BLOG HIGHLIGHT

Someone is tracking how much you 'vape' on Twitter

The next time you send a tweet about electronic cigarettes, you might unwittingly be taking part in a clinical study examining what Americans are saying online about vaping. Researchers at New York University's School of Medicine recently analyzed 28 million tweets containing hashtags like #vape, #ecigs and #ejuice to build a monitoring tool that tracks who is commenting about e-cigarettes and what they're saying.

2016-02-25
houstonchronicle.com

UPDATE 1-Tobacco company BAT's revenue falls lesser than expected

British American Tobacco, the world's second-biggest tobacco company, reported a lesser-than-expected fall in 2015 revenue, as it gained market share and saw a smaller decline in cigarette volumes even as more smokers stub out the habit. Dragged down largely by the impact of currency movements on cost of raw materials and leaf, revenue fell 6.2 percent to 13.10 billion pounds.

2016-02-25
reuters.com

Scots teenage smoking slashed by a fifth since smoking ban

The smoking ban introduced across the UK has had a big impact on teenagers by cutting their uptake by around a fifth, according to research by the University of Glasgow. Teenage girls in particular were influenced by the new attitudes which led to smokers having to stand outside public places such as restaurants and cafes if in need of a cigarette.

2016-02-25
scotsman.com

As New Zealand looks to join plain packaging ranks, [...]

The New Zealand government is reportedly “pressing ahead” with plain packaging on tobacco products. The move will see the country join Australia, France, Ireland and the UK in introducing legislation that would remove trademarks from tobacco packaging. [...] World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed a new plain packaging PR push to coincide with ‘World No Tobacco Day’ on May 31.

2016-02-25
worldtrademarkreview.com

Guest Post: Terry Barnes – Don’t over-regulate e-cigarettes

Using electronic cigarettes (ECs) is becoming an increasingly popular way to beat the smoking habit. Most ECs heat flavoured liquids into steamy vapour (hence “vaping”), with one key difference to smoking: the vapour doesn’t contain the tars and other deadly chemicals contained in tobacco smoke. In Australia, too, the liquid doesn’t contain additive nicotine.

2016-02-25
catallaxyfiles.com

Senate confirms Robert Califf as new FDA commissioner

Senate lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to confirm Robert Califf, [...] as the next commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. "Dr. Califf is the right person with the right experience to build on the FDA’s unsurpassed record of protecting public health while encouraging innovation and the introduction of new life-saving therapies to the market," [...]

2016-02-25
washingtonpost.com