E-cigarettes MUST Be Included In EU’s Cancer Plan
Despite helping many millions of smokers quit, the European Union still steadfastly refuses to to put e-cigarettes into its beat cancer plan.
Now harm reduction advocates are calling on the EU to include nicotine products such as e-cigs and Snus into the EU’s new policy on tackling cancer..
Feedback from a public consultation on the plan saw hundreds of submissions from ‘NGOs, academics and scientists, vapers associations as well as vapers.’
As an expert on harm reduction, Francis Crawley, Executive Director of Good Clinical Practice Alliance Europe agreed and said the EU should follow the UK’s lead:
Most probably because the precautionary principle is overemphasised and the preventive role of harm reduction underestimated in the prevention of cancer.
It is easier to enforce bans or draconian regulation on so-called “sin products” such as alcohol and tobacco. Harm reduction policies demand regulations that are proportionate and risk-based, which can be perceived as cumbersome for regulators.
Fiercely pro vaping and harm reduction expert Clive Bates said Governments should:
…use policy, regulation, fiscal measures and public services objectives to encourage people to stop smoking (or never start) by any means possible, including by switching to vaping, heated tobacco products, snus or oral nicotine products.
They should also recognise the limits of using coercive, punitive and stigmatising policies to promote smoking cessation and recognise the value of consumer interest in switching to lower risk products.
It’s hardly rocket science – but still Governments and institutions such as the EU refuse to acknowledge the worth of vaping as a tool to fight cancer.
One has to keep wondering why…
JUUL Adds Former Health Minister To Its Board
In a bid to claw back some kind of dialogue with anti-vaping politicians, JUUL has appointed former Canadian Health Minister Rona Ambrose to it’s board.
Sounds good – until you see what Ms Ambrose has had to say about e-cigarettes in the past:
Currently, without scientific evidence demonstrating safety or effectiveness, we continue to urge Canadians against the use of these e-cigarettes.
We have heard that e-cigarettes may be a gateway for teens to begin smoking, while also having the potential to serve as a smoking cessation tool.
Today, I am asking the Standing Committee on Health to undertake a thorough study on e-cigarettes and provide a report.
Hopefully that report and of course a ‘lucrative’ job with JUUL, has swayed her opinion.
K.C. Crosthwaite, JUUL’s CEO said he was sure that Ambrose’s “unique public health and regulatory experience” would help the company lose the tag that it was responsible for the so called teen vaping epidemic in the USA.
On her appointment Ambrose said:
…these new technologies will not succeed in eradicating cigarettes unless businesses and regulators work together to successfully fight the problem of underage us.
We must solve both.
This high powered appointment comes as the vape giant sheds 900 jobs – around a third of its workforce – and revealed plans to move most of its employees to a new head office in Washington DC.
‘Gateway Theory’ Slammed By New Australian Research
A new study by Australian scientists shows the so called ‘teen e-cigarette gateway effect‘ is none existent and flavoured e-liquid bans are pointless.
The research has been conducted by harm reduction advocate, Dr Colin Mendelsohn and Wayne Hall and has just been published in the lofty International Journal of Drug Policy.
The study is titled: Does the gateway theory justify a ban on nicotine vaping in Australia?
And the answer is of course a resounding no.
One of the key findings is that some teenagers are predisposed to taking up smoking or vaping and in the case of the latter, the majority are simply experimenting…as kids do!
The study says:
The association between nicotine vaping and cigarette smoking provides weak support for a gateway hypothesis.
Smoking more often precedes vaping than vice versa, regular vaping by never-smokers is rare and the association is more plausibly explained by a common liability model.
If there is a gateway effect, it is small at the population level because smoking prevalence has continued to decline despite an increased uptake of vaping in countries that allow it.
Australia’s ban on nicotine vaping is intended to protect young people from smoking.
However, as we have argued, there is no good evidence that vaping nicotine is leading significant numbers of young people to become regular smokers.
The ban is likely to have a net harmful effect on public health by denying addicted adult smokers legal access to these less harmful products for cessation or as a long term substitute for smoking.
Let’s hope the Australian Government takes note – however don’t hold your breath…
The country’s health minister Greg Hunt who has famously stated that vaping with nicotine would not happen on ‘his watch…’
New York Vape Shop Owner “Terrified” By Cops
The New York flavour ban comes into force tomorrow – but cops have been raiding vape shops during the pandemic shutdown and have terrified one owner.
