Recording of ProfGlantz June 4 presentation “Are ecigs safer than regular cigs?” is now available

On June 4, 2004, I gave a presentation to the Clean Air Coalition of British Columbia, which includes the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society, entitled “Are E-Cigarettes Safer than Regular Cigarettes?” Several people asked if I a recording was available. It is.    The link is https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/rz8sgGt3JyCFS-wWHJJE94ynyXkVsqNOjKUnxnrHsKJbhcTo-_MQDQUxf_Kl0PYf.E35DQkP5nljY9V95 Passcode: ?FCk!$3& An open accessContinue reading “Recording of ProfGlantz June 4 presentation “Are ecigs safer than regular cigs?” is now available”

ProfGlantz to give public Zoom presentation on disease risks of e-cigarettes on June 4

On Tuesday June 4, 2024 I will be giving a presentation to the Clean Air Coalition of British Columbia Knowledge Exchange, which includes the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society at 9 to 10 AM Pacific Time.  This presentation, which will be designed for a non-technical audience, will include a discussion ofContinue reading “ProfGlantz to give public Zoom presentation on disease risks of e-cigarettes on June 4”

Tobacco companies use subliminal menthol to achieve the same goals as menthol as a characterizing flavor. Regulators should prohibit all menthol, not just as a characterizing flavor.

While most countries, including the US FDA, regulate menthol as a “characterizing flavor” — at levels that impart a discernible taste — previously secret tobacco industry documents show that tobacco companies have long used menthol at subliminal levels — below levels that impart a discernible taste — to reduce smoke harshness, reduce dryness, increase smokeContinue reading “Tobacco companies use subliminal menthol to achieve the same goals as menthol as a characterizing flavor. Regulators should prohibit all menthol, not just as a characterizing flavor.”

Altria uses dubious claims of preventing youth use to justify dangerous two-way bluetooth communication between NJOY ecigs and Altria

Altria submitted a Premarket Tobacco Product Application to FDA requesting permission to market its NJOY 2.0 device, which features bluetooth technology theoretically designed to prevent underage usage by authenticating the user before unlocking the device. (Additional news coverage) This is the same argument Juul made for its Juul 2 device when it submitted a PTMAContinue reading “Altria uses dubious claims of preventing youth use to justify dangerous two-way bluetooth communication between NJOY ecigs and Altria”

Surprise! PM and BAT condemn ANVISA decision to keep e-cigarettes out of Brazil

Philip Morris and BAT both issued statements condemning ANVISA’s decision to maintain and strengthen e-cigarette regulations to keep the products (and other ENDS products) out of Brazil. Not surprisingly, they use the same generic arguments Big Tobacco uses against almost all regulations. The reality is that, as I noted in my post congratulating ANVISA, whileContinue reading “Surprise! PM and BAT condemn ANVISA decision to keep e-cigarettes out of Brazil”

Brazil strengthens its ban on ENDS, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products

On Friday, April 19, 2024, the board of ANVISA, the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency strengthened its already-strong ban on electronic nicotine systems (ENDS), which includes e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. In stark contrast to the US Biden Administration, which just caved to industry pressure and blocked the FDA’s well-conceived ban on menthol cigarettes and flavoredContinue reading “Brazil strengthens its ban on ENDS, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products”

Why is the Royal College of Physicians concluding e-cigs reduce harm while ignoring the substantial associations between e-cigs and actual disease?

On April 18, 2024 the UK Royal College of Physicians published E-cigarettes and Harm Reduction: An Evidence Review, the latest in a series of reports it has published since 2007 endorsing e-cigarettes for harm reduction.  The report covers a wide range of topics, including assessing the health risks of e-cigarettes, the central question on whetherContinue reading “Why is the Royal College of Physicians concluding e-cigs reduce harm while ignoring the substantial associations between e-cigs and actual disease?”

Tobacco industry denormalization supports stronger tobacco control policies

Tobacco industry denormalization — the strategy of educating people about the predatory behavior of the tobacco industry — is used in many high income states and countries. Now, Roengrudee Patanavanich and I have published “Awareness of tobacco industry tactics among tobacco control communities in Thailand and its association with attitudes towards tobacco industry and perceptionsContinue reading “Tobacco industry denormalization supports stronger tobacco control policies”

Why is the FDA still pushing e-cigs as lower risk based on ancient evidence?

Today (April 16, 2024) the FDA released a new web page on The Relative Risks of Tobacco Products that irresponsibly promotes e-cigarettes as a lower risk alternative to cigarettes. This recommendation is based on the 2018 National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report on e-cigarettes that concluded that e-cigarettes reduce exposure to some toxicContinue reading “Why is the FDA still pushing e-cigs as lower risk based on ancient evidence?”

More people are stopping smoking since advent of fourth gen e-cigs. Less disease? Probably not.

Karin Kasza and colleagues new well-done study, “Divergence in Cigarette Discontinuation Rates by Use of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS): Longitudinal Findings From the United States PATH Study Waves 1-6,” uses the large national PATH study to see if there were differences in real-world trends of adults stopping smoking before and after fourth generation e-cigarettesContinue reading “More people are stopping smoking since advent of fourth gen e-cigs. Less disease? Probably not.”