Tag: e-cigarettes

  • Tempe, Arizona Seeks to Implement Vape Shop License

    Tempe, Arizona Seeks to Implement Vape Shop License

    Credit: Bruce

    The city of Tempe, Arizona in the U.S. is considering making retailers buy a license to sell tobacco, including e-cigarettes.

    A proposal from a council committee calls for a citywide registry of businesses that sell tobacco, along with a process to revoke licenses for retailers who repeatedly sell to minors, according to Frontera Desk.

    It also suggests raising the age to buy tobacco products to 21. Federal law already prohibits purchases to anyone under 21, but Arizona does not have a similar state law.

    Tempe will hold two community meetings and an online survey in March before the council takes up the issue in April or May.

  • Sheridan, Wyoming to Consider Criminalizing Youth Vaping

    Sheridan, Wyoming to Consider Criminalizing Youth Vaping

    Credit: Photos 593

    The city council in Sheridan, Wyoming, will meet Tuesday, February 21 for their regularly scheduled business meeting instead of Monday due to the President’s Day holiday. According to Sheridan Media, one of the items the Council will consider is an ordinance pertaining to vaping and tobacco use by minors in the City.

    Under the proposed ordinance, any minor found possessing tobacco or electronic cigarettes (vaping devices) would be subject to a tiered system of fines through Municipal Court.

    There will be a public hearing prior to the Council considering the ordinance on first reading. There will also be a public hearing and subsequent first-reading consideration of an ordinance regarding drug paraphernalia within the City. The City Council will meet Tuesday night at 7 in Council Chambers on the third floor of Sheridan City Hall.

  • Warner: Enough Evidence for Vapes as Cessation Tool

    Warner: Enough Evidence for Vapes as Cessation Tool

    Kenneth Warner (Photo: University of Michigan News)

    There is enough evidence to support using e-cigarettes as a first-line aid for smoking cessation in adults, according to Kenneth Warner, dean emeritus and the Avedis Donabedian Distinguished University Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health.

    “Far too many adults who want to quit smoking are unable to do so,” Warner said in a statement. “E-cigarettes constitute the first new tool to help them in decades. Yet relatively few smokers and indeed health care professionals appreciate their potential value.”

    In a study published in Nature Medicine, Warner and colleagues took a global view of vaping, examining countries that promote vaping as a smoking cessation and countries that don’t. 

    While agencies in the United States and Canada acknowledge the potential benefit of e-cigarette use, they deem the evidence to recommend e-cigarettes for smoking cessation as insufficient, according to the authors.  

    However, in the United Kingdom and New Zealand there is high-level support and promotion of e-cigarettes as a first-line smoking cessation treatment option.

    “We believe that governments, medical professional groups and individual health care professionals in countries such as the U.S., Canada and Australia should give greater consideration to the potential of e-cigarettes for increasing smoking cessation,” Warner said. “E-cigarettes are not the magic bullet that will end the devastation wrought by cigarette smoking, but they can contribute to that lofty public health goal.”

    Warner’s previous research has found considerable evidence suggesting e-cigarettes are an effective smoking-cessation tool for adults in the U.S., where hundreds of thousands of people die of smoking-related illness each year. 

    In addition to evaluating differences in regulatory activities across countries, the researchers examined evidence that vaping increases smoking cessation, the health consequences of e-cigarettes and the implications for clinical care. 

    They also cite the Food and Drug Administration’s designating some e-cigarette brands as “appropriate for the protection of the public health”—the standard required to receive approval for marketing. This action, the researchers say, implies indirectly that the FDA believes e-cigarettes can help some individuals quit smoking who would not do so otherwise.

    Warner and colleagues conclude that “acceptance of the promotion of e-cigarettes as a tool for smoking cessation will likely depend on continuing efforts to reduce access to, and use of, the products by young people who have never smoked. The two objectives can and should co-exist.”

    Study co-authors include Neal Benowitz of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco; Ann McNeill of the National Addiction Centre, King’s College London, U.K.; and Nancy Rigotti, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School. 

  • Olczak Outlines Harm Reduction Vision at Summit

    Olczak Outlines Harm Reduction Vision at Summit

    Jacek Olczak (Photo: PMI)

    In an address at the recent ET Global Business Summit 2023 in New Delhi, Philip Morris International CEO’s, Jacek Olczak, emphasized the need for leveraging science and technology for a better, more sustainable future, according to a PMI press release.

    Conceived in 2015, and now in its seventh edition, the Global Business Summit seeks to provide solutions to macroeconomic challenges by curating government-to-government interactions, business to government meetings, business-to-business engagements and to serve as a conduit for corporates and governments to secure investments in India from domestic and international allies.

    Held on Feb. 17-18, the New Delhi summit was attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with several CEOs, policymakers and academics.

