Barclay Rex opens new cigar shop

In a rapidly-changing city like New York, businesses regularly go up in smoke. Tobacco shop Barclay Rex, however, has been operating in Manhattan since 1910.

“I’d like to think it’s because of our service,” owner Vincent Nastri III said. “We try to treat every customer not just like a customer, but like family. That helps bring them back.”

Barclay Rex is considered the tobacco store in the borough, which had 55 operating as of 2014, according to data from the U.S. Census.

Over the years, its had a number of loyal, and famous, customers. For example, it was a go-to for old Hollywood legends like Frank Sinatra and Mickey Rooney, and more recently is frequented by members of the New York Knicks, Nastri said.

His grandfather Vincent Nastri, who first opened the shop, named the business after its original location at Barclay and Church streets in the Financial District and his dog Rex.

Since then, the family has moved it around a few times. They relocated to Maiden Lane in the Financial District in 1949 and in 1986 opened a second outpost at 70 E. 42nd St., which is still open and sells pipes, cigars, tobacco, and men’s hats.

In 2000, as the shop’s new owner, Nastri moved the original storefront to Broad Street. After his lease ended there last year, he operated out of a pop-up at 90 Water St. to keep the downtown flame burning while he scouted for a new location.

Nastri found what he was looking for at 126 Pearl St., where last month he opened a two-story shop with amenities including a 400-square-foot walk-in humidor, which preserves the cigars.

The new space has a private smoking club and a public lounge, and also sells other products like pipes, hats and tobacco.

“There’s only a handful [smoke shops] in the city where you can go and have a smoke” with other customers, he said.

According to David Savona, executive editor of the midtown- based magazine Cigar Aficionado, Nastri is onto something.

“[A] new trend evolved from shops that turned into destination places,” Savona said. “It’s a more complete experience for the cigar lover.”

Customers recently shopping at the 42nd Street location said that is what they find at Barclay Rex.

Noel Murphy, 50, who works in private security, said he prefers to buy cigars there because it is “homey, relaxed, personal.”

Leo, a 35-year-old architect, has been a customer at Barclay Rex for several years.

“It’s a great environment,” said Leo, who declined to give his last name. “They have great knowledge of the product.”

Patrons are also enticed by the shop’s inventory, Nastri said. Its cigars are primarily imported from the Dominican Republic, known for the Davidoff brand, and Nicaragua, which is famous for Padron.

While Davidoff has its own flagship stores at 515 Madison Ave. and 1390 Ave. of the Americas, Barclay Rex offers a slight markdown in prices, Nastri said.

He sells Davidoff cigars for around $10 to about $40. At the Davidoff stores, cigars cost anywhere from $15 to $45, according to a representative from the brand.

And like Nastri’s business, the national cigar industry is also doing well, according to an IBISWorld report last year.

It grew by 11% from 2010 to 2015, lit up by the recovering national economy, and it was worth $2 billion as of May 2015, according to the report.

The numbers are a welcomed sign for New York smoke shop owners like Nastri, who face a customer base that must pay high taxes on tobacco products and are aware of the dangers of smoking — challenges that weren’t around when his grandfather first opened Barclay Rex.

“It’s a different world entirely,” Nastri said.

Correction: An earlier version of this story said Maiden Lane is in the East Village. It is in the Financial District.

Resource :http://www.amny.com/news/barclay-rex-opens-new-cigar-shop-1.12124295

FDA Makes It Harder To Quit Smoking

Good luck smokers who are trying to quit cigarettes—you are going to need it.

Parts of the Food and Drug Administration’s so-called “deeming regulations,” which placed vaping products under its tobacco control authority, have just gone into effect. As Mitch Zeller, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, wrote on the new rules, “This month, for the first time, FDA will be able to help protect the public, and especially kids, from the dangers of all tobacco products.”

Most commentators in the media followed the FDA’s lead and focused on how minors can no longer purchase vaping products. But this is an inconsequential change because many states previously banned sales to minors and most stores already refused to serve customers who are under 18 years old. This small change obscures the true damage brought about by the FDA.

To fully appreciate the harm the FDA has forced on vape shops and their customers, one needs to first understand the nature of the business.

Vape shops primarily sell e-liquid, vaping devices, and associated parts. Since these goods are often available online at a lower price or tax-free, vape shops provide value to customers by offering education and assistance. Many types of e-liquid sold by vape shops do not contain any nicotine, and others that do are not derived from tobacco. Yet the FDA still claims it can regulate businesses that sell tobacco-free products under its tobacco control authority.

While using basic closed-system e-cigarettes bought at convenience stores is straightforward (just inhale the plastic stick that resembles a cigarette), vaping with e-liquid and an open-system device is a more involved process. The reason for this complexity is the amount of customization that vaping permits. Everything from temperature and wattage to flavor and nicotine level is completely personalized when using open-system vaping devices (see picture below).

While basic e-cigarettes are a welcome way to introduce cigarette smokers to a safer alternative to smoking, high-quality vaping devices provide a more desirable experience. Evidence to support this claim comes from vapers’ lower propensity to engage in dual use—still smoking cigarettes while using vapor products—compared to e-cigarette users. Additionally, vaping’s growth in popularity was three times greater than the percentage increase in e-cigarette use during 2015.

Vaping’s flavor customizability is especially important. The FDA now bans vape shops from giving out “free samples” of any newly-regulated tobacco products. This may sound reasonable at first, but it means that vape shops can no longer let customers test different flavors to see which ones they prefer. This was a regular practice because vape shops can carry hundreds of flavors, from limón dulce and churro to peanut butter banana and vanilla custard, and more options make it easier for smokers to find flavors that can help them quit.

As well as not allowing free samples, the FDA prohibited vape shops from helping their customers set up or repair their vaping devices, which usually cost between $30 and $80. If someone’s vaping device breaks, and they cannot quickly get it fixed by professionals, it is easy to imagine that person going back to smoking cigarettes. Or, if cigarette smokers cannot figure out how to use their new vaping devices, there goes their chances of quitting.

The FDA also banned vape shop owners from making true statements about harm reduction while educating customers. Reason’s Jacob Sullum explains that this decision comes from the 2009 Family Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which prohibits any non-FDA-approved claims about lower risks from deemed tobacco products. Banned statements include saying that certain tobacco products contain lower amounts of substances found in cigarettes, or that certain tobacco products lead to lower exposure to substances found in tobacco smoke.

This ban makes sense when applied to claims about light and low-tar cigarettes, which are neither safer nor healthier than regular cigarettes—but it makes no sense when applied to vaping. The 2009 Tobacco Control Act that the FDA continually cites did not mention vaping at all, as its focus was rightly on the dangers posed by cigarettes. Vaping gets its name because there is no smoke produced, which means that vaping creates neither tar nor the 68 other known carcinogens found in cigarette smoke. For this reason, vaping, while not completely free of harm, is at least 95 percent safer than smoking cigarettes. Yet vape shops cannot carry on their other primary role of educators because of the FDA’s power grab.

Everyone knows that quitting cigarettes is difficult. The support and guidance provided to current and ex-smokers by vape shops is critical to the decline in the U.S. smoking rate. This decline is especially pronounced among high school students. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Youth Tobacco Survey found that cigarette use among high school students was 9.3 percent in 2015, down from 15.8 percent in 2011, while vapor products’ use among high school students increased from 1.5 percent to 16.0 percent over that time period.

A new study in the journal Addiction finds that 6.1 million EU residents quit smoking cigarettes and instead use vaping products. The study also echoed the conclusions of countless other reports, including the CDC’s, and found that the vast majority of people who used vapor products were previous or current users of other tobacco products. The study also showed that than one-tenth of one percent of people who used vaping products with nicotine on a daily basis never used tobacco before. This finding, coupled with the absolute lack of evidence that vaping leads to smoking cigarettes, shows that vaping does not rapidly expand nicotine addiction nor act as a gateway to cigarette use.

There are more changes coming to vape stores over the next three years. The FDA’s rules require costly pre-market approval in order for any existing vapor products to stay on the market. This will decimate the number of e-liquids and devices that vape shops currently carry by wiping out an estimated 99 percent of the industry. Vape shops will also no longer be able to mix their own e-liquid, further destroying their profits and ability to meet customers’ needs.

