Nicotine Science and Policy

By Harry Shapiro Nov. 2, 2023

Harry’s blog 122: Tobacco harm reduction is a human rights issue

A guiding principle of the World Health Organization (WHO) established in 1948, was the universal right to health. Although not expressed in these terms, the implication is that nobody gets left behind even if behaviours which potentially threaten health like illegal drug use and unprotected sex meet with societal disapproval.

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December 04, 2023 by businesstech.co.za

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Warning over new smoking laws for South Africa

Gauteng residents are divided on the hotly contested draft Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill, with businesses warning that implementing the new laws will have negative consequences for the country’s township economy. The Portfolio Committee on Health recently held three public hearings over the Bill in Gauteng, and much like the public engagement in Limpopo, the North West, and Mpumulanga, there was support and rejection of the Bill. The Bill broadly aims to introduce the following:

  • Declare indoor public places and certain outdoor areas 100% smoke-free.
  • Ban the sale of cigarettes through vending machines. [...]

20.20% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 8.3 million current smokers in South Africa 34.60% of men are current smokers but only 6.50% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR

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December 04, 2023 by regulatorwatch.com

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Bad Cop | Global Tobacco Control Conference in Disarray | RegWatch (Live)

Many critics often accuse the World Health Organization of maintaining an ‘obsessive and paranoid secrecy’ regarding COP, its Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. However, with the recent postponement of COP10, perhaps it’s time to consider adding incompetence to the list of criticisms. Joining us today for a special live edition of RegWatch to discuss the confusion surrounding the postponement and what we can expect when COP10 convenes in February 2024 are Lindsey Stroud and Martin Cullip from the Taxpayers Protection Alliance in Washington, D.C.


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December 04, 2023 by inquirer.net

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Countries that ignore WHO advice show decline in smoking prevalence — expert

Countries that ignored the World Health Organization’s (WHO) advice to enforce prohibitionist policies have experienced the most dramatic decline in smoking prevalence when they adopted a tobacco harm reduction approach instead, international public health policy experts said. Prof. David Sweanor, chair of the advisory board of the Center for Health Law, Policy and Ethics at the University of Ottawa, said smoking rates in countries such as Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Japan saw the biggest decline after these countries allowed the use of vapes, heated tobacco products, snus, and other smoke-free alternatives that are considered less harmful than conventional tobacco.


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December 04, 2023 by news-medical.net

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Heart Foundation applauds new vaping reforms to curb e-cigarette use in Australia

The Heart Foundation has welcomed the Australian Government’s commitment to new vaping reforms designed to curb e-cigarette use in Australia. From January 1, 2024, the Government will implement a ban on the importation of disposable single use vapes, while improving access to therapeutic, medically prescribed vapes, for people trying to quit smoking. " We welcome any Government intervention when it comes to curbing vaping use, especially among the young. Vaping, or the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), has gained popularity in recent years as an alternative to traditional tobacco smoking. [...]


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December 04, 2023 by irishexaminer.com

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'Challenging' to introduce tax on vapes, says Michael McGrath

Introducing a new tax on vapes will be “challenging” to implement, Finance Minister Michael McGrath has said. The Government intends to apply the levy on e-cigarettes as part of a public health response to vaping. “While the implementation environment is challenging, it does not undermine the intention to apply a tax as one tool in the overall public health policy approach to e-cigarettes,” the finance minister said in response to a parliamentary question from Fianna Fáil TD Paul McAuliffe.


19.80% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 760,925 current smokers in Ireland.
SOURCE: GSTHR

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December 04, 2023 by filtermag.org

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Advocates Dismayed at Denmark’s “Horrible” Nicotine Clampdown

Denmark’s government is introducing a package of 30 measures aimed at reducing young people’s consumption of nicotine and alcohol. The plans include raising taxes on nicotine products and banning flavors. Advocates are dismayed by the moves, which come despite other Scandinavian countries boasting some of the world’s biggest tobacco harm reduction success stories.


17.50% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 836,800 current smokers in Denmark.
SOURCE: GSTHR

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December 01, 2023 by gfn.tv

PART 2: WHAT NEXT FOR BRAZIL? | Featuring Alexandro Lucian

In part two of our Brazil special, Alexandro Lucian walks us through the mayhem of black market vaping sales in Brazil amidst calls for reform of the blanket vaping ban currently in place.


13.10% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 21.7 million current smokers in Brazil 16.60% of men are current smokers but only 9.70% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR

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December 01, 2023 by realclearpolicy.com

When the Politics of Science Costs Lives

In the U.S. today, the benefits of e-cigarettes to those who smoke cigarettes have been dismissed and marginalized by public health officials. Most Americans have a highly negative view of vaping – until they learn more. Simple facts about the harm-reduction and smoking-cessation benefits of vaping products – particularly flavored vapes, which are two to three times more effective at helping adults quit smoking – shifts sentiment significantly.


18.30% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 48.7 million current smokers in United States 21.60% of men are current smokers but only 15.20% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR


December 01, 2023 by cbc.ca

'We were duped': Health minister vows to close 'loophole' on flavoured nicotine pouches

Canada's health minister says he'll act quickly to shut down a "loophole" after Health Canada approved the sale of flavoured nicotine pouches with no restrictions on how the product is advertised or sold. "There are very serious questions about what the tobacco industry is doing here and what their intention is. And it would seem that their intention is to addict new young people to nicotine, which is disgusting," Health Minister Mark Holland said Tuesday in response to questions from CBC News. "We want to shut down this loophole."


12.50% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 3.9 million current smokers in Canada 14.80% of men are current smokers but only 10.20% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR

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November 30, 2023 by health.com

ZYN Pouches Are Gaining Popularity—How Do They Compare to Smoking and Vaping?

ZYN pouches are growing in popularity. There are multiple brands of nicotine pouches, but ZYN has recently exploded on platforms like TikTok, with videos on the topic garnering 292.6 million views. The intent of these products is to provide a nicotine source aside from a traditional cigarette, Irfan Rahman, Ph.D, who runs a lab that conducts research on toxicants at the University of Rochester Medicine, told Health. That said, the products have not been sufficiently studied. “There’s no data available,” Rahman said. “If somebody’s saying that, they’re making up data.” 


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Blogs

Harry’s blog 122: Tobacco harm reduction is a human rights issue

A guiding principle of the World Health Organization (WHO) established in 1948, was the universal right to health. Although not expressed in these terms, the implication is that nobody gets left behind even if behaviours which potentially threaten health like illegal drug use and unprotected sex meet with societal disapproval.

Harry’s blog 121: International tobacco control and the search for intelligent life

KAC has published an updated version of our Briefing Paper on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control’s Conference of the Parties (FCTC COP) meeting due to take place in Panama in November. While a billion people still smoke, the WHO and allies deflect attention away from the failure of traditional tobacco control policies to put a significant dent in death and disease from smoking by instead attacking tobacco harm reduction.

Harry’s blog 120: Bent as a boomerang: vaping politics in Australia.

Dr Colin Mendelsohn is a well-respected tobacco harm reduction expert who wrote an article for the Australian website Education HQ advising schools on strategies to deal with vaping among students. The article was posted then withdrawn. Dr Mendelsohn received an email from the editor saying: “Unfortunately my managing editor has decided we need to unpublish your article for now, I'm terribly sorry. He is working through a concern that's been raised around your relationship with the vape and tobacco industry.”