Tag: e-cigarettes

COP10 Delegates Urged to Consider Harm Reduction

Photo: lovelyday12
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Advocates’ (CAPHRA) nine member organizations have written to Framework Convention for Tobacco Control delegation heads from around the world, urging them to review the evidence that supports a tobacco harm reduction (THR) approach ahead of COP10.
With governments sending delegates to COP10 in November 2023, CAPHRA was keen to send leaders comprehensive reference material for their COP10 planning, submission writing and deliberations.
COP10 will held in Panama and is hosted by the World Health Organization’s FCTC.
‘We do this on behalf of the four million current users of safer nicotine products in the wider Asia Pacific region. As you are aware, our region bears the brunt of the harm and death from combustible and unsafe oral tobacco globally,’ said the letter.
The CAPHRA representatives reminded the health leaders that the FCTC has a mandate to pursue harm reduction as a core tobacco control policy.
“It has been known for decades that tar and carcinogens found in tobacco smoke, cause the death and disease associated with smoking, not nicotine. Research has proven that nicotine, while usually mildly addictive in the same way as caffeine, is not a health issue,” they wrote.
The letter also called on delegates to deplore FCTC’s policy to conduct COP10 sessions behind closed doors.
“Delegates to COP10 should be representing the rights and aspirations of the citizens whose taxes are paying for their attendance, who expect them to speak on their behalf, acknowledge the science underpinning the harm reduction benefits of ENDS, and maintain democratic principles,” they wrote.
The CAPHRA representatives asked countries to take into account, when making their COP10 submissions, that consumers have the right to make choices that help them avoid adverse health outcomes. What’s more, people who smoke have the right to access less harmful nicotine products as alternatives to smoking.
The evidence-based documentation was wrapped up in a recently released white paper, titled “The Subversion of Public Health: Consumer Perspectives,” which was presented by CAPHRA executive co-ordinator Nancy Loucas at the Fifth Asia Harm Reduction Forum.
December 8, 2022
Happy Vibes’ Twist Offers Four Flavors in One Device

UK-based Happy Vibes has introduced a unique new vaping product called “Twist.” It’s the first vaping device to offer users four flavor choices within a single disposable device.
Vapers just need to “twist” the top of the device to switch between the flavors. “It’s a novel concept – use a single flavor or multiple flavors in the same device,” a press release states. “No need for tools, no need to pour and make a mess – it’s twist and go! It’s easy and convenient to use, allowing vapers to enjoy their device without the pain of having to open the device and fill up a tank.”
Happy Vibes also offers a unique recycling program for its disposable devices, the company states, adding that its recycling program uses the slogan “the end is just the beginning.” No other details were offered about the recycling program.
Happy Vibes will follow up the launch of Twist with another device that is a “step in the right direction” with the launch of their “Reuse” product, a vaping device made from straw and biodegradable plastic, as well as an included Type C charging port, the release states.
December 8, 2022
Professor Receives Funding for Pilot Vaping Study
Nathan Jackson
A group of researchers from The University of New Mexico (UNM) in the U.S. are leading a project that would allow vapers to reap the benefits of electronic nicotine-delivery system (ENDS) products without the potential health risks.
Nathan Jackson, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, is one of the principal investigators on the project called “Droplet and Metal Particle Analysis of ENDS,” which has been selected for a pilot award through the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Jackson said that current vaping tools operate by heating liquid to high levels in order to vaporize it, which creates a chemical reaction that generates potentially toxic products such as formaldehyde and acrolein that have well-known long-term health risks for cardiovascular or respiratory diseases.
“Every vaping tool functions by heating the liquid to greater than 200 degrees celsius, which creates toxic byproducts, which then enter the aerosol droplets that are inhaled,” he said. “Our technology uses a different mechanism to create the aerosol that does not require heating, so it could potentially eliminate the harmful byproducts.”
Jackson is the inventor of an atomization technology based on silicon microfabrication called silicon-vibrating mesh atomizer (Si-VMA) that uses significantly lower heat, has the potential to eliminate ultrafine particles by producing low-span and high-efficiency uniform droplet distribution, and can potentially eliminate metal particles in the aerosol since it uses a silicon-based membrane instead of a metallic one, according to a press release.
“Our technology uses a silicon substrate, where no metal is in contact with the liquid and it uses less heat, so potentially we can reduce the health risks associated with vaping,” Jackson said. “Also, our technology can generate micro-scale droplets instead of the nano-scale droplets found in current vaping tools, so that means that droplets are less likely to enter the blood stream and cluster together, which could also result in safer aerosols.”
Co-principal investigators on the project, which is funded through June 2023, involve two researchers from the UNM Health Sciences Center: Pavan Muttil from the School of Pharmacy and Katie Zychowski from the College of Nursing.
Jackson said the market for this type of solution for a safer vaping tool is enormous, for both medical uses and recreational uses, and a safer technology could reduce potential health costs associated with vaping in the future.
Jackson said the short-duration pilot study is designed to assess the feasibility of developing safer vaping technology in the future. After the results of this study are reported, he said the group plans to pursue larger funded projects that would enable them to develop improved technology with the option of later commercialization.
December 8, 2022
Juul Labs to Pay Indiana $15.7 Million to Settle Suit

