World News
The US Supreme Court knocked back a flavour ban appeal, Singapore has seen a kickback to its “crackdown”, India is “doubling down” on its ban, and Northern Irish activists want to see fines doubled
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by Dave Cross
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R.J. Reynolds, a British American Tobacco company, filed an appeal over the Californian e-liquid flavour ban. The prohibition has been in place since 2020. The US Supreme Court ruled that it was refusing to hear it, saying that the prohibition didn’t conflict with state regulations.
The news was celebrated by California attorney general Rob Bonta who said the “excellent news” meant the State could continue its attack on tobacco companies, addiction, (and common sense).
Hundreds of vapers in Singapore have received fines for being ridiculous enough to embrace tobacco harm reduction. In response, Lee Hsien Yang, the Prime Minister’s brother, said the government should remove the ridiculous ban on possessing a vape.
“Singapore should lift the ban e-cigarettes. The benefits that would accrue from regulated use of e-cigarettes outweigh the potential risks involved. The evidence that vaping is far less harmful than smoking cigarettes is well documented and accepted. It is far better to regulate vaping and impose safety standards. We should permit vaping for people trying to quit smoking. To dogmatically retain the existing regulations is simply bad public policy,” he wrote on Facebook.
India’s hopeless approach to vaping has been well documented on Planet of the Vapes. We’ve recounted the mixed messages, corrupt decisions and failed implementation for years – now, advocate Samrat Chowdhery is warning about research bans and media censorship in an article for Filter Magazine.
Samrat talks about the 1.35 million deaths a year in the nation where politicians favour the state investment in the tobacco industry over the lives of its citizens.
“Indian doctors receive no training on preventive interventions or mitigating tobacco-related harms,” he writes.
“Research is an integral part and the backbone of a progressive nation,” Dr. Aparajeet Kar told the magazine. “With a ban on ENDS [electronic nicotine delivery systems] and now an effective ban on research, the possibility of turning India from a cancer capital into one where millions of adult smokers can lead healthier lives has gone up in flames.”
In Northern Ireland, five stores out of thirty-six in Lisburn and Casltereagh failed random test purchases and illegally sold to under-age purchasers. Consequently, James Baird, Downshire East UUP Alderman, said that fines should be doubled.
“Is the current £250, is that a severe enough penalty for selling E-cigarettes to under-age children, is it enough? Personally, I think it should be moved up to £500. We should be looking at upping the penalty,” he told local journalists.
Lisburn North SDLP rep, Pat Catney agreed and suggested a zero-tolerance policy would send out a strong message.
Photo Credit:
Photo by Juliana Kozoski on Unsplash
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.
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