Latest news with #vaping
Irish Times
8 hours ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Up in smoke: Minister for Health snubs tobacco industry
The tobacco industry's hopes of meeting the Minister for Health went up in smoke recently when requests were snubbed citing commitments to World Health Organisation (WHO) articles on tobacco regulation. Two of the largest tobacco companies in the world have urged the Irish Government to regulate nicotine pouches and to add age restrictions to the product, according to documents released to The Irish Times under the Freedom of Information Act. Concerns around vaping and nicotine pouches are very much the issues of the day, so to hear Japan Tobacco International (JTI) and British American Tobacco (BAT) lobbying for these changes is perhaps not surprising. Will rent reform make building apartments viable? Listen | 40:12 Notably, though, tobacco companies are blowing the whistle on nicotine-inhaling products which are targeting young people. READ MORE 'We have seen products with 'Gummy Bear', 'Jolly Ranger', 'Skittels' and 'Slushee' flavour descriptions. Products which are shaped like toy guns and 'fidget spinner' toys,' JTI said in a consultative submission on the Further Regulation of Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products. Owning Nordic Spirit- and Velo-branded pouches respectively, JTI and BAT are seeking to get ahead of and shape the regulation of their products. These attempts, however, were not hugely successful. Representatives of both then minister for health Stephen Donnelly, and current Minister, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, responded identically to the two companies, citing Article 5.3 of the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, to which Ireland is a signatory. 'In setting and implementing their public health policies with respect to tobacco control, Parties shall act to protect these policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry in accordance with national law,' their representatives said. 'In this context, it would not be appropriate for the Minister to engage on the topics posed in your letter.' Conveniently for any journalists sniffing around the topic, the representative reminded JTI that the company must include their letter and attempt at shaping the sector's regulation to the Standards Commission under lobbying regulations. Ironically, it was pointed out that the 'correspondence may be made available to the public under a Freedom of Information request'. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
Irish Times
a day ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Tobacco companies called on government to age restrict nicotine pouches
A vaping company labelled proposed regulation for the sector as 'draconian, excessive and unnecessary' at the same time as the tobacco industry was calling for tighter rules on nicotine pouches. Corporate lobbying documents released to The Irish Times under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that two of the largest tobacco companies in the world called on the Irish government to regulate nicotine pouches and to add age restrictions to the product. Japan Tobacco International (JTI), the company behind Nordic Spirit-branded nicotine pouches, wrote to then minister for health Stephen Donnelly in May last year, calling for the product to be 'robustly regulated'. 'Nicotine pouches should not be sold to individuals under 18 years of age,' the company said, recommending against packaging that would target children and calling for the addition of a health warning of nicotine content and a strength indicator. READ MORE Shortly after, in a separate communication, a representative for JTI said there had been 'an influx of disposable e-vapour products' into Ireland with 'packaging and flavour descriptors that appealed particularly to young people'. It noted that youth uptake of the products had 'increased significantly' due to the lack of regulation in marketing. JTI Ireland said it would like to 'avoid a similar situation with the nicotine pouch category'. In August 2024 British American Tobacco (BAT) also wrote to Mr Donnelly to raise 'concerns regarding the sale and retail of high strength nicotine pouches' in Ireland and calling for regulation on these products. BAT, which sells these products under the Velo brand, said it was 'concerned' by reports of pouches with 'concentrations of nicotine as high as 50mg, 75mg and even 150mg', which it said could be acutely toxic in the highest of these doses. The company called for the implementation of a maximum nicotine limit of 20mg, as well as further regulation regarding the packaging of these products. BAT said with 'appropriate regulation' nicotine pouches would be an alternative to smoking for adults 'without the risk of products being retailed that are misleading, potentially appealing to underage or which contain excessively high levels of nicotine'. A representative for the minister acknowledged the letter but said it would not meet the company citing an article of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control under which