ETHRA’s monthly roundup of news: BECA report published - Multiple threats to flavours - Scramble to regulate / ban nicotine pouches - Anesvap testimonials - Slash on snus - Bloomberg rebuffs experts. Read on for more.
Contents:
BECA report
The Special Committee on Beating Cancer report, “on strengthening Europe in the fight against cancer – towards a comprehensive and coordinated strategy,” has been published.
Read the report here:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/cmsdata/243836/BECA%20final%20report_tabled_PE693752v02-00EN.pdf
Meeting of the group of experts on tobacco policy
A summary of the 17th meeting of the expert group is now available. Items discussed include the Tobacco Products Directive, Tobacco Tax directive, SCHEER, & nicotine pouches. Nicotine pouches are alarming some of the Member States:
Download the agenda & Summary:
https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/meetings/consult?lang=en&meetingId=34034&fromExpertGroups=true
150th Session of the WHO Executive Board, from 24-29 January
Draft provisional agenda:
https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB150/B150_1-en.pdf
We haven’t scrutinised this and the documents associated with it, but notice that the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean has “established a high-level ministerial group on the control of tobacco and emerging tobacco and nicotine products” (see: Report of the regional committees to the Executive Board, also linked to from the provisional agenda)
France
An updated Opinion on the risks and benefits of vaping products from the HCSP (Haut Conseil de la santé publique) has been heavily criticised for stating that doctors should not recommend vaping to smokers.
Sovape strongly disagrees with the Opinion and has made their submission to the consultation public:
https://www.sovape.fr/sovape-ne-partage-pas-lavis-du-hcsp-lassociation-rend-public-ses-travaux/
Dr William Lowenstein, addiction specialist, says the UK model of promoting tobacco harm reduction should be followed:
https://www.liberation.fr/societe/sante/avis-negatif-sur-la-e-cigarette-depuis-trois-ans-la-vape-est-pourtant-la-principale-voie-de-sortie-du-tabagisme-20220106_4YER2DYOPNDQLGV34EX52A5Y3U/
Read the HCSP Opinion here:
https://www.hcsp.fr/Explore.cgi/avisrapportsdomaine?clefr=1138
Germany
Article 2 of the Tobacco Tax Modernisation Act (TabStModG), which deals with e-liquids, will come into force on 1 July. Daniel Hagemeister-Biernath has provided a summary of what vapers need to know about the new law.
Read more here:
https://dampfdruck-presse.hu/2022/01/17/steuer-zusammenfassung/
Ireland
Irish vapers are being urged to contact their political representatives to make them aware of the importance of vape flavours. The call to action comes as public health bodies put pressure on the government to ban flavours.
Read more here:
https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/news/vaping-news/2022-01-13_ireland-to-copy-new-zealand.html
Lithuania
An e-liquid flavour ban is set to come into effect in July after MP’s adopted amendments to the Law on Control of Tobacco, Tobacco and Related Products.
Read more here:
https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1592157/lithuanian-parliament-bans-flavoured-e-cigarettes
ETHRA warned of the perverse consequences of a flavour ban in our submission to the flavour ban TRIS notification:
https://ethra.co/images/ETHRA_submission_to_Lithuania_flavour_ban_TRIS_notification.pdf
Norway
Norway is on the verge of a smoke-free generation as smoking prevalence among 16 to 24 year olds plummets from 12% to 1% in just 10 years.
Read more here:
https://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/i/g6yAkq/unge-i-norge-snart-roeykfrie-snusen-skaper-debatt
Spain
ETHRA partner Anesvap has presented a book of 1500 testimonials from vapers who have successfully quit smoking to the Ministry of Health.
Read more here:
https://www.europapress.es/videos/video-usuarios-cigarrillos-electronicos-discrepan-planes-sanidad-20220126160526.html
Read the testimonials here (Spanish):
https://www.elvapeosalvavidas.org/libro-testimonios/
Watch the video here:
https://youtu.be/zYFe3lmzk7Q
Sweden
E-liquid flavours could be under threat as a bill which aims to regulate nicotine pouches also contains provisions that could see a ban on all flavours apart from tobacco.
Read more here:
https://www.vejpkollen.se/2022/01/nu-borjar-striden-om-smakerna-regeringen-lagger-forslag-i-var/
UK
A new trial by the University of East Anglia is to examine a range of supports which can help women stay smoke free following the birth of a baby, including offering vaping kits.
Read more here:
https://www.uea.ac.uk/groups-and-centres/addiction-research-group/babybreathe
https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/news/vaping-news/2022-01-26_babybreathe-trial.html
Draft agenda of European Parliament Plenary Sitting, Strasbourg 14-17 February
A debate on the BECA report, Strengthening Europe in the fight against cancer - towards a comprehensive and coordinated strategy, is scheduled for Tuesday 15 February from 09:00 - 12:30. A vote on the report will then take place.
Read more here:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/OJQ-9-2022-02-15_EN.html
European Parliament plenary main page:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/plenary/en/home.html
Michael Bloomberg loves data. Except when he doesn’t
Leading experts in public health, nicotine and tobacco policy reached out to Bloomberg and Bloomberg Philanthropies to request a meeting to discuss the scientific evidence as it relates to tobacco harm reduction.
Read more here:
https://medium.com/the-great-vape-debate/michael-bloomberg-loves-data-except-when-he-doesnt-a6abb02d4d0a
Meeting request:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xKV4gUfT6EP9dhhc6mxGcyK91i8ncZ4V/view
Reply from Bloomberg Philanthropies:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xL4VugnzD-7H658MCtT5G7_REhv2fAF1/view
Critique of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ approach to tobacco and nicotine policy:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l2ptC-is1Apio4nhVqCOYhBzAYr4p0TF/view
In favour of Flavour
A review of over 340 publications, conducted by Dr Konstantinos Farsalinos, has found that vape flavours are inextricably linked to smoking cessation, and should be made more accessible and affordable to adults trying to quit smoking.
Read the full report:
https://thr.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/strapi/0cbd3b34cef86dad0032528c324d2f7b.pdf
Read the Executive summary:
https://thr.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/strapi/e43d913841406aa46d3684a9ae4eeb48.pdf
Accidental quitters
New research led by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Centre has found that daily vaping dramatically increases the chances of successful smoking cessation, even among those with no intention of quitting.
Read more here:
https://www.roswellpark.org/newsroom/202112-daily-vaping-dramatically-ups-quit-rate-heavy-smokers-not-aiming-quit
The CDC’s EVALI screwup
The CDC’s miscommunication around the cause of EVALI has almost certainly discouraged adult smokers from switching to vaping products.
Read more here:
https://medium.com/the-great-vape-debate/the-cdcs-evali-screwup-ff09f4c3e187
Must listen:
“the best discovery in the world" - Slash answers EUforSnus’s Bengt Wiberg’s question on how snus helped him to stay smoke free.
Must watch
All video presentations from the E-Cigarette Summit are now available. The videos provide a wealth of knowledge that is an invaluable resource for tobacco harm reduction advocacy.
Watch the videos here:
https://vimeo.com/showcase/9154534