Credit: Niro World
Juul Labs Inc. will pay Indiana more than $15.7 million to settle allegations that the company deliberately marketed its products to minors, Attorney General Todd Rokita announced today. Indiana is one of 32 states participating in a larger agreement under which Juul Labs will pay out nearly $435 million.
“My team and I fight daily to protect Hoosiers from improper business practices that put families at risk,” Rokita said, as reported by am1050. “Wrongful actions that jeopardize children are especially repugnant and shameful. Fortunately, the money we have recovered in this settlement can go toward safeguarding the same young people targeted by the unethical marketing strategies employed by Juul.”
Indiana’s funds are intended to be used in support of prevention, education, harm reduction and mitigation efforts related to youth using electronic nicotine-delivery systems.
Juul Labs has an option to pay over 6-10 years — with the total payout increasing the longer it takes to pay. If Juul Labs chooses a 10-year option, Indiana’s amount would exceed $17.1 million. Juul’s first payment to Indiana will be $1,478,665 — due Dec. 31, 2022. All additional payments are due on Dec. 31 each year.
Juul Labs announced today that it had settled more than 5,000 lawsuits covering more than 10,000 individual plaintiffs.
December 7, 2022
Juul Labs Settles With More Than 10,000 Plaintiffs

Credit: Juul Labs
Juul Labs has settled more than 5,000 lawsuits covering more than 10,000 individual plaintiffs, reports The Wall Street Journal. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. However, several media outlets are reporting the amount to be between $1.2 billion and $1.7 billion.
The deal resolves much of the legal uncertainty that had driven the company close to bankruptcy.
Juul announced on Dec. 6 it has secured an investment to cover the cost of the settlement. The company has been in talks with two early investors to fund a bailout that would cover legal liabilities.
According to Juul CEO K.C. Crosthwaite, the settlement addresses the vast majority of outstanding litigation facing the company, including two pending bellwether trials that were set to go to court early next year, and four broad groups: personal-injury plaintiffs, Juul consumers, government entities such as school districts, and Native American tribes. Lawsuits brought by several attorneys general are pending.
A pioneer in the vaping business, Juul Labs has gone from dominating the U.S. e-cigarette market to fighting for its survival in a relatively short time.
Following its initial success, the company quickly came under regulatory scrutiny over its marketing practices. Critics blame Juul Labs for contributing to an “epidemic” of underage vaping.
Thousands of lawsuits have been filed against Juul over the past several years, alleging that the company marketed its e-cigarettes to children. Juul has said it never marketed to underage users.
In September, Juul Labs agreed to pay nearly $440 million to settle a two-year investigation by 33 U.S. states into the marketing of its vaping products.
Juul’s e-cigarettes were briefly banned in the U.S. in late June after the FDA concluded that the company had failed to show that the sale of its products would be appropriate for public health. But following an appeal, the health regulator put the ban on hold and agreed to an additional review of Juul’s marketing application.
In October, Juul published the details of its MDO appeal. In late September, Juul shareholder Altria Group exercised the option to be released from its noncompete deal with the e-cigarette maker.
December 7, 2022
Costa Rica Authorizes Country’s First Hemp Farm

Credit: Gian
Costa Rica has for the first time has given an agricultural conglomerate authorization to grow and process hemp under a recently signed resolution from the country’s agriculture ministry.
Ingenio Taboga SA, a farming and food company, said it plans to plant hemp and build a processing factory on a 150-acre site.
Taboga, based in Bebedero de Cañas, Guanacaste, lists products in alcohol-based sanitizers, specialty sugars, natural sweeteners, protein powders and CBD on its website, according to Hemp Today.
“For the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the development of responsible and efficient agricultural activities with significant agro-export potential is extremely important,” said Agriculture Minister Víctor Carvajal, adding that seven hemp more projects are being considered for authorization, with approval expected soon.
Under rules approved by agriculture and health officials in September, hemp farming and production licenses are intended to be inexpensive and widely available in Costa Rica. Individuals and legal entities can be authorized to grow and process hemp, and rules are set for post-harvesting, storing, transporting, product manufacturing, marketing, importing and export of health, food and industrial products.
Costa Rica’s rules set the limit for THC in hemp plants at 1.0 percent. Most countries follow a generally accepted limit of 0.3 percent THC as the dividing line between hemp and marijuana.
Industry advocates in Costa Rica say establishing a robust hemp sector can spark development of agricultural value chains by bringing economic and social opportunities to the country’s rural areas, and contribute to the growth of the pharmaceutical industry.
December 7, 2022
South Portland, Maine to Consider Flavor Ban Today

