Tag: e-cigarettes

  • Experts Urge EU to Embrace Harm Reduction

    Experts Urge EU to Embrace Harm Reduction

    Photo: courtyardpix

    Medical and addiction experts called on the EU to embrace tobacco harm reduction during an event organized by the Centre for Economic and Market Analysis (CETA) in Prague.

    Debating how a tobacco-free generation—where less than 5 percent of EU-citizens use tobacco—can be achieved by 2040, they concluded that the objectives laid out in Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan cannot be attained under current circumstances and that a revised tobacco control policy based on scientific evidence is needed.

    “If the European Commission is serious about its plans to reduce the number of smokers and the impact of smoking, it must start considering the concept of risk reduction in the area of smoking,” said Czech National Drug Coordinator Manager Jindřich Vobořil, in a statement.

    “The Czech Government has committed itself to this approach in its program statement for the upcoming [EU] Presidency. I will also promote it in relation to the ongoing evaluation of the Tobacco Products Directive, which is an effective policy to achieve a real reduction in the number of smokers of conventional cigarettes,” he added.

    “The data show that the abstinence approach is inadequate. The solution for smokers is to switch to less harmful alternatives,” noted Ernest Groman, of the Vienna Nicotine Institute. The only European country close to the 5 percent target is Sweden. According to the experts, the low number of smokers is mainly due to the availability of less harmful alternatives.

    During the event, the CETA published a study ranking EU member states according to their ability to implement the concept of risk reduction. The Czech Republic finished second.

    The Czech government should use the upcoming EU Presidency to undertake a comprehensive review of tobacco dependence policies based on science rather than emotion, according to CETA Research Director Aleš Rod, who also sits on a Czech government advisory board.

  • US FDA Campaign to Focus on E-Cig Use by Native Youth

    US FDA Campaign to Focus on E-Cig Use by Native Youth

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the launch of its “Next Legends” youth vaping prevention campaign. The regulatory agency stated that the program is part of the FDA’s ongoing efforts to protect youth from the dangers of tobacco use.

    The campaign will educate American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth, ages 12-17, about the harms of vaping through unique branding and tailored messaging created to inspire a new generation to live Native strong and vape-free, according to a statement.

    There are approximately 400,000 Native teens in the U.S., and more than half of them are at-risk of using tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, according to FDA. Studies show that Native youth are more susceptible to e-cigarette use than their non-Native peers, and they demonstrate disproportionately high experimentation and current use of e-cigarettes.

    “The Next Legends campaign is an important and creative way to educate Native youth about the harms of vaping,” said Michele Mital, acting director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. “E-cigarettes are the most used tobacco product among youth, and they pose serious health risks if used during adolescence, when the brain is still developing. Next Legends builds on the success of previous youth e-cigarette prevention campaigns while also addressing health disparities among Native Americans and Alaska Natives associated with tobacco use. Communicating with Native youth through culturally-aligned messages will help these young people make informed decisions about healthy behavior, including being vape-free.”

  • U.K. to Consider Khan Proposal for Tobacco Control

    U.K. to Consider Khan Proposal for Tobacco Control

    Photo: Iakov Kalinin

    The U.K. government said it will consider the recommendations of a report on smoking and publish its own plan in due course, Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said in a written statement to parliament.

    “The independent review will help to inform our upcoming White Paper on Health Disparities, which we plan to publish this summer. To complement this, the department will also be publishing a new tobacco control plan in due course,” Javid’s statement said.

    Earlier this year, Javid commissioned an independent review into ways the government can help more people quit smoking and live healthier lives, led by Javed Khan, former CEO of children’s charity Barnardo’s.

    That review was published today. The key recommendations are:

    • Increased investment of an additional £125 million ($156.66 million) per year in smokefree 2030 policies, with an extra £70 million per year ringfenced for stop smoking services
    • Raising the age of sale from 18 by one year every year, until eventually no one can buy a tobacco product in this country
    • Promotion of vapes as an effective “swap to stop” tool to help people quit smoking
    • Improving prevention in the NHS so smokers are offered advice and support to quit at every interaction they have with health services

    Other interventions recommended in the report include a tobacco license for retailers to limit the availability of tobacco across the country; a rethink of the way cigarette sticks and packets look to reduce their appeal; and a mass media campaign to encourage smokers to quit.

    Creeping prohibition won’t stop young adults smoking. It will simply drive the sale of tobacco underground and consumers will buy cigarettes on the black market where no-one pays tax and products are completely unregulated.

    “My proposals are not just a plan for this government, but successive governments too,” said Khan. “To truly achieve a smokefree society in our great country, we need to commit to making smoking obsolete, once and for all.” The U.K. aims having 5 percent or fewer smokers by 2030.

