A report on its 2018 Congress is included in the latest newsletter from CORESTA (Co-operation Centre for Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco).
The 2018 Congress was hosted by the China National Tobacco Corporation and held in Kunming in October.
The report includes details about the CORESTA Congress presentations and workshops, and a brief outline of the networking events.
Special mention is made of the Heated Tobacco Products Open Discussion and the announcement that a workshop is due to be held on this topic in Paris, France, in March.
The report includes, too, an outline of the CORESTA Prize presentation and medal awards ceremony, the results of the Board elections during the General Assembly, and the names of the newly-elected Scientific Commission executives.
The newsletter includes mention of the Golden Leaf Award, which was presented to CORESTA at Tobacco Reporter’s GTNF 2018 for outstanding service to the industry.
And, as usual, the newsletter has a list of recently published CORESTA Technical Reports, Guides and New Projects launched, and revised CRMs.
It has an update on CORESTA external communications and the dates of upcoming CORESTA meetings.
Category: People
HNB workshop for March
BAT Board changes
British American Tobacco is creating from January 1 two new Management Board roles: director, new categories, and director, digital information.
At the same time, the roles of COO and group business development director will be eliminated, and all four regional operations (USA, Europe and North Africa, Asia-Pacific and Middle East and Americas and Sub-Saharan Africa) will report directly to the CEO.
In a note posted on its website, BAT said the new roles were being established in order to accelerate ‘the implementation of our established and successful strategy’.
It said the director, new categories, who would report directly to the chief marketing officer, would have ‘end-to-end accountability for driving growth, innovation, world-class brand building and consumer insights for our potentially reduced-risk products (PRRPs)’.
The director, digital and information, who would report directly to the CEO, would be responsible for ‘driving digital transformation across the Group and further enhancing our digital consumer experience capabilities’.
Paul Lageweg, currently regional marketing manager, Asia-Pacific and Middle East, will become director, new categories.
Marina Bellini, currently chief information officer, will become director, digital and information.
Tadeu Marroco, currently regional director, Europe and North Africa, will be appointed to the new Management Board role of director, group transformation.
Johan Vandermeulen, currently regional director, Asia-Pacific and Middle East, will succeed Marroco.
Guy Meldrum, currently area director, Australasia area, will be appointed to succeed Vandermeulen.
Hae In Kim, currently group head of talent and organisational effectiveness, will be appointed as director, talent and culture designate on January 1 and will succeed Giovanni Giordano, currently group human resources director, on April 1.
Naresh Sethi, currently group business development director, will leave the company at the end of Q2 2019.E-cig rules could change
In response to a UK parliamentary report on electronic cigarettes, the Government has agreed to review e-cigarette regulations once EU legislation ceases to apply, according to a story by Carolyn Wickware for the Pharmaceutical Journal.
In its response to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee’s report on e-cigarettes (see TR news report, Harm reduction within reach, August 17), the Government has agreed with recommendations for a review of e-cigarette regulation ‘to identify scope for change post-Brexit’.
The committee had recommended in its e-cigarettes report, published in August, that the regulations, ‘which are currently applied under EU legislation,’ should be changed as ‘part of a wider shift to a more risk-proportionate regulatory environment,’ in which restrictions, advertising rules and taxes ‘reflect the evidence on the relative harms of the various e-cigarette and tobacco products available’.
In its response, the Department of Health and Social Care said it was committed to a review ‘to re-appraise current regulation to ensure this continues to protect the nation’s health’.
The response added: ‘We will look to identify where we can sensibly deregulate without harming public health or where current EU regulations limit our ability to deal with tobacco’.
The government also committed to ‘consider reviewing the position on snus,’ which is banned within the EU outside of Sweden. The response document said it would consider whether snus would promote ‘proportional harm reduction’.Smoke signals
A visiting professor at one of China’s top universities has apologized for smoking during his lectures and for encouraging students to take up the habit, which, he said, was “inspirational,” according to a story in the South China Morning Post.
Wang Meng, a media lecturer at the Communication University of China, Beijing, apologized for his behaviour on the microblogging site Weibo.
‘It is wrong to smoke in public places, and it is even worse that I was smoking in a classroom,’ he reportedly wrote. ‘I did not care about students’ feelings and did not consider the possible impact of second-hand smoke on my students.’
Smoking is banned in indoor and certain outdoor public spaces in several major Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Xian.
Wang, who also works at the state broadcaster CCTV, pledged to quit smoking as part of his Weibo statement, which drew many sympathetic comments from his students.
The Communication University of China released an official statement condemning Wang’s actions, adding that he had offered to resign as a part-time professor. ‘The classroom is a sacred place,’ the university wrote on Weibo. ‘Wang’s conduct violates Beijing’s smoking control laws and a teacher’s code of ethics.’Survey stubbed out
Japan Tobacco Inc. said today that it would no longer conduct its annual Japan Smoking Rate Survey, making the 2018 survey, whose results were published on July 30, the last.
