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Vaping

FDA Urged to Prioritize Access to Safer Alternatives

Consumer advocates spoke out against what they describe as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s “alarming neglect” in facilitating access to safer nicotine alternatives for millions of adult consumers during a House Oversight hearing today.

“Despite the bipartisan mandate of the Tobacco Control Act of 2009, the FDA’s performance has fallen short of expectations, leaving countless individuals without viable options to effectively transition away from combustible cigarettes,” the Consumer Choice Center wrote in a press note.

“With over 26 million premarket tobacco product applications (PMTA) languishing in bureaucratic limbo, the FDA has only authorized fewer than 50 granted to just a handful of firms, completely disregarding the 180-day review deadline set imposed by Congress,” said Consumer Choice Center U.S. Policy Analyst Elizabeth Hicks.

“Less than 10 unique devices are available on the regulated marketplace, all of which come from industry incumbents, not to mention the growing categories of nicotine alternatives such as heaters, pouches, toothpicks, and more.

Read the full text here

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KJ’s vape specialty store idea will disadvantage rural consumers, says NGO

PETALING JAYA: The Consumer Choice Centre (CCC) has shot down former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s suggestion for the government to restrict sales of vape and e-cigarettes to specialty stores.

Its Malaysian associate, Tarmizi Anuwar, said this would put those in rural or semi-urban areas at a disadvantage when it comes to accessibility.

PETALING JAYA: The Consumer Choice Centre (CCC) has shot down former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s suggestion for the government to restrict sales of vape and e-cigarettes to specialty stores.

Its Malaysian associate, Tarmizi Anuwar, said this would put those in rural or semi-urban areas at a disadvantage when it comes to accessibility.

Read the full text here

Consumer Group Says No to PMTA Registries

U.S. states must recognize the unintended consequences of passing laws requiring premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) registries for alternative nicotine products such as vaping devices, heaters, and nicotine pouches, according to the Consumer Choice Center, an organization claiming to represent consumers in more than 100 countries.

In the first months of 2024, more than a dozen bills have been introduced in U.S. states calling for a state-based registry for alternative nicotine products. Such legislation has already been passed in Oklahoma, Louisiana and Alabama.

“While the intention behind these bills is to manage consumer access to unregulated nicotine products on the illicit market, the reality is that the FDA is not approving enough new devices and products to create a competitive, regulated marketplace that meets consumer demand,” said Elizabeth Hicks, U.S. affairs analyst at the Consumer Choice Center.

Read the full text here

Vape tax a ‘deeply cynical cash grab’: think tank

The proposal to tax vape liquid is a ‘deeply cynical cash grab’ from the chancellor, a think tank has said.

In his budget speech on Wednesday, chancellor Jeremy Hunt has confirmed the introduction of an excise dutyon liquids used in vaping products from October 2026.

“Forget sin taxes, this is a saint tax. Vapers did what the government wanted and gave up smoking. They are now being punished for it,” Christopher Snowdon, head of lifestyle economics at the free market think tank, the Institute of Economic Affairs, said.

Terming the proposal ‘scientifically and economically illiterate’, Snowdon said the government seems to be intent on keeping people smoking, combined with the ban on disposable vapes.

“Not only will the tax close the price gap between vapes and cigarettes, it will send a message to the public that the health risks are similar. Since most people in Britain already wrongly believe that vaping is at least as dangerous as smoking, the government’s reckless greed will cost lives. As a former health minister, Mr Hunt should be ashamed,” Snowdon said.

Responding to the budget speech, the Consumer Choice Center (CCC) said the “unjustified” introduction of a vape tax and increasing tobacco levy will harm consumers by raising prices.

“The vape tax will not raise a substantial amount for the Treasury and will hurt many smokers who are trying to quit, as well as creating a divide between rich and poor smokers,” Mike Salem, the UK country associate at the CCC, said.

Read the full text here

Introducing a licensing system for selected shops selling vapes will make it difficult for consumers to access safer products

KUALA LUMPUR, 18th March 2024 – As the Malaysian government contemplates the implementation of a licensing system for selected shops selling vaping products, the Consumer Choice Center (CCC) voices concern over the potential consequences on consumer access to safer vaping alternatives. With a mission to promote consumer choice and empower individuals, CCC emphasizes the importance of preserving access to diverse and high-quality vaping products for informed consumer decision-making.

