Category: Harm Reduction

  • HNB prices to rise in Korea

    HNB prices to rise in Korea

    The South Korean unit of Philip Morris International said on Friday it would increase the price of its heat-not-burn (HNB) products, according to a story in The Korea Herald.

    The per-pack retail price of HEETS, the consumable element of its HNB device, IQOS, will rise to 4,500 won ($4.13) starting on Wednesday, a 4.65 percent increase from the current 4,300 won.

    The price rise was in response to a recent increase in the consumption tax imposed on HNB products and an expected increase in other levies, the company said.

    At the same time, Philip Morris Korea said it would expand its plant in Yangsan, just north of the port of Busan, to manufacture HEETS.

    The expansion will involve an investment of $420 million and the recruitment of an additional 700 workers.

    Currently, the Yangsan plant manufactures Marlboro and other conventional tobacco brands for domestic sales and exports.

  • Thai e-cig ban challenged

    Thai e-cig ban challenged

    A network of electronic-cigarette users yesterday pressed Thailand’s National Legislative Assembly to consider lifting the ban on the import, production, sale and possession of electronic cigarettes, according to a story in the Bangkok Post.

    The Commerce Ministry earlier this year banned e-cigarettes and related products.

    The chairman of the NLA’s commerce subcommittee, Siripol Yodmuangcharoen, who received the petition, said the group had backed its call for the ban to be reversed with information indicating that 160 countries allow the sale of e-cigarettes while only 15 countries ban them.

    The group had claimed also that the ban on imported e-cigarettes resulted in a substantial loss in import tax revenues.

    Siripol said the subcommittee would discuss the group’s demand.

    Meanwhile, Maris Karanyawat, the network’s representative, said the group had presented its petition to the NLA along with the signatures of more than 17,000 people in support of the right of more than 11 million cigarette smokers to gain access to e-cigarettes.

    The Post’s story is at: https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1378195/network-fired-up-over-electronic-cigarette-ban

  • Government not the answer

    Government not the answer

    If the US really wants to solve the smoking problem, government isn’t the answer, according to Brian Fojtik, a Senior Fellow with Reason Foundation, writing on the dailyvaper.com.

    ‘During the last ten years with the rise and growth in the market for e-cigarettes and vapor products, we’ve seen an organic, consumer-driven revolution sweep the nation and much of the world that holds the promise to do more to reduce smoking and smoking-related disease than expensive, intrusive and offensive government programs ever could,’ said Fojtik.

    ‘The response from government regulators, legislators and tobacco control groups masquerading as public health advocates has been nothing short of shameful.

    ‘We’d hope that health organizations and governments that have claimed to be working in the public interest would welcome promise toward reducing lung cancer, heart disease, stroke and COPD – all of which cause smokers to suffer and die prematurely at a rate of half a million a year.

    ‘Unfortunately, so far this promising trend has been received as anything but…’

    Fojtik’s piece is at:

    http://dailyvaper.com/2017/12/13/we-dont-need-the-government-to-solve-smoking-problem/

  • Range of products needed

    Range of products needed

    The UK smokers’ group Forest has welcomed a report that studied the risk of using heat-not-burn (HNB) tobacco products.

    The report, by the Committee of Toxicology (COT) for Public Health England, says that the level of exposure to harmful and potentially harmful compounds in HNB-product consumers is decreased by 50 percent to 90 percent [in those compounds measured] from that of a smoker’s exposure.

    “It’s vital consumers are given as much information as possible so they can make informed choices about the nicotine products they use,” said Simon Clark, director of Forest.

    “It’s clear from this report that while there may still be a risk, heat-not-burn products are significantly safer than traditional cigarettes.

    “There is no reason therefore for governments to restrict or discourage their use.”

    Clark said that electronic cigarettes were a step too far for many smokers; so if the government wanted smokers to quit there had to be a range of products that filled the gap between combustible tobacco and e-cigarettes.

    “Heat-not-burn products could encourage many more smokers to quit combustible tobacco because it’s obvious that millions are resistant to e-cigarettes,” he said.

    “Choice is paramount so if ministers are tempted to target heat-not-burn products with excessive regulations they would be making a big mistake.”

    The Committee investigated two HNB products, IQOS and iFuse, and found that both showed a decrease in the harmful and potentially harmful compounds (HPHCs) to which the user would be exposed, compared to the HPHCs from a conventional cigarette. For both products, there were some HPHCs where the reduction was approximately 50 percent, and the reduction in other HPHCs was greater than 90 percent.