The positive effects of vaping compared to cigarette smoking should be celebrated, not curtailed by overzealous FDA regulations. Handicapping vape shops harms thousands of U.S. small businesses and benefits large cigarette companies. But, more importantly, doing so also condemns current and ex-smokers to a more difficult road to a smoke-free lifestyle. Though the most devastating parts of the FDA’s war on vaping are not yet fully phased in, one only needs to visit a vape shop to see that the negative effects of this government regulation are already clear.
Jared Meyer is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. Follow him on Twitter here.
This article originally appeared in Forbes.

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Resource :http://economics21.org/html/fda-makes-it-harder-quit-smoking-2022.html

Longer distance to tobacco shop tied to better odds of quitting

Having to walk further from home to get to a tobacco shop increases the odds that smokers will quit, according a large study in Finland.

Researchers found that every 500-meter (about one third of a mile) increase in distance to the nearest tobacco shop increased an individual's odds of quitting by 20 percent to 60 percent.

"We anticipated that distance to a tobacco shop may play a role in smoking habits," said senior author Dr. Mika Kivimaki of University College London and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health in Helsinki. "But it was a surprise that the association was so strong."

The researchers combined the results of two previous studies that together included more than 20,000 smokers and former smokers. Participants completed smoking behavior surveys twice, three to nine years apart, and the researchers geocoded their residential addresses and locations of the nearest tobacco outlet.

At the beginning of the two studies, participants included 6,259 current smokers in one study and 1,090 in the other. By the second wave of surveys, 28 percent and 39 percent, respectively, had quit smoking.

Between surveys, 39 percent of study participants had also changed residential address.

Those who moved at least 500 meters further from a tobacco outlet were about 16 percent more likely to quit than people who remained at the same distance from the nearest shop.

On the individual level, a person who moved 500 meters further away during the study was 57 percent more likely to quit after the move, even when the researchers accounted for marriage, health status and changes in financial situation that might affect risk for smoking relapse.

Of those who were former smokers at the beginning of the study period, about 7 percent had relapsed by the second surveys, though relapse was not associated with distance to a tobacco outlet, according to the results in JAMA Internal Medicine.

"We know that most smokers would like to stop smoking, but this is difficult because cigarettes include addictive substances," Kivimaki told Reuters Health by email. "Perhaps, a longer distance to a tobacco shop makes the decision to quit smoking a bit easier."

Moving further from a tobacco source, or removing the nearest source, ups the odds of quitting, and policymakers might be able to harness this association, he said.

"Our findings are consistent with a more general principle, 'Make the healthier choice the easier choice,'" Kivimaki said. "Reduced availability of tobacco products, which was supported by our findings, complements public health policies that aim to create environments that facilitate integration of physical activity into daily lives and legislation that support healthful diet choices."

But it's unclear whether the results apply to workplaces as well, or only to residential areas, he said.

"We can now conclude that tobacco outlets and the heavy dose of tobacco marketing they dump into their communities cause smoking - more precisely, they inhibit quitting among smokers," Dr. Cheryl Bettigole and Dr. Thomas A. Farley of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health write in a commentary published with the findings.

Globally and in some areas of the U.S., policies attempt to address the community risk factor of smoking retail outlets, they note. San Francisco limits the number of tobacco licenses granted per supervisorial district and New Orleans limits tobacco retailers near schools, they write.
Resource :http://www.wctrib.com/life/4095037-longer-distance-tobacco-shop-tied-better-odds-quitting

The Changing Landscape for Filtered Cigars

Regulations, changing dynamics and challenges for the category

Brought to you by Inter-Continental Trading Co.

The popularity of cigars and other tobacco products (OTP) has been on an upward climb in recent years, bringing some relief to retailers struggling to replace cigarette volume losses in the past decade. But when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unleashed new regulations in May to restrict the manufacture of all cigar products, including filtered or “little” cigars, the industry got another jolt of reality. Will costs go up for retailers? Will the regulation narrow the playing field of products? How much will FDA oversight affect future sales and profits?

“Retailers should anticipate that sales of little cigars will face even more pressure, due to the new regulations,” said David Bishop, managing partner for Balvor. “Declines in demand are likely to only accelerate as prices increase and/or promotional support decreases at the same time retailers adjust shelf space as some products exit the market and very few new ones enter.”

Bishop says the result will likely be fewer brands with more market share and some demand shifting to cigarettes.

The current picture shows convenience-store dollar sales of cigars rose nearly 6% in 2015 to reach more than $2.6 billion, with units up 9%, according to IRI. Sweet, natural and unflavored varieties were growing in the double digits as of December 2015, based on a Nielsen database of 25 large c-store chains representing about 14,000 stores. Unit sales of foil pouches were up more than 24%.

Clearly, increased regulation and compliance mean higher costs of doing business. The increased costs to bring a product to market gets passed on to retailers and, ultimately, consumers. Does that mean the future is bleak? Not necessarily, said industry consultant Lou Maiellano. He predicts a shake-up of some sort as suppliers lacking financial stability or support close their doors as well as rising retail prices for the brands that are able to stay in business (mostly grandfathered-in products). But there’s hope, because the tobacco industry is resilient.

“The manufacturer’s cost of doing business is also going to increase due to new, quarterly-assessed user fees and compliance costs,” said Bishop, “so it’s reasonable to assume that the retailer’s COGS will also increase whether through a list price increase or a decrease in promotional support.”

“This will likely happen with smaller manufacturers that are more recent entrants into this market as the cost to comply will become overly burdensome,” he said.

While those smaller companies may fall by the wayside, the larger, well-established manufacturers will weather the storm. “The key is being proactive in keeping ahead of the curve,” said Shargio Patel, president of Inter-Continental Trading USA. “Developing solutions and stronger partnerships with retailers will be the answer.”

“If retailers can remain flexible like consumers, yes, there will be changes to the mix, but everyone will adjust,” Maiellano said. “The industry has demonstrated this over the years in the face of many challenges.” 

Resource :http://www.cspdailynews.com/category-news/tobacco/articles/changing-landscape-filtered-cigars

Vaping in bars, restaurants could soon be banned throughout Whatcom

 Cooper Lariviere, left, vapes while taking a break with his friend Bre Christy in downtown Bellingham on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. Christy wasn’t too concerned about a proposal before the County Council to ban vaping in public places. She said she already makes sure she doesn’t vape around people who could be bothered by it. Philip A. Dwyer pdwyer@bhamherald.com
By Kie Relyeakrelyea@bhamherald.com
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Like to vape while you’re enjoying a drink in a bar? That soon could be a thing of the past throughout Whatcom County.

That’s because a proposal to ban the use of vapor products, also known as electronic cigarettes, in certain places will go before the County Council in September.

If approved by the council in its capacity as the Health Board, the measure would expand the Smoking in Public Places law to include vaping. The ban would apply to all jurisdictions in Whatcom County, including its cities.

The restriction would put the use of e-cigarettes, called vaping, in the same category as traditional cigarettes, which can’t be smoked in public places including indoor workplaces, bars, restaurants, non-tribal casinos and bowling alleys. Vaping within 25 feet of the doors and windows of public places or businesses also would be prohibited.

Council members received information on the issue at their meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 9, when public health officials said the ban was needed for reasons that included increased use by youth and health risks.

“I can’t really express my enthusiasm for this adequately. As a former smoker I’m very keen to see children in particular prevented from trying this stuff,” council member Rud Browne said.

Whatcom County residents who were surveyed seemed to like the idea as well.

About 72 percent said they supported the proposed ban, according to a Whatcom County Health Department survey in April that had 613 responses.

E-cigarettes are battery-operated metal or plastic tubes that have a cartridge filled with liquid containing nicotine, flavoring, solvents and other chemicals that are heated until the liquid turns into a vapor, which is then inhaled.

How e-cigarettes affect health in the long term isn’t known, but public health officials said they do know that using nicotine when you’re young could harm brain development and develop addiction to the substance.

If approved, the county measure would be the latest in rules for the e-cigarette industry, which had been largely unregulated until recently.