JT said it had conducted the independent survey since 1965 better to understand the incidence of smoking nationwide.
The results it added had been utilized in a variety of ways.
However, in line with personal data protection policies, several municipal governments had restricted companies’ ability to access the Basic Resident Register.
JT had decided to terminate the survey after considering a number of factors, including the difficulty in ensuring the credibility of the results and the resource required to conduct the survey.
‘The Company is of the view that the smoking rate in Japan has been declining,’ JT said in a note posted on its website. ‘The decrease is due to various factors, including an aging society, increasing awareness about the health risks associated with smoking, the tightening of smoking-related regulations and rising taxes on tobacco products.’
JT said it would continue its efforts to build a society in which smokers and non-smokers could co-exist in harmony.
The results of the Japan Smoking Rate Survey that were compiled in May and published on July 30 showed that the incidence of tobacco-smoking in Japan had fallen by 0.3 of a percentage point: from 18.2 percent in 2017 to 17.9 percent.
The incidence of smoking among men was down by 0.4 of a percent point to 27.8 percent, while that among women was down by 0.3 of a percent point to 9.0 percent.
Using figures from the Statistics Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, JT calculated that Japan’s smoking population stood at 18.80 million in May, down from 19.17 million in 2017.
The male smoking population was reckoned to be down from 14.26 million to 14.06 million, while the female smoking population was estimated to be down from 4.91 million to 4.74 million.
The survey was conducted in May using a stratified two-stage sampling method, by mailing questionnaires to about 32,000 adult men and women using ‘tobacco products, including cigarettes, T-vapor products, pipe, cigar and other tobacco products’ nationwide. It said it had collected 19,442 (60.6 percent) valid responses from the population surveyed.Technology that satisfies
British American Tobacco said yesterday it had launched two products in which new puretech blade technology had replaced the coil and wick heating mechanism traditionally found in e-cigarettes.
In a note posted on its website, BAT said that it was launching two new electronic cigarettes, Vype iSwitch and Vype iSwitch Maxx, in five of its VIP branded stores in London.
The company said the new products were powered by the world-first vaping technology, Vype puretech, as it sought to provide an even more satisfying option for adult smokers looking for a potentially reduced-risk alternative to traditional cigarettes. The new products were aimed at smokers who had yet to find a vaping alternative that satisfied them.
Vype iSwitch and Vype iSwitch Maxx are driven by new-to-world puretech blade technology – replacing the coil and wick heating mechanism traditionally found in e-cigarettes,’ the note said. ‘This breakthrough heating technology is proprietary to BAT and protected by multiple patents.’
BAT highlighted that:- ‘It is a fabric-free technology – an ultra-slim stainless-steel blade, which replaces the traditional coil and wick, heating the e-liquid to create the vapor which the consumer inhales.
- ‘The blade, which is around the thickness of a human hair, has a surface area ten times larger than a traditional coil and wick heating system, providing a much more precise and measured way to heat the e-liquid.
- ‘Results in increased consumer taste satisfaction by ensuring a smoother, richer and more consistent vape.
- ‘The power and design of the technology delivers nicotine more effectively – even with lower strength nicotine e-liquids.
- ‘Vype puretech, as tested on Vype iSwitch, also produces a vapor which contains around 99 percent less toxicants than the smoke from a conventional cigarette – the biggest reduction, to date, that BAT has seen in its portfolio of Vype vapor products.’
BAT said the new range had been designed to have a premium look and feel.
‘Vype iSwitch and Vype iSwitch Maxx are closed-system vaping devices with consumer-centric design features, such as the “slide and lock” mechanism to easily change the specially designed cartridges – containing Vype puretech blades,’ the note said. ‘The cartridges are available in three flavours (Fresh Mint, Virginia Tobacco and Forest Berries) and three nicotine strengths (3mg/ml, 5mg/ml and 8mg/ml).’
BAT said the limited launch was intended to facilitate consumer interaction with the new product so that the company could take ‘learnings and consumer feedback ahead of a wider roll-out’ further in the UK and online in 2019.Smoking rate increased
The incidence of smoking among Spaniards aged 15-64 last year, at 34.0 percent, was higher than it was before the introduction of a tobacco-smoking ban in 2005, 32.8 percent, according to a story in El Pais.
But, at the same time, cigarette sales have fallen: from 4.6 billion packs in 2005 to 2.2 billion packs in 2017.
These figures are from the drug-consumption survey EDADES, which was carried out by the Health Ministry.
Apparently, the survey’s methodology means that, assuming the country’s population has remained roughly stable during the period under review, it is not known if the changes in the incidence of smoking and the sales volume are due to individual smokers consuming fewer cigarettes per year or choosing to roll their own cigarettes.
The 2005 law banned tobacco smoking in the workplace but allowed it in smaller bars and restaurants.
