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Call to ban nicotine pouch sale to under-18s
Nicotine pouches, small parcels of nicotine that fit under the lip, are sold in most UK supermarkets. However, while the sale of cigarettes and e-cigarettes is forbidden to under-18s, pouches are not regulated in the same way.
Action on Smoking and Health says the lack of rules is a "Wild West". Nicotine pouches are not regulated under rules that cover tobacco or vaping products, or as a medical product.
Hazel Cheeseman, deputy chief executive at ASH, told the BBC that better legal regulation was needed to ban free samples and sales to under-18s, introduce limits on strength and to restrict marketing of the pouches.
"Companies are operating to what the law allows," Cheeseman added. "There is extensive promotion and no way to know if they're being sold to people under 18. We need a regulatory framework that captures all nicotine products."
New figures from ASH suggest that the number of people using the pouches in the UK is small. In its survey of 13,000 people, about one in 25 had tried nicotine pouches and awareness was highest among 18 to 24-year-olds, with 45% having heard of them.
Source: BBC News, 31 October 2022
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ASH Deputy Chief Executive, Hazel Cheeseman, discusses the marketing of nicotine pouches on BBC
ASH Deputy Chief Executive, Hazel Cheeseman, discussed the need for increased regulation of nicotine pouches on the Today programme on Radio 4 (31st October).
Cheeseman highlighted that, whilst the vast majority of users of nicotine pouches are current or former smokers, large tobacco companies are exploiting events such as music festivals to market these products to young people. Cheeseman said, “we need a really comprehensive approach to regulating these products in this country” and called for the introduction of age of sale restriction to prevent the sale of these products to children.
You can listen to Hazel Cheeseman discuss these issues via the button below (0:50:50).
You can also watch Cheeseman discuss these issues on BBC Breakfast here (3:03:51).
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Young woman claims vaping caused her “lung to collapse” as she is rushed to hospital
A woman who was hospitalised after waking up with chest pains has claimed vaping caused her lung to collapse as she urges others to give up the popular alternative to smoking.
The young woman, Summer, said she had woken up with sharp pains in her chest that spread to her back and spine. The influencer then reportedly became so "out of breath" she had to go on her hands and knees and wait for help as she phoned 999 in a panic. Summer’s social media post of her experience was made on 16 October and has received more than 36,000 likes.
However, one expert has disputed the idea that Summer's lung could have collapsed from vaping, claiming there has been "no evidence" of this happening since vaping was introduced. John Britton, Emeritus Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Nottingham, said: "Vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking tobacco. It is believed to be around 1/20th of the risk. If you are a smoker, it's a no-brainer to switch to vaping. Vaping is a godsend for smokers. But if you don't smoke tobacco or use nicotine, you would be mad to start vaping."
Prof Britton continued: "It’s not likely her lungs could collapse from vaping. They happen spontaneously. It can happen from illness. They are rare but they happen and they often happen in tall, slender people. It’s entirely plausible that she vapes and has a collapsed lung but it’s unlikely the vapes caused that. If she was a smoker and switched to vapes, it’s more likely caused by that. Smoking causes damage to the lung and when you cough or sneeze you can then burst the lung. It’s more common in men than women but this is highly likely to be a spontaneous thing or she’s had an episode of infection. No doubt vaping will kill some people but it's going to be trivial numbers compared to those who die from smoking tobacco. The vape liquid market is regulated in the UK. If you’re buying from a legitimate source, you’re getting something that will be okay."
Source: Express, 28 October 2022
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Tobacco giants help fund Putin’s war machine with £7bn in taxes
Tobacco companies have paid almost £7bn in taxes to the Kremlin since the invasion of Ukraine, despite vowing to pull out of Russia.
Analysis by The Telegraph of Russian Treasury figures shows that the Kremlin has received 480bn roubles (£6.8bn) from the tobacco industry in the eight months since Putin launched his war. London-based British American Tobacco, Philip Morris International and Japan Tobacco International hold more than 90pc market share in Russia, meaning the three companies alone have contributed at least £6.3bn. The figures highlight how the world’s biggest tobacco firms are continuing to fund Putin’s war efforts, despite pledging to cut ties with Russia.
Center-Life, an anti-smoking lobbying group in Ukraine, estimates that 2020 taxes from PMI and JTI would fund 700 Mil Mi-24 helicopters, 1,970 T-72 tanks and 382 Sukhoi Su-25 fighter jets for the Russian army.
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said: “Most transnational companies trading in Russia have pulled out, recognising their responsibility to do all they can to help end Russia’s devastating war on Ukraine. However, it’s hardly surprising Big Tobacco think they can carry on trading no matter what Russia does as this is an industry without a moral compass, whose products killed around 100m people in the twentieth century and are on track to kill a billion in the twenty-first.”
Source: The Telegraph, 30 October 2022
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Elliott Management raises stake in takeover target Swedish Match
Hedge fund Elliott Management has upped its stake in Swedish Match to more than 10%, giving it the power to determine the outcome of Philip Morris International’s $16bn takeover offer for the smokeless tobacco specialist.
Under Swedish law, PMI needs more than 90% of shareholder approval to get the deal over the line. Elliott increased its stake from 7.25% to 10.5% on October 24, according to a filing from Finansinspektionen, the Swedish financial regulator. Its current holding means it could block the deal. Hedge fund Davidson Kempner also increased its stake to 5%, according to a filing. A host of activist investors have built significant positions in Swedish Match since PMI’s first approach in May.
Two shareholders, who asked not to be named, told the Financial Times they expected PMI would struggle to cross the 90% threshold and would probably drop the level before attempting to buy up the stock further down the line. If PMI fails to reach the 90% threshold for shareholder acceptances, its ability to fully control and integrate Swedish Match will be limited by local laws protecting minority shareholders, according to analysts.
Source: Financial Times, 28 October 2022
See also: Tobacco Tactics - Swedish Match
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ASH Daily News is a digest of published news on smoking-related topics. ASH is not responsible for the content of external websites. ASH does not necessarily endorse the material contained in this bulletin.
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