In November, Bellingham banned smoking and vaping in any city park, trail or open space over concerns about the impact of secondhand smoke.

A new Washington state law banned the use of vapor products in schools, day care centers, elevators and school buses. It also increased state enforcement to prevent sales to minors and required child-proof packaging and disclosure of how much nicotine is in liquid nicotine bottles.

What’s more, it gave local health boards the power to further restrict vaping indoors, which is what Whatcom County is proposing.

The new state law, most of which took effect June 28, still would allow e-cigarette retailers to let customers sample in licensed stores. The county’s ban, should it be enacted, wouldn’t affect this provision.

Earlier in May, the federal Food and Drug Administration announced it would, for the first time, require review of e-cigarettes and their ingredients.

Not all employers are waiting for the council’s decision.

Medical provider PeaceHealth has banned e-cigarette use on its premises since 2014, expanding its 14-year-old restrictions on tobacco to include vaping.

“It is a nicotine product. It’s mixed with a number of other flavorings, colorings and chemicals. In that vein, until we know more or know better, it’s better to be safe than sorry,” said Dr. Ken Bachenberg, PeaceHealth St. Joseph’s chief medical officer and patient safety officer.

New rules are being considered or put into place because public health officials are concerned about the sharp increase in youth use of e-cigarettes nationally, statewide and locally. They’re also worried that e-cigarettes, also called vape pens, are being used to smoke other drugs, including marijuana. (While recreational marijuana is legal in Washington state, it isn’t for minors, nor can pot be used in public.)

At the county level, 14 percent of 12th-graders reported smoking traditional cigarettes, while 26 percent said they used e-cigarettes, the County Council was told.

“We have a higher percentage of kids that are vaping that have never smoked,” said Joe Fuller, program specialist for the Whatcom County Health Department. “What we know is once kids start vaping, their risks for using combustible (traditional) cigarettes go up.”

The County Council will hold a public hearing on the proposed ban on Sept. 27.
Resource : http://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article95175037.html

Smoky Mountain Cigar now open in Waynesville

Smoky Mountain Cigar is now open at 1456 Dellwood Road, Waynesville. Owners Robert and Maureen Hilts have found the perfect location with easy access to grow their premium cigar business in Haywood County and utilize over 20 years’ experience.

The Cigar Lounge is a cabin with mountain ambience and seating inside, as well as outside seating. For cooler evening, there’s a fireplace to relax by. With a wide variety of premium cigars, they also carry cigar accessories, as well as pipe tobacco.

“We offer great premium cigars and are adding new product every week,” said Robert. “We offer veterans’ discounts, as well as discounts on special orders.”

For premium cigars and a great atmosphere, Smoky Mountain Cigar is the only cigar lounge to enjoy a great smoke with plenty of room for friends and family. Enjoy the large screen TV and free WiFi.

The hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Call 944-0789 for information.
Resource :http://themountaineer.villagesoup.com/p/smoky-mountain-cigar-now-open-in-waynesville/1566143

Puff Piece | Sherlock Holmes, Piping Hot

When Robert Downey Jr. hits the screen as Sherlock Holmes on Christmas Day, he is poised to do something that hasn’t been done since Hugh Hefner lounged on his rotating bed while puffing a Dunhill: Make pipes cool. Despite the fashion world’s current vogue for Holmes-inspired capes and canes — not to mention an endorsement by the character Paul Kinsey of “Mad Men” — the pipe-as-accessory has yet to catch fire in contemporary culture. As Bill Rella, a managing partner at the Lexington Avenue branch of Barclay Rex, put it to us: “We need a new Hefner.” Indubitably.

To channel Downey as Sherlock Holmes, seek out a Holmesian pipe — that is, an English style like the Billiard pictured here. Find one that suits you at one of New York’s pipe purveyors, below.

Barclay Rex — This New York legend, founded in 1910, is a good spot for the beginner, with corncob pipes starting at under $10. (75 Broad Street; 70 East 42nd Street; 570 Lexington Avenue; (212) 888-1015.)

De La Concha — The connoisseur’s choice and the best shop in town according to the New York Pipe Club. Knowledgeable staff; hundreds of pipes, tobaccos and accessories; and savvy smokers hanging out and comparing briars. (1390 Avenue of the Americas at 56th Street; (212) 757-3167.)

Nat Sherman — From the distinctive clock outside to the player piano serenading from the second floor, Nat Sherman is a Deco-era legend that makes up for in charm what it lacks in selection. There are only two pipe brands carried — Peterson and Savinelli — but many proprietary and decades-old tobacco recipes. (12 East 42nd Street at Fifth Avenue; (800) 692-4427.)

Dunhill — Though now a global luxury brand, Dunhill made its name as the Rolls-Royce of pipemakers. Now, without a tobacco humidor in New York, selection is limited to one glass case with pipes at $500 and up. (545 Madison Avenue at 55th Street; (212) 753-9292.)

Davidoff — Though house-label pipes are priced in line with a European luxury brand, Davidoff carries other brands as well as a selection of tobaccos and accessories. (535 Madison Avenue at 54th Street; (212) 751-9060.)

Resource : http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/24/puff-piece-sherlock-holmes-piping-hot/?_r=0

Crackdown on e-cigarettes, cigars will prevent death, disease : The Front Burner

The Food and Drug Administration has caused quite a stir. Last week it began treating cigars like cigarettes and chewing tobacco, requiring larger warning labels to alert smokers about nicotine's addictive properties, and the cancer and health risks they pose.

Covered are all products that meet the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act definition of tobacco products, including components and parts, making them subject to the agency's regulation. These include electronic nicotine-delivery systems, all cigars, pipe tobacco, and water pipes.

The regulations also require cigar makers to obtain costly FDA approval before selling new blends. The cigar industry has pleaded for the agency to reconsider — to no avail.

E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid, usually containing nicotine mixed with the chemicals propylene glycol, glycerin and often flavorings, to create vapor that users can inhale. Formaldehyde byproducts can be formed during the e-cigarette vaping process. It's not known how these byproducts behave in the respiratory tract, but formaldehyde is a carcinogen.

Although e-cigarettes are advertised as a safer alternative to traditional smoking, regardless of how nicotine is delivered, it still substantially harms your blood vessels, heart, and lungs.

Current research is sparse on the full health effects of e-cigarettes — though many experts fear e-cigarettes may represent a gateway to the use of traditional cigarettes and other tobacco products. As a result, people may keep smoking conventional cigarettes rather than be encouraged to quit. Cigars, of course, are not exempt from negative health risks.

As FDA spokesman Michael Felberbaum recently said, "Large cigars can deliver as much as 10 times the nicotine, two times the tar and more than five times the carbon monoxide of a filtered cigarette."

To keep FDA regulations in perspective, it's important to remember that smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States.

During 2015, more than 264 billion cigarettes, 13 billion cigars, and 128 million pounds of smokeless tobacco were sold in the United States. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking is not devoid of cost. Smoking-related illnesses in the U.S. cost more than $300 billion a year — including nearly $170 billion for direct medical care for adults and more than $156 billion in lost productivity.

A 2014 study from New York University found that 50 percent of American adolescents are aware of e-cigarettes, and of these 13 percent had tried one, and 4 percent were regular users to some degree. The high rates of use of both e-cigarettes and conventional cigarettes among current e-cigarette users suggest that many are using them as a way to satisfy their nicotine in places where smoking is prohibited rather than as a means to quit smoking entirely. With such data in hand, if we are going to continue the quest to lower tobacco usage in adolescents, then we must curtail the use of e-cigarettes as well.

Before 1996, the FDA did not play a role in the regulation of tobacco products, which were instead controlled through state and congressional regulation. It was not until 1992, when the federal government required the states to set the minimum age to 18 in order to purchase tobacco products, that the FDA came to the fore. In 2009, the passage of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act gave the FDA the explicit authority to regulate the manufacture, distribution, and marketing of tobacco products to "protect public health."

Though the livelihood of small businesses may be at risk by these regulations, and I'm aware that small-cigar makers are clamoring, the FDA has recognized the increased costs of such tobacco regulations. The agency is taking steps to help businesses navigate the new process while continuing to protect the health and general welfare of the American public regarding the dangers of smoking.