    Smokers rights activists condemned the proposal to raise the age of sale of tobacco.

    “Creeping prohibition won’t stop young adults smoking. It will simply drive the sale of tobacco underground and consumers will buy cigarettes on the black market where no-one pays tax and products are completely unregulated,” said Simon Clark, director of the smokers’ group Forest.

    “Ultimately this is about freedom of choice and personal responsibility and ministers must think very carefully before they adopt prohibition and coercion as tools to achieve their smoke-free goal.”

    Mr. Khan unambiguously states that one of the critical ways the government can get its ambitions for a smoke free society back on track is through greater promotion of vaping.

    Tobacco harm reduction activists welcomed the report’s recognition of vaping as a tool to help smokers quit.

    “We couldn’t agree more with this report’s stark message for the government, which is that, without immediate action, it will miss its smoke free targets by seven years,” said John Dunne, director general of the U.K. Vaping Industry Association, in a statement.

    “The NHS [National Health Service] tells us that around 78,000 people in the U.K. die every year from smoking, with many more living with debilitating smoking-related illnesses, so the time for inaction is over.

    “Mr. Khan unambiguously states that one of the critical ways the government can get its ambitions for a smoke free society back on track is through greater promotion of vaping and the UKVIA, which represents vaping organizations including retailers, manufacturers and distributors, will do everything we can to support this.”

    Clark noted that encouraging smokers to switch to reduced risk products such as e-cigarettes is sensible “as long as it is voluntary and based on educating consumers about the relative risks of different nicotine products.”

    Illustration: Office for Health Improvement & Disparities
  • EVALI, Covid-19 Boosted Misinformation on Vaping

    EVALI, Covid-19 Boosted Misinformation on Vaping

    A new study led by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) shows perceptions of e-cigarettes as being “more harmful” than cigarettes by adults in the United States more than doubled between 2019-2020 and perceptions of e-cigarettes as “less harmful” declined between 2018-2020.

    The study also found that an increase in cigarette smoking prevalence (2019-2020) was restricted to those who perceived e-cigarettes as “more harmful” than cigarettes, while increases in prevalence of e-cigarette use was restricted to those who perceived e-cigarettes as “less harmful” than cigarettes, according to a press release.

    Prevalence of dual use of both products increased only among those who perceived these products as equally or “as harmful”. The results coincide with the e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury outbreak (EVALI) and the COVID-19 pandemic. The data was published today in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (AJPM).

    “While all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, pose a risk to the health of the user, major health events, such as the EVALI epidemic in late-2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, paved the way to new smoking/e-cigarette health risks,” the release states. “During this time, the quality and type of information individuals were exposed to may have shaped how they compare the potential harms of tobacco products, which in turn, may have altered tobacco use behaviors.”

    How individuals perceive the harm of e-cigarettes vs. traditional cigarettes can predict their individual decision to use tobacco products, but according to the study authors, this is the first study to provide evidence this relationship translates to population-based prevalence changes. 

    “While this study showed sharp changes in public perceptions of e-cigarette vs. cigarette harms during EVALI and COVID-19, the more relevant finding for public health is that increases in cigarette smoking and e-cigarette use prevalence occurred primarily in individuals who perceived their preferred product as relatively less harmful,” said Priti Bandi, principal scientist, risk factors & screening surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the study. “This suggests that public perceptions of e-cigarettes vs. cigarettes harms influences population tobacco use patterns.”

    In this study, researchers analyzed data from the National Cancer Institute sponsored Health Information National Trends Survey collected from more than ten-thousand U.S. adults from 2018 – 2020. The results showed perceptions of e-cigarettes as “more harmful” than cigarettes doubled each year, increasing most between 2019-2020 (2018: 6.8%, 2019: 12.8%, 2020: 28.3%), while uncertainty (responses of “don’t know”) in relative harm declined (2018: 38.2%, 2019: 34.2%, 2020: 24.7%). “Less harmful” relative perceptions declined (2018: 17.6%, 2019: 15.3%, 2020: 11.4%), while “as harmful” perceptions remained steady (2018: 37.4%, 2019: 37.7%, 2020: 35.6%).

    Exclusive cigarette smoking increased between 2019-2020 among those who perceived e-cigarettes as relatively “more harmful” (2018: 18.5%; 2019: 8.4%; 2020: 16.3%), exclusive e-cigarette use increased linearly among those who perceived them as relatively “less harmful” (7.9%; 15.3%, 26.7%), and dual use increased linearly in those who perceived them “as harmful” (0.1%, 1.4%; 2.9%).