    Nevertheless, the Committee concluded, in part, that there will be a risk to health from using HNB products.

    ‘It is currently not possible to quantify this risk,’ the committee said. ‘Heat-not-burn tobacco products are new and there is insufficient data available to enable a full assessment.

    ‘The exposure to compounds of concern in using heat-not-burn tobacco products is reduced compared to that from conventional cigarette smoke. It is likely that there is a reduction in overall risk to health for conventional smokers who switch to heat-not-burn tobacco products.

    ‘While the Committees [Committees on Toxicity, Carcinogenicity and Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT, COC and COM)] conclude there is a likely reduction in risk for smokers switching to heat-not-burn tobacco products, a risk remains and it would be more beneficial for smokers to quit smoking entirely.

    ‘A reduction in risk would be expected to be experienced by bystanders where smokers switch to heat-not-burn tobacco products.

    ‘The risk to the unborn child from use of these products by mothers during pregnancy is difficult to quantify and current NHS advice is to stop smoking entirely. The Committees consider that the risk to the unborn baby is likely to be reduced if these products were used during pregnancy instead of smoking, although the aim should be to stop smoking entirely.

    ‘Overall, the Committees conclude there are toxicological risks from novel heat-not-burn tobacco products though data on impacts to human health is very limited. Compared with the known risks from conventional cigarettes, they are probably less harmful. Even so, smokers would do better to quit entirely.’

  • Snus reducing harm

    Snus reducing harm

    Life expectancy has increased for all groups in Sweden except women with low educational attainment, and a sociology researcher believes that could be due to these women smoking at a time when Swedish men have mostly transitioned to snus, according to a EurekAlert! story relayed by the TMA.

    Deaths from smoking are said to be three times more common among women with a compulsory education only than among those with a university education.

    Deaths from smoking in Sweden had decreased among men and increased among women, particularly those with compulsory schooling only, said Olof Östergren, sociology researcher at Stockholm University.

    “One possible explanation as to why men are less harmed by tobacco is snus,” said Östergren.

    “Snus isn’t as dangerous as smoking, and it’s much more common among men than [among] women.”

    At the same time, a stressful life situation can make the body more susceptible to the damaging effects of tobacco and alcohol, which means that differences in mortality depend both on behavioural differences and social and economic differences.

  • Taxes on taxes on taxes…

    Taxes on taxes on taxes…

    The retail price of refill packs of heat-not-burn (HNB) cigarettes is likely to rise to more than 5,000 won ($4.59) next year following the passing of another bill to raise taxes on these products, according to a story in The Korea JoongAng Daily.

    The National Assembly voted on Friday to raise taxes by 532 won to 1,292 won. The bill will go into effect next month.

    Last month, the assembly passed a bill to hike a special consumption tax on these products by 403 won to 529 won. The tax increase was applied from this month but has not affected prices.

    And yet another bill is waiting for a vote later this month on whether to raise the ‘special charges’ on these products for the so-called ‘National Health Promotion’ from 438 won to 750 won. Industry sources say this vote is highly likely to pass.

    If next month’s bill goes through, the total amount of taxes imposed on heat-not-burn cigarette-refills will rise to 2,986 won from 1,739 won earlier this year.

    That would be an increase of about 72 percent and would bring the taxes imposed on HNB products to about 90 percent of those imposed on combustible cigarettes, 3,323 won.

    All three heat-not-burn cigarette refills in Korea – used with Philip Morris International’s IQOS, British American Tobacco’s glo and KT&G’s lil – have been selling for 4,300 won for packs of 20.

    This has made them slightly cheaper than combustible cigarettes, most of which sell for 4,500 won for 20.

    The tax increases on HNB products could make them more expensive than combustible products, though no manufacturer has revealed plans of by how much or when it will raise prices.

    During the past few months, PMI and BAT have reacted to government tax rises by saying they are discussing the matter internally. But KT&G said at lil’s launch event last month that it was not considering a price rise, and it is maintaining that stance.

  • Tobacco taxes healthy

    Tobacco taxes healthy

    Indonesia’s finance minister, Sri Mulyani, has suggested using revenue from the country’s tobacco excise tax to cover the health and social security agency’s (BPJS) annual funding shortfall of IDR9 trillion (US$664 million), according to a story by Coconuts Jakarta relayed by the TMA.

