Category: Politics

English tobacco control plan embraces tobacco harm reduction – world first

Positive…

The Department of Health (UK/England) today released its tobacco control plan for England: Towards a smoke-free generation: tobacco control plan for England (PDF)

The embrace of vaping and other low-risk alternatives to smoking runs through the text. This is probably the first significant government policy paper anywhere that recognises and pursues the opportunities of tobacco harm reduction, rather than defining these technologies as a threat to be suppressed.  For that, the Department of Health and its allies deserve considerable credit. Continue reading “English tobacco control plan embraces tobacco harm reduction – world first”

WHO tobacco meeting – could the FCTC do something useful on vaping?

I’m sometimes accused of being a WHO-sceptic, or worse. No more! In the run up to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control  COP-7  meeting in Delhi, 7-12 November, I have been challenged to say something positive about how the FCTC could do useful and constructive things on vaping and tobacco harm reduction from a public health point of view, other than the default answer “absolutely nothing at all”.

I sometimes refer to ENDS – Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems – to mean vaping equipment and liquids, e-cigarettes etc. Apologies.

Here we go… Continue reading “WHO tobacco meeting – could the FCTC do something useful on vaping?”

How not to be duped by gateway effect claims

Gateway to hell
DANGER: E-cigarette ‘gateway’ studies may expose gullible readers to reputational harm

Sometimes studies appear that can create the appearance of the discovery of a ‘gateway effect’ – the idea that vaping causes young people to progress to smoking.

Update: a ‘gateway’ study has just been published (13 June) and lots of dupes have duly fallen for it – see “Study published” below.

Beware! Here is an eight-point guide to evaluating such studies and the politically motivated claims that often go with them. Continue reading “How not to be duped by gateway effect claims”

When horror pictures top-trump evidence: a lose-lose situation

Louise Ross, head of the Leicester Stop Smoking Services, took part in a debate on e-cigarette in front of an audience of respiratory nurses.  It didn’t go well.

In this guest blog, Louise describes her experience debating e-cigarettes and tobacco harm reduction with a consultant in respiratory medicine apparently prepared to say anything to rubbish e-cigarettes.

Her account starts here:

Continue reading “When horror pictures top-trump evidence: a lose-lose situation”

Annual quiz on e-cigarettes and harm reduction – 2016

quizFun with a purpose – twelve thought experiments in the form of a quiz designed to interrogate your views on e-cigarettes and harm reduction. Continue reading “Annual quiz on e-cigarettes and harm reduction – 2016”

Public health snoopers detect vapour aerosol at vape conference and fake a particulates scare

snooping

In an apparently clandestine operation, undercover public health snoopers ventured into a vape conference carrying concealed air-quality monitoring equipment.  They detected … wait for it … e-liquid aerosol in the air.  This secretive operation is reported (where else?) the journal Tobacco Control.

Let us examine its scientific and policy claims.   Continue reading “Public health snoopers detect vapour aerosol at vape conference and fake a particulates scare”

Smears or science? The BMJ attack on Public Health England and its e-cigarettes evidence review

illuminati
Who are the Illuminati of e-cigarettes? The BMJ investigates…

For doing what it should do and doing it well, Public Health England has been subjected to a frenzy of criticism from the public health establishment. What is going on…? I’d like to make ten observations… This commentary focuses on a BMJ news article: Public Health England’s troubled trail, Nov 2015, but applies to other, similar coverage.

Continue reading “Smears or science? The BMJ attack on Public Health England and its e-cigarettes evidence review”

Totally Wicked legal challenge to the Tobacco Products Directive e-cigarette measures

judge
Where the hubris and ignorance of European Union legislators is brought painfully to account

This page explains the Totally Wicked legal action against the European Union Tobacco Products Directive, Article 20 – the section that deal with e-cigarettes.

Update. The Totally Wicked case was dismissed on 4th May 2016. No appeal is possible. Continue reading “Totally Wicked legal challenge to the Tobacco Products Directive e-cigarette measures”

Lipstick on a pig: response to consultation on the Tobacco Products Directive

lipstick-on-a-pig-1

I responded to the Department of Health consultation on implementing the EU Tobacco Products Directive [documents / consultation]. The on-line survey system accessible from the consultation page is by far the easiest way to respond. Closes 3rd September 2015.

To be candid, I find this consultation quite patronising. In the manner of putting lipstick on a pig, they are not consulting on the Directive itself – that is irrevocably fixed (albeit subject to legal action that could strike it down), but on implementation detail.

The part of the directive itself that deals with e-cigarettes (Article 20) was never subject to consultation.

Unsurprisingly it amounts to little more than pointless bureaucratic harassment – see why here.  So this consultation deals only with options allowed within the fixed terms directive. I was thinking of not responding, but figured any opportunity to discourage the creation of an even bigger mess should be taken.  The big mistakes were made in October 2013 – this consultation is a consequence.

My response below – questions not answered are greyed out. PS. if you respond, please give your own thoughts, in your own words, politely and constructively.

What I really think is at at Q.24 and 25.

Responses to questions start here:

Continue reading “Lipstick on a pig: response to consultation on the Tobacco Products Directive”

Public Health England says truthful realistic things about e-cigarettes

Credible expert review commissioned by committed public health authority

Today sees a new e-cigarettes assessment from England’s public health authority, Public Health England. It includes an excellent evidence review by Professors Ann McNeill and Peter Hajek and their colleagues. Great kudos must go to Kevin Fenton, Rosanna O’Connor, Martin Dockrell and their colleague at PHE who have been determined to get this issue right – to maximise the benefits and to take an evidence-based approach to managing the risks.

The package is here: E-cigarettes: an evidence update comprising:

It has had great media traction in the UK (Google news) though with perhaps too much emphasis on whether the National Health Service should pay for e-cigarettes – something that would be only permitted when medically licensed products become available (see comment on this below). But the overall endorsement of vaping as a harm reduction strategy for public health is strong and compelling. Also see the statement of the New Nicotine Alliance:

Key messages – from the short briefing on implications for policy and practice…. Continue reading “Public Health England says truthful realistic things about e-cigarettes”