    Speaking on the theme “Sustainable economy for the greater good,” Olczak stressed how innovation has grown rapidly over the past decades with investments across a wide range of industries, including the energy and automotive sectors.

    “Science and technology integrated with a collaboration between private and public has proven to be key to identify solutions to overcome difficult challenges,” he said.

    Olczak then touched up PMI’s commitment to realizing a smoke-free future. Thanks to advances in science and technology, it is now possible to eliminate combustion and replace it with controlled heating, at much lower temperatures. At these lower temperatures, these products generate significantly lower levels of harmful compounds, according to Olczak, who also spoke about the clinical and non-clinical studies that have been conducted on PMI’s heated tobacco products.

    Drawing parallels with other industries, Olczak spoke about the need to address challenges at their source, while also working to identify safer alternatives. The harm-reduction principles underpinning the moves from wood-fuel stoves to gas-fueled stoves, and from combustion-engine vehicles to less-polluting alternatives, also apply to tobacco, according to Olczak.

    Taking the example of Japan, he noted how the introduction of heated tobacco products in that country has contributed to a decline in cigarette sales at an annual rate of 1.8 percent on average over the past few years.

    With the expanded availability of heated tobacco products, almost 35 percent of cigarettes in Japan have been replaced by heated tobacco products over the past seven years. Recent analysis has also shown a downward trend in hospitalizations for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Additionally, research funded by the country’s Ministry of Health and Welfare shows there is negligible adoption of these products by minors, according to PMI. “Similar dynamics are being observed in several European countries,” said Olczak.

    Olczak also spoke about how the estimated 200 million users of oral tobacco in India could be offered modern, safer oral tobacco products, like the ones available in Scandinavia.

    According to Olczak, PMI’s biggest contribution to society lies in addressing cigarette health effects. Throughout the company’s history, it has been a leading player in the cigarette market. Now, the company is intentionally leaving that behind, he said, embarking on a transformation to provide adults who would otherwise continue to smoke.

    “All that’s needed is for today’s innovative, science-based products to be matched by equally innovative policies that encourage people that smoke to switch to less harmful alternatives. This is where India can help drive positive change for the rest of the world. And as chair of the G20, it can be a prime example for emerging economies,” he opined.

    “Innovation in the tobacco industry is finally a reality,” said Olczak. “The question we must ask ourselves is this: How do we ensure that innovations are used in the service of people? In other words, how do we leverage technology, science, and innovation to accelerate public health progress and get millions of Indian smokers away from cigarettes? Given India’s history in leveraging innovative solutions to solve issues of society, I am confident that India will be a global leader in progressive tobacco policies going forward,” he concluded.

  • U.S. House Bill Could Force FDA to Focus on Disposables

    U.S. House Bill Could Force FDA to Focus on Disposables

    Credit: ArieStudio

    A new House bill would require the FDA to update its enforcement guidance to prioritize its enforcement against disposable electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products.

    U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) introduced the bill that would also close a legal loophole that allows for the sale of flavored e-cigarettes if the delivery device is disposable.

    “Too many of our youth are forming nicotine addictions, increasing their risk of future addiction to other drugs,” Cherfilus-McCormick said in a news release. “I am even more troubled by the fact that Chinese manufacturers and suppliers are flooding the U.S. market with unregulated, harmful substances that are altering our children’s brain development and lives, according to a release.

    The bill, known as HR 901, was referred last week to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for review and consideration. The bill wouldn’t ban disposable vapes or give the FDA additional authority if passed.

    The bill could find support from some House members and tobacco companies. Last week, R.J. Reynolds filed a formal FDA citizen petition asking the agency to prioritize enforcement against disposable vapes.

  • Medicinal Cannabis Research Act Survives Senate Committee

    Medicinal Cannabis Research Act Survives Senate Committee

    Credit: EKKAPON

    The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs advanced the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act on Thursday, marking the first-ever standalone cannabis bill to be passed out of a Senate committee.

    If passed, it would be only the second standalone marijuana legislation to be passed federally.

    The bipartisan bill, which advanced in a markup session that occurred off the floor, would direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct both a study and clinical trials on the “effects of cannabis on certain health outcomes of veterans with chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder,” as well as for other conditions. 

    The Senate legislation is sponsored by Montana Sen. Jon Tester, also the chair of the committee, and co-sponsored by Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan; House Reps. Lou Correa and Jack Bergman have introduced the House version, Cannabis Wire reports. 

    “I’m particularly proud we cleared a number of my bills allowing VA to increase the number of providers in rural areas, authorize important VA projects, and conduct research into medicinal cannabis as an alternative treatment to treating the wounds of war,” Tester said in a statement after the advancement of three veterans bills on Thursday.

    The VA has been an ongoing example of where state and federal cannabis laws clash. While medical cannabis is now legal in a majority of states, cannabis remains a Schedule I substance under federal law. VA doctors, beholden to federal law, have been unable to recommend these products to patients. 

