October 2, 2017
This comment was submitted to Regulations.gov on October 2, 2017; the tracking number is 1k1-8yzw-s3z7. A PDF version of the letter is available here.
I urge other organzations, whether they are planning comments or not, to submit similar letters.
October 2, 2017
Mr. Mitchell Zeller
Director, Center for Tobacco Products
Food and Drug Administration
10903 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20993
Re: 82 FR 27487, Docket no. FDA-2017-D-3001 for Modified Risk Tobacco Product Applications: Applications for IQOS System With Marlboro Heatsticks, IQOS System With Marlboro Smooth Menthol Heatsticks, and IQOS System With Marlboro Fresh Menthol Heatsticks Submitted by Philip Morris Products S.A.; Availability
Dear Mr. Zeller:
September 29, 2017
Rebecca J. Schweitzer and colleagues just published “E-cigarette use and asthma in a multiethnic sample of adolescents” in Preventive Medicine. This paper adds to the growing case that e-cigarettes have adverse effects on lung health and health in general. The odds of having asthma are increased by about 50% among adolescents who are using e-cigarettes, controlling for cigarette smoking and other risk factors. The fact that there was an increased risk even among current smokers adds to the case that e-cigarettes have their own risk profile on top of cigarettes.
The effects are larger among Blacks, Native Hawaiians, other Pacific Islanders, and Filipinos than Caucasians and Asians.
Here is the abstract:
September 15, 2017
The UN Global Compact is an initiative to engage companies “to align strategies and operations with universal principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, and take actions that advance societal goals.”
Given the fact that the tobacco industry works consistently against human rights, the environment, and is a huge corrupting force in the word, it has always been irritating that the UNGC allowed them as members. The industry, of course, then used their membership as part of the “corporate social responsibility” PR efforts. In particular, the industry has worked to undermine implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, a UN treaty.
Thanks to the efforts of many people and countries for several years, the UNGC is throwing the tobacco companies out. Here is their announcement, issued a few days ago:
UN Global Compact Integrity Policy Update
Updated 12 September 2017
More evidence that the US permissive policy environment for e-cigs is expanding the tobacco epidemic
September 14, 2017
Hong-Jun Cho, Lauren Dutra, and I recently published “Differences in adolescent e-cigarette and cigarette prevalence in two policy environments: South Korea and the United States” in Nicotine and Tobacco Research. This paper compares changes in e-cigarette and cigarette use in South Korea and the United States between 2011 and 2015. Korea has maintained restrictive policies on e-cigarettes whereas the US has left them essentially unregulated (a situation that the FDA will continue until at least 2022).
We found that In Korea adolescent e-cigarette use remained stable at a low level, whereas in the United States e-cigarette use increased. Most important, combined e-cigarette plus cigarette use declined in Korea whereas it increased in the US. The restrictive policies in Korea likely contributed to lower overall tobacco product use. These results are evidence against the claims that the availability of e-cigarettes is preventing youth from taking up cigarettes. They also add to the case that a permissive e-cigarette policy environment is making the overall nicotine/tobacco epidemic worse. It is also
Here is the abstract:
September 12, 2017
Derek Yach will lead Philip Morris International’s new Foundation for a Smoke Free World, the latest in PM’s corporate social responsibility PR efforts. It is also part of the company’s effort to promote its new heat-not-burn IQOS product.
Initial funding of $80 million a year (with a 12 year commitment) comes from Philip Morris, with the goal of engaging other nonprofits. (This is about .1% of PMI’s revenues and 1% of its profits.)
Like all past industry front groups, the foundation claims “PMI and the tobacco industry are precluded from having any influence over how the Foundation spends its funds or focuses its activities.”
If PMI was serious about achieving a smoke free world, it could stop aggressively lobbying against proper implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control or stop selling Marlboros and other cigarettes.
That’s what Derek would have said in response to this ruse back when he was a public health leader at WHO.