    “It is challenging for individuals to make conclusions about the short- and long-term health effects of tobacco products without clear, effective, and ongoing communication from public health authorities, especially when new contextual events that change health harms happen,” said Bandi. “There is a need for behavioral interventions to encourage individuals to be informed consumers of available scientific findings and appreciate that while no tobacco products is safe, there are inherent differences between relative and absolute harms between tobacco products that can influence behavior. In turn, public health education campaigns must facilitate informed decision making by translating emerging scientific evidence accurately to appropriate audiences.”

  • Vaping May Lead to Healthier Choices for Former Smokers

    Vaping May Lead to Healthier Choices for Former Smokers

    Credit: Adrian_ilie825

    A new University of Washington study shows smokers who switch to e-cigarettes may have more opportunities for healthier choices. That does not mean vaping is safe, researchers say, but for people who smoke combustible tobacco and are trying to quit, vaping can be associated with healthy routines.

    The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

    The co-authors of the study stressed e-cigarettes have substantial public health downsides, including popularity among young people, particularly those not previously addicted to nicotine. The study, however, focused on asking whether vaping can be beneficial to existing smokers unable to to quit.

    For the study, Kosterman and his co-authors, Marina Epstein, Jennifer Bailey and David Hawkins, connected with a group of 800 Seattleites who are part of a landmark study that began in 1985 when they were elementary school students.

    The UW study focused on 156 of those participants. This subsample reported smoking combustible cigarettes at age 30 and smoking or vaping at age 39.

    The research team surveyed participants, when they were 30 and 39, about nine measures of healthy aging and well-being and how often they engaged in certain activities, according to Seattle Times.

    Of the 156 participants, 64 percent smoked only combustible cigarettes at age 39, 28 percent smoked and vaped, and 8 percent only vaped. The roughly one third of the group that shifted to vaping some or all the time by age 39 reported better physical health, exercised more and had more active social engagement, the study found.

    “Although the study cannot show a causal relationship, we think that because e-cigarettes have less stigma, less odor and are less physically harmful, they may increase health-promoting opportunities among smokers.” Kosterman said. People who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to be in settings that promote physical activity and to interact more with nonsmokers, he said.

    “What we’re saying is that e-cigs do have a positive role to play for existing adult smokers who continue to use nicotine,” he said.

  • QR Joy Launches ‘Fume Unlimited’ Disposable Device

    QR Joy Launches ‘Fume Unlimited’ Disposable Device

    QR Joy, the retail manufacturer of Fume disposable vaping hardware, has introduced its “most powerful, longest-lasting vape” device, according to a press release.

    The Fume Unlimited comes pre-loaded with 14mL of e-liquid in 17 classic and exotic flavors, including icy, fruity, sweet, and more. Its 400mAh rechargeable battery ensures that vape enthusiasts will be able to enjoy every one of the 7,000 puffs Fume Unlimited has to offer, a release states.

    The new Fume Unlimited offers 7,000 puffs of e-liquid and a USB-C charger.

    “Vape enthusiasts love unique flavors and want to be able to enjoy every last drop of e-liquid in their devices,” said the president of QR Joy in a release. “Packed with loads of flavor and a handy USB-C charging port, Fume Unlimited offers virtually endless vape satisfaction in a sleek, pocket-sized package.

    QR Joy teased Fume Unlimited at the 2022 Alternative Products Expo in Medellin, Colombia, in late May, and will officially unveil the new device at the CHAMPS Chicago Show June 7-9.

  • China: E-Cig Manufacturing Licensing Rules Explained

    China: E-Cig Manufacturing Licensing Rules Explained

    Photo: Taco Tuinstra

    The law firm Kelller & Heckman has published an article summarizing the requirements for obtaining an e-cigarette manufacturing license in China.

    The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) has now published a rule outlining the process for Chinese e-cigarette manufacturers to obtain the required manufacturer license. This rule applies not only to manufacturers producing e-cigarettes for the domestic Chinese market, but also to the manufacturing of e-cigarettes solely for export.

    According to Keller & Heckman, manufacturers will have to prepare many materials for their license application. Among other information, they will have to provide proof of suitable funds, production and sales information, including the balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement and production and sales statistics.

    E-liquid manufacturers will have to supply a license for operating dangerous chemicals and identify the sources of nicotine used in the past three years. Applicants for export must submit materials explaining the export business and the scale of export, including the customs declaration forms for the past three years

    Remarkably, the rules require companies manufacturing exclusively for export to obtain trademark registration in China. Although Keller and Heckman considers it unlikely that the STMA intended to impose the Chinese trademark registration requirement on exporters, the law firm advises clients to seek clarification from the authorities.

  • New U.K. Study on Public Health Effects of Vuse

    New U.K. Study on Public Health Effects of Vuse

    The “real world” public-health effects of BAT’s Vuse e-cigarette is the subject of a new study.