The proposed licensing system, while aiming to address concerns surrounding vaping, may inadvertently hinder access to safer vaping options for consumers. CCC underscores the necessity of balanced regulation that prioritizes both public health objectives and consumer choice. By restricting the availability of licensed vape shops, consumers may face limited options, potentially resorting to less regulated or unsafe alternatives.

Representative of the Malaysian Consumer Choice Center, Tarmizi Anuwar stated, “Introducing a licensing system for selected vape shops could inadvertently push consumers towards unregulated channels, undermining public health objectives. We advocate for policies that empower consumers with access to a variety of safer vaping products while ensuring appropriate regulatory oversight.”

“Accessibility to access alternative products is very important to help consumers quit smoking. The selective store licensing system only makes it difficult for consumers to access safer products and tends to return to smoking and the black market.”

The Consumer Choice Center stresses the importance of transparency and consumer involvement in the formulation of regulatory measures concerning vaping products. As such, CCC emphasizes the necessity for the Ministry of Health to publicly disclose the regulatory details of any proposed vape regulations.

“This transparency would enable consumers to provide feedback and express their concerns regarding the potential impact on accessibility and product diversity. By soliciting input from the individuals directly affected by these regulations, policymakers can ensure that any proposed measures align with consumer preferences and prioritize public health objectives effectively,” he said.

Commenting further on the proposed regulation of vape, the Tarmizi underscores the importance of embracing technological neutrality. By recognizing the diverse array of nicotine delivery products available on the market, including open, closed, or disposable vapes, heated tobacco, and oral nicotine, policymakers can foster an environment that promotes consumer choice and encourages innovation.


“Technological neutrality guarantees freedom of choice by not forcing consumers or companies to use any particular technology. The use of specific technologies will discriminate against other technologies to the point of increasing operating costs and the price of final goods. Furthermore, it makes it difficult for consumers to access and buy vapes or alternative products that are less harmful and cheaper” he concluded.

Limited State Registries Will Negatively Impact Consumers of Nicotine Products 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the first few months of 2024, more than a dozen bills have been introduced in US states calling for a state-based Premarket Tobacco Product Application (PMTA) registry for alternative nicotine products such as vaping devices, heaters, and nicotine pouches.

Although this type of legislation has already been passed in Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Alabama, it’s crucial that other states recognize the unintended consequences and course-correct before it is too late.

ELIZABETH HICKS, US Affairs Analyst at Consumer Choice Center, responded, “While the intention behind these bills is to manage consumer access to unregulated nicotine products on the illicit market, the reality is that the FDA is not approving enough new devices and products to create a competitive, regulated marketplace that meets consumer demand.”

While 26 million nicotine alternative products submitted PMTAs to the FDA, only 23 have been approved. Of those 23 approved products, 12 are simply tobacco-flavored e-liquid refills.

“The FDA is hiding the ball here on product approvals and how few new products are actually coming to market. If the goal is to improve public health across the country, then consumers deserve to choose from a variety of different nicotine alternatives,” added Hicks.

“The FDA’s flawed PMTA process needs reform. Instead of restricting consumer access to products that have been demonstrated to be 95 percent less harmful than combustible tobacco, state legislatures should refrain from adding to counterproductive federal policies and advance tobacco harm reduction through a competitive marketplace,” she concluded.

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The CCC represents consumers in over 100 countries across the globe. We closely monitor regulatory trends in Washington, D.C., Ottawa, Brussels, Geneva, and other hotspots of regulation and inform and activate consumers to fight for  Consumer Choice. Learn more at consumerchoicecenter.org

Taxing Vapes Will Put the Lives of 4.5 Million Vapers at Risk

London, 27 February 2024 – The Consumer Choice Center (CCC) is concerned by reports of implementing a new levy on vapes and demands the government to conduct proper research into the consequences of a vape tax in its tobacco harm strategy.

In a statement, Mike Salem, the UK Country Associate of the CCC explained that “this tax not only puts off vapers economically, but it also sends a message that the government is punishing them for trying to quit tobacco. We should not be putting up barriers to those who are desperately trying to quit cigarettes; the government should instead be providing support for those who need it.”

The proposed tax would see a new and separate levy on vapes introduced on top of the VAT that already exists, which would directly affect 4.5 million vapers and indirectly some 6.4 million smokers.

Salem further stated that “The UK has been doing extremely well over the past few years in its effort to reduce smoking prevalence, but this is now being actively hindered by the current government. These measures will put our population and especially our children at more risk, as consumers will turn to the black market for cheaper alternatives. I urge the government to reconsider its position on taxing vapes and its wider strategy in reducing smoking prevalence so as to not harm our children and adults”. 