Jane Besshtanko owns Hi Life Smoking in Queens New York and says she’s been raided 6 times by heavy handed police officers because she’s remained open during the lock down.
In the last ‘visit’ officers searched her entire shop – she says without a warrant – and specifically asked if she had any goods from China!
In the last month Jane has received two citations and could face a $500 fine and/OR 3months in jail!
Jane said:
They just started aggressively knocking on my door and I wasn’t sure what happened, so I opened the door.
They told me that I had to let them in, and I did. The officer did not present a warrant.
They just went through every bag, they looked at every shelf of my showcase, they checked little bottles just to see what’s in them, but they never actually said, we are looking for such and such, they were just looking.
The only time they asked for my permission was to go to the basement, they also asked if there [were] any boxes from China.
That [sounded] funny to me, but obviously I had none.
They went downstairs to check for it, came back with no results. And that was that.
There’s very very little income coming in right now, to help to pay for little things, you know, essential things like food and everyday stuff.
The world has gone bloody mad…
Vape Shop Challenges LA Flavour Ban
A vape shop owner is appealing against the planned Los Angeles County vape ban.
The Ace Smoke Shop has teamed up with the CA Smoke & Vape Association to file the suit saying the new ordinance doesn’t differentiate between black market and legal THC products which are exempted!
A case of nicotine bad – THC good!
The new rules also mean vape shops will now have to apply and pay for two licenses in order to remain in business.
The law suit includes:
…the ordinance implements a blanket prohibition on the sale of flavored tobacco products to all persons, threatening to destroy an entire industry and the livelihoods of Los Angeles County residents.
Let’s hope they succeed…
Human Trials Of Nicotine Based COVID-19 Vaccine
Scientists say a nicotine based vaccine believed to combat the coronavirus will start its testing on humans phase as early as next month – June 2020.
You might remember I covered this in the article Is Nicotine A Wonder Drug?
In that piece I showed how the World Health organization had ordered governments NOT to work with Big Tobacco – even if they had found a ‘cure’ for COVID-19!
And you wonder why I’m so anti WHO!
British American Tobacco [BAT] has a history of creating drugs to fight all kinds of viruses and disease – including Ebola – and its scientist have been working flat out to find the coronavirus cure.
If the UK health watchdog gives BAT the green light, the company says it could produce between 1 and 3 million doses per week at a not for profit basis.
Fingers crossed…and I wonder what the WHO will do if this vaccine proves successful…
NHS Smokers Making the Switch To Vaping
Front line NHS staff are making the switch to vaping in their droves according to data from a large UK vape retailer.
VPZ says over 1,000 key workers have taken advantage of the company’s NHS staff discount and say despite the stress of the pandemic, many smokers are turning to e-cigarettes.
As we all know, COVID-19 affects the respiratory system and despite suggestions smoking and nicotine acutally prevents the virus, the NHS staff are choosing the 95% safer e-cigarette and vaping option.
Doug Mutter, director of manufacturing and compliance at VPZ said:
We initially launched the NHS discount scheme as a way to thank and support the NHS staff who are working under immensely difficult circumstances.
We do a lot work with NHS organisations and have partnerships across the country with local trusts in helping patients quit smoking by making the switch.
We never fully appreciated how successful the scheme would be in building a growing community of NHS staff who are all looking to quit together.
Having more than 1,100 NHS staff members coming together to quit smoking is incredible and the feedback has been great.
Smoking and coronavirus is a lethal combination and NHS staff are more acutely aware of this anyone.
They are under a huge amount of stress tackling this pandemic and could lead to smokers faltering in their stop-smoking journey, but we are seeing the exact opposite.
Looks like hospitals that have allowed vape shops to be opened up did the right thing.
If you’re an NHS worker here’s how to claim your generous 50% discount:
- 1. Place your order at VPZ.co.uk
- 2. Email support @ vpz.co.uk
- 3. Ensure the title of the email is NHS DISCOUNT REQUEST
- 4. In the body of the email include your VPZ order number and a photo of your NHS ID Card
- 5. We will refund 50% of your order within 7 days!
- Ts&Cs Apply- Refund cannot be offered on IQOS or HEETS, This product is for smokers, if you don’t smoke, don’t start vaping.