     “Medicinal cannabis is already in use by thousands of veterans across the country, but we don’t yet have the data we need to understand the potential benefits and side effects associated with this alternative therapy,” Sullivan said in a statement when introducing the bill.

    Last year, for the first time, a standalone piece of marijuana reform legislation was signed into law by a U.S. president. The “Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act” is just one signature away from historic enactment.

  • CBD Could Potentially Help Smokers Quit Smoking

    CBD Could Potentially Help Smokers Quit Smoking

    Cannabidiol (CBD) could help tobacco users quit, according to a new study published in Chemical Research in Toxicology.

    Washington State University researchers tested the effects of CBD and its major metabolite on human liver tissue and cell samples and found that it inhibited a key enzyme for nicotine metabolism. Slowing nicotine metabolism could allow users to wait longer before feeling the need for more. More research is needed, but according to Philip Lazarus, Washington State University professor of pharmaceutical sciences, the findings are promising.

    “The whole mission is to decrease harm from smoking, which is not from the nicotine per se but all the carcinogens and other chemicals that are in tobacco smoke,” said Lazarus, senior author of the study. “If we can minimize that harm, it would be a great thing for human health.”

    “It appears that you don’t need much CBD to see the effect,” said Lazarus.

    Lazarus’ team is developing a clinical study to examine the effects of CBD on nicotine levels in smokers, measuring nicotine levels in their blood versus smokers taking a placebo over the course of six hours to eight hours. They hope to then do a much larger study looking at CBD and nicotine addiction.

  • CTP Announces new Director of Office of Science

    CTP Announces new Director of Office of Science

    Matthew Farrelly (Credit: RTI International)

    The new director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s tobacco science division is Matthew Farrelly, former chief scientist and director of the Center for Health Analytics, Media, and Policy for RTI International.

    In an announcement, The FDA’s Center of Tobacco Products (CTP) stated that Farrelly’s extensive work in the field of tobacco and nicotine science for more than 25 years, and being recognized internationally as an expert with proven leadership and organizational management skills will help him succeed as the director of the CTP’s Office of Science.

    “He has led or been involved with numerous scientific endeavors related to tobacco control policies and regulatory approaches, including those related to graphic health warning labels, excise taxes, smoke-free policies, quitlines, state tobacco control programs, retail advertising, and flavored tobacco products,” the release states. “He has also extensively researched the influence of mass reach health campaigns, including FDA’s The Real Cost.”

    Farrelly also has authored or co-authored over 120 articles in peer-reviewed scientific literature, which have been cited over 10,000 times. He earned his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Maryland at College Park.

    Farrelly will replace Matt Holman, who left the position last year to Philip Morris International. Holman was hired in 2017 and took over for David Ashley.

  • Report: 2 Million Italian Smokers Switched to IQOS

    Report: 2 Million Italian Smokers Switched to IQOS

    Photo: PMI

    About 2 million smokers in Italy have switched to IQOS, reports Breaking Latest News, citing a Philip Morris International representative.

    “We are moving forward at increasing speed toward our goal of building a cigarette-free future by making available to adult smokers who continue to quit the best technologies made possible by years of research and development,” said Marco Hannappel, president of Southwestern Europe at PMI.

    “Today, on the one hand, we are celebrating an important result: Around 2 million smokers in Italy have switched to a valid alternative without combustion and have completely abandoned cigarettes; on the other, we relaunch our commitment thanks to a new technology, designed to further simplify the transition of smokers who are more resistant to change.”

    PMI recently introduced IQOS Iluma One on the Italian market.

    “At the end of December, thanks to the introduction of IQOS Iluma, we saw an increase in smokers switching to IQOS for exclusive use, i.e., completely abandoning traditional smoking,” said Gianluca Iannelli, head of marketing and digital at Philip Morris Italy. “With IQOS Iluma One, we aim to convince even the most resistant smokers to change their lifestyle, thanks to an even simpler and more intuitive device.”

  • Georgia Moves to Ban Vaping in Public Spaces

    Georgia Moves to Ban Vaping in Public Spaces

    Credit: Sharafmaksumov

    Senators in the U.S. state of Georgia are moving to restrict vaping in public spaces.

    The state Senate voted 51-3 on Wednesday to pass Senate Bill 47, which would regulate vaping in the same way the state already regulates smoking. The measure moves to the House for further debate, reports Fox News.

    Georgia’s 2005 Smoke-Free Air Act says that people can’t smoke indoors in many public places, although it excludes some places including tobacco stores, bars that only admit patrons older than 18, and privately owned convention rooms.

    A person who violates the law commits a misdemeanor and can be fined $100 to $500.

    Last week, a bill was introduced in Georgia’s General Assembly that would raise the state tax on vaping and other tobacco products and use the proceeds to improve health care.