The CCC urges the government to consider the health of smokers and the support it can provide during the current economic downturn. Furthermore, in light of the recent government decision to ignore the recommendations from the Khan Review and the mismanagement of the joint announcement on the ban of disposable vapes between Westminster and the devolved administration, it also recommends that the UK Government conducts proper research and coordination with the devolved administration on tobacco harm reduction.

Pentingnya Riset Pelaku Pengguna Vape di Indonesia untuk Kebijakan yang Tepat

Vape saat ini merupakan salah satu produk yangs udah dikonsumsi dan digunakan oleh jutaan orang di seluruh dunia, termasuk juga di Indonesia. Kita, khususnya yang tinggal di daerah perkotaan, tentunya akan sangat mudah bisa melihat banyak pengguna vape di sekitar kita.

Di Indonesia sendiri misalnya, konsumsi vape atau rokok elektrik mengalami peningkatan dari tahun ke tahun. Pada tahun 2011 misalnya, prevalensi pengguna rokok elektrik di Indonesia sejumlah 0,3%. Angka ini mengalami peningkatan yang pesat pada tahun 2021 menjadi 3% atau setara dengan 6,2 juta penggguna vape yang ada di Indonesia (republika.co.id, 31/5/2022).

Semakin meningkatnya pengguna vape di Indonesia ini tentu juga membawa dampak yang signifikan terhadap perkembangan industri rokok elektrik yang ada di negara kita. Pada tahun 2022 lalu mislanya, industri vape di Indonesia mampu menyerap jumlah pekerja sekitar 100.000 pekerja. Angka tersebut tentu bukan jumlah yang sedikit (liputan6.com, 13/6/2022).

Semakin meningkatnya pengguna vape di Indonesia ini juga menimbulkan pro dan kontra dari beberapa pihak. Asosiasi kesehatan Ikatan Dokter Indonesia (IDI) misalnya, menghimbau masyarakat untuk tidak menggunakan vape karena produk ini dianggap memiliki tingkat bahaya yang sama dengan rokok konvensional yang dibakar (cnnindonesia.com, 24/9/2019).

Untuk itu, tidak sedikit pihak-pihak yang mengadvokasi agar pemerintah bisa melarang, atau setidaknya meregulasi secara sangat ketat, industri vape atau rokok elektrik. Di kawasan Asia Tenggara sendiri, sudah ada beberapa negara yang menerapkan pelarangan konsumsi dan juga distribusi vape, diantaranya adalah Singapura dan juga Thailand.

DI sisi lain, ada juga negara-negara yang mengambil langkah yang berbeda. Inggris misalnya, beberapa waktu lalu, justru mengeluarkan aturan yang berbeda 180 derajat dari langkah yang diambil oleh Singapura dan Thailand. Inggris justru menggunakan vape sebagai alat yang bisa digunakan untuk membantu warganya berhenti merokok.

Lembaga penyedia layanan kesehatan publik asal Inggris, National Health Service (NHS) misalnya, telah mengadvokasi hal tersebut. NHS sendiri menyatakan bahwa vape tidak 100% aman, tetapi roko elektrik tidak menghasilkan tar dan karbon monoksida yang merupakan dua elemen yang paling membahayakan dari rokok konvensional yang dibakar, dan karena itu dampak bahaya dari vape jauh lebih kecil bila dibandingkan dengan rokok (nhs.uk, 20/10/2022).

Kampanye yang dilakukan oleh NHS di Inggris sendiri sudah terbukti berhasil mengurangi jumlah perokok yang ada di negara kerajaan tersebut. Berdasarkan data dari Office for National Statistics misalnya, menunjukkan bahwa, jumlah perokok sudah berkurang di Inggris dari sekitar 14% di tahun 2020, menjadi 13,3% di tahun 2021 setelahnya (bbc.com, 6/12/2022).

Kembali ke Indonesia, fenomena semakin meningkatnya pengguna vape di Indonesia sendiri merupakan hal yang cukup menarik untuk kita lihat dan teliti. Tentunya, dari semakin banyaknya pengguna vape di Indonesia, ada berbagai alasan beragam yang dimiliki oleh para pengguna vape tersebut tentang mengapa mereka memutuskan untuk menggunakan rokok elektrik.