Antonia C. Novello, M.D., was surgeon general of the United States from 1990 to 1993.

Resource : http://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/os-ed-fda-cut-through-smokeless-screen-front-burner-08172016-20160817-story.html

Big Issue: Are underage children getting hooked on electronic cigarettes?

Hundreds of shops have been caught illegally selling e-cigs to underage children. Philip Cullinane looks at what can be done to stop youngsters accessing e-cigs

ELECTRONIC cigarettes were first introduced as a way of helping smokers wean themselves off their deadly addiction.

But it is becoming increasingly clear that many non-smokers are taking up the e-cig habit – and concerns are growing at the number of underage children who are among them.

It is illegal for shops to sell e-cigs to anyone under 18. But more than a third of the retailers targeted in an operation by Trading Standards in England were caught selling to underage children.

Children aged 14 to 17 were sold vaping devices by 246 of the 634 retailers visited between January and March 2016.

Mathew Shalcross, director of Vapour 4 You on the High Street Newcastle, says he has always made a point of refusing to sell e-cigarettes to children.

The 35-year-old said: "We have refused to serve our products to under-18s even before it was the law because we felt we had a moral duty to do so.

Read more: Big Issue: Is the Dangerous Dog Act fit for purpose?

"It is disgusting that there are shops that will sell these to under-18s.

"We have had children in uniform trying in the past. When we say no, they say they'll just go somewhere else and we think well, it may be a loss in trade for us but it would be wrong to serve them and now it is against the law anyway.

"We have had to say no to parents buying them for their children. It is obvious when the child has picked out the flavours.

"I am confident that our products aren't being sold to under-18s.
'I really don't think that e-cigs are a gateway to drugs or to smoking cigarettes'

"The last think we want is products we sell with our name on circulating around and being confiscated in schools.

"Because of how strict we are, we don't get many children in now, they know not to bother."

But as you might expect, Mathew does not believe the fault lies with the products themselves.

Read more: Dangerous driver James Tatton jailed for eight years after causing death of two friends on the A500

He added: "I think the e-cigs are great for people who are trying to quit but they shouldn't be used by non-smokers just because their mates have one or they think they are cool.

"I really don't think that e-cigs are a gateway to drugs or to smoking cigarettes. If you have a nice fruity flavour like melon the taste of cigarette will be a real shock."

Action for Smoking and Health (ASH) supports the use of e-cigs as a means of quitting smoking, but says it is 'totally unacceptable' for shops to sell them to underage kids.
'Sadly I am not surprised that under-18s are getting their hands on electronic cigarettes...'

Information manager Amanda Sandford, said: "ASH's position is that we believe e-cigarettes can be a useful tool to help smokers cut down or quit smoking as well as helping to stop ex-smokers relapsing back to smoking.

"They are considerably safer than tobacco products and are proving to be the most popular stop-smoking aid.

"There is no evidence that using e-cigarettes leads to a take-up of smoking. However, it is not appropriate for children to use them as the products do contain nicotine which is highly addictive.

Read more: Police raid Burslem and Swynnerton drug factories after suspect package from China intercepted

"Therefore we support the law to prevent the sale of e-cigarettes to under 18s and the ban on adults buying the products for under 18s to use.

"Furthermore it's totally unacceptable for any retailer to break the law by selling e-cigarettes to children and the matter should be treated in the same way as the illegal sale of tobacco to children."

Rob Flello, MP for Stoke-on-Trent South, believes more needs to be done to stop children taking up the e-cigarette habit.

He said: "Sadly I am not surprised that under-18s are getting their hands on electronic cigarettes. This was one of my concerns when they became popular that they would be seen as cool and trendy.

"There was a big push a few years ago, understandably, by the e-cig companies that they were the better alternative to help people stop smoking and that the Government should look at them positively.

"But we need to find a way to stop under-18s from using and getting hold of e-cigs. I will be contacting the health minister as soon as possible to see what can be done to stop under-18s getting them and the long term implications of using them."

Read more: Drunken thug Dion Twigg hit partner in the street and punched witness who tried to intervene

Resource : http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/big-issue-are-underage-children-getting-hooked-on-electronic-cigarettes/story-29614233-detail/story.html

New Zealand to make nicotine e-cigarettes legal

End Smoking NZ applauds the Government on its decision to make nicotine for vaping (using electronic cigarettes) legally available in New Zealand. The Government has agreed in principle that nicotine for e-cigarettes should be legally available for sale with appropriate controls. Currently it can only be imported for personal use creating often insurmountable barriers preventing smokers from switching to vaping.

“The Associate Minister of Health, Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has made the right decision.” Said End Smoking’s Chairperson Associate Professor Marewa Glover. “He has listened with compassion to smokers and vapers. We are so relieved that our pragmatic nature as a country has triumphed over the negative misinformation and unfounded fears that have dominated the debate for too long.”

Long-time advocate of nicotine e-cigarettes and founding Board member, Dr Murray Laugesen started work on e-cigarettes in 2007. “I’m absolutely delighted.” He said. “This will be a turning point that will have a significant impact on reducing the death and disease caused by smoking. It also gives us a real shot at achieving Smokefree 2025.” He said.

“This announcement by the Minister gives health professionals a clear message that smokers who choose to use vaping to help them quit can be supported to do so.” Said Board member Dr George Laking.

The Ministry of Health is calling for submissions on how to legislate electronic cigarette products and what regulations or controls need to be in place.

“Vaping nicotine has been estimated to be 95% safer than smoking tobacco, thus End Smoking doesn’t believe we need overly restrictive or costly regulation and controls of e-cigarette products.

However, some concerns such as restricting sales to minors will be wise to prevent retailers who currently sell tobacco to minors pushing e-cigarette products on to kids.” Dr Glover said.

Some public health researchers and advocates in New Zealand and around the world have concerns that vaping will re-normalise smoking, be a gateway to smoking, and establish nicotine addiction among new users. However, there is no evidence that this is occurring in countries where vaping is established.

Whilst there is still some way to go before nicotine for vaping will be legally available in New Zealand, End Smoking says the first steps are positive.

Resource : http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1608/S00015/new-zealand-to-make-nicotine-e-cigarettes-legal.htm

E-Cigarette Use Down Among Kids In Indiana

This year’s Indiana Youth Survey shows that the number of Indiana middle school and high school students using electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, dropped in the last year.

This was the second year in which the Indiana Youth Survey asked participants about their use of electronic vapor products, like e-cigarettes.

E-cigarette use among children between grades seven and twelve dropped across the board. The biggest decrease was among twelfth graders, dropping from nearly 25 percent last year, to 21.6 percent this year.

The decline comes a year after state legislators passed a bill that tightened restrictions of e-cigarettes and related products. As of July 1, it is against Indiana law to buy any e-cigarette products under the age of 18.

Despite the statewide decline, Allen County Health Commissioner Dr. Deb McMahan says 21 percent of twelfth graders using e-cigarettes is still a concern.

She cites a study, saying “young people who begin using e-cigarettes by the time they start ninth grade are more likely than others to begin smoking traditional cigarettes within the next year.”

McMahan adds, "Studies have shown that the more money that is spend advertising e-cigarettes the more youth begin using them, and seven out of ten students are exposed to e-cigarette ads from at least one course (retail, internet, TV or magazines). This problem is not going away anytime soon…
Resource :http://wboi.org/post/e-cigarette-use-down-among-kids-indiana

UNC scientists: E-cigarettes not best way to stop smoking

Robert Fassler tries out a new flavor in his electronic cigarette at E-Cigs in Cary, N.C. Fassler had surgery and switched from cigarettes to electronic cigarettes after his doctor’s recommended he do so to speed up the healing process. Jill Knight 2014 News & Observer file photo

CHAPEL HILL

The e-cigarette industry says new federal rules that went into effect last week could lead to the prohibition of vaping products it says help people quit the more harmful habit of smoking cigarettes.

