Protecting the Public Health by Strengthening the Food and Drug Administration's Authority over Tobacco Products

Introduction: The use of heat-not-burn tobacco products (HnB) is being adopted increasingly as an alternative to smoking combusted products, primarily cigarettes. Substantial controversy has accompanied their marketing and use in the public health context. In this study, we aimed to consider the probable impacts of HnB tobacco products use on public health. Methods: In May 2019, we conducted a systematic review of 15 studies concerning awareness and use of IQOS (abbrv. I Quit Ordinary Smoking) selected from three databases: Cochrane, PubMed, and Embase regarding public health. Results: All key outcomes varied by smoking status: more young adults who were currently smoking reported being aware of, interested in trying, and prone to trying heat-not-burn tobacco products. Interest in trying HnB products was also present among non-smokers, which raises concerns regarding new smokers. Interestingly, susceptibility to trying IQOS (25.1%) was higher than for traditional cigarettes (19.3%), but lower than for e-cigarettes (29.1%). Conclusions: Present studies suggest that HnB tobacco products have the potential to be a reduced risk product for public health compared to conventional cigarettes, considering indirectly the potential effects on the chronic diseases which are traditionally linked to traditional cigarette use as well as second hand exposure, but further studies are needed to determine whether this potential is likely to be realized. The process of HnB tobacco products becoming increasingly popular is of a global scale. Only small differences between countries on different continents regarding popularity and use of HnB tobacco products have been reported.

Download Full-text

Towards plain packaging: New Zealand's way forward in the regulation of tobacco products

10.26686/wgtn.17006815.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Ella McLean

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

New Zealand ◽

Tobacco Products ◽

Health Concerns ◽

The Public ◽

Plain Packaging ◽

Investment Arbitration ◽

Alternative Approach ◽

Basic Position ◽

The Way

<p>The New Zealand Government has indicated its intention to legislate for the plain packaging of tobacco products. This paper considers what path New Zealand should take in implementing its own plain packaging regime. Consideration of New Zealand’s particular interests is necessary in determining what constitutes the most appropriate approach to plain packaging for New Zealand. Whether these interests would be best represented through a policy of alignment with Australia or by implementing an alternative approach to plain packaging should inform the way in which the New Zealand Government proceeds with plain packaging. This paper considers alignment with Australia to be the most effective way to address the public health concerns presented by tobacco products and recommends that plain packaging is implemented in alignment with Australia’s plain packaging regime. However, this paper also recognises that a policy of alignment gives rise to certain risks and seeks to demonstrate that there are ways in which these risks may be reduced. New Zealand should consider the implementation of certain measures to reduce the risk of investment arbitration as well as the possibility of variations on the basic position of alignment in order to reduce the risk of WTO claims against plain packaging.</p>

Download Full-text

Adult Smokers’ Awareness and Interest in Trying Heated Tobacco Products: Perspectives from Mexico, where HTPs and E-Cigarettes are Banned

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17072173 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (7) ◽

pp. 2173 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Lizeth Cruz-Jiménez ◽

Inti Barrientos-Gutiérrez ◽

Liliana Coutiño-Escamilla ◽

Katia Gallegos-Carrillo ◽

Edna Arillo-Santillán ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Higher Education ◽

Logistic Models ◽

Black Market ◽

Health Impacts ◽

Online Surveys ◽

Tobacco Products ◽

The Public

Background: We evaluated smokers’ perceptions of heated tobacco products (HTPs) in Mexico, where industry publically lobbied to introduce HTPs into this country that banned both HTPs and e-cigarettes. Methods: Online surveys (November 2018 to July 2019) were analyzed from adults who only smoked cigarettes (n = 2091) or who smoked and used e-cigarettes (“dual users” n = 1128). Logistic models regressed HTP awareness, interest to trying HTPs, and having seen HTPs for sale (only among aware participants) on sociodemographics and tobacco-related variables. Results: Of the 17.1% who were aware of HTPs, 52.7% reported having seen HTPs for sale. Of all respondents, 75% were somewhat or very interested in trying HTPs. Compared to their counterparts, more frequent smokers, dual users, those exposed to online e-cigarette ads, and those with friends who used e-cigarettes were both more aware of and interested in trying HTPs. Greater awareness was also associated with higher education, recent attempts to quit, receipt of email e-cigarette ads, and smoking among friends and family. Seeing HTPs for sale was higher for those who recently attempted to quit, were exposed to e-cigarette ads online or by email, or had friends who used e-cigarettes. Conclusion: Interest in HTPs is high among smokers in Mexico, which already has a large black market for illegal e-cigarettes. HTPs use should be monitored in this context, especially given the public health impacts of HTPs are unclear.

