Alastair Cohen - Clearing the Air

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Echo chamber? More than half of WHO’s accredited tobacco control NGOs underwritten by Mike Bloomberg

At least 15 of the 29 NGOs were either created by Michael Bloomberg’s foundations, Bloomberg Philanthropies or the Bloomberg Family Foundation; or receive significant funding from his foundations, according to an investigation by The Firebreak, calling into question the extent to which…

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COP 11: The “dirty ashtray” award goes to…New Zealand?

New Zealand - which has some of the world’s lowest smoking rates and highest cigarette taxes - has been given the “dirty ashtray” award by the Global Alliance on Tobacco Control (GATC) in a move that brings into stark focus just how…

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FULL DOCUMENT: EU won’t push for bans at WHO Tobacco Control summit in blow for Commission

The full document can be viewed here. EU Member States have today agreed not to push for bans on safer nicotine products at the WHO’s bi-annual tobacco control summit, COP 11, after a large group of countries refused to accept the Commission’s…

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Nicorette maker wants more tax on vapes

Nicorette maker Kenvue’s Vice President Hannah French has called for a “tobacco and nicotine free generation” in a speech to EU policy makers at the Parliament Magazine’s Healthcare summit. In a soft “sponsored interview” riddled with misleading statements, French told attendees that…

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100,000 + sign French petition against crushing vape tax

Over 100.000 people have signed a French petition calling for the government to rethink its proposed vape tax in just three days. The petition has over 127.000 signatures at the time of writing. The proposed budget legislation would redefine vaping products as…

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SCOOP: Italian Government scathing opposition to EU nicotine tax

The Italian Government fears a significant shift to the black market if the EU tax is approved, according to a “Reasoned Opinion” published by the Italian Government and reproduced here by Clearing the Air. Rome is concerned with the significant potential for…

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EXCLUSIVE: Belgian Deputy Prime Minister to host public anti-nicotine seminar during COP 11

Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and former Health Minister Franck Vandenbroucke will host a livestreamed seminar on novel nicotine products, with a focus on vaping, during the WHO’s biannual conference on tobacco control in November. According to documents seen by Clearing the Air…

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“A cruel joke on Europe’s smokers”: French pouch ban to go ahead in April

With France pushing ahead with its criminalisation of nicotine pouches despite objections from seven other EU Member States, consumers and health policy advocates have slammed the measure, warning that it will criminalise ordinary Europeans crossing borders with safer nicotine products and push…

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STUDY: Flavour bans make things worse

Flavor bans for vaping are associated with increased cigarette use and black-market activity, including the risk of youth access and reduced consumer safety, according to a new policy paper from the Tholos Foundation. The report draws on a combination of academic literature,…

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