But two scientists at UNC-Chapel Hill say the safety of e-cigarettes isn’t proven yet and that there are more effective ways to stop smoking. Writing in the Annals of Family Medicine last month, Clare Meernik and Dr. Adam Goldstein say that while e-cigarettes have fewer toxins, they deliver the same amount of harmful particulate matter as cigarettes plus flavor chemicals that pose their own health risks.

Goldstein, a family medicine professor at UNC-CH, says doctors need guidance from the Food and Drug Administration before they can routinely recommend e-cigarettes to their patients.

“When you have regulatory standards from the FDA and data showing effectiveness and safety, then we can re-evaluate,” he said.

Already, he said, one-third of doctors report recommending e-cigarettes to their patients who are trying to quit smoking.

The FDA has regulated the manufacture and sale of cigarettes since 2009, enforcing standards so that products are consistent and vendors follow congressional rules defining how cigarettes can be sold and marketed. Last Monday, the FDA said it also had authority over other tobacco products that include e-cigarettes, hookah and other cigarette alternatives.

The new FDA regulations require manufacturers of e-cigarettes and the nicotine-containing liquids they vaporize to report the products they make and how they are advertised. The FDA will now study those products to determine their ingredients, potential health impacts and the effectiveness of their advertising on youth and people who did not smoke before trying e-cigarettes.

In their commentary, Goldstein and Meernik say a combination of nicotine replacement therapy, such as nicotine patches, and behavioral therapy is the safest and most effective known treatment for nicotine addiction. Goldstein says many patients who have tried to quit with e-cigarettes do not seek behavioral therapy, which he compared to “giving someone medicine for a tendon injury without physical therapy.”

Goldstein says that if integrating e-cigarettes into this treatment can maintain or improve the 20 to 30 percent success rate of this treatment, he would routinely recommend it to his patients.

But until the effectiveness and safety of e-cigarettes are evaluated by the FDA, he believes that when it comes to treating nicotine addiction physicians should “recommend practices that aren’t controversial.”
Another view

Goldstein’s commentary was paired with another by Ann McNeill, professor of tobacco addiction in the National Addiction Centre at King’s College in London, that concludes doctors should recommend e-cigarettes to help patients struggling with nicotine addiction.

McNeill takes a democratic approach to public health, hoping that doctors can capitalize on the popularity of e-cigarettes to motivate smokers to quit. She cites a study showing e-cigarettes are the most popular method for smokers who want to quit, followed by going cold turkey, which has the lowest success rate. The same study shows e-cigarettes are used to quit nicotine by 10 times as many people as the most effective method of nicotine replacement and behavioral therapy.

McNeill argues that smokers are most likely to quit in a supportive, judgment-free environment. Goldstein agrees, saying there are situations where a patient may not quit with other methods. He says it is important for doctors to listen to their patients and respect their past experiences when treating a nicotine addiction. Some of Goldstein’s patients have found success with e-cigarettes, he says, but he cannot recommend it to everyone who comes into his office seeking to quit smoking.

Dr. Youn Ok Lee, a public health research analyst at RTI International based in Research Triangle Park, agrees that the commonly held idea that e-cigarettes are safer than traditional cigarettes affects their popularity.

“There are a lot of misconceptions about e-cigarettes,” Lee said. “Many believe it is ‘harmless water vapor,’ which is not correct.”

Lee’s research focuses on the popularity of e-cigarettes with young people. She says e-cigarettes are the most common nicotine product used among middle school and high school students. Advertising for e-cigarettes reaches 7 out of 10 teenagers, according to the CDC, and Lee says her research shows teens react positively to e-cigarette advertising. She and other public health experts like Goldstein want to know “how many kids who would have never smoked are smoking e-cigarettes?”

Lee says another draw for teens are the flavored liquids used in e-cigarettes. An FDA and NIH study showed that 70 to 80 percent of e-cigarette users prefer flavored liquids and that flavor was commonly cited as a reason for using e-cigarettes.

When it comes to applying FDA standards to e-cigarettes, flavored liquids provide another hurdle.

“With thousands of different flavors on the market, there are potentially thousands of different chemicals that have to be studied,” Lee said.

Under the FDA regulations, e-cigarette manufacturers will be required to disclose the products they make and how they are advertised by the end of 2016. They’ll also be required to submit the ingredients used to make their products by Feb. 8, 2017. And in June 2018, e-cigarettes will need to be advertised and sold with an FDA health warning label, like other tobacco products.

Resource :http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article95759247.html

Electronic Cigarettes International Group Launches VIP Kiosk In South Africa

 UK's number one premium vaping & e-Liquids company, VIP, launches first 'Blending Kiosk' at the Mall @ Reds
."

GOLDEN, Colo., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Electronic Cigarettes International Group, Ltd. (the "Company" or "ECIG"), a leading global marketer and distributor of electronic cigarettes and vapor products, today announced it has launched a new kiosk for its premium global brand VIP located at the Mall @ Reds in Centurion, South Africa, just south of Pretoria.  ECIG has partnered with Pure Retail, a retail solutions provider, and A-Tek, a retail distribution company, for its South Africa operations. Nexus Engage, ECIG's UK partner, will act as distributor for the new kiosk in South Africa.

"VIP Premium Vaping & E-Liquids has opened its first dedicated 'Blending Kiosk' located in the Mall @ Reds shopping center," stated Robert Horn, ECIG's Business Development Manager for VIP South Africa. "We are excited to be bringing a whole new vaping experience to the Mall @ Reds.  'Vaping' has become increasingly popular, and we are keen to make sure that those users are getting the best experience from their e-cigarettes and that they are using a trusted company that adheres to UK safety standards. The blending kiosk experience is the first of its kind in South Africa and one that we hope to take around the country."


The VIP brand is one of the most established names in the UK electronic cigarette market. Launched in 2009 and now part of the Electronic Cigarettes International Group, the company has been at the forefront of the e-cigarette market helping replace over 300 million tobacco cigarettes with the VIP E-Cig. VIP's ingredients and flavorings are exclusively blended in the UK for the VIP brand and will be available to buy from the 'Blending Kiosk' to guarantee quality.

The opening comes following the announcement from the Public Health England Report which estimates e-cigarettes are 95% less harmful to health than a normal cigarette and the recently introduced regulation for the EC, TPD (Tobacco Product Directive) whereby products have to be compliant with the regulation by May 2017.

"This expansion is part of our overall strategy to establish VIP as the leading global brand for premium electronic cigarette products," stated Dan O'Neill, ECIG's CEO.  "This kiosk is our first launch in South Africa and we are very excited to enter this new international market."

Electronic Cigarettes International Group (OTCBB: ECIG), a leading global marketer and distributor of electronic cigarettes and vapor products, is dedicated to providing a compelling alternative to traditional cigarettes for more than 1 billion current smokers around the world.  The Company offers consumers a full product portfolio whose brands include VIP, FIN, Vapestick, and others, incorporating superior product quality and the latest technology.  The Company owns multiple subsidiary companies and has operations in North America and Western Europe.  ECIG offers consumers a full product portfolio that incorporates product quality and the latest technology.  To learn more, visit www.ecig.co. 

Safe Harbor Disclosure

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are any statement reflecting management's current expectations regarding future results of operations, economic performance, financial condition and achievements of ECIG, including statements regarding ECIG's expectation to see continued growth. Forward-looking statements, specifically those concerning future performance are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and other factors are disclosed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Unless required by applicable law, ECIG undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Follow us on social media:

Facebook: @Electronic Cigarettes International Group, Ltd.

Twitter: @ECIGCorporate

CONTACTS:
   

Dennard ▪ Lascar Associates

Ken Dennard / Rick Black

713-529-6600

ecig@dennardlascar.com

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SOURCE Electronic Cigarettes International Group, Ltd.
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Resource : http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/electronic-cigarettes-international-group-launches-vip-kiosk-in-south-africa-300314836.html

Roswell Park study finds e-cigarettes 'safer, less toxic'

Inhaling vapor from electronic cigarettes is safer than smoking traditional tobacco cigarettes, according to a new research study out of Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

It’s one of the first studies to confirm that switching to e-cigarettes can reduce the risk of cancer for smokers, and researchers say it will bolster efforts at the local and national level to help smokers quit the habit.
That’s according to Maciej Goniewicz, lead author of the study and assistant professor of oncology in Roswell Park’s department of health behavior, whose work will be published in the journal Nicotine Tobacco Research.

