Catching up on News & Views
Thinking 'bout THR Newsletter July 2-15, 2025
No commentary from me, there’s one more important to read!
Since I published a lengthy commentary on the film You Don’t Know Nicotine and thoughts about lived experience yesterday, I won’t be including an essay in this edition of News & Views. There are two weeks of news to catch up on, so this will be plenty long without a commentary from me.
Instead of my views, please read this new Filter piece by Maria. While she was at GFN, giving consumers a voice, she lost her dad. My heart hurts for her and her family. Here is a brief excerpt of her piece, and I hope it entices you to read the whole thing:
My Dad Quit Cigarettes in 1984. To Doctors, He Was Always a “Smoker.” “The assumption was always clear: He had smoked, therefore the problem had to be rooted in his lungs. But it wasn’t.
It wasn’t until his fourth visit in 10 days that someone finally looked beyond his lungs, and that’s when they found the tumor in his windpipe. He was rushed into surgery and underwent an emergency tracheotomy. Remarkably, he recovered from the procedure within a week, and the cancer was successfully excised.
Yet what I remember most is sitting with him in the ICU and hearing a nurse say, almost dismissively: “Well, what do you expect? He smoked.”
This is what stigma looks like in our health care system. This is what happens when we teach an entire generation that smoking isn’t just unhealthy, but blameworthy. That those who smoked, no matter whether or when or why they stopped, brought it on themselves.”
Until next time…
P.S.: We’re all human. Humans make mistakes. Can we see more of this, please, when they do…
Stuff apologises to Action for Smokefree 2025 (ASH) & Ben Youdan. “The Authority ordered the broadcast of a public statement to acknowledge the breach of broadcasting standards to the ThreeNews audience and to remedy the potential damage done to ASH’s and Mr Youdan’s reputation.
Stuff, for its part, also acknowledges our editorial processes fell short on this occasion. We removed the stories and regret the errors that were made.
Stuff apologises to ASH and Mr Youdan.”
When Public Data Disappear: What We Lose And Why It Matters. “Efforts to remove, restructure, or completely eliminate public health information from federal websites undermine the essential infrastructure that scientists, clinicians, health policy makers, and community leaders rely on daily to achieve better health outcomes. Less visibly impactful than mass firings, significant deregulation efforts, or federal agency reorganizations, these quieter actions have not necessarily garnered front-page attention. However, their effects are profound, immediate, and personal, impacting millions of lives, billions of dollars, and the foundation of good governance.”
'Positive review only': Researchers hide AI prompts in papers. “Research papers from 14 academic institutions in eight countries -- including Japan, South Korea and China -- contained hidden prompts directing artificial intelligence tools to give them good reviews, Nikkei has found.”
Matt Tenan, PhD ATC FACSM. “Science is NOT self-correcting.
The arc of the moral universe does NOT bend toward justice.
Both take people willing to put the time, effort, and dedication to make it happen. Neither good science or justice are a passive act.
The second Law of Thermodynamics states that an isolated system will only either increase randomness or stay the same, not become more orderly.
It requires us to put in energy to see defined change.”
Rapid Response: Re: One in 20 adults in England now smoke cigarettes and vape, study finds. “My story and experience are as follows: I have used e-cigs (vapes) since 2007, finding I had switched to exclusive vaping in March of 2009, I discovered that I had not bought any tobacco for at least 4 weeks, and had no desire to do so. Accidental quitting is unheard of with any other method, given I was a 60/day cigerette smoker. Since then, I have had an MRI at 15 years, I specifically asked if the doctors could see any sign I vaped, they said they could not, and that I had the lungs of a non-smoker, the smoking damage had healed.”
Leading US Nicotine-Consumer Voice Falls Silent. “My sincere hope,” Clark said, “is that we will one day look back on this past year as a dark but temporary step along the way.”
CASAA’s Fall: A Stark Reminder of What Happens When Harm Reduction Can’t Afford to Speak. “Consumer‑facing advocacy has always been the engine driving tobacco harm‑reduction (THR) forward. Now that engine is losing one of its most influential components, the Consumer Advocates for Smoke‑Free Alternatives Association (CASAA). For 15 years the pre‑eminent U.S. grassroots organization has been defending access to lower‑risk nicotine products. But sadly, as of August 2025, it will cease all legislative activity because of insufficient funding. And while the group’s website will remain online as an educational archive, its real‑time mobilization of 250,000 registered members will end.”