    The reason given was that tobacco-related illnesses contributed to the deficit.

    The story claimed that smoking prevalence in Indonesia might be as high as 70 percent among adult males.

    Indonesia is said to suffer more than 200,000 tobacco-related deaths a year.

    “Many people are sick due to smoking, so it’s logical that it should become one of the solutions, meaning using state revenue coming from tobacco products,” the finance minister said.

    Boediarso Teguh Widodo, a director general at the ministry, estimated that government revenue from tobacco was about IDR14 trillion (US$1.03 billion) and of that about IDR5 trillion (US$369 million) could be earmarked for BPJS.

  • Glowing in Romania

    Glowing in Romania

    British American Tobacco Romania has launched Glo, described as the company’s newest and most innovative tobacco heating product.

    “British American Tobacco is the absolute industry leader in Romania, accounting for 55 percent of the whole tobacco products market, with Kent alone representing a quarter of the total domestic consumption,” Richard Widmann, area director, BAT Southern Central Europe, was quoted as saying in a note posted on the company’s website.

    “The launch of Glo in Romania, as a first in the European Union, completes our portfolio with an alternative, completely innovative product with the potential to be significantly less risky than traditional cigarettes.”

    According to the press note, 1 in 10 smokers have switched to this tobacco heating product in Sendai, one of Japan’s largest cities, where the device was launched in December 2016.

    ‘In addition, since launching Glo in Japan, 60 percent of growth in the tobacco heating product category is from Glo,’ the press note said.

    BAT describes Glo as a tobacco heating product designed to offer ease of use and best-in-class quality and safety standards.

    It is said to include a number of safety features to ensure ‘a quality user experience, for example’:

    • It has a high-quality aluminium sleeve and robust plastic base. The internal materials consist of thermal plastic which is heat resistant, a vacuum tube which ensures the exterior remains cool to the touch, rapid heating technology and a high-quality lithium battery.
    • It will shut off in the event of over-heating and has features that protect it from being charged incorrectly.
    • The device has been independently tested by a globally-recognised organisation against international safety standards for consumer devices.
  • While you’re at it …

    While you’re at it …

    Now would be a good time for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Surgeon General – two entities entrusted to give the public credible health information – to make corrective statements, according to a story by Sally Satel and Guy Bentley published by the American Enterprise Institute.

    Both agencies, the authors say, have committed public health malpractice by trying to scare people who can’t or won’t give up smoking while withholding or distorting data about viable alternatives.

    Satel and Bentley said that major US tobacco companies, such as Altria and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, had unveiled ‘primetime television commercials and full-page ads’ in more than 40 newspapers telling US citizens something they already knew: Smoking kills.

    ‘One ad says, “Altria, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, Lorillard, and Philip Morris USA intentionally designed cigarettes to make them more addictive”,’ they pointed out.

    ‘Another reads: “More people die every year from smoking than from murder, AIDS, suicide, drugs, car crashes, and alcohol, combined”.

    ‘The companies were ordered to make these “corrective statements” as the result of a 1999 lawsuit the Justice Department filed over the industry’s decades-long misleading statements about the effects of smoking.

    ‘They are a long-overdue correction by an industry that long tried to suppress the truth about the lethal effects of smoking…’

    The authors then go on to argue that the net of truth should be cast more widely.

    The story is at: https://www.aei.org/publication/feds-owe-the-public-corrective-statements-on-vaping/.

  • Vaping on the high street

    Vaping on the high street

    Vaping retail outlets will be established as part of most high streets in the UK during the next two years, according to the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA).

    The UK vaping sector is forecast to become a £4 billion-plus industry by 2021.

    The UKVIA estimates that there are more than 2,000 stores across the country currently but that this is likely to grow exponentially during the next two to three years as the owners of retail brands embark on major store investment programs.

    “Whilst only 10 years old as an industry, vaping is now big business and significant retail brands are beginning to emerge, taking vaping shops from the back street to the high street,” said Doug Mutter, a board member at UKVIA.

    “Just as Google disrupted communications; Uber travelling by taxi; and Airbnb accommodation provision; so vaping has done so through the seismic shift it has caused away from smoking. Vaping stores are mirroring the growth trajectory of coffee and mobile phone shops.

    “The recent advertising campaign by Public Health England – the first of its kind to promote vaping – and the government’s Tobacco Control Plan, which reinforced the critical role that vaping has to play in getting smokers to quit, have both been a massive boost to the industry.”