Glenn Anthony John
Glen Anthony John, publisher
“95” – that’s the percentage figure we’re been tossing around guesstimating how much “safer” e-cigarettes are than regular cigarettes. And that number has been confirmed in a study conducted by Britain’s Department of Health, the first time to our knowledge that any government health officials in the world have made such an announcement saying that e-cigarettes are 95% safer. This is big news in the world of e-cigarettes where in the UK doctors may soon be able to prescribe e-cigarettes under health insurance coverage for smokers who are trying to quit.
Of course, vaping is not risk free, with the health officials still deeming e-cigarettes 5% as hazardous as cigarettes. This report goes against the World Health Organization’s 2014 report, which calls for stiff regulations of e-cigarettes and some public usage and sales bans.
The report on the study also criticized media campaigns by anti-tobacco zealots that have called e-cigarettes equally or even more harmful than regular cigarettes or that they are the ‘gateway’ for teenagers toward smoking. Even the anti-tobacco organization ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) was quoted as saying that smokers would benefit from switching to e-cigarettes, but that many may have been put off doing so due to unfounded health concerns promoted by anti-tobacco groups and media.
Talking about less harmful tobacco products (and we suppose that e-cigarettes containing nicotine derived from tobacco are considered by many to be “tobacco products”), in this issues correspondent Thomas Schmid provides an update on new and traditional MRTPs (modified risk tobacco products) such as e-smoking devices, vaporizers, heat-not-burn gadgets, and snus with input from leaders in the field British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco, and Swedish Match who are all in a quandary on how to position the products for official government approval as supplying an MRTP. And talking about Imperial Tobacco, this issue’s Tobacco Asia Profile is on the unique tobacco company – Imperial Tobacco Group and strengths in a wide variety of brands and its global empire also by Schmid.
Eric Piras, Tobacco Asia’s cigar correspondent, sheds some immediate light on what may transpire in the world of cigars in the thawing of ice between Cuba and the United States. We also include an exclusive interview with the c.e.o. of Pacific Cigar, the exclusive distributor of Cuban cigars in the Asia Pacific region.
New correspondent Kelly Stein sends in a short report on the tobacco export powerhouse that is Brazil, her home country, while Chris Bickers fills us in on the latest with flue-cured in his home country the United States. Rounding out the issues, Tobaccochina Online feature says e-cigarette manufacturers from China, always targeting exports are now looking toward increased domestic markets for their products; and Nattira Medvedeva has the latest on kretek in Indonesia.
The Suppliers Guide: E-Liquids/E-Flavors for OEM/ODM includes the leading quality suppliers Changning Dekang, Alternative Ingredients, Tobacco Technology, and Flavoriq.
Many of you may be seeing this issue for the first time at the combined InterTabac/InterSupply exhibitions – the world’s largest tobacco shows. If so, please come by and say hello to us at Tobacco Asia – Glenn Anthony John, Emerson Leonard, and Nattira Medvedeva – at our booth in Hall 3B InterSupply.