    The study is “designed to assess and provide insights” into the growing role of the e-cigarette brand. Vuse has been market momentum in since some of its branded products received marketing approval from the U.S Food and Drug Administration.

    The study involves a cross-sectional confinement study of exclusive Vuse users in the United Kingdom over at least a six-month period, according to a press release.

    “This innovative study demonstrates our commitment to researching the reduced-risk potential of our New Category products. What makes it particularly relevant and exciting is that the results generated will be from people who have been using Vuse as they normally would for more than six months prior to testing,” Sharon Goodall, BAT’s Group Head of Regulatory Sciences, said. “The results will provide important new insights and show us the differences between Vuse users, smokers and former smokers across a range of important biomarkers thought to be predictive of disease development. We look forward to sharing the data once available.”

    Also participating were current or former smokers of traditional cigarettes and people who have never smoked. Former smokers would have had to quit for at least six months to qualify. Study participants were between 19 and 55 years old, and in good general health.

    “It is hoped that the results, which are currently being analyzed and will be published later this year, will provide further supportive evidence that using Vuse can reduce relative risk for certain diseases among adult consumers compared to smoking,” BAT said in a news release.

    Unlike longitudinal studies where participants attend multiple clinic visits over an extended period of time, participants in this study made a single clinic visit where samples of blood, urine and other measurements were collected. These samples were then tested for “biomarkers of exposure” (to selected cigarette smoke toxicants) and “biomarkers of potential harm”. Differences between the groups were assessed, rather than changes from baseline.

    In addition, to ensure compliance, the Vuse and former smoker groups were tested for the biomarker, CEVal, which indicates if they have recently smoked cigarettes.

    Results from the completed study will be published in due course.

  • Aquavape to Distribute IQOS Devices in U.K. Vape Shops

    Aquavape to Distribute IQOS Devices in U.K. Vape Shops

    The U.K.-based next-generation nicotine distributor Aquavape has partnered with Philip Morris Limited (PML), the supplier behind IQOS, to offer heated tobacco products for the first time. Philip Morris Ltd. (PML), the U.K. affiliate of Philip Morris International

    This year, vape retailers have been challenged by the needs of their consumers, which are changing rapidly, according to Better Retailing. While over a quarter of adult smokers will explore smoke-free products in 2022, 58 percent haven’t yet found a satisfying alternative to cigarettes.

    The challenge for vape retailers, said PML, is twofold: meeting the growing consumer demand for smoke-free products, while matching individual preferences based on taste, satisfaction, ritual and other potentially complex needs.

    “It’s fair to say that no one single product can achieve this which is why retail outlets of all sizes have evolved as vape specialists, to become multicategory operators. Aquavape is one supplier which has made the move to multicategory, both for the benefit of its retailers’ customers and to the revenues generated by its business,” a spokesperson for PML told betterRetailing.com.

    Ebrahim Kathrada, managing director at Aquavape, said historically, the company did not list multiple smoke-free categories: “We now supply a range of smoking alternatives that meet market demands and trends.”

    Ebrahim believes a complete smoke-free product offering is essential to diversifying sales and increasing chances of satisfying more customers. “If you don’t have a category in the store, you can’t sell it and explore its potential. If you do, you become the one-stop shop conveniently catering to all the customer’s needs which increases overall takings, basket spend and retention,” he explained.

  • UAE Bans Vaping Inside Offices and Public Spaces

    UAE Bans Vaping Inside Offices and Public Spaces

    Credit: Adobe Photo

    Vaping e-cigarettes is prohibited inside offices and closed spaces across the UAE, the health ministry has confirmed. The use of e-cigarettes are now subject to the federal law on tobacco control in the country.

    This came as the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) highlighted the dangers of consuming tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, according to Khaleej Times.

    According to the UAE government website, the federal law also forbids and penalizes:

    • The sale of tobacco products to those under 18
    • Smoking in private cars when a child under the age of 12 is present
    • Smoking in houses of worship, educational institutions (such as universities and schools), health and sports facilities
    • Automatic vending equipment and devices for tobacco distribution inside the country
    • Tobacco advertisement

    The MoHAP said it has collaborated with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) to block websites that advertise and promote electronic nicotine-delivery systems (ENDS).

    The UAE had originally planned to ban vaping products because UAE-based doctors had said that e-cigarettes would create a whole new generation of smokers. However, the country changed course after advocacy groups pushed for the harm reduction products.

    Meanwhile, citing the National Health Survey, the ministry said the prevalence of adult tobacco smoking has declined from 11.1 per cent in 2010 to 9.1 per cent in 2018.

    The latest edition of the Tobacco Atlas suggests that the UAE has among the lowest cigarette consumption rates. A graphic shared as part of the report shows that an adult smoker consumes 438 cigarettes a year in the country.