Download Full-text

The Right to Choose

Essays in Philosophy ◽

10.5840/eip2005626 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 405-422 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

H. E. May ◽

J. S. Wigand ◽

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Public Interest ◽

Tobacco Industry ◽

Public Health Community ◽

Tobacco Products ◽

Consumer Sovereignty ◽

The Public ◽

Health Community ◽

Consumer Autonomy ◽

The Right

Pursuant to the Doctrine of Consumer Sovereignty, we believe that tobacco companies should be compelled to disclose their ingredients so that the public health community can make more informed recommendations in order to protect consumer autonomy and sovereignty. However, a recent decision by the First Circuit precludes such a disclosure since it would be unduly burdensome to the industry, while granting only minimal gains to the public. We argue that many of the Court’s key claims rest on a misunderstanding of the science and chemistry of tobacco products. In our view, a mandatory disclosure of ingredients would more effectively protect the public interest, whilst posing minimal burdens on the tobacco industry.

Download Full-text

The Legality, Rationale and Science of Tobacco Display Bans After the Philip Morris Judgment

European Journal of Risk Regulation ◽

10.1017/s1867299x00001677 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 591-599 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Alberto Alemanno

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Tobacco Use ◽

National Court ◽

Visual Display ◽

Tobacco Products ◽

The Public ◽

Equivalent Effect ◽

Philip Morris ◽

The One ◽

Health Objective

A visual display ban on tobacco products, imposed by national legislation of an EEA State, such as the one at issue in the case at hand, constitutes a measure having equivalent effect to a quantitative restriction on imports within the meaning of Article 11 EEA if, in fact, the ban affects the marketing of products imported from other EEA States to a greater degree than that of imported products which were, until recently, produced in Norway. It is for the national court to identify the aims which the legislation at issue is actually intended to pursue and to decide whether the public health objective of reducing tobacco use by the public in general can be achieved by measures less restrictive than a visual display ban on tobacco products (author's headnote).

Download Full-text

Towards plain packaging: New Zealand's way forward in the regulation of tobacco products

10.26686/wgtn.17006815 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Ella McLean

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

New Zealand ◽

Tobacco Products ◽

Health Concerns ◽

The Public ◽

Plain Packaging ◽

Investment Arbitration ◽

Alternative Approach ◽

Basic Position ◽

The Way

<p>The New Zealand Government has indicated its intention to legislate for the plain packaging of tobacco products. This paper considers what path New Zealand should take in implementing its own plain packaging regime. Consideration of New Zealand’s particular interests is necessary in determining what constitutes the most appropriate approach to plain packaging for New Zealand. Whether these interests would be best represented through a policy of alignment with Australia or by implementing an alternative approach to plain packaging should inform the way in which the New Zealand Government proceeds with plain packaging. This paper considers alignment with Australia to be the most effective way to address the public health concerns presented by tobacco products and recommends that plain packaging is implemented in alignment with Australia’s plain packaging regime. However, this paper also recognises that a policy of alignment gives rise to certain risks and seeks to demonstrate that there are ways in which these risks may be reduced. New Zealand should consider the implementation of certain measures to reduce the risk of investment arbitration as well as the possibility of variations on the basic position of alignment in order to reduce the risk of WTO claims against plain packaging.</p>

Download Full-text

Heated Tobacco Products and Nicotine Pouches: A Survey of People with Experience of Smoking and/or Vaping in the UK

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18168852 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (16) ◽

pp. 8852

Author(s):

Leonie S. Brose ◽

Máirtín S. McDermott ◽

Ann McNeill

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

Health Impact ◽

Public Health Impact ◽

Tobacco Products ◽

The Public ◽

Level Of Use ◽

History Of ◽

Different Populations ◽

The Uk

Background: To gauge the public health impact of new nicotine products, information is needed on use among different populations. Aims were to assess in adults who smoked, vaped, did both or had recently stopped: (1) awareness, ever and current use of heated tobacco products (HTPs) and nicotine pouches (NP), (2) characteristics associated with ever use, (3) reasons for use of and satisfaction with HTPs, (4) characteristics associated with interest in use of HTPs. Methods: Online survey in the UK in 2019, n = 3883. (1) Proportion aware, ever and current (≥monthly) use; (2) ever use regressed onto socio-demographics and smoking/vaping; (3) frequency of reasons for HTP use and satisfaction; (4) interest in trying HTPs regressed onto socio-demographics and smoking/vaping status. Results: Awareness was 34.8% for HTP and 15.9% for NP; current use was 3.2% and 2.7%. Being <45 years, higher education, living in London and currently both smoking and vaping were associated with ever having used the products. Curiosity was the most common reason for HTP use (79.8%) and 72.0% of ever HTP users found them at least as satisfying as smoking. Among those not currently using HTPs, 48.5% expressed any interest—lower among those aged over 65 and higher among those smoking and vaping. Conclusions: In this sample of adults with a history of nicotine use, very few currently used heated tobacco products or nicotine pouches. Satisfaction with and interest in HTPs were substantial. The low level of use is unlikely to substantially reduce the public health impact of smoking.

Download Full-text