Author: Taco Tuinstra

EU Sanctions Belarusian Tobacco Firms

Photo: Tobacco Reporter archive
The European Union has imposed sanctions against Neman Grodno Tobacco Factory and Inter Tobako in Belarus, reports Interfax. The measures were announced in The Official Journal of the European Union as part of a larger package of sanctions to punish Russia and its allies for the war in Ukraine.
The package also targets Russian oil exports, financial institutions and vehicle manufacturers whose trucks and cars have been used in the “special military operation.”
The Newman Grodno Tobacco Factory was already subject to sanctions following the controversial re-election of Alexander Lukashenko and the regime’s subsequent crackdown on protests challenging the outcome in 2020.
Accounting for 70 percent of domestic cigarette sales, Neman effectively has a monopoly on the Belarusian tobacco market. The United States says it is one of several entities that receive preferential treatment from the regime in return for providing funds to Lukashenko.
The Neman factory has also been fingered as a major source of illicit cigarettes in Europe. Around 10 percent of the 5.5 billion cigarettes sold illegally in the U.K. annually are believed to have originated in Belarus.
With the average price of a pack of cigarettes in Belarus running the equivalent of about $0.80 compared to $4.30 in Latvia and much higher in other parts of the EU, there is plenty of room for profit in smuggling.
June 7, 2022
BAT Conducts Real-World Vuse Study

Photo: BAT
BAT has conducted a first-of-its-kind study of Vuse designed to assess and provide insights into the real-world health impact of vaping. The study compares biomarker measures from Vuse consumers who have been using the product for over six months with the results from smokers, former smokers and never-smokers. Protocol details explaining the innovative design of the latest study were published in the Journal of Health and Environmental Research.
The cross-sectional study design uses a single set of data readings to measure exposure to certain toxicants and indicators of potential harm related to several smoking-related diseases in people who have been exclusively using Vuse.
BAT hopes that the results, which are currently being analyzed and will be published later this year, will provide further supportive evidence that using Vuse can reduce relative risk for certain diseases among adult consumers compared to smoking. The company expects that once available, the results will add to the growing body of evidence on Vuse’s potential as a reduced-risk product.
“This innovative study demonstrates our commitment to researching the reduced-risk potential of our new category products,” said Sharon Goodall, BAT’s group head of regulatory sciences, in a statement.
“What makes it particularly relevant and exciting is that the results generated will be from people who have been using Vuse as they normally would for more than six months prior to testing. The results will provide important new insights and show us the differences between Vuse users, smokers and former smokers across a range of important biomarkers thought to be predictive of disease development. We look forward to sharing the data once available.”
June 6, 2022
UAE Bans Vaping in Public Spaces

Photo: Ldprod – Dreamstime.com
Vaping e-cigarettes is prohibited inside offices and closed spaces across the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the health ministry has confirmed. The use of e-cigarettes is now subject to the federal law on tobacco control in the country.
This came as the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) highlighted the dangers of consuming tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, according to the Khaleej Times.
According to the UAE government website, the federal law also forbids and penalizes: the sale of tobacco products to those under 18; smoking in private cars when a child under the age of 12 is present; smoking in houses of worship, educational institutions (such as universities and schools), health and sports facilities; automatic vending equipment and devices for tobacco distribution inside the country; and tobacco advertisement.
The MoHAP said it has collaborated with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority to block websites that advertise and promote electronic nicotine-delivery systems.
The UAE had originally planned to ban vaping products because UAE-based doctors had said that e-cigarettes would create a whole new generation of smokers. However, the country changed course after advocacy groups pushed for the harm reduction products.
Meanwhile, citing the National Health Survey, the ministry said the prevalence of adult tobacco smoking has declined from 11.1 percent in 2010 to 9.1 percent in 2018.
The latest edition of the Tobacco Atlas suggests that the UAE has among the lowest cigarette consumption rates. A graphic shared as part of the report shows that an adult smoker consumes 438 cigarettes a year in the country.

June 6, 2022
Goebel Helps Forop Secure BOPP Ambitions

Photo: Goebel IMS
Goebel IMS is playing an instrumental role in the expansion plans of Fujian Forop Advanced Materials Co., the Germany-based manufacturer of slitting and rewinding machinery announced in a press note.
Forop Advanced Materials aims to become the world’s largest manufacturer of BOPP films. To help achieve this ambition, the company intends to inaugurate two new BOPP film factories in southern China by 2025, giving it a total of six production sites with 30 BOPP production lines.
In 2021, the company signed an agreement to acquire 16 Goebel IMS Monoslit 9000 BOPP slitter rewinders from Goebel. According to Goebel, Forop Advanced Materials will likely purchase additional primary slitter rewinders for another six BOPP production lines.
“Such a project is unique in our history, we are very proud and thankful that Forop put its trust in Goebel IMS,” said Tobias Lanksweirt, managing director of Goebel Schneid- und Wickelsysteme and sales director film. “With this project we show once more that we are the world market leader if it comes to primary slitting and rewinding, especially in the field of high-speed BOPP converting. We are looking forward to a long and fruitful cooperation with Forop.”
June 6, 2022
Study: Graphic Warnings Boost Pack Hiding