While nicotine exposure remains the same, individuals who switch from tobacco cigarettes to e-cigarettes saw the levels of specific carcinogens and toxins reduced significantly. The study also found that switching did not cause study participants to crave higher levels of nicotine.

“They are safer, less toxic,” he said. “It’s the first time we have very strong evidence that we will be able now to give (smokers) that the answer is, yes , this you should consider a transition, a substitute for your tobacco cigarette that will save your life.”

Researchers focused on transitioning existing smokers to e-cigarettes, recruiting 20 individuals who reported smoking an average of 16 cigarettes per day and who had previously tried, unsuccessfully, to quit using different medicines and smoking cessation methods.

“We focused on this transition because we thought and still think this is the potential transition that can have a huge impact on public health,” Goniewicz said.

The study is believed to be the first on smokers to demonstrate that substituting e-cigarettes for tobacco cigarettes may reduce exposure to toxins and carcinogens that can cause cancer. That’s an important finding for a cancer institute that focuses on reducing exposure and causes of cancer, he said. Roswell Park also holds the contract to run New York’s statewide smoker’s quitline.

“Toxins and carcinogens we measure in the body almost disappeared – the body cleared the 17 different chemicals we were looking for,” Goniewicz said.

He stressed the study does not make any claims that e-cigarettes are safe and should not be taken as a signal it’s okay for non-smokers to take up the habit. But it does provide evidence that those who already smoke can reduce their health risks.

“We know that they inhale hundreds of thousands of different chemicals with every puff they take on tobacco cigarettes. This mixture is so deadly and dangerous to the lungs and cardiovascular system, to the brain and any organs in the body,” he said. “As a cancer center, we are working on cancer prevention.”

Previous research by Goniewicz has focused on second-hand nicotine exposure as well as toxicity of e-cigarette vapor. Earlier this year, he was funded for a new study on abuse liability of electronic cigarettes in adolescents.

The study was co-authored by researchers at the University of California at San Francisco and the Medical University of Silesia in Poland, where the subjects were recruited.

According to Goniewicz, the study was funded through public support at the three institutions, with no support from industry groups in the tobacco or pharmaceutical markets, nor e-cigarette manufacturers.

Researchers plan to follow up the study with a longer-term look at a larger subject group, likely in the hundreds, to better determine the impact of e-cigarettes.

    Tracey Drury covers health/medical and nonprofits

Resource : http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2016/08/18/roswell-park-study-finds-e-cigarettes-safer-less.html

New Study: Electronic Cigarettes are Safer Than Tobacco Cigarettes

More evidence has found that e-cigarettes and vaporized nicotine products (VNPs) are safer than traditional tobacco cigarettes. Researchers at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RCPI) recently published “Exposure to nicotine and selected toxicants in cigarette smokers who switched to electronic cigarettes: a longitudinal within-subjects observational study.” The study is available online at the journal Nicotine Tobacco Research.

The study reports “that nicotine exposure remains the same, while exposure to specific carcinogens and toxicants is reduced, among smokers who switch from tobacco cigarettes to electronic cigarettes.”

The researchers examined “20 healthy adult daily smokers [who] were provided with electronic cigarettes and 20 tobacco-flavored cartridges.” The participants averaged being tobacco cigarette smokers for 12 years and “95% of them said they planned to quit smoking.”

The researchers examined the “participants’ urine levels of seven nicotine metabolites and 17 biomarkers of exposure to carcinogens and toxicants present in cigarette smoke over a two-week period.” The study focused on biomarkers that “are indicators of the risk of several diseases, including lung cancer.”

In 12 of the 17 measured biomarkers, researchers found “significant declines in exposure to toxicants when participants changed from tobacco cigarettes to e-cigarettes.” The decline in toxicant levels is comparable to decline present when quitting cigarettes.

Lead author, Maciej Goniewicz, PhD, PharmD, Assistant Professor of Oncology in the Department of Health Behavior at RPCI, stated “I think this is the study that many researchers and public health advocates and regulators were waiting for, and users were waiting for. I think this is really one of the first studies looking at the users.”

“We were able to measure 17 different chemicals in the body … and that the data are really strong, even after one week of using electronic cigarettes, the level[s] went down,” said Goniewicz. “In our study, we recruited smokers, so we recruited the group that is the only group that can potentially benefit from electronic cigarettes. For smokers who are currently smoking and have tried quitting before and did not [succeed] this might be the life saving device.”

Co-author Neal Benowitz, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco echoed Goniewicz, stating “our findings suggest that e-cigarette use may effectively reduce exposure to toxic and carcinogenic substances among smokers who completely switch to these products.”

The study is just the latest publication that shows the positive health effects of e-cigarettes and VNPs. Public Health England found in 2015 that chemicals in e-cigarettes and VNPs are “95% less harmful than cigarettes.” A June 2016 qualitative study provided more evidence of tobacco harm reduction, finding the e-cigarettes effectiveness and the lesser harm posed to health by the products among the top reasons why individuals were encouraged to use such products.

In May, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) applied deeming regulations to e-cigarettes and VNPs, classifying these new products as tobacco products. As studies continue to show, it is necessary for policy makers to understand that e-cigarettes and VNPs are not the same as tobacco cigarettes and are, in fact, significantly safer than tobacco cigarettes, ultimately providing the potential to save millions in health care costs. These products are becoming the most effective tool in encouraging smokers to quit, and will provide significant health gains in the way of tobacco harm reduction. Policy makers should listen to the evidence that is continuing to grow, and ensure that these products are not hindered from being available on the market or to users.

Resource : http://blog.heartland.org/2016/08/new-study-electronic-cigarettes-are-safer-than-tobacco-cigarettes/

Valley Vape Organizations Concerned About New FDA Regulations On E-Cigarettes

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has enacted regulations of tobacco products nationwide to include e-cigarettes, hookah and cigars.

E-cigarette use among high school students jumped more than nine times in the past five years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In response, the FDA announced new rules in May to keep e-cigarettes out of the hands of minors.

“In about two years, pretty much every business will be out of business. They won’t be able to afford to comply with regulations,” Vape A Vet Project Executive Director William Cohen said.

Cohen’s Phoenix-based charity donates vaping kits across the world to veterans and active military members to encourage them to switch from traditional cigarettes to e-cigarettes.

“We can’t send any product out for free any longer,” Cohen said. “So, it’s changed kind of our whole model of providing these services at no cost because they banned free samples.”

To comply with the new regulations, he has to charge $15 per care package. Other rules include making products childproof and placing health warnings on packages and advertisements. The FDA also must approve any new product before it hits the market.

“While we don’t have to fill out any of these applications, all of the vendors that donate product to us will have to,” Cohen said. "And so we’re gonna start seeing those donations dry up.”

Owner of E-Cig City Tempe Andrew Bird said the rules will impact his business, but that it was only a matter of time before regulations were put in place.

“Whatever we can do today to get closer to fully legitimizing ourselves and preparing ourselves for what’s to come, you know, that’s what we’re going to do. I’ve got to keep my doors open,” Bird said.

Cohen said regulations aren’t the problem. It’s holding vaping to the same standard of cigarettes that will destroy the industry.

Resource : http://kjzz.org/content/346056/valley-vape-organizations-concerned-about-new-fda-regulations-e-cigarettes

E-cigarette trader in York says EU regulations won't support smokers

 THE plumes of vapour grow larger and thicker as Matt Gluggles demonstrates his array of e-cigarettes.

Mr Gluggles, owner of the E-cig Wizard shop in Goodramgate, York, is showing off the devices he has spent an estimated £2,000 on since deciding to quit smoking four years ago.

His varied collection ranges from the first generation "cigalikes", which emulate the look of a cigarette, up to a third generation gold and titanium device costing the owner around £200.

This is the 45-year-old's hobby and one he has grown to become an expert on.

 His passion has led him to found York's Vapemeet group as more and more people switch from smoking cigarettes and take up vaping to help them kick the habit.