they must 'act to protect [the convention's] policies from commercial and other vested interests'. The company reiterated its concerns to the Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill in January 2025 after she had been appointed to the role, saying there is a 'clear need to act now and regulate nicotine pouches and introduce requirements to prevent the sale of these products to under 18s'. Separately, one of Ireland largest vaping product retailers labelled measures outlined by Mr Donnelly to regulate the vaping products as 'draconian, excessive and unnecessary'. In an email to Mr Donnelly in August 2024 the director of retailer and manufacturer Hale Vaping, Joe Dunne, said, 'your objective appears to be to apply the same – or even greater – regulation to a category of products' that he claimed 'are significantly less harmful than cigarettes' and offers a 'gateway for thousands of Irish smokers out of smoking'. The company's director said 'recent and existing regulations are not being enforced' and said the inspections of retail premises are 'almost non-existent'. Mr Dunne suggested the government implement a deposit and return scheme for disposable vaping devices, among a series of policy suggestions. Earlier in 2024, as part of the public consultation period on the Further Regulation of Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products, Mr Dunne said: 'It is hard to think of a more draconian or retrograde policy decision from a public health perspective' than raising the price of vaping products.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Disposable vape ban and strict advertising rules begin - What you need to know
Disposable vapes and many kinds of advertising will be banned for vape retailers from Tuesday. Photo: RNZ Explainer - Disposable vape fans will see their habit go up in smoke from Tuesday, as tough new vape rules kick in . Here's what you need to know about changes to vape sales and advertising. The distribution, manufacture, sale and supply of disposable vapes is being banned from Tuesday. "We are getting rid of vapes that are most popular among young people, and that can only be positive," Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said in announcing the changes last year . The 2023/24 NZ Health Survey found 10.5 percent of people aged 15 to 17 vaped daily. However, pod-style vaping devices will still be sold. They contain pre-filled pods which are swapped out to refill the vape. Also as of Tuesday, vaping devices, products and packaging can no longer be displayed at general retailers. Specialist vape stores must not display products in any way that makes them visible from outside their place of business - that includes advertising, display in online stores and in vending machines. There are also many new restrictions on advertising to promote or encourage the use of vaping products, including to existing customers. The new raft of advertising restrictions mean businesses could face a $2000 infringement fine. For instance, the government says it would violate the new regulations if a shop is advertising or posting about vaping products on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Google business listings. "From the 17th June we will no longer be able to show images of the products," one online vape retailer says on its website. There's quite a lot of detail in the new advertising rules and a full breakdown can be found on Health New Zealand's website . Also as of Tuesday, vaping specialist retailers can no longer use various promotional techniques such as giving away free vaping products, discounts, offering rewards, cash rebates or gifts for the purchase of vaping products, or offer lotteries or games to people who buy vaping products. Vape stores can no longer display their products in a way that's visible outside their business. Photo: 123RF Yes, as part of the series of changes to the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990 last year. The new changes are the second line of alterations which began coming into effect in December. As of December, fines for selling to minors and publishing prohibited advertisements were increased, and new vape speciality stores were forbidden from opening within 100 metres of early childhood education centres. There were already location restrictions saying speciality vape stores had to be at least 300 metres from schools or marae. In introducing the amendments to smoking regulations last year, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said , "New Zealand was too slow to effectively regulate vaping, and youth vaping rates are too high". "We have collectively agreed that, we have recognised that, and we know that we can do better. We have to stop young people from taking it up as a habit." The ban on disposable vapes was put off for six months to allow retailers to prepare for the changes. Jonathan Devery, chair of the Vaping Industry Association of New Zealand, said the group does support the disposable vapes ban, with a few caveats. He said while VIANZ "supports the intent behind the policy - to reduce youth access and address the environmental impact