Illustration: FDA
The presence of graphic health warnings encouraged smokers to hide their packs but did not change smoking behavior among participants in a recent study published in Jama Network Open.
As part of their tobacco-control policies, many countries require cigarette manufacturers to print images of smoking-related diseases on their cigarette packs. A similar rule is pending in the U.S., but the measure has been repeatedly postponed due to industry litigation and the Covid-19 pandemic.
A group of public health experts at the University of California in San Diego wanted to find out how graphic health warnings would affect the behavior of U.S. smokers.
They asked smokers to purchase their preferred brand of cigarettes from a study website. Participants were randomized to receive their cigarettes in one of three pack designs: a package with a graphic warning label, with a blank pack, or in a standard commercially available U.S. pack. Approximately 19,000 packs were delivered to participants.
The researchers found that smokers given packets stamped with images of diseased feet, ill children and throat cancer continued to puff on about 10 cigarettes daily up to a year after receiving them. But six in ten admitted to concealing the packets at least some of the time due to the images, which was up 40 percent from before the study began.
More than 120 countries already force tobacco companies to put warnings over the side-effects of smoking on their packets.
But a growing body of studies suggest that the warnings are becoming less effective as smokers are becoming too used to them.
One paper from 2019 found that about 36 percent of smokers in Canada—which has had graphic health warnings for many years—found them “not at all” or “minimally” effective in prompting them to quit.
June 6, 2022
Thai Court Lowers Philip Morris Fine

Photo: Jo Panuwat
An appeals court in Thailand has lowered a fine imposed on Philip Morris (Thailand) for customs violations to THB121 million ($3.53 million), reports The Bangkok Post.
In November 2019, the country’s criminal court found the tobacco giant guilty of evading taxes due on cigarette imports from the Philippines and ordered the company to pay a fine of THB1.2 billion.
While upholding the guilty verdict, the appeals court on June 1 lowered the fine and instructed authorities to pay rewards to those who provided tips leading to the arrests.
The prosecutor filed a lawsuit against Philip Morris (Thailand) and seven of its employees in 2016 for inaccurate price declarations on cigarettes imported from the Philippines from July 2003 to June 2006. The defendants denied the charges.
According to the lawsuit, Philip Morris (Thailand) set the price of L&M cigarettes imported from the Philippines at THB5.88, while other importers declared the same brand of cigarettes at THB6.81 per packet.
The tobacco firm allegedly also declared the cost, insurance and freight rate on Marlboro from the Philippines at THB7.76 per packet, far lower than the THB27.46 reported by other importers.
June 6, 2022
Van-Tull to Lead D.C. Bar Association

LieAnn Van-Tull (Photo: Keller and Heckman)
LieAnn Van-Tull, an associate with Keller and Heckman’s food and drug packaging and tobacco and e-vapor practice groups, was sworn in as president-elect of the Washington Bar Association (WBA) on June 1, 2022.
“I feel honored to have the opportunity to serve an organization that provides an avenue for attorneys to excel,” said Van-Tull. “I have enjoyed contributing to the WBA as secretary, former membership chair, and as an active committee member, and look forward to expanding my impact as president. In particular, I am eager to broaden the organization’s membership base, create new mentorship and leadership opportunities, and further its advocacy efforts for underrepresented members of the legal community.”
The WBA is the oldest and largest predominantly Black bar association in Washington, DC. Founded in 1925, the WBA consistent with the philosophy of Houstonian jurisprudence, is dedicated to improving and protecting the well-being of the legal profession and its members, advancing the science of jurisprudence and the administration of justice, and promoting diversity while preventing discrimination within the legal field.
“LieAnn exemplifies a commitment to legal excellence, community engagement and enhancing diversity in the legal profession,” said Cynthia Lieberman, the chair of Keller and Heckman’s diversity and inclusion committee. “We could not be more thrilled to see her elected to the Washington Bar Association’s executive leadership team.”
“LieAnn’s new position at the Washington Bar Association showcases her dedication to protecting equal justice under the law and inspires the firm in our own pursuit for increasing diversity in the workplace,” said Richard Mann, chair of Keller and Heckman’s management committee.
Van-Tull will assume the role of WBA president in June 2023 for the 2023-2024 bar year.
June 6, 2022
PMI Calls for Action Against Illicit Trade

