Monday Jan 27, 2025
Monday Jan 27, 2025
Monday, 27 January 2025 01:49 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Darshana Abayasingha
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British American Tobacco Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Head Danni Tower
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Manufacturers and regulators must work together to reduce tobacco-related harm, says British American Tobacco (BAT) Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Head Danni Tower, noting that lack of regulation to control non-compliant vaping products are undermining efforts made by legitimate players in the industry to reduce harm.
It is reported that 30% of the United Kingdom’s vape market consists of illicit or non-compliant products, whilst in the US it is as high as about 60%. Whilst it remains unclear why Governments, especially in the US, have been slow to drive enforcement, action is a critical element to realise the mission of tobacco harm reduction, she added. Tower said BAT has adopted a front-footed approach to further regulation and greater enforcement of non-compliant vaping products, but recognised that each market offers different challenges.
“It undermines the good work that has been done. From society’s point of view, they see everyone the same way because of misconceptions that exist because so many irresponsible players are tainting the category for everyone. It detracts from what should be everyone’s motivation, which is realising the public health benefit of driving tobacco harm reduction and getting as many smokers to completely switch away from combustible cigarettes.”
“If all stakeholders were laser focused on that, we would see a little bit more sensible thinking around regulation and certainly more enforcement. There are political aspects to it too and it does become hard to offer a simple answer to all, Tower remarked.
In an exclusive discussion with the Daily FT, BAT’s Head of Science and Regulatory Affairs also offered insights into how technology could help counter underage access to tobacco and smokeless product categories. This includes age verification technologies such as face and fingerprint recognition, and with evolution for connectivity to be optimized for age validation. There are many possibilities in this sphere, she said.
“There are a range of options, and we are looking constantly at what can be put into product design to help combat underage access. It’s not only about what innovation can bring, it’s also about appropriate regulation that ensures awareness and access to smokeless products is entirely focused on adults,” Tower remarked. With the advent of technology it should become easier to tackle underage access with the right level of support. If a retailer is caught selling a vape to an underage person, in the UK the fine is about GBP100, whereas in countries like France it’s as much as GBP 8500.
Smokeless products are increasingly popular as reduced harm alternatives to tobacco-smoking, with smoking incidence in countries like the UK and even New Zealand plummeting with consumers switching voluntarily and prescription. BAT says smokeless products are free from combustion associated with cigarettes and have substantially (90-99%) reduced levels of a number of toxic chemicals which are believed to be the primary cause of smoking-related diseases. The company recently unveiled a 10-point progressive regulatory framework covering safety standards, child resistance and/or tamper-evident; nicotine limits, age verification, responsible packaging and flavour restrictions.
