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** 27 October 2023
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** UK
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** When the mist clears: the dual threat of disposable vapes (#1)
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** Sweet flavour nicotine pouches promoted to kids on TikTok (#2)
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** Children in Middlesbrough 'collapsing in school' after using vapes laced with spice (#3)
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** Cap UK’s sugar supply to fight obesity, say campaigners (#4)
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** UK
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** When the mist clears: the dual threat of disposable vapes

Councillor David Fothergill, Councillor Louise Gittins and Councillor Darren Rodwell comment on the environmental and health impacts of disposable vapes in a post for the Local Government Association blog.

The post explores the “alarmin” consequences of single use disposable vapes, examining the environmental problems they pose as well as the “unacceptable” marketing of products to children.

Disposable vapes are only designed to be used until the pre-filled liquid tank or single use lithium battery runs out, meaning they are on average used for 500-600 puffs. The councillors explain that these devices pose great threats to the environment as the batteries contain hazardous materials which can leak into the water and the soil if not disposed of properly. In fact, they record that there are enough lithium batteries being discarded to create 5000 electric car batteries a year.

The councillors cite the convenience of disposable vapes as a reason for their popularity and speculate that their “throwaway nature” may be appealing to children and young people who want to conceal their habit from family and friends.

The councillors go on to discuss how in recent years the marketing of certain disposable vapes has caused concern with many believing that vapes are being marketed directly to children. Many believe that flavours which mimic sweet names such as Cotton Candy and eye-catching colourful designs which often resemble everyday objects are being designed to make them more appealing to young people.

Concerningly, the councillors explain that these disposable vapes are available easily online, with minimal age verification measures in place, and seemingly also accessible from shops.

They quote the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) call for an outright ban on disposable vapes, announced following the 50% rise in the proportion of young people trying vaping in the last year, with figures showing most of these children are trying disposable vapes.

The councillors conclude that they are pleased the government has opened a consultation into restricting the availability of vapes to children. They reiterate the LGA is not anti-vaping, remarking that they have “undoubtedly” given many a path away from smoking. However, the councillors write that the long term consequences of disposable vapes are “undeniable” and single use vapes must therefore be banned.

Source: LGA Blog, 24 October 2023

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** Sweet flavour nicotine pouches promoted to kids on TikTok

“Highly addictive” nicotine pouches flavoured like sweets are being promoted via TikTok.

Parents and campaigners fear the pouches – small “pads” placed in the mouth – are being targeted at kids through tins labelled as Skittles, Tic Tacs and Millions varieties and often contain high levels of nicotine.

Yet as they contain no tobacco, there is nothing stopping the “harmful and addictive” pouches being sold to under-18s. Health experts are calling on the Government to ban the sales.

TikTok videos showing people trying the products have racked up tens of thousands of views. In one clip, seen 47,000 times.

Our reporter bought a sweet branded tin for £7 from London based SnusInc after clicking an “I am over-18” button on the firm’s website. There were no age verification checks and the pouches arrived with a free packet of Haribo gummies. We also bought two tins of £4.99 ‘Skittles’ and ‘Tic Tacs’ nicopads sold as Candy Shop products from Glasgow site The Snus Hotline.

Campaigners want the loophole allowing the sale to under-18s to be closed due to health concerns.

Alice Wiseman, of the Association of Directors of Public Health, said: “It is utterly unacceptable that nicotine pouches, which are both harmful and addictive, are being sold to children and young people. “The Government must act to introduce tighter regulation as a matter of urgency.”

Hazel Cheeseman, of Action on Smoking and Health, said: “Government can’t wait for this to become a widespread issue.”

Millions’ manufacturer Golden Casket and Ferrero, the firm that makes Tic Tacs, both stressed the nicotine ranges were not affiliated with or authorised by them and they were looking at legal action over unauthorised use of their logos.

As part of its “smoke-free generation” consultation, the Government is asking the public if ministers should explore further restrictions on the sale of nicotine pouches.

Source: Daily Mirror, 28 October 2023


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** Children in Middlesbrough 'collapsing in school' after using vapes laced with spice

Children are reportedly collapsing in school after using vapes allegedly laced with drugs, including spice.

Middlesbrough Council issued a warning about the dangers of unregulated vapes following the reports on Teesside.

Dozens of vapes have been confiscated from pupils in Middlesbrough in recent weeks, with a number sent off for testing for class B substances like synthetic cannabinoid spice or THC, the active drug in cannabis.

It is understood some reusable vape pens are being filled with drugs by dealers.
Cleveland Police said it had received information about children becoming unwell after using them. The South Tees Public Health team is warning parents that inhaling spice through a vaping pen can lead to health problems such as breathing difficulties, chest pains, heart palpitations, seizures, extreme anxiety, paranoia, suicidal thoughts, psychosis, vomiting or diarrhoea and acute kidney injury.

Mark Adams, South Tees Joint Director of Public Health, said: “Any illicit vapes are very dangerous, and it’s important we get the message out to the public that unregulated vape pens can cause serious damage to the health of our young people. “Licensed, regulated vapes containing nicotine are a useful tool to help adults quit smoking but they should not be used by anyone under 18.”

“But young people thinking of buying these illicit, home-filled devices online have no idea what has gone into them, and the potential danger they could cause. THC and spice are harmful, psychoactive substances that can cause serious health problems and parents need to be vigilant to ensure they do not find their way into the hands of Middlesbrough’s young people.”

Source: ITVX 27 October 2023
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** Cap UK’s sugar supply to fight obesity, say campaigners

Ministers should cap domestic sugar production to tackle Britain’s obesity crisis, according to a new report backed by health experts and environmental campaigners.
The UK grows and imports more than two and a half times the population’s maximum recommended intake of sugar, according to Sugar Pollution, a report by environmental campaigners Feedback Global and Action on Sugar, a group of specialists in medicine, nutrition and public health.

That oversupply creates incentives for food manufacturers to use more in their products and for British farmers to grow sugar beet rather than fruit or vegetables, the report argues.

The campaigners have called for a quota that would eventually cut sugar production in the UK by half, introduce tariffs on imports of sugar cane and refined sugar, and subsidise farmers to grow more fruit and vegetable crops.

They also say that sugar producers should be treated according to the “polluter pays” principle, similar to rules on product packaging. This would require sugar producers and manufacturers to pay the hidden health and environmental costs of sugar to society.

Jessica Sinclair Taylor, head of policy at Feedback Global and one of the report’s authors, said: “The underlying message of this report is that to tackle consumption and to tackle the problems caused by production, the current level of supply is just far, far in excess of what we need. We have lots of policy about the need to help people eat less, but nothing that focuses on the way that supply might drive and contribute to demand.”

By 2022, 63.8% of adults in England were estimated to be overweight or obese, according to the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, with 25.9% classified as obese. Frontier Economics estimates that obesity costs the UK about £58bn each year in disease, shorter lifespan and lost productivity.

According to the Sugar Pollution report, the UK imports or grows 1.91m tonnes of sugar a year, but if the whole population ate the maximum recommended amount, it would be just 0.72m tonnes.

Source: The Guardian, 28 October 2023

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