However, next May, a European Union law is set to come into force which has upset those who say the electronic devices have done a lot to stop people smoking.

"None of the third generation ones or the smaller e-cigarettes will be available when the ban comes in and it's going to be a catastrophe," said Mr Gluggles.

"Two million people have switched to e-cigarettes and they will be replaced with very feeble e-cigs and the numbers switching will be far less.

"The NHS is coming round to them because a couple of years ago they said you had to use a patch or their services which only had a five per cent success rate whereas e-cigs have a 33 per cent success rate.

"Those opposed to them will say 'we don't know what's in them' or 'they are dangerous' and these statements get reported, but those in favour have to produce a lot of specific evidence they are safe."

E-cigarettes first became available in 2007 but their dramatic rise in popularity did not take off until 2011, when the number of users grew at a rapid rate.

More than two million people now use the devices in the UK and has seen stop smoking campaigns, like Stoptober, offering people free e-cigarette kits.

Mr Gluggles added: "The changes are a huge concern.

"When the regulations are introduced they will completely crush the market and the number of people switching will be massively reduced.


 "That means there will be more smokers than there would have been and the regulations will support smoking."
Resource : http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/14024284.E_cigarette_trader_says_EU_regulations_won_t_support_smokers/

Why Teens Choose E-Cigarettes

MONDAY, Aug. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Teenagers try e-cigarettes the first time for very teen-related reasons -- they're curious, friends use them, and there are lots of different flavors that taste good.

But the teens most likely to keep using e-cigarettes do so for very practical reasons, a new study suggests.

The low cost of the devices and the promise they can help teens quit smoking tobacco are the two strong predictors of continued use, said senior researcher Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin. She is a professor of psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn.

Teens who initially tried e-cigarettes because of their low cost had significantly stepped up their use of e-cigarettes by the time researchers checked in six months later.

In addition, teens who tried e-cigarettes to quit smoking were more than 14 times more likely to keep using e-cigarettes than those who did not consider this a reason to try the devices, the findings showed.

However, e-cigarettes didn't seem to help the kids quit. Four out of five teens who tried e-cigarettes to quit smoking were still puffing regular cigarettes six months later, the investigators found.

"Even though they said they were using e-cigarettes to quit smoking, it doesn't appear to have necessarily helped them," Krishnan-Sarin said.

E-cigarettes don't produce tobacco smoke, but they do contain nicotine. And researchers fear they'll create a new generation of smokers, with kids hooked on nicotine turning to tobacco for a stronger fix, Krishnan-Sarin said.

"That is the huge public health debate," she said. "Are kids going to start with e-cigarettes and then move on to cigarettes? Is that going to be the start of nicotine addiction?"

For their study, Krishnan-Sarin and her colleagues surveyed 340 e-cigarette users in two middle schools and three high schools in 2013, asking them why they first tried e-cigarettes.

The most cited reasons for first trying e-cigarettes were curiosity (57 percent), good flavors (42 percent), use by friends (33 percent), healthier than cigarettes (26 percent), can be used anywhere (21 percent) and does not smell bad (21 percent).

Researchers revisited the teenagers six months later and asked if they were still using e-cigarettes, and if so, what were the reasons they'd kept vaping. The investigators compared the reasons for continued use against those given for first use.

Kids who cited the low cost of e-cigarettes or their potential help to quit smoking wound up vaping more days on average than those who cited other reasons, the study authors said.

Teens who cited low cost used e-cigarettes two out of every three days during the previous month, and those who wanted to quit smoking wound up vaping nearly that often, according to the study results.

Other reasons also predicted continued use of e-cigarettes: they don't smell bad; they come in good flavors; friends use them; they can be used anywhere; they can be hidden from adults; and they are healthier than tobacco.

But for kids who kept using e-cigarettes, "the most robust predictors were the low cost and trying e-cigarettes to quit smoking," said lead researcher Krysten Bold, a postdoctoral fellow in psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine.

Krishnan-Sarin said these findings reveal several different means by which policymakers could make e-cigarettes less attractive to teenagers.

"For example, we found cost was an issue," she said. "Increasing the cost of e-cigarettes is something that could reduce use of e-cigarettes in this young age group." States could tax the devices, hiking their prices, she suggested.

Federal officials also could ban the use of flavors in e-cigarettes, as has already been done in traditional cigarettes except for menthol, said Dr. Norman Edelman, senior scientific advisor for the American Lung Association.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May announced regulations that would ban sales of e-cigarettes to anyone younger than 18 and require strict regulation of the devices. Those regulations take effect Aug. 8.

The regulations also require photo IDs to buy e-cigarettes, and ban retailers from handing out free samples or selling them in all-ages vending machines.

"Despite recommendations from the American Lung Association and others, the final rule did not ban flavorings as they have in ordinary cigarettes," Edelman said. "We continue to believe all the measures that have been applied against ordinary cigarettes should be applied to e-cigarettes."

The study was published online Aug. 8 in the journal Pediatrics.

In response to the study, the e-cigarette industry group the American Vaping Association said this new research "adds to the growing body of evidence that youth smokers and those seeking to quit smoking are much more likely than nonsmokers to use vapor products beyond mere experimentation. The fact that 20 percent of those who reported using vaping to quit smoking succeeded should be looked at positively, as pharmaceutical nicotine replacement therapy products have been repeatedly shown to have pathetic success rates."

More information

For more on e-cigarettes, visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

SOURCES: Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin, Ph.D., professor, psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.; Krysten Bold, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow in psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.; Norman Edelman, M.D., senior scientific advisor, American Lung Association; Aug. 8, 2016, Pediatrics, online; news release, the American Vaping Association

Last Updated: Aug 8, 2016

Copyright © 2016 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Resource : https://consumer.healthday.com/cancer-information-5/electronic-cigarettes-970/why-teens-keep-using-e-cigarettes-713639.html

Clean air and e-cigarettes

July 24 marks the 13th anniversary of New York’s Clean Indoor Air Act, which put an end to smoking in all workplaces, including bars and restaurants.

By now this is old news; everyone takes it for granted. Teenagers today assume it has always been this way. What was almost unthinkable 20 years ago is now completely normal, a major success story for public health.

The full benefits of the law have been far-reaching. Millions of people have a healthier work environment, large numbers of smokers have been motivated to quit, smoking rates have dropped for both adults and youth and the social acceptability of tobacco has declined sharply.

The law also laid the groundwork for more far-reaching changes. The guarantee of clean air in bars and restaurants led to a decreased tolerance for involuntary exposure to secondhand smoke in other places and this in turn has led to increased demand for tobacco-free parks and smoke-free multi-unit housing. It’s not going too far to say that these transformations too are a legacy of the Clean Indoor Air Act.

There is no question that the act is a landmark public health law that has made a huge difference for the better in peoples’ lives. Because of it, generations of New Yorkers consider it completely normal that restaurants, bars and all other workplaces are smoke-free. It’s an achievement that the Legislature and all of us can always be proud of.

Now, however, it’s time for the Clean Indoor Air Act to be updated to include e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery devices, which had not yet been invented when the original law was passed in 2003. E-cigarettes are controversial because not enough is known about the chemicals used in them, there is growing evidence that they are not safe for users and bystanders as claimed and they may be a gateway to conventional cigarettes for kids who otherwise would not have become smokers. There is genuine concern that they undercut social norms that stigmatize smoking, compromise existing smoke-free laws and threaten to reverse decades of progress in reducing smoking rates for both youth and adults.

To safeguard the success and effectiveness of the Clean Indoor Air Act, legislation that would subject e-cigarettes to all its provisions and would require vendors to register with Tax & Finance and the Department of Health was introduced this past term in both the Senate and Assembly. The Assembly sponsor, Linda Rosenthal, described it as a common sense measure.

“Using e-cigarettes in places where smoking traditional tobacco products is banned not only poses a health risk, but also undermines the benefits of the Clean Indoor Air Act,” she said.

The bill passed in the Assembly, but unfortunately did not make it through the Senate. It’s interesting to note that the arguments used there against it — that it would impinge on free enterprise and personal choice — are the same ones used in opposition to the original Clean Indoor Air Act in 2003.