SMOKING THE FUTURE AWAY?: Youth Smoking, Vaping Spike Alarms Iloilo Officials. “Smoking and vaping – two of the leading causes of preventable diseases and premature death – are increasingly becoming habits among younger generations, raising serious health concerns for parents and local leaders.”
Vapor Hiding Dangerous Ingredients. “E-cigarettes are often marketed as a safer alternative to cigarettes, and because of this, they have gained widespread popularity, particularly among teens and young adults. This is untrue however, as these devices contain many harmful ingredients that can negatively affect health.” [American Lung Association]
Who’s Missing From the Tobacco Harm Reduction Conversation? “He told the audience how one of his patients, who had smoked heavily and “never really cracked her cigarette habit,” had to have her lung removed…Even though the patient had expressed a dislike for nicotine gum and pharmaceutical smoking cessation options, she was told by the specialist that “under no circumstance” should she use vapes…because they’re “no different to smoking.”
A full guide to vape aerosols. Post 6: organic byproducts. “This is the sixth Substack post of a series of posts describing vaping aerosols, their properties, their optimal regime of operation and comparisons with tobacco smoke and other aerosols.”
Vaping Better for Quitting Cigarettes Than Nicotine Replacement in Tough Population. “Vaping improved smoking cessation rates better than nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) among socioeconomically disadvantaged adults, a randomized trial from Australia showed.” See also: Vaping Superior to Nicotine Replacement Therapy, Yet Another Study Shows.
Has Ethics in Medical Research Completely Disappeared? Study Assigns Half of Pregnant Women Subjects to Continue Smoking. “Since the trial appears to have been completed, I cannot call for a discontinuation of the study. However, I am calling for the retraction of the study for violation of research ethics and some sort of compensation for the study participants.”
Facts:
14 Short Vaping Facts Videos (about 1 minute each)
14 Longer Vaping Facts Videos (about 10 mins each) (Both video links copied from an email from Clive Bates.)
Rapid Response: To reduce smoking harms, there is an urgent need to correct misperceptions about the risks of vaping. “Despite substantial evidence that vaping exposes users to much lower levels of toxicants than smoking, most adults in Britain who smoke believe vaping is equally or more harmful. This widespread misperception is not just an issue of misinformation – it has important implications for public health. Evidence suggests it can prevent people from switching completely from smoking to vaping, resulting in more disease, disability, and premature death.”
Anti-Vaping Physician Claims that a Single Vape Can Cause Severe and Irreversible Lung Disease. “It is simply not true that it takes only one time to try vaping to end up with irreversible lung disease.”
Egger et al. Debunk a Strawman Version of the E-Cigarette Displacement Hypothesis and Fail to Consider Stronger Evidence. “In summary, Egger and colleagues create a strawman argument around the displacement effect, ignoring robust modelling studies and the large body of research demonstrating the substitutability of cigarettes and e-cigarettes.”
Who finances the campaign against e-cigarettes in Brazil? “A survey conducted by Ipsos, the world's third-largest market research company, with almost 27,000 cigarette consumers in 28 countries, revealed that 90% of Brazilians who smoke think (mistakenly) that electronic cigarettes are as harmful or more harmful than traditional cigarettes, an opinion that is not supported by science.”
When Rigor Collapses: Anatomy of a Flawed Study on Vaping and Toxic Exposure. “A Scientific Autopsy by Sussman, Gómez-Ruiz, and Farsalinos Against the Machinery of Impact-Driven Science.”
Fiction:
Councillors raise serious concerns about public health drive in Hertfordshire promoting vapes to help smokers quit. “Cllr Peter Colley (Reform, Stevenage Bedwell) pointed to the damage vapes could do to the lungs and to a condition that he suggested could be irreversible and as bad as tobacco. He said: “… so you’re promoting the use of something that harms people. That’s what worries me. “Are we going to be liable as an organisation, as a county, later on for claims that we’ve given people cauliflower lung?” [Note: Does he mean popcorn lung? Either way, vaping is not known to cause lung issues with food names!]
Visible notes - anyone can vote on them.
