Several experts in American electronic cigarette industry predict that 2023 will be better

Several experts in American electronic cigarette industry predict that 2023 will be better

Blue hole new consumption report, December 30, according to foreign reports, with the Republican Party controlling the US House of Representatives, some experts predict that the electronic cigarette industry will flourish.

Timothy S. Donahue:

The next two years should be better than the past two. This is the general outlook issued by steam industry experts at the webinar on the post election review of the 2022 election of the Steam Technology Association (VTA) in late November. Tony Abboud, the executive director of VTA, told the participants that his organization has been working hard with two companies in Washington, D.C., the lobby group West Front Strategies and the public affairs agency FORA Partners to promote the interests of the United States. With the Republicans taking over the House of Representatives in 2023, the electronic cigarette industry will continue to develop.

"We have a very specific agenda, and we have discussed some of them (as an overview of what we are pursuing)," he said. "We have done a lot of basic work."

Simistan:

Shimmy Stein, partner of West Front Strategies, said that at least before the next election cycle, changes in the leadership of the House of Representatives may have a positive impact on the electronic cigarette industry.

"At any time, you can take over the mallet, take over the control of messaging, take over the control of the presidency and legislation, which is an important part of governance," he explained. "Therefore, although the House of Representatives has not reached the level or scale that Republicans hoped for, it is still very important and will change the way Washington operates."

Craig Kalkut, a partner of West Front Strategies, said that in the next two years, the e-cigarette industry should feel more comfortable and safer in a divided Congress (the leadership of the US Senate has not changed). However, due to concerns about the use of electronic cigarettes by teenagers, the electronic cigarette industry has been facing threats from Democrats and Republicans.

"We still need to work with both sides. We may still face problems and threats of excessive regulation and poor legislation. But most importantly, we will have a more comfortable environment, because Republicans control a House of Representatives," said Karkut.

Craig Karkut:

Kalkut said that reconciliation is a way for Congress to pass tax, expenditure and debt limitation legislation only by a majority vote, which no longer poses a threat to the steam industry. He said that this is impossible to happen in a divided Congress.

"In the end, it means that anything passed needs the support of both parties," Karkut said. "Because of this, the legislation may be more limited and more moderate, and it is hoped that if any legislation is passed in our region, it will be something that will enable us to thrive. It solves the concerns about teenagers smoking electronic cigarettes, but it will not over regulate and keep people away from electronic cigarettes."

Karkut also confirmed that the stalemate was a problem in the divided Congress; However, an impasse may also prompt compromise between the parties.

"They are all regarded as responsible persons, so they sometimes want to accomplish something. This will bring people to the negotiating table, and it is often to discuss issues that are not the core of any party's ideology," he said. "It is difficult to reach a compromise on the tax issue, or on the health care issue... However, in the areas where Democrats and Republicans can come together, common sense provisions may have an opportunity to prevail."

Max Hamel:

Max Hamel, founder partner of FORA, said that when Congress is divided, the White House usually heavily relies on its administrative privileges. There is no known administrative agenda for e-cigarettes, so it is unlikely to develop rules related to e-cigarettes. Since Republicans control the House of Representatives, they also lead the committee.

Hamel said that the House Oversight Committee and its subcommittee could provide opportunities for the electronic cigarette industry.

"We do have new figures in both the majority and the minority, so they may encounter some growing pains," he said. "The biggest problem is how this new power, especially in the House of Representatives, is exercised... Whether it is one seat or 40 seats, the power of the majority is the same, and it comes from an investigation and monitoring perspective; that may not be correct from a legislative perspective... The monitoring subcommittee, we really have a chance to surface, but this is really an opportunity for us now, not a defense and Putting forward the agenda and some information really focuses on what is good for us. "

In addition, as Juul lost control of the electronic cigarette market, Hamel said that the electronic cigarette market is changing. Juul has become the focus of saving young people from electronic cigarettes, and today, Juul is not the focus. The market is made up of more diversified companies with different technologies dedicated to reducing harm.

Hamel said that this is the message that should be conveyed. "I think our priority is to focus on information that really emphasizes harm reduction," he said.

Kalkut then added that the electronic cigarette industry now has the opportunity to change the dialogue, especially with Democrats and Republican critics and skeptics, and show the relative safety and great potential to reduce harm of the next generation of electronic cigarettes through the expanding scientific system.

"Over the past few years, it has become clearer," he said. "I think once we prove this, once we show that we, as industry associations, are committed to solving the problem of young people smoking electronic cigarettes, we will have a real opportunity to change this statement."

Ashley Davis:

Ashley Davis, the founding partner of West Front Strategies, told the participants that reviewing the challenges in the industry had been successful. However, her concern before the last Congress (2020-2022) was that she really did not know which direction or how much Biden would rely on the steam industry. She said the industry had escaped a disaster. Compared with the first two years of Biden's administration, the industry may suffer more losses. She also said that the issue of adolescent use would remain the top issue in any discussion about electronic  delivery system products.

"We really still need to deal with youth issues. And I think we are all aware that any negative news that appears is around youth issues... Everyone likes the microphone. It is a member of Congress. If there is a problem to discuss, that is what they want to discuss," Davis explained. "We are working hard to ensure that no bad legislation is passed - which is more impossible than ever in this Congress."

After receiving questions from the audience, Abboud ended the meeting and speculated on the influence of the Reagan Udall Foundation on the external review of the Tobacco Product Center of the US Food and Drug Administration. The results are expected to be released in mid December.

Abboud said that a large number of comments made by FDA staff on the Reagan Udall assessment showed that the regulatory agency was in a state of confusion and was affected by external forces rather than scientific research. He said that he hoped that the Foundation would advise the FDA that the pre marketing tobacco product application (PMTA) decision should not be subject to any external pressure, especially political pressure.

"The review should advise the FDA that the PMTA must make a decision based on the science submitted, and ensure that the agency does review all science submitted as part of any application and review all submitted applications," Abboud said. "Because this is another major failure of the current process, that is, the application was rejected without full review."