In the absence of state law, municipalities have the authority to enact their own. In New York City, for example, all laws that apply to “real” cigarettes also apply to e-cigs, including all those that prohibit smoking in the workplace and in public parks. Columbia and Greene counties, in addition to many others, have added e-cigarettes to policies addressing tobacco use on county property. Business, industry and community organizations are also free to impose their own restrictions on the use of e-cigarettes and we urge them to do so.

This is not a substitute for action on the state level. The underlying principle of the Clean Indoor Air Act is that everyone has to play by the same rules in order to create a healthy work environment for all. We cannot afford to jeopardize the continued success of this historic legislation.

The Legislature will have another opportunity next year to take up the e-cigarette amendment again. On the second try, we are counting on them to do the right thing for public health.

The Healthcare Consortium, 325 Columbia St., Hudson, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve access to quality health care for residents of Columbia and Greene counties. For more information, visit www.columbiahealthnet.org or call 518-822-8820.

Resource :http://www.registerstar.com/news/article_94ae2e62-4ea0-11e6-87b4-574142697b2e.html

‘Probable carcinogen’ discovered in e-cigarettes

A chemical believed to be carcinogenic has been detected in electronic cigarettes, casting further doubts on how safe it is to use them. Glycidol – designated by the World Health Organisation as a “probable carcinogen” – and acrolein, an irritant to the eyes and respiratory system, are the latest potentially harmful compounds found in e-cigs. Scientists will try to determine if the components occur in quantities to cause problems to users. The new research, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, came as almost 70 per cent of Britain’s GPs rejected the idea of prescribing e-cigs in an online survey by industry website GPonline. They argued there was not enough long-term safety data to justify such a move.


Much still to learn


 These findings underline concerns that there is still much to learn about vaping and its possible dangers. However, UK academics, GPs, the Government and charities are clear that vaping is a far safer alternative to tobacco. “The clear consensus in the UK is that that e-cigarettes are safer than tobacco cigarettes,” said George Butterworth, Cancer Research UK’s tobacco control manager. “It’s just a question of how much safer. And while we need to know a lot more about the long-term effects of vaping, relative to smoking, they are likely to pale into insignificance.” Hugo Destaillats, of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, who worked in the team which discovered the presence of glycidol in vapour, added: “Regular cigarettes are super-unhealthy. E-cigarettes are just unhealthy.


” ‘Just as harmful’

Linda Bauld, professor of health policy at the University of Stirling who led the NICE guidance group on tobacco harm reduction, agrees there is more to learn about the long-term effects of vaping. “However, what concerns me most is that for the past three years smokers have been more likely to say that they believe e-cigarettes are just as harmful as smoking,” she said. “That perception is wrong.” Meanwhile, teenagers see electronic cigarettes as “cool” and are trying them on an industrial scale, researchers have found.

Push towards tobacco

More than 10 per cent of 2,367 14 and 15-year-olds surveyed in Ontario, Canada, by researchers at the University of Toronto had used e-cigarettes, raising concerns that vaping was pushing them towards tobacco. “Our most concerning result was that almost three-quarters of the students surveyed reported trying e-cigarettes primarily because it was something fun, cool or new,” Dr Michael Khoury said. “This is in stark contrast to the motivations of adults, which is to use e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. It suggests, though doesn’t conclude, that e-cigarettes may be drawing in teens into a new, smoking-like behaviour.”

It’s still better to switch if you can’t quit


It’s still better to switch if you can’t quit The reasons for e-cigarettes’ popularity are clear: they deliver nicotine almost as effectively, but without many of the other chemicals present in tobacco smoke.


But new research suggests that they still emit a number of toxic chemicals, especially as the e-cigarette heats up – a fact not included on the packaging. The studies show there is a lack of information on their possible harm. This is unlikely to change soon, since the health effects of tobacco use can take several decades to emerge, and it is probable that the same will be true for e-cigarettes.

The rapid growth in the use of e-cigarettes has taken the public health community and tobacco industry by surprise, with health professionals hurrying to carry out research to develop evidence-based guidelines and policies.


 But even with this latest evidence, however, I would still strongly encourage smokers to switch to e-cigarettes if they can’t quit altogether, as any harm will still be considerably less.

What we need now is for research to provide information on which e-cigarette products are likely to be the least harmful.


Marcus Munafo, professor of biological psychology, Bristol University

Resource :https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/health/probable-carcinogen-discovered-e-cigarettes/

E-cigarettes are addictive and harmful

Rakesh Gupta

Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) popularly known as e-cigarettes are highly addicting and potentially lethal product. It is mostly being used by children and youth,  glamourised as these are by the tobacco industry. Though not generally available in stores, these are widely promoted through social media, email marketing etc. with discount offers.

Sales are increasing sharply all over the world. Currently, these are not regulated by any national authority in India. Punjab became the first state to declare ENDS as illegal in 2013 under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act which allows nicotine (2mg and 4 mg) only as gums and lozenges to be manufactured and sold.  With technical guidance from Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala have also declared these products as illegal.

Many other states are in the process to do the same. According to Punjab Poisons Possession and Sale Rules, 2014 framed under The Poisons Act, 1919, nicotine is a poison and it is mandatory to possess a license to sell it. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken serious cognizance of the matter of nicotine in liquid form.

These are marketed as “A healthy substitute to cigarettes”  and are promoted as an alternative to control or even stop smoking.  It is also argued that e-cigarettes are as safe as other nicotine replacement products such as patches. There have been many misconceptions about their potential benefits which are not true.

Worries about possible health risks have led to some countries talking of restricting its use, as in the UK. In 2009 Canada and Australia banned e-cigarettes. The US also stopped e-cigarettes from being imported. Thus, e-cigarettes are not FDA-approved.

The most important ingredient of e-cigarettes is nicotine that is one of the most addicting agents. The US Surgeon General has concluded nicotine to be as addictive as cocaine or heroin. Studies have shown the nicotine dependence may be transmitted maternally and genetically. Other than being addictive, nicotine has numerous health risks. Its use can lead to cancer.

Being a vasoconstrictor its usage can lead to brain stroke, angina, heart attack, severe pain in the legs and even gangrene. Exposure to nicotine during adolescence can harm brain development. It also adversely affects the reproductive system, lungs, kidney etc. E-cigarettes do not emit a harmless water vapour, but an aerosol that contains at least 10 chemicals that can cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.

It is a proven fact that that e-cigarettes can be even more harmful than normal cigarettes. There is no scientific evidence available that these are more helpful as cessation devices that other proven pharmacological agents.

Resource : http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/trends/e-cigarettes-are-addictive-and-harmful/279681.html

Around 6 million Europeans have quit smoking with e-cigarette use

Use of electronic cigarettes, popularly known as e- cigarettes, has helped more than six million smokers in the European Union quit smoking, estimates a new study.

In addition, the researchers found that use of e-cigarettes has helped more than nine million Europeans to cut smoking consumption.

“These are probably the highest rates of smoking cessation and reduction ever observed in such a large population study,” said principal investigator of the study Konstantinos Farsalinos from University of Patras, Rio, Greece.

For the study, the researchers analysed the data from the 2014 Eurobarometer on smoking and the use of the electronic cigarettes among a representative sample of 27,460 Europeans.

Eurobarometer is a survey performed by the European Commission, assessing, among others, smoking and electronic cigarette use patterns in all 28 member states of the European Union.

The study, accepted for publication in the journal Addiction, also found that the use e-cigarettes has largely been confined to smokers, with minimal use by non-smokers.

“The European Union data show that the use of electronic cigarettes seems to have a positive impact on public health for two main reasons — high smoking cessation and reduction rates are observed, and electronic cigarette use is largely confined to smokers (current and former), with minimal use by non-smokers,” Farsalinos noted.

There is a lot of controversy over the use of the electronic cigarettes by non-smokers, but researchers appeared reassuring.

Just 1.3 per cent of non-smokers reported current use of nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes and 0.09 per cent reported daily use, the study said.
Resource : http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/around-6-million-europeans-have-quit-smoking-with-e-cigarette-use-2968904/