Credit: ATDR
South Portland may become the next Maine community to ban the sale of flavored vaping and other tobacco products.
Under a proposed ordinance, violators would receive a $500 fine that could jump to $2,500 per subsequent violation.
Included in the proposed ban are tobacco products with “any taste or smell relating to fruit, menthol, mint, wintergreen, chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, honey, or any candy, dessert, alcoholic beverage, herb, or spice.”
The city council will hold a hearing Today, according to Spectrum News.
The ordinance is being proposed as a way to prevent young people from becoming addicted to nicotine.
South Portland attempted a ban in 2019 stalled, however, it stalled partly because no other Maine community had yet done so, according to media reports.
Now, both Bangor and Portland have banned flavored tobacco earlier this year following a unanimous vote of its city council.
A recent study showed that less than 5 percent of the 3,500 adult e-cigarette users surveyed quit using e-cigarettes in response to a U.S. flavor ban.
December 6, 2022
Biden Signs First Federal Standalone Marijuana Bill
President Joe Biden officially signed the first piece of standalone federal cannabis reform Friday. The U.S. president signed a marijuana research bill into law that cleared the House in July and the Senate last month.
The act is aimed at providing federal support to facilitate research of cannabis and its potential health benefits. The law gives the U.S. attorney general 60 days to either approve a given application or request supplemental information from the marijuana research applicant.
The Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act also creates a more efficient pathway for researchers who request larger quantities of cannabis.
The act does three things:
Provides a mechanism for the scientific study of cannabidiol and cannabis for medical purposes;
Arranges a pathway for the FDA to approve the commercial production of drugs containing or derived from cannabis; and
Protects doctors who may now discuss the harms and benefits of using cannabis and cannabis derivatives.
The president remains opposed to federal cannabis legalization, but he campaigned on a number of more modest marijuana reforms, including promoting research, decriminalization and rescheduling cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), according to the National Law Review.
Biden also issued a mass pardon for Americans who’ve committed federal marijuana possession cases in October and directed an administrative review into cannabis scheduling. The White House recently listed those actions among the “top accomplishments” for the president.
December 5, 2022
China Gives 12 Years to Heat-not-Burn Smugglers

China’s Intermediate People’s Court of Fangchenggang City, Guangxi has sentenced a number of people for smuggling the hardware and tobacco sticks used in heated tobacco products.
It’s the first time China has made a judgement in a heat-not-burn smuggling case, according to the Fangcheng Customs Anti-smuggling Branch of the Nanning Customs Anti-smuggling Bureau.
The defendants were found guilty of smuggling ordinary goods and articles (IQOS Heatsticks and hardware), and were sentenced to fixed-term imprisonments ranging from 4 to 12 years and fines ranging from ¥200,000 to ¥1 million. The exact number of people sentenced was not reported.
One defendant was found guilty of money laundering and sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for one year, fined ¥20,000 yuan, and more than ¥420,000 in money laundering illegal proceeds was recovered.
The investigation began on April 21, 2021, under the unified deployment of the Anti-smuggling Bureau of the General Administration of Customs, the Nanning and Hangzhou Customs Anti-smuggling Bureaus, in conjunction with the tobacco departments of Guangxi, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Hunan and other places, synchronized in Fangchenggang, Guangxi, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, and Shenzhen, Guangdong, according to the release.
The illicit goods were collected and seized, and three criminal gangs smuggling the illegal products were successfully detained, and about 4,500 heat-not-burn products were seized.

December 2, 2022
New Zealand Pulls More Than 300 Vape Products

Credit: Gustavo Frazeo
New Zealand’s Vaping Regulatory Authority (VRA) has looked at over 8000 products on store shelves that had been notified to its register.
“For the majority of the products reviewed, no issues have been found, but in some cases, information provided by the manufacturer or importer indicated that they could include prohibited ingredients or they could have nicotine salt levels that exceed the legal limit,” says VRA manager Matthew Burgess.
“Following the review, companies have withdrawn notifications for 340 vaping products, meaning they can no longer be legally sold in New Zealand. We will be publishing a list of products that are no longer notified on the Ministry of Health website shortly.”
Up to 1,800 other vaping products could still be taken off shelves, reports 1news. The authority is working with companies that make or sell them and has given them until next week to provide more information.
Fair Go began investigating illegal sales of vapes to underage customers, and showed a 14-year-old mystery shopper with no identification could buy vapes over the counter.
It’s since been investigating the confusing labelling of vapes and the concentrations of nicotine in some of them.
December 2, 2022