Berdasarkan survei tahun 2019 misalnya, 58% perempuan dan 71% lai-laki menyatakan bahwa mereka memilih untuk mengonsumsi vape karena produk tersebut lebih ringan bila dibandingkan dengan rokok konvesional yang dibakar (goodstats.id, 16/1/2023). Tentunya, bila rokok konvensional dilarang, hal tersebut akan membawa dampak yang signifkan terhadap banyak orang.

Di luar negeri, sudah ada penelitian yang berupaya untuk menjawab pertanyaan kira-kira apa yang akan terjadi bila vape dilarang. Di Inggris misalnya, sekitar sepertiga dari pengguna vape di negara tersebut akan beralih dan kembali menggunakan rokok konvensional yang dibakar bila rokok elektrik dilarang di negara tersebut (independent.co.uk, 7/4/2023).

Bila ini terjadi, tentu hal tersebut merupakan bentuk kemunduran dari upaya harm reduction dari rokok. Dengan demikian, tidak sedikit konsumen yang tidak memiliki pilihan selain menggunakan produk yang jauh lebih berbahaya seperti rokok konvensional yang dibakar.

Di Indonesia sendiri, riset seperti ini tentu sangat dibutuhkan, agar para pengambil kebijakan dapat mengeluarkan dan mengesahkan kebijakan yang tepat dan tidak kontra produktif. Sebagai salah satu negara dengan tingkat prevalensi perokok tertinggi di dunia, adanya upaya harm reduction dari dampak rokok tentu merupakan langkah yang sangat penting untuk dilakukan.

Dengan demikian, bila sudah ada penelitian mengenai dampak tersebut, para pengambil kebijakan bisa menimbang apakah misalnya, langkah kebijakan yang keras terhadap vape, seperti regulasi ketat hingga pelarangan total, merupakan sesuatu yang tepat. Jangan sampai, langkah yang diambil justru menimbulkan dampak yang lebih buruk.

Sebagai penutup, vape atau rokok elektrik saat ini merupakan hal yang menjadi bagian keseharian bagi jutaan masyarakat di Indonesia. Ada berbagai alasan dan sebab yang dimiliki oleh para konsumen untuk menggunakan produk tersebut. Untuk itu, adanya riset mengenai perilaku para pengguna tersebut merupakan hal yang sangat penting, khususnya bagi mereka para pembuat kebijakan agar bisa mengeluarkan kebijakan yang tepat.

Originally published here

Proposal on Restricting Vaping Spaces Harms Scottish Vapers

London (UK), 9 February 2024 – The Consumer Choice Center (CCC) is worried about tobacco harm reduction methods being impeded on by the latest proposal of the Scottish Conservative Party to ban vaping in enclosed public spaces.

In a statement, Mr Mike Salem, the UK Country Associate for CCC expressed concern about the proposal. He stated: “Adding hurdles to vaping will only serve to revert those who are trying to quit smoking right back into it.”

Salem further criticised the statement made by Dr Sandesh Gulhane, the shadow health secretary of the Scottish Conservatives when the latter expressed concern regarding the lack of “solid evidence about the health effects [of vaping].” Salem’s response is: “the evidence is pretty clear and statistically significant on the matter; vaping is far less harmful than smoking, and to limit its usage will reduce health prospects of smokers who are trying to quit. If Dr Gulhane has any doubts about that he should check NHS Scotland’s website”. 

The CCC is surprised that such a misinformed claim about vaping is being made by a potential future Scottish health secretary. Public Health England shows that e-cigarettes are 95% less harmful than tobacco. As such, the CCC champions vaping as an effective method for reducing tobacco harm and calls on the Scottish Conservative Party to reconsider its position on the matter.

‘Illegal vapes are already flooding the market’: What impact will disposable vapes ban really have?

Government plans to ban disposable vapes have been welcomed as a “vital” move to protect children’s health and the environment, but campaigners fear it comes with risks without further action.

The long-term health impacts of vaping are unknown and the nicotine they contain can be highly addictive. Withdrawal can lead to anxiety, trouble concentrating and headaches. 

One in five children had tried vaping in 2023, up from 15.8% in the previous year, according to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). Around 7.6% of children were vaping at least once a week.

Rishi Sunak is set to announce the plans on a visit to a school on Monday (January 29).

The prime minister said in a statement: “As any parent or teacher knows, one of the most worrying trends at the moment is the rise in vaping among children, and so we must act before it becomes endemic.”

The ban on disposable vapes is expected to come into effect towards the end of this year or in early 2025.

Read the full text here

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