27 replies to this topic

[Rusty]

I have submitted a stakeholder registration form on behalf of the Campaign for Vaping in Pubs. We will see if it is accepted.

[Kate]

That's great Rusty, I hope it goes through ok. Maybe Crossbow would consider registering UK Vapers as a stakeholder too, I'll send him a message and mention it.

Is anyone interested in signing up as an individual community member of the consultation? I think it would help a lot if vapers were represented. Details here, closing date for applications Friday 13 May 2011 - http://www.nice.org....eductionPDG.jsp

[Kate]

Submissions to the NICE guidance consultation have been summarised and sent out for corrections. File attached.

Quote

Once we are satisfied we have interpreted and answered your comments accurately, the Final Scope for this programme guidance, along with the Stakeholder Comments Response Table relating to this consultation will be posted on the NICE website.

Please note, the consultation period regarding the draft scope is now closed and no additional comments can be submitted to NICE at this stage.

Note. The TobaccoHarmReduction.org response has been left out for some reason.

Attached Files

•  Smoking harm reduction Stakeholder Comments - 5 day review.pdf   1.69MB   15 downloads

[westcoast2]

Interesting Kate.

A number of 'Stake holders', including Vapers Network, raised concerns about how THR (Tobacco harm reduction) is defined. They say they have clarified this. Need to find the clarification.

Also raised by many was this issue of Snus which got the standard reply

Quote

Snus or similar oral snuff products, as defined in the European Union‘s Tobacco Product Directive (2001/37/EC), are not legally available in the UK will not be considered.

Is this completely accurate? Snus may not be legally sold but is it illegal to import and use?

Nice have said that No Tobacco products will be considered. It was pointed out that Nicotine was derived from tobacco and that therefore NRT was a tobacco product. NRT should therefore be excluded. Nice replied

Quote

While NRT is derived from tobacco, it does not contain tobacco, so NRT is included; likewise other non-tobacco nicotine-containing products.

This is of course at odds with the US position on e-cigs! Oh Well.

It was very good to see the comments made by Vapers Network included and responded to.

Edited by westcoast2, 30 June 2011 - 02:44 PM.

[Kate]

I don't know the exact legal situation with snus, West, all I've heard is that they're 'banned'.

Interesting that they've turned the whole thing into a non-tobacco rather than tobacco harm reduction effort. Maybe they have clues about whether the EU is going to bring ecigs into tobacco control. I have to say that I'm very uncomfortable that ecigs and NRT are the only options they're considering. Possibly a step further towards only medical nicotine allowed and medical regulation imposed at some point.

Edited by Kate, 01 July 2011 - 07:52 PM.

[muppetboy]

Forgive me if I'm off-topic here (slap me if necessary) but I still strongly believe that because this amazing product is labelled as the "eCigarette" - it's the word Cigarette that is causing all the problems in the first place. I seriously believe that if the product was renamed and rebranded as (example) eVapor Stick, this would reduce the current misconception of eCigs. From what I can gather, many Vapors use zero nicotine, therefore these - if the powers that be have there way - would be penalised, along with the increasing number of vapor users who use nicotine type liquids. Hope I'm making sense as no doubt this has been brought up elsewhere (feel free to split and move this post, moderators, if necessary).

If I'm wrong what I mentioned above - please correct me. I'm still confused as to how the eCig can be labelled as a tobacco product.

Edited by muppetboy, 10 July 2011 - 11:15 AM.

[frog]

Many will agree with you. I don't and this is why. Call it what you like, it looks like smoking and is an alternative to smoking however you name it. It is all part of the larger campaign to de normalise smoking or anything associated with smoking and make it seen as a disgusting second class activity. The alternative they want us all to embrace is the highly lucrative big pharma crap.

A number of names are in use, like PENIS ( Personal Electronic Nicotine Inhilation System) but the problem is, vendors Market to smokers and smokers want electronic cigarettes.

[muppetboy]

Ah. I see your point: the eCig is branded as an "alternative to smoking" and if this product was renamed to something that bears no relation to cigarettes/nicotine, etc, then there is the possibility to those that has never smoked to start using the eCig - even though it's common sense at end of day.