*WARNING* – Golisi S4 Battery Charger URGENT Recall
Battery Mooch has come out in support of an EU warning that the Golisi S4 battery charger is probably unsafe.
The EU is so concerned it has placed the charger on its Rapid Alert System for Non-Food Products [RAPEX].
It says users could possibly receive an electric shock adding:
The insulation is not sufficient and the creepage distance between the live primary and accessible secondary circuit is not adequate.
A user may consequently come into contact with live parts and receive and electric shock.
The product does not comply with the requirements of the Low Voltage Directive and the relevant European standard EN 60335.
Scary stuff.
Watch Mooch’s video explaining more about this recall:
Mooch says on Facebook:
Do not let the Golisi sales reps intimidate you into deleting your posts about the S4 charger recall!
They will claim the 2017 LVD (safety) test document is genuine but whether it is or not is actually irrelevant!
There is still a 2020 recall issued by the European Commission for the S4 charger.
Even if the S4 charger actually did pass testing in 2017 that means nothing now because the EC says it has two serious safety issues.
If the recall was based on fake S4 chargers then Golisi needs to prove that.
Check my previous post for more info. It links to my video describing the recall and my concerns.
Please feel free to send me screen captures of anything Golisi said to you if you have any questions or concerns: batterymooch @ yahoo.com
Please pass this one and follow Mooch on social media for more up to date info.
Update On the Vaper Refused Oxygen Story…
If you haven’t read my article on Ray Yeates: Death Sentence For A Vape Advocate Refused Oxygen Because He Vapes – I suggest you do.
Trust me it’s an absolutely shocking expose of the callous and cruel stance taken by health officials in Nova Scotia Canada.
The title says it all – a prominent vape advocate is indeed being told his life saving oxygen could be ‘forcibly taken away’ because he vapes.
Shocking doesn’t even begin to cover this one.
I’m writing an update to this developing story and it should go live later today.
and finally…Bloomberg Backed Website Reckons Neil H and Many More Are Spreading “Misinformation!”
Hot on the heels of last weeks claim from JUUL that Neil H [me!] was ‘factually incorrect‘ [easily disproven lol] – now a Bloomberg backed website has placed him on a ‘hit list‘ of ‘misinformation spreaders‘ – haha yes really lol.
Fame at last!
The website – with the ridiculous title: Global Centre for Good Governance In Tobacco Control – has published a long – long list of national and international publications – including the Daily Mail – the Independent – the Economist and GQ lol.
The hit list claims we’re spreading ‘misinformation’ about the links between COVID-19 and vaping.
Vape writer James Dunworth from the excellent Ashtray Blog has also been singled out as well as trade organizations UKVIA and the IBVTA…
It doesn’t stop with media outlets either with the site adding world renowned health experts to the list including: Dr. Konstatinos Farsalinos and Professor Ricardo Polosa!
The ‘article’ is titled: Misleading Information about Smoking/Vaping Links to COVID-19 (Article removed from GGTC website) and says:
…to prevent COVID-19 infection; smoking, vaping, and waterpipe smoking have been discouraged by experts; some jurisdictions also temporarily ban the same.
However, stories that spread in the media about smoking and vaping send a different message to the public, and some of these articles have links to the tobacco industry, including those funded by Philip Morris.
There then follows the list of ‘shame’ lol and links to why we’ve apparently transgressed some Bloomberg bonkers edict…
@TheGGTC Please someone tell them to update their list with my peer-reviewed study…https://t.co/6m48jJjXv8
— K. Farsalinos (@FarsalinosK) May 16, 2020
Given I’ve been particularly scathing about Bloomberg this past few months – I’m surprised they’ve picked what I consider a rather innocuous article to ‘call me out’ lol – namely:
Vape Shops Are Essential During COVID-19 Lock Down
Anyway, I shall enjoy my 15 minutes of fame basking in being included in such a list of the illustrious.
Good to know those anti-vaping morons actually read our stuff…maybe one day the real information might even trickle into those closed off minds…
We can hope 😉
As for me?
I’m just waiting for my big fat pay check from Phillip Morris Inc…
Apparently 🙂
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More Vaping News on Wednesday
If you have any vape related news or stories let me know: neilh @ ecigclick.co.uk