Dr Margaret Aranda Ferrante, MD PhD FACFEI - “Are you still vaping?” (The tweet has a video warning people that the PG used in vape fluids is also used in embalming fluid.) The tweet is archived here.
Let's talk e-cigarettes, June 2025. “Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Nicola Lindson interview Lauren McMillan, University of Stirling about her project evaluating the effectiveness of an e-cigarette intervention for smoking cessation at centres for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.”
BUILDING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN THR. “In the second episode of #GFN25 Voices, we've invited this year's in-person conference attendees to share their thoughts on the best ways to fix misperceptions about THR!”
Hard to Quit: Tobacco Use Among Older Americans. “Join us for a panel discussion with experts in policy, research, and lived experience about the complex, interrelated factors that influence smoking and nicotine consumption among older Americans, including: • Why smoking and smoking cessation are uniquely complex among older adults • How the technological aspects of reduced-risk products impact older users • How to balance dependence prevention with harm reduction for older adults • Emerging evidence on how noncombustible nicotine products impact older users.” References and citations mentioned during the webinar.
UK Smoking Ban & the Black Market Chaos | IEA Live. “In this Institute of Economic Affairs explainer, former Justice Secretary Sir Robert Buckland, IEA Head of Lifestyle Economics Christopher Snowdon, and former ASH Director Clive Bates examine the UK government's proposal to introduce a “generational tobacco ban” as part of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. The panel explores the legal, economic, and public health implications of a policy that would raise the legal smoking age year by year — effectively banning tobacco for future generations.”
Power in a Pouch | Prof Marewa Glover. “In this video, Dr. Marewa Glover reflects on the key takeaways from Power in a Pouch, sharing why Sweden’s success is not isolated—and how New Zealand mirrors it with its bold embrace of vaping. Drawing from her personal and professional insights, Marewa highlights the power of harm reduction in lowering smoking rates, particularly among women and low-income groups.”
Would a tax on vapes lead to a decline in usage? “As the government is expected to launch a new tax on vapes, will this actually lead to a decline in usage? There have been a number of measures introduced to help curb the number of people using vapes. Newstalk reporter Sarah Madden finds out if these measures really do act as a deterrent or are they simply ignored.”
Rachael Schmidt - “Why FDA should publish PMTA deficiency letters--
Today, the FDA took a landmark step under its “radical transparency” initiative, publicly sharing over 200 Complete Response Letters (CRLs) for drug and biologics applications dating back to 2020–2024 (morningstar.com, fda.gov). This move helps demystify FDA reviews, guiding developers and investors toward clearer paths and smarter decision-making.
Here's why the same transparency is critical for PMTA reviews…”
Jeffrey Weiss - “…This filing highlights that a PMTA marketing granted order, although based on a finding of reduced exposure to harmful constituents, provides no clear legal right to advertise this. Thus, the very harm reduction finding essential to PMTA success becomes, in essence, a secret between FDA and the applicant – with smokers and health care practitioners left in the dark about the existence/potential benefit of the authorized product….”
Minneapolis votes to increase minimum e-cigarette price to $25 “The decision was taken by the council to address the health risks associated with smoking and vaping, reduce their use by the city's younger residents, and to bring e-cigarettes in line with price controls previously imposed on traditional cigarettes.”
Smoking scheme extended after first year success. “Councillor Obaida Ahmed said: "Nicotine vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking and is also one of the most effective tools for quitting."
Substance Use Disorders in the Veteran Population. “The VA should continue to support trials comparing THR to existing methods and expand harm reduction approaches for veterans who smoke. Modernizing the VA’s tobacco cessation policies in a similar manner to how the agency has embraced harm reduction approaches in treating other SUDs would provide veterans with a larger toolkit to improve their personal health.”
Tobacco Excise Directive Impact Assessment. “ETHRA has often pointed out that substituting SNPs for far more harmful combustible tobacco products can help accelerate declines in smoking and provide a win for public health as combustible tobacco is responsible for virtually all tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. However, one of the objectives of the impact assessment states: discourage tax induced substitution between different tobacco products and their substitutes within the short term.”
Prisons selling vapes? Smart public health policy and a step toward autonomy behind bars. “Making vape pens available in prison commissaries could improve inmate health and lower prisons’ healthcare expenses without increasing risk to the public.”