But that law was extended in 2010 to cover smoking in all closed public places.
The Health Minister María Luisa Carcedo and Azucena Martí, the government delegate for the National Plan on Drugs, presented the results of the survey on Tuesday, but they were unable to explain the rise in the incidence of smoking.
Carcedo said that more work needed to be done to ensure the current laws were being enforced.
She did not rule out or confirm whether the government was planning to ban smoking in cars or homes with minors present, but she said these issues would be complex given that the places in question were private.
The health minister did, however, announce that the government would launch a special campaign to stop young people from taking up smoking. According to the biannual survey, the number of young smokers has risen five percentage points during the past two years.Only experimenting
While women in Oman try their first cigarette on average at the age of 18, men do so at the age of 21, according to a story in The Times of Oman citing figures from the National Survey on Non-Communicable Diseases.
The survey, which was organized by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organization, was conducted among 9,053 adults, of whom 6,833 responded, a response rate of 75.5 percent.
Although women try their first cigarette at a relatively young age, few go on to become smokers. While the smoking rate among men stands at 15.1 percent, that among women is 0.4 percent.
Consequently, while overall daily smoking stands at 9.1 cigarettes per day, men smoke 9.2 cigarettes and women 2.1 cigarettes.Reporting harm reduction
British American Tobacco yesterday published its 2018 Harm Reduction Focus Report, which looks at the company’s strategy of ‘transforming tobacco’ by seeking to provide consumers with satisfying, reduced-risk alternatives to smoking.
‘This new report highlights BAT’s continued commitment to contributing to tobacco harm reduction,’ the company said in a note posted on its website. ‘It demonstrates how the company has made tremendous progress in its long-held ambition to provide consumers with less risky tobacco and nicotine choices. Adult consumers are offered a much broader range of alternatives than ever before, including vapor products, tobacco heating products and oral tobacco and nicotine products in 28 countries globally.’
BAT said the report focused also on how the company was maximising the potential of its products to contribute to harm reduction by continuously investing in innovation, building reliable evidence backed by robust science, and driving responsible growth of the industry through collaborative efforts.
“At BAT, we’re committed to transforming tobacco by providing consumers with satisfying alternatives to smoking,” chief executive Nicandro Durante was quoted as saying. “Without the right products, tobacco harm reduction will never be a reality, which is why our approach is centred on developing an outstanding product portfolio.
“But these products can only meet their potential if the right regulatory and market conditions are in place. Stakeholders from across government, industry and public health need to continue to work together to create an environment for tobacco harm reduction to be successful.
“As I come to the end of my eight-year tenure as CEO of this fantastic company I am immensely proud of the progress we have made with regards to harm reduction. But this is just the beginning of BAT’s mission to transform tobacco.”
The report highlights are said to include:- Expert viewpoints from BAT’s senior leadership in which Durante comments on BAT’s progress in its commitment to harm reduction under his leadership, and in which scientific and R&D director Dr. David O’Reilly writes about the transformation of the tobacco industry and what it means for BAT.
- An expert stakeholder viewpoint from Dr. Saul Shiffman, a professor of clinical and health psychology, who has been conducting behavioral research on nicotine and tobacco for 45 years.
- Information on BAT’s diverse range of potentially reduced-risk products (PRRPs) – from vapor products and tobacco heating products, to oral tobacco and nicotine products – that are now available in 28 countries.
- An overview of the scientific assessment framework BAT has developed to assess the reduced-risk potential of its products.
- A reference to the growing body of independent evidence that demonstrates the reduced risk of emerging tobacco and nicotine alternatives to smoking.
- The importance of effective regulation, including product quality, and safety standards.
- BAT’s continued commitment to tobacco harm reduction – how it will continue to invest in seeking to develop less risky alternatives to cigarettes, provide sound science behind its products, engage with regulators to raise awareness about the potential benefits of PRRPs, and responsibly market its products to adult consumers looking for potentially less risky alternatives.
Advertising graphic warnings
New research from Cornell University suggests graphic warning labels on cigarette advertisements have the same anti-smoking effect as similar warning labels on cigarette packs, according to a University story at news-medical.net.
The labels, which contain images such as bleeding, cancerous gums and lips, are said also to cancel out the effect of advertisements that prompt young people to think of smoking as cool, rebellious and fun.
“This study suggests the value of graphic warning labels extends beyond just getting people to have more negative feeling about smoking,” said lead author Jeff Niederdeppe, associate professor of communication, who wrote the paper with a team of Cornell-affiliated researchers. “It also seems to have the added benefit of reducing the influence of ‘social cue’ ads that entice young people to want to smoke in the first place.”
The paper, Using Graphic Warning Labels to Counter Effects of Social Cues and Brand Imagery in Cigarette Advertising, was published in Health Education Research.
Researchers studied the graphic warning labels’ effect on 451 adult smokers and 474 middle schoolers in rural and urban low-income communities in the Northeast.
