has committed to make the country “smoke-free” by 2030. This defined as getting the proportion of adults who smoke down from 14.1 percent to just 5 percent.
Published in June, Khan’s report says that ministers need to accelerate the reduction in smoking by 40 percent if want were to hit the 2030 target. Among other actions, he recommended raising the legal age of buying tobacco by a year every year and putting, imposing a new “polluter pays” levy on tobacco firms, and requiring sellers of tobacco products to have a license.
According to The Guardian, U.K. Health Secretary Thérèse Coffey also intends to break her predecessor’s promise to publish an action plan to tackle smoking.
The paper writes that Coffey has previously accepted hospitality from the tobacco industry. Since becoming an MP in 2010 she has voted in the House of Commons against an array of measures to restrict smoking, including the ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces, the outlawing of smoking in cars containing children and forcing cigarettes to be sold in plain packs.
The Department of Health and Social Care said it was “inaccurate” to suggest that the tobacco control plan was being dropped—but did not say if or when it would publish it.
Labour and anti-smoking campaigners voiced alarm at the potential U-turn over the tobacco control plan. It follows a Treasury-ordered review of measures to tackle obesity, and Coffey scrapping a promised white paper on health inequalities.
October 13, 2022
WVA Campaigns for Harm Reduction in Strasbourg

Photo: WVA
As a kickoff for the #BackVapingBeatSmoking campaign, representatives of the World Vapers Alliance (WVA) presented Members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg with a “Vaping Products Directive” to show how e-cigarettes need to be treated to fulfill their potential as tobacco harm reduction tools.
The campaign launches as European legislators review the Tobacco Products Directive. Responding to the EU Commission’s public call for evidence, the WVA has spoken out against flavor bans and excessive regulation.
“By backing vaping, we can beat smoking and save 19 million lives with sensible regulation,” said Michael Landl, director of the WVA. “The EU call for evidence has seen a record number of 24,000 responses, showing that consumers want to embrace tobacco harm reduction, and it happens that vaping has been proven one of the most successful so far.
“The EU needs to put an end to current discussions about flavor bans, and vaping must be kept affordable and accessible. It is time for the EU to fully endorse tobacco harm reduction and to make vaping a centerpiece of it.”
The #BackVapingBeatSmoking campaign launched in Strasbourg, France, with a “Don’t Let 19 Million Lives Fall” protest art installation and will spread to 10 cities in six countries during October 2022 through November 2022.
“We will host community events and protests in France, Poland, Czech Republic, Italy, Portugal and Belgium to draw attention to one of the most crucial pieces of legislation for the future of vaping. It is time for politicians to listen to consumers and science,” said Landl in a statement.
The WVA has also launched a petition against harmful vaping regulation, such as flavor bans or high taxation on vaping products. The signatures will be delivered to Members of the European Parliament at the end of the tour in November.

October 8, 2022
Qnovia Gets $17 million for RespiRx NRT Nebulizer

Photo: Qnovia
Qnovia has raised $17 million to continue development of its RespiRx nicotine replacement product, reports Richmond Business Sense.
RespiRx is a portable, hand-held nebulizer, a powered medical device that delivers medicine as an inhaled mist and is similar to an inhaler. The device is designed to deliver a nicotine hit more quickly than existing therapies, thus enabling users to better manage withdrawals and, therefore, increase the likelihood of smoking cessation.
Qnovia was founded in 2018 in Los Angeles by Mario Danek as Respira Technologies and rebranded in September. In May, the company appointed former Altria executive Brian Quigley as CEO and Danek as chief technology officer.
The company also moved to Richmond, Virginia, in part because that state offers a more business friendly environment, according to Quigley, whose tobacco career included a six-year stint as CEO of Altria’s U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. subsidiary.
In addition, many of the partners the company works with are on the East Coast. Qnovia contracts with a Boston manufacturer to make its device and a firm in Pennsylvania to create the medicine administered through the device.
Qnovia will use the newly raised funds to develop a proof of concept for RespiRx as a nicotine replacement therapy product and move it through an FDA approval process before the anticipated start of human clinical trials in 2023.
The product is expected to hit the market as a prescription treatment. Qnovia is also interested in exploring how RespiRx can be used for asthma, pain management, vaccines and other uses.
October 5, 2022