That is a nicely provocative piece… and just the strategy thinking we all ought to be doing right now.
I have questions:
1. A rapid withdrawal of 60,000 illicit products could be calamitous, triggering returns to smoking and consumer backlash. How would you mitigate the risk, and roughly how many authorised products (40, 400, 4,000, 40,000, other?) would need to be widely available before it was responsible to “clear the market” of illicit products as you propose?
2. I agree standards are the way to go - how would you do this? Through formal Tobacco Product Standards under §907 TCA, requiring a long and laborious process, or some other, faster and more flexible way?
3. How would you address the controversy over flavours, which some claim entice youth to vaping, and flavour bans, which appear to increase smoking?
Whatever one thinks of President Trump, and he is a divisive figure, it is up to every stakeholder in the tobacco/nicotine space to think about what could be achieved if we did do things differently and really tried to end the combustible tobacco era.
I agree with points 2-4, but question heavy handed enforcement. I would suggest that access to more alternative nicotine products is a better way to clear the shelves of non-FDA authorized one which are also mostly made in China. I suspect the propose tariffs could increase the prices vapes made overseas. Keeping the price of alternatives low is key to spurring innovation and competition and helps to keep prices down and cost competitive with cigarettes.
That is a nicely provocative piece… and just the strategy thinking we all ought to be doing right now.
I have questions:
1. A rapid withdrawal of 60,000 illicit products could be calamitous, triggering returns to smoking and consumer backlash. How would you mitigate the risk, and roughly how many authorised products (40, 400, 4,000, 40,000, other?) would need to be widely available before it was responsible to “clear the market” of illicit products as you propose?
2. I agree standards are the way to go - how would you do this? Through formal Tobacco Product Standards under §907 TCA, requiring a long and laborious process, or some other, faster and more flexible way?
3. How would you address the controversy over flavours, which some claim entice youth to vaping, and flavour bans, which appear to increase smoking?
Whatever one thinks of President Trump, and he is a divisive figure, it is up to every stakeholder in the tobacco/nicotine space to think about what could be achieved if we did do things differently and really tried to end the combustible tobacco era.
Joe,
I agree with points 2-4, but question heavy handed enforcement. I would suggest that access to more alternative nicotine products is a better way to clear the shelves of non-FDA authorized one which are also mostly made in China. I suspect the propose tariffs could increase the prices vapes made overseas. Keeping the price of alternatives low is key to spurring innovation and competition and helps to keep prices down and cost competitive with cigarettes.
Mike