of single-use products - the association is urging caution about the potential unintended consequences". University of Otago public health professor Janet Hoek, a leading researcher into vaping, said whether or not the ban will make a difference will depend on enforcement and product innovation by the industry. "I would expect [the ban] to reduce youth vaping given young people are very price sensitive," Hoek said. "However, if the industry responds, as I think it is likely to do, by introducing cheaper pod vapes, the impact will be much less limited than we might hope." "They're not a straightforward replacement," Devery said. "There's a real risk that removing the most convenient smoking cessation option could drive consumers back to cigarettes." Hoek said many manufacturers may look for loopholes they can exploit with bans. "Disposable vapes are typically inexpensive [i.e., may cost less than $10 a device], so the vaping industry may respond by introducing new lower priced reusable vapes," Hoek said, saying she had seen pod starter kits - without pods, which cost extra - being advertised for under $10. "We saw this behaviour among tobacco companies as they tried to undermine the impact of increased tobacco excise taxes [they 'shifted' the tax to higher priced brands, away from lower priced brands and introduced entirely new brands to create a new 'super value' partition within the market]." Devery of VIANZ said it's possible some vape sales may just go underground. "There are also serious concerns about enforcement," he said. "Early warnings from the UK, where a disposable vape ban came into effect on 1 June, suggest black market sales are likely to increase." Hoek said there is a lot of concern that manufacturers may find ways around disposable bans - she pointed to 'Big Puff' high-capacity throwaway vapes that have drawn concern in the UK with their own disposables ban. Several countries have now banned disposable vapes. Photo: Unsplash "We have consistently called for a full ban on disposable vapes, rather than incremental technical fixes, and we welcome the environmental benefits it will bring," Devery said. "But the transition must be managed carefully to avoid driving consumers back to smoking or into unregulated markets." The industry group feels that some of the advertising restrictions may ultimately harm consumers and make it harder for retailers to interact with them. "Many retailers, especially online, have relied on clear product information and guidance to help adults make informed choices," Devery said. "New restrictions will limit what can be communicated, making it harder for consumers to understand available options or find support to switch." "Retailers are still recovering from last year's rushed regulations that left them with unsellable stock and high compliance costs - from updating websites to in-store signage," he said. Many retailers have discounted their products heavily before the bans take effect. Hoek said she thought the new measures would help cut youth vaping, but more strategy was needed. "There are many omissions from the measures (e.g., the high concentration of vape stores in lower income communities; the location of vape stores right next to schools). I would favour a more proactive strategy that reduced the appeal, availability, addictiveness and affordability of vaping products." One of the key complaints about disposable vapes have been the waste they generate, Devery said. "Removing disposables will help cut vape-related e-waste by over 80 percent according to our industry estimates, but more must be done," he said. "VIANZ recommends expanded take-back schemes like VapeCycle, producer-responsibility regulations, and better consumer education on safe disposal." "I would favour a 'polluter pays' model, where vape companies are responsible for the costs their products create," Hoek said. "Vape companies have been given clear rules to follow, and yet some are already looking for loopholes," Asthma and Respiratory Foundation chief executive Letitia Harding said in a statement . Associate Health Minister Casey Costello. Photo: Nick Monro/RNZ Back in 2011, New Zealand's government set the goal of a Smokefree New Zealand by 2025. There have been concerns that goal is falling short , with particular worries about Māori and Pasifika smoking rates. Costello has maintained the government's changes will continue work toward the target. "We do not want our young people vaping," Costello said in Parliament. "We do not want them taking up this habit. We do not want them to be nicotine addicted. We also don't want anybody taking up tobacco and smoking." The current smokefree goal aims to have less than 5 percent of the population smoking by December, but the latest data reveals there are still about 300,000 daily smokers - 6.9 percent of adults - across the country. "VIANZ urges the government to closely monitor the ban's impact on smoking rates, particularly among priority groups, and ensure regulations don't inadvertently harm those most vulnerable," Deverey said. "Vaping regulation must be viewed in the context of the devastating harm caused by smoking, which kills two out of every three users." "Strong rules and environmental responsibility are essential, but the broader goal must remain to reduce smoking and improve public health outcomes." Hoek said it's important vaping retailers were brought along on that goal. "People who sell vaping products should be able to help people switch successfully from smoking to vaping," she said. "We also need to let people know that, once they have switched completely to vaping and no longer think there's a risk they would return to smoking, they should stop vaping. "That latter message isn't [for obvious reasons] communicated by vaping companies or retailers." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Kingston set to ban junk food adverts
