Tobacco Asia

6 tobaccoasia / Issue 2, 2018 May / June From the Associate Editor © 2018 October Multimedia Co Ltd., TOBACCO ASIA is published quinterly (five times a year) by October Multimedia Co Ltd in March, May, July, September, and December. Printing and distribu- tion of TOBACCO ASIA is overseen by October Inter Co. Ltd., Interchange 21 Bldg., Room 3225, 32nd Fl., 399 Sukhumvit Road, North Klong Toey, Wattana, Bangkok, 10110 THAILAND. Tel +66 2 660 3789. Fax +66 2 660 3881. E-mail: info@octobermultimedia.com web: www.tobaccoasia.com. Representation for Tobacco Asia Asia / Middle East / Australasia China / Eastern Europe Italy / Spain / France October Inter Co. Ltd. Interchange 21 Bldg.,Room 3225, 399 Sukhumvit Road 32nd Fl. Bangkok, 10110, Thailand Tel +662 660 3789, Fax +662 660 3881 Contact: Glenn Anthony John Mobile +1 917 843 0000 or +66 818 299 409 gaj@octobermultimedia.com The Americas / Northern Europe Turkey / Africa Cardinal Media LLC 2 Glenfield, Barrington RI 02806 United States Contact: Emerson Leonard Tel +1 917 680 1050 edl@octobermultimedia.com Printing/Distribution overseen by: October Inter Co. Ltd. Interchange 21 Bldg., Room 3225, 399 Sukhumvit Road, 32nd Fl. Bangkok, 10110, Thailand Tel +662 660 3789 Fax +662 660 3881 Distribution by: DHL Express International (Thailand) Ltd. Published by: October Multimedia Co., Ltd. Printed in Thailand © 2018 October Multimedia Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. By-lined or initialed articles represent the opinion of the author. All articles published in Tobacco Asia or www.tobaccoasia. com are copyrighted. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission. This March, seven anti-tobacco groups and five individual pe- diatricians sued the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Why? Basically, they weren't happy that the FDA pushed back the pre-market application submission deadline for e-ciga- rettes from August 2018 to 2022. Now, considering that one of the main reasons why the FDA delayed the deadline was so that it could gather more infor- mation to develop a better understanding of the effects of e- cigarettes, one has to wonder: isn't it a good thing that the FDA is prepared to undergo a lengthy, time-consuming process to be sure they know what really is going on? Why are these anti-tobacco groups and pediatri- cians so against allowing the agency time to gather scientific data that could help clarify some issues that have been under increasingly heated debate, like whether e-cigarettes are really a less dangerous alternative to combustible cigarettes, or if they really aid in smoking cessation? Wouldn't that be a good thing? Across the pond in the UK, a review of evidence on e-cigarettes commissioned by Pub- lic Health England (PHE) reported that e-cigarettes could already be helping some 20,000 smokers a year to quit smoking. The review also found that vaping is at least 95% less harm- ful than smoking combustible tobacco and of negligible risk to bystanders. Interestingly, the PHE report came out shortly after a US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report on e-cigarettes, which was also based on hundreds of scientific studies and also found that e-cigarettes are likely to be far less harmful than regular tobacco cigarettes. In the words of John Newton, a professor and director for health improve- ment at PHE, "It would be tragic if thousands of smokers who could quit with the help of an e-cigarette are being put off due to false fears about their safety." The groups that brought this suit against the FDA have expressed their concern that delaying regulations on e-cigarettes leaves youth "vulnerable". But, why does this have to be a case of cutting off the nose to spite the face? Wouldn't it be possible to put in place regulations prohibiting the sale of e-cigarettes to youth, like the laws already prohibiting tobacco sales to those under the age of 21, without thwarting efforts to properly understand this new product and its potential benefits and effects? Can't we all take an objective, level-headed approach to trying to figure this out? Or is that shiny, red panic button too alluring and all reasoning should just get thrown out the window? Oh, and just in case you were wondering, the PHE report also found that evidence does not support concerns that e-cigarettes are a first step for youths to a lifetime of smoking.

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