Vaping News Headlines:
Vape Industry Destroyed – Give Kids Drugs Instead Of E-Cigs! – Academics Want FDA Meeting – JUUL Makes Deal With Sainsbury’s – HNB UK Tax – Council Bans Vaping Everywhere – Vaping and the Environment – Lung Cancer Rises and Vaping Opens Doors
South Australia ‘Kills Off’ Thriving Vape Industry
Despite the nicotine ban down-under South Australia still had the most lenient laws around vaping but all that’s about to change.
Both state houses of the parliament have passed a law that will not only kill off the thriving vape industry – but sentence many Aussie smokers to tobacco related illnesses and death.
Add to that the loss of around $60million in trade and 200 jobs and you can see why the Australian Vaping Advocacy Trade and Research group [AVATAR] say this is ‘disastrous move’.
Under the new Tobacco Products Regulation Act legislation there will be a complete ban on online sales as well as those by mail – phone and fax and also outlaws in-shop tasting of e-liquids.
Savvas Dimitriou – AVATAR chairman said:
We have been demanding responsible regulation of this industry for years … and they are throwing it back in our faces by killing off one of the largest contributors to the state’s economy,” Mr Dimitriou said.South Australia holds the highest concentration of vape shops with about 80 vendors. Some of Australia’s largest vape shops are based in South Australia and operate on a local, national and international scale.
This is a disastrous move. Businesses are actioning exit plans as we speak as a result of this unscientific, poorly written and ultimately misguided legislation.
This marks the death of an industry in South Australia and the lives of thousands of smokers.
He was joined in slamming the move by prominent pro vaping advocate Professor Colin Mendelsohn who said:
The SA parliament is attempting to destroy the vaping industry and make it harder for smokers to access safer products; it is hard to see how this could have any possible benefit for public health.
This law is unenforceable. The SA government plans to prosecute vendors selling products online to South Australians.
Good luck with that.
The new legislation will lead to substantial job losses, closure of businesses and loss of government revenue.
However Health Minister Stephen Wade was unmoved calling it an:
…important public health measure to reduce harm associated with e-cigarettes.
Banning of online sales is an important part of minimising the risk of children getting access to these products.
It was recommended by a bipartisan select committee in 2016 and is just treating e-cigarettes the same as we do tobacco products.
For the record the number of smokers in Australia has continued to rise despite plain packaging of lit tobacco and astronomically high prices and HUGE tax.
Anyone would think the Australian government/s were more interest in tobacco tax revenue than the health of its people…
Criminal…absolutely criminal…
Give Kids DRUGS Instead OF E-Cigs Suggests FDA!!!
Nope I’m not on drugs…mostly…but yup the FDA reckons prescription drugs might be a way to ‘wean’ kids off e-cigarettes…
Yeah file this one under shit you really – and I mean really – couldn’t make up.
FDA commissioner Scott Gottleib really is considering offering youngsters that use e-cigarettes medication to quit.
In the agency’s bid to tackle the so called youth ‘vaping epidemic’ in America Gottleib is to hold a public hearing into the matter on December 5th.
Announcing the meeting he said:
This hearing next month is part of our larger Youth Tobacco Prevention Plan. It will be an important opportunity to obtain input from across the medical and research fields, the pharmaceutical and tobacco industries, and public health stakeholders regarding approaches to eliminate youth e-cigarette use.
This includes exploring potential drug therapies to support youth e-cigarette cessation, as part of broader treatment strategies, including behavioral interventions.
If there is a need for new or different drug therapies when it comes to the treatment of nicotine addiction in kids, we want to explore how we can support the development of such therapies.
OMFG – excuse my language but Christ Almighty this is not bordering on insanity – it’s absolutely insane!
You only have to look at my piece around drugs that allegedly help smokers quit to see the dangerous and frightening side effects these types of drugs can have.
I have often been blasted as a bit of a conspiracy theorist [today’s facts lol] for banging on about Big Tobacco and Big Pharma muscling into the vape industry and surely this is even more proof!
Just take a second to consider what he’s suggesting…to stop kids experimenting with e-cigarettes offer them drugs…
I need a lie down…expect a larger piece on this when I’ve taken some smelling salts [are they even legal this day and age?]…
Tobacco and Health Experts Call For Meeting With FDA
An influential group of academics and health experts are hoping a meeting with the FDA will call a halt to the current war on all things vaping in America.
The little known but powerful and battle hardened tobacco wars group – The National Tobacco Reform Initiative [NTRI] has written to commissioner Scott Gottleib calling for an urgent meeting to discuss any new vaping legislation.
The NTRI states among its aims:
[they are]…Led by a small group of distinguished and independent tobacco control leaders with decades of service fighting the tobacco epidemic, the mission of the NTRI is to facilitate open and evidence-based discussions about the most effective ways to reduce the number of current adult smokers.
The NTRI looks for special opportunities to engage and facilitate dialogue with others and to serve as a ‘catalyst’ for change.
The letter includes 8 ‘principles’ to tackle tobacco and e-cigarettes including:
Adult smokers should have ready access to alternative non-combustible lower-risk tobacco and nicotine products that are ‘consumer acceptable’. This should include the allowance of flavors in such products.
Flavors are not inherently bad and can have a positive impact in moving smokers to using significantly lower-risk sources of nicotine.
However, consideration should also be given to avoiding allowing the use of any descriptors or marketing tactics that target youth;
Great stuff and let’s hope Gottleib does indeed meet with them.
You can read the full LETTER here.