Adverts for "unhealthy" food - as well as ones promoting vaping and gambling - are set to be banned in Kingston to tackle rising rates of obesity and diabetes. A new report by council officers said the policy aimed to improve residents' health by reducing their exposure to such products, according to the LDRS. The south-west London borough's joint strategic needs assessment in 2023 revealed a rising rate of diabetes, with more than 2,000 new cases thought to be linked to excess weight. The new policy would restrict advertising of "harmful products" on all council-owned estates, assets and through advertising contracts procured by the council. If the scheme goes ahead, it will be up to the council to decide whether an advert complies with the new advertising policy. Kingston's joint strategic needs assessment in 2023 found the top five risk factors for ill health and premature mortality for adults were tobacco, alcohol, high body mass index, poor diet and high systolic blood pressure. Did the TfL junk food advert ban cut obesity? The report said introducing the policy would "support strategic and operational plans to address the rising rates of obesity and chronic disease in the borough". A total of 24 local authorities across the UK have already introduced a healthier advertising policy, including nine London boroughs, according to the report. The policy would apply to new contracts, with existing ones having to meet the new requirements on renewal. The council's people committee will vote on whether to approve the policy on 17 June. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Only adverts showing junk food covered by TV ban Kingston Council
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Experience VOOPOO's Latest iCOSM CODE 2.0 & Next-Gen Innovations at World Vape Show Dubai 2025
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, June 13, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VOOPOO, a leading brand in the vaping industry known for its commitment to innovation and enhancing user experience, is set to take the spotlight at the World Vape Show Dubai 2025 (18-20 June). Visit Booth 2120 to explore groundbreaking innovations that are shaping the future of vaping. iCOSM CODE 2.0: Exclusive Flavor Interpretation Tech VOOPOO's innovative iCOSM 2.0 introduces a breakthrough in vaping technology, offering an unmatched experience with a leak-proof guarantee, steady flavor, and long-lasting performance. Liquid-Seal Shield, 30-Days Cleanness: A copper sleeve around the coil boosts oil-locking by 83%, ensuring a 30-day leak-proof experience, even in high temperatures. Mega-Core, Steady Smoothness: The Mega-Core guarantees consistent e-liquid delivery and perfect saturation. Golden Cotton, 100 mL Endurance: Golden Cotton withstands up to 260°C, extending coil lifespan by 300% and supporting up to 100 mL of e-liquid without burnout or flavor loss. The Star Products of ARGUS Pod Family At the Dubai Expo, VOOPOO will showcase new products from the ARGUS Pod family, featuring the ARGUS Top Fill Cartridge V2, powered by the latest iCOSM 2.0 technology. This includes the ARGUS G3, known for its stunning design and superior performance, ARGUS G3 mini, an ultra-light 40.85 g pod for maximum portability, and the ARGUS Klyc, the first POD in the series with a magnetic cap, combining power, convenience, and personalization. Exclusive Product Preview Additionally, attendees will enjoy first access to VOOPOO's newest innovations: the VOOPOO VINCI E80, a simple & pocketable 80 W pod with integrated cartridge; the all-new ARGUS Pod with revolutionary interactive design; and the upgraded VMATE product featuring enhanced battery life and optimized vaping experience with interactive features. Don't miss this exclusive chance to be among the first to experience these pre-release products. VOOPOO invites you to explore the latest advancements in vaping technology. Experience cutting-edge products, interact with our team, and take part in exciting claw machine activities to win exclusive gifts. Make sure to visit VOOPOO Booth 2120 and experience the future of vaping like never before. Warning: This product may be used with e-liquid products containing nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance. View source version on Contacts Company: Shenzhen VOOPOO Technology co.,ltdContact Person: Victor LiuEmail: victor@ Website: City: Shenzhen