Photo: promesaartstudio
Philip Morris International has called for action against the illicit cigarette trade in Saudi Arabia, reports Arab News. Illicit trade currently accounts for between 17 percent and 25 percent of the tobacco market in Saudi Arabia.
Philippe Van Gils, PMI’s regional head of illicit trade prevention for the Middle East, warned that the illegal tobacco trade poses a risk not only to government revenues, but also to public health.
“Billions are going into the pockets of illicit organizations instead of the governments where the latter could use the money for development and other purposes,” Van Gils said, adding that illicit traders also neglect sanitary standards in manufacturing or shipping
Van Gils stressed the importance of building awareness of the issue in the private sector and among consumers. He said that collaboration is crucial due to the magnitude of the problem. “No one can fix this issue alone; it requires a public-private partnership,” he said.
He further said that the private sector could address this issue using technology and better controls on its supply chain operations. “It’s about knowing your customers, monitoring the volume of products you sell to ensure it responds to legitimate demand and leveraging technology to track your product down the supply chain,” he said.
Governments, in turn, should not only enact effect regulation, but also enforce it. To help authorities distinguish illicit products from genuine ones, PMI has held several training sessions this year, including for the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property.
According to Van Gils the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated illicit trade on the dark web. He said the solution is to reduce illicit tobacco while promoting better alternatives, specifically heated tobacco products such as e-cigarettes.
“Our position is that if you don’t smoke, don’t start. But if you can’t quit, switch to better alternatives that are now available thanks to technological advancements,” added Van Gils.
June 6, 2022
Study: Malaysians Vape to Cut Smoking

Photo: gesrey
Nearly half (49 percent) of Malaysian smokers choose to vape to cut down on cigarette consumption or quit smoking completely, reports The New Straits Times, citing a 2021 survey of 500 people carried out by Kantar Group
“This appears consistent with mounting scientific evidence that smokers prefer vaping and is effective to help them kick the habit,” said Delon Human, president and CEO of Health Diplomats, a health, nutrition, and wellness consulting group.
“Available evidence so far shows that most smokers want to quit the habit. For example, in the United Kingdom, around two-thirds of smokers, regardless of their social group, want to stop smoking, and vaping has become the method of choice to quit smoking in that country,” Human said.
The survey also found that 52 percent of Malaysian smokers perceive vaping to be less harmful than smoking cigarettes. Eighty-six percent said that vaping should be made available to smokers as a less harmful product, and 90 percent believed that vaping should be actively promoted as a less harmful alternative to smoking cigarettes.

This study shows vaping in Malaysia has great potential to help the government reduce smoking prevalence as it is a popular tool used by smokers to cut down and quit smoking.
Delon Human, president and CEO, Health Diplomats
“Studies on the use of e-cigarettes have pointed to the fact that vaping is not risk-free but significantly less harmful than smoking cigarettes,” said Human. “Interestingly, the rate of Malaysian smokers understanding this fact is high compared to other countries,” he said.
In the U.K., by contrast, only 29 percent of smokers believe vaping was less harmful than smoking, despite the country’s adopting a harm reduction approach in encouraging cigarette smokers to switch to vaping, according to Human.
Malaysia is currently contemplating new rules for e-cigarettes.
Most of the Malaysians surveyed support regulations for e-cigarettes and believe they should be regulated as consumer products instead of medicinal products.
At the same time, 81 percent believe regulations must be put in place to ensure the products are not defective and meet product and quality standards and are not sold to minors or underage children.
“This study shows vaping in Malaysia has great potential to help the government reduce smoking prevalence as it is a popular tool used by smokers to cut down and quit smoking,” said Human.
June 6, 2022
Singapore: Smoking Prevalence Drops to 10 Percent

Photo: Noppasinw
The smoking prevalence in Singapore dropped to 10.1 percent in 2020 from 13.9 percent in 2010, reports The Straits Times, citing the city’s Ministry of Health (MOH).
The MOH attributes the decline to its multi-year, multi-pronged approach to reduce and discourage the use of tobacco products among Singaporeans. The ministry says it works with multiple partners to deliver public education to increase awareness of the harms of tobacco use, smoking cessation programs, legislative measures, taxation and enforcement.
Among other measures, the MOH raised the minimum legal age for smoking to 21, and banned emerging tobacco products, on the premise that these can be gateways to smoking.
The MOH is also studying the examples of New Zealand, Malaysia and Denmark, which recently announced plans to implement tobacco-free generation policies. The department says it will examine how these countries develop and enforce the bans, to determine if this can be similarly applied in Singapore.
June 6, 2022