JUUL Strikes Deal With Sainsbury’s
It’s got the anti vape brigade spitting feathers but JUUL has announced a major deal with top UK supermarket chain Sainsbury’s.
The announcement came earlier this week and means the chain will have exclusive supermarket sales of the hugely popular e-cigarette within its 1,400 stores from today.
I couldn’t help but chuckle at the reaction from the anti vaping crowd over on social media with one suggesting Sainsbury’s should ‘hang their heads in shame‘ hahaha…oops sorry shouldn’t laugh this is the news after all lol…
JULL MD Dan Thomson was unperturbed at the backlash [they are after all used to it lol] – and why would he be – this deal is worth millions – calling it:
…a ringing endorsement for our product from a major UK supermarket.
A spokesman for Sainsbury’s said:
We’re expanding our vaping range to ensure we’re offering customers choice, quality and value.
Good for you!
UK Tax On Heated Tobacco But NOT E-liquid
Despite reports to the contrary the UK Government will NOT slap a tax on e-liquids following last week’s budget.
The mainstream media got all excited at the prospect of us vapers having to pay more however – as usual it seems – they got it wrong.
Vaping was pretty much left untouched with a nice little bonus for bricks and mortar shop owners of reduced business rates.
However heated tobacco products HNB devices such as IQOS WILL be taxed at the same rate as rolling tobacco from April next year.
Is that a sign of a slither of clear blue water between vaping and tobacco products?
Let’s hope so 😉
Council Bans Workers From Vaping and Smoking ANYWHERE!
If you work for Dundee Council you are not allowed to smoke or vape anywhere whilst on duty.
That includes tea and lunch breaks and traveling in between meetings and jobs!
Unions have called the draconian rule ‘bullying’ however the council officials seem unmoved.
…WT actual F!!!
The new rules includes an easy to follow Q&A for council employees including:
- Q: Does this policy mean that I cannot smoke at all while I am at work?
A: Yes. - Q: Can I smoke when I am working out of doors and not affecting anyone else with my smoke?
A: No. - Q: If my duties require me to go from one office or location to another, can I smoke on the way, i.e. in the open air in the street?
A: No. - Q: Can I leave the workplace during a tea-break to have a smoke?
A: No. - Q: I travel from location to location and don’t wear anything to identify me as a council employee, am I allowed to smoke when I am outside?
A: No.
Wow…
Now I’m not a smoker – but if you’ve got ’em light ’em is my feeling. You know the risks so it’s up to you. But the complete blanket ban – especially including vaping is bordering on jobsworth nanny state fascism if you ask me.
WTF is going on in Dundee???
Environmental Impact of Vaping Under Scrutiny
Scientists are becoming more concerned at the sheer amount of waste involved in the manufacture – use and disposal of all forms of e-cigarettes.
This is something many of us inside vaping have discussed so it’s really nothing new – for instance my piece 10Ml Plastic E-Liquid Bottles Are Choking The Planet – Let’s Stop It! looked at this issue.
Don’t get me started on these new disposable sub ohm tanks either – I’m no green warrior but come on – plastic if not recycled is bad for the planet m’kay!
And surely it’s not the vapers who should be punished for the amount of plastic e-liquid bottles we’re chucking out – but the politicians and in particular those in the EU who came up with the ludicrous 10ml rule.
However the report published in the American Journal of Public Health shines a bright light on the issue and adds yet another string to the bow of the anti-vaping brigade.
Author of the report the wonderfully named Yogi Hale Hendlin – he of the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California, San Francisco said:
E-waste is a huge problem globally. Anytime we make something that is disposable, we’re essentially stealing from the future.
Hard to disagree with that…sadly…
However the author called on the FDA – the US Food and Drug Administration – to step in to tackle the environmental issue forcing manufacturers to be more eco-friendly – like I said even more bright lights shone onto the vape industry.
I’m not saying China doesn’t care about the environment – OK maybe a little lol – but given they are the main world players in the vape market – I really can’t see them kowtowing to any ‘green’ legislation for their products.
Another day and yet another attack on vaping…
Kashmir Bans E-Cigarettes – Cases Of Lung Cancer Rises
Earlier this year the Indian state of Kashmir banned all e-cigarettes despite its residents being the largest users of lit tobacco products in the country with over 30% of men users.
Sadly it was announced this week cases of lung cancer due to tobacco related diseases have grown significantly with a rise of 507 in 2017 and continuing to grow.
As I know only too well from traveling in the country in many places cigarettes are indeed sold loose with little if any warnings or indeed any idea what’s in them. I remember trying those little ones tied with string – wow they were harsh!
But on a more serious note and with India being one of the largest users of lit tobacco – 12% of the world in one count – the slow creep of a countrywide ban on the sale and use of e-cigarettes is a worrying to say the least and a ticking time-bomb for the population.
For the record India is home to a staggering 120million smokers with 900,000 smokers dying EVERY YEAR from tobacco related illnesses…shocking…
To get involved with advocacy in India do check out the interview I did with the The Association of Vapers India.
and finally…Vaping Opens Doors…
We need to lighten things up after this particularly downer of a news roundup lol…
OK if you ever find yourself trapped behind a motion sensor door fear not you can escape with the vape!
The lifehacker website has found that by vaping through the cracks of the door will trigger those detectors and voila out you go!
So it seems vaping is not only the key to a healthier life – but also the key to the door…badumtish…I’m here all week…
The site is also asking for other ‘useful’ ways to use your vapour – though sadly they insist on calling it smoke…so do let me know of any you’ve found 😉
*Shuffles Papers*