In Sweden, smokeless products drive tobacco harm reduction push. “Fagerström and others say cessation cannot be viewed as a zero-sum game, pointing to unsuccessful alcohol and illicit drug prohibition efforts. The watershed to accepting harm reduction, he said, is recognizing that the world is unlikely to stop using nicotine altogether and that other options provide a safer avenue for nicotine consumption.”
Opinion: NZ is on the cusp of smokefree history, we should celebrate. “Vaping has helped many – but it’s not a silver bullet. We should also consider legalising and regulating synthetic-nicotine pouches, regarded as among the safest alternative products. Already available via the black market, bringing them under regulation would allow for quality control, responsible marketing and youth safeguards. Simultaneously, we must tighten restrictions on cigarettes – the most harmful product.”
Yach & Cameron: Time to get the Doggett Fixed. “The goal is not to promote nicotine use, but to reduce the staggering toll of smoking.”
Sweden rejects EU plan to fund budget with tobacco tax. “Swedish Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson has strongly opposed an EU proposal to use revenue from higher tobacco taxes to help fund the bloc’s next long-term budget, calling it "completely unacceptable."
6 Interesting Points From the Haypp UK Nicotine Pouch Report. “The report shows that 57% of people started “pouching” to quit cigarettes. A further 27% began using pouches to quit other products, such as vapes. Perhaps most importantly, 95% of those surveyed who switched from cigarettes to nicotine pouches report feeling better after making the change.”
Tobacco harm reduction, cessation services key to achieving a smoke-free Pakistan. “Pakistan must integrate tobacco harm reduction and affordable cessation services into its national tobacco control strategy to support adult smokers who are unable to quit through conventional means and to curb the widespread use of combustible tobacco products.”
Public Voices Strong Opposition to Iceland’s Nicotine Bill. “Critics argue that addiction is not influenced by flavours or packaging and that nicotine alternatives are less harmful than smoking.”
Vaping retailer Totally Wicked sold to Chinese investor. “The Lancashire-based company, established in 2008 by Jason Cropper, has been acquired by Wittyace UK Holding, as reported by City AM. This business is controlled by Chinese national Ying Wang and is registered in Cambridge.”
More News: Vapers Digest: July 4, July 7, July 9, July 11, July 14.
Wisconsin trade organization sues state over new vapor enforcement law. “Molly Collins, director of Advocacy for the American Lung Association (ALA) in Wisconsin, told CSP that the law will be ineffective. She believes raising the age requirement and an increase in the price of vapes are more effective tools.
“The American Lung Association does not feel like these laws have shown a public health benefit,” Collins said. “We really think they’re a diversion for what we know works, which is raising the age requirement and the price of the vapes. These are more effective tools."
Clearing the Smoke: Why Uganda Must Embrace Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) and Why The WHO Must Get the Science Right. “This article is written in response to the World Health Organization’s publication titled “World No Tobacco Day 2025: Unmasking the Appeal Protecting Uganda’s Youth,” published on the WHO Africa website on 31 May 2025. While we commend the WHO for its continued leadership in tobacco control, we believe this particular communication requires balance and clarity especially regarding nicotine, tobacco harm reduction (THR), and the role of safer alternatives in public health.”
Youth vaping rates have dropped by 28%, analysis shows. “The proportion of 15–19-year-olds using e-cigarettes daily has fallen by 28% between 2023 and 2024, decreasing from a 12.9% incidence rate to 9.3%, according to new analysis of the Government’s annual Healthy Ireland survey.”
The Data Doesn’t Lie: Albanese’s Vape Crackdown Backfires as Young Australians Turn to Smoking. “According to Roy Morgan’s latest report, the overall number of Australians who smoke or vape has increased since the so-called “vape crackdown” began in mid-2024. The most concerning trend? A sharp rise among 18–24-year-olds—the very group these policies were supposedly meant to protect.”
Final thoughts…
Keep your fork. A reminder that things will get better.
You can surround yourself with all sorts of people, but true friends will surround you when you need them the most. I practice gratitude every day, and those kinds of friends are always on my list.
Notes:
I create these newsletters as a personal project. They are not affiliated with any current or past employers or groups with which I volunteer. I receive no financial compensation for my efforts to create these newsletters.
My blog, Skip's Corner, has an X/Twitter account.
My personal accounts are on BlueSky, LinkedIn, and X (Twitter).