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

From: Vape News

By John Castle

***

The Hurdles In iQOS’ Way

The biggest regulatory hurdle Philip Morris International faces in bringing the iQOS to the U.S. market comes from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

While a committee which advises the FDA has urged that FDA deny PMI’s “modified-risk” claim for the product, it should be remembered that how PMI is permitted to advertise the product on the U.S. market, and whether or not PMI is permitted to sell the product on the U.S. market, are entirely
different considerations.

Read Complete Article

From: Vaping Post

Following the initial request to JUUL Labs, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has sent letters to four vaping companies urging them to provide critical information about their products, so that the agency can better examine the products’ appeal and use amongst youths.

The Commissioner of Chicago’s Department of Public Health wrote an opinion article for The Hill, a DC-based newspaper, which makes assertions that are without factual basis. The Commissioner asserts that Big Tobacco is responsible for underage use of e-cigarettes. Specifically, the article states that”Nearly all e-cigarettes use flavored liquids that attract young people with names like Gummy Bear, Cherry Crush and Crème Brulee” and “Big Tobacco knows that marketing that focuses on flavors is effective at getting youth to start using.”

The article makes these inaccurate statements despite the fact that the overwhelming market share leader among vaping products, particularly those used by kids, is not affiliated with any of the Big Tobacco companies. Similarly, companies such as Candy King which sell candy-flavored vapes, are also competitors to Big Tobacco.

From: Narcity

Lots of new rules here.

James Gaughan 

***

They are now banning any flavour that is “confectionery,” which is really just another way of saying any flavour that sounds like it might be candy.

So if you’re using something that tastes like cotton candy, that’s probably going to be banned now.

Read Complete Article

From: Reuters

Tom Lasseter, Duff Wilson, Thomas Wilson, Paritosh Bansal

TOKYO/NEUCHATEL, Switzerland (Reuters) – In seeking regulatory approval for a new smoking device called iQOS, Philip Morris International Inc is claiming the electronic gadget is less likely to cause disease than traditional cigarettes. But the iQOS holds another, less obvious advantage over regular smokes: the ability to harvest personal data about users’ smoking habits.

***

The initiative, if allowed by regulators, could extract information about a user’s smoking routine from the device and use it for marketing purposes, said a former project manager at the company who tested the software in Japan. That data would include the number of puffs and average consumption per day, said Shiro Masaoka, who worked at Philip Morris in Japan from 2012 to 2016.

From: Tobacco Control | Brief Report

Abstract

From: The Jerusalem Post

Justice Ministry Says IQOS Product Will be Treated as Ordinary Tobacco

Previously, the company asked the US Food and Drug Administration to recognize iQOS as “modified-risk product.”

***

Last week, Israel’s Justice Ministry notified the company that it accepted the position of three voluntary organizations in Israel that the product is actually a “tobacco product,” and all the restrictions that apply to tobacco products should apply to iQOS.

In parallel, Philip Morris reversed its previous position towards the FDA and now wants iQOS to first be recognized as a “tobacco product.”