ETHRA’s monthly roundup of news: ETHRA letter to SANT - CAPHRA Shadow Report - ASH Mythbuster - Norwegian vape flavour ban consultation - Flavours under threat in nicotine pouch regulation - German tobacco control anti-THR report - Large-scale study finds #THRworks. Read on for more
Contents:
Subcommittee on Public Health (SANT)
Last month we reported on the publication of the SANT Draft Report on non-communicable diseases. Ahead of the presentation of the draft report on 30th August, ETHRA wrote to all SANT members. We highlighted that ‘tobacco use’ was erroneously identified as a risk factor rather than smoking, and suggested that risk assessments of safer nicotine products should be compared with smoking rather than ‘other tobacco products’.
Read our letter here:
https://ethra.co/submissions/138-ethra-letter-to-the-sant-committee-on-non-communicable-diseases
Read the draft report here:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/ENVI-PR-751761_EN.pdf
Watch the SANT meeting here:
https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/webstreaming/subcommittee-on-public-health_20230830-0900-COMMITTEE-SANT
EU Battery Regulation
Regulation 2023/1542 has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union. The regulation provides that by 2027 portable batteries incorporated into appliances should be removable and replaceable by the end-user, among other measures.
See more here:
REGULATION (EU) 2023/1542 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
CAPHRA launches Shadow Report
CAPHRA launched its Shadow Report on the (NON)-Implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Article 1(d) on Harm Reduction Strategies. The Report calls for greater consumer advocate participation at COP10, which takes place in November.
Read more here:
https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/news/politics-campaigns/2023-08-29_caphra-launches-shadow-report.html
Access the full Report here:
https://caphraorg.net/wp-content/pdf/FCTC_Shadow_Report.pdf
Finland
The Finnish Government plans to allow the sale of nicotine pouches but regulation and taxation will be tightened. Retailers will be required to get a permit to sell pouches, and the cost of a box will increase from 6 to 8.50 euros. Only ‘adult flavours’ will be allowed.
Germany
German Tobacco Control, based at the DKFZ, has published a new report on vaping and heated tobacco products. Hundreds of studies are thrown at the reader in an attempt to prove possible harms from vaping while any positive potential of vapour products for smokers who wish to quit is ignored
Read more here:
Teil 1 – Deutsche Tabakkontrolle weiter im Anti-E-Dampf-Modus / Part 1 – German tobacco control continues in anti-e-vapor mode
Hungary
The sale of nicotine pouches could be legalised and regulated under a new amendment to Decree 39/2013. The amendment will also restrict ingredients and packaging.
Read more here:
https://daily-pouch.com/hungary-proposes-draft-decree-to-legalise-nicotine-pouches/
Lithuania
Lithuania aims to regulate nicotine pouches with a draft proposal from the Ministry of Economy and Innovation. The proposal would define pouches as 'tobacco substitutes' but also proposes a ban on flavours.
Read more here:
https://daily-pouch.com/lithuania-moves-to-regulate-nicotine-pouches/
Norway
Minister of Health and Care Services, Ingvild Kjerkol, has proposed to lift the ban on nicotine vaping products. However, she has also proposed a ban on all flavours apart from tobacco. Senior researcher, Karl Lund, has warned that a flavour ban could hinder smoking cessation, cause current vapers to relapse to smoking, and encourage a black market for flavoured vapes. A consultation on the proposed flavour ban will run until 1 October.
Read more here:
https://forskning.no/royking/e-sigaretter-danker-ut-snus-som-hjelpemiddel-forbud-kan-hindre-roykeslutt-frykter-forskere/2231857
Add your submission to the consultation here:
https://www.stortinget.no/no/Hva-skjer-pa-Stortinget/Horing/skriv-skriftlig-innspill/?h=10004892
UK
Misperceptions about the safety of vapes compared to smoking continue to grow and could hamper efforts to reduce smoking prevalence. Data from the latest ASH annual survey found that 43% of smokers who have yet to try vapes believe they are as harmful or more than smoking, up from 27% in 2019.
Read more here:
https://ash.org.uk/media-centre/news/press-releases/four-in-ten-smokers-wrongly-believe-that-vaping-is-as-or-more-harmful-as-smoking
Expert reaction to the findings of the survey can be found here:
https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-latest-results-from-ash-annual-survey-on-vaping-in-great-britain/
More from the UK
A new study by researchers at Brunel University London suggests that the NHS could save over half a billion pounds a year if 50% of the UK’s current smokers switched to vapes.
Read more here:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/nhs-south-east-office-for-national-statistics-north-west-midlands-b2388739.html
Addressing common myths about vaping: Putting the evidence in context
An excellent and very welcome myth busting document has been published by Action on Smoking and Health UK. The document addresses misinformation on vaping and calls for responsible reporting of the evidence about vaping.
Read the document here:
https://ash.org.uk/uploads/Addressing-common-myths-about-vaping-ASH-brief.pdf?v=1691052025
Another vape study retracted
A study linking vaping to liver disease, which was published in 2022, has been retracted due to the authors being unable to address concerns and questions raised on the authenticity and reliability of the findings.
Read more here:
https://www.freepressjournal.in/health/study-linking-e-vaping-to-liver-disease-retracted-by-journal-due-to-lack-of-merit-in-research
#TobaccoHarmReduction works
The largest ever study on vaping products in the USA found that they increase smoking cessation even among those with no intention of quitting smoking.
Read more here:
https://web.musc.edu/about/news-center/2023/08/18/largest-us-study-of-ecigarettes-shows-their-value-as-smoking-cessation-aid
Something to watch:
President of Italian consumer association ANPVU and ETHRA partner, Carmine Canino, was called to speak at the hearing of the XII Committee "Social Affairs" of the Chamber of Deputies (Italian)
