A Public Participation Forum for the FDA Center for Tobacco Products and its Federal Advisory Committee (TPSAC)

From: FDA

Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on new enforcement actions and a Youth Tobacco Prevention Plan to stop youth use of, and access to, JUUL and other e-cigarettes

• FDA cites 40 retailers for violations related to youth sales of JUUL e-cigarettes
• Agency announces a new blitz of retail establishments targeting youth sale violations
• Agency takes new action to examine youth appeal of JUUL
• Agency takes steps to foreclose online sales of JUUL to minors
• These are the first steps in a new effort aimed at stopping youth use of e-cigarettes

From: Fortune

Cigarette Stocks Have Gotten Burned This Week. Could Things Get Even Worse for Big Tobacco?

By SY MUKHERJEE

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That could be a long-term problem for Philip Morris and its ilk if it can’t step up its marketing game in a crowded space. And the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under Commissioner Scott Gottlieb may not be making things much easier with aggressive plans to limit nicotine levels in traditional cigarettes and skepticism about firms’ claims that devices like the iQOS cut health risks compared to conventional cigarettes. A group of U.S. Senators recently sent the FDA a letter urging the agency to reject Philip Morris’ request to market iQOS as a “modified-risk” tobacco product, which might give consumers the impression that it’s a healthier alternative.

From: Massey University 

Government funded stop smoking services will keep losing customers if they refuse to help people who want to try vaping, new research has found. The services are in a bind however because the legality of selling nicotine vaping products in New Zealand remains in doubt.

The previous National-led Government claimed nicotine vaping products could not be legally imported and sold in New Zealand, but late last year they promised new regulations to allow the sale of nicotine e-cigarettes and e-liquids. Last week National MP Nicky Wagner, who championed the promised law change, introduced a private member’s bill to get vaping back on the Government’s agenda.

From: Vaping Post

British American Tobacco Plc, (BAT), has launched its own Heat Not Burn, HNB, electronic cigarette, Glo, which will start selling in Japan next month. This product will be directly competing with Philip Morris International Inc’s own product, iQOS, and will be sold at a significant 20% lower price than the latter.

By Diane Caruana

Editor’s Note: For a case example of the public’s power to block a regulatory decision—in this case a DEA Schedule 1 listing—by employing a civilized, substantive social media campaign, see the Kratom Policy Forum.

Vape shop owners and customer should post their own experiences with and views on flavored tobacco products here.

From: CBS SF Bay Area

Smokers Mount Fight Against Flavored Tobacco Ban In San Francisco

San Francisco Supervisors approved the ban last year, but now the issue is on the June ballot. One group told KPIX 5 there is more to the ban than just public health.

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From: Reuters via Channel News Asia

New Zealand court gives Philip Morris nod to sell heated tobacco product

A Wellington court gave the New Zealand unit of Philip Morris International the green light to sell its heated tobacco product, dismissing a case by the country’s health authorities.

Reporting by Marius Zaharia; editing by Diane Craft

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New Zealand’s Ministry of Health had argued the HEETS product would fall under the country’s “Smoke-free Environment Act’s” ban on tobacco products for chewing or any other oral use.