Sent by:
To: [email address]
[email address]
cc: [email address], [email address],
.nz
[email address], [email address]
bcc:
17/02/2021 11:58 pm
Subject: wondering if you can help with our understanding around very low nicotine
cigarettes
Hi Sally
ACT 1982
I received a response from Eric - his thoughts are in caps after my queries in the message below.
Richard
Dear Eric
INFORMATION
I hope you are keeping well.
I am getting in touch because the issue of VLNCs has potentially become a live one in NZ.
The context is that the new Govt Minister is committed to preparing an action plan for
consultation setting who NZ's smokefree goal can be achieved. As you will probably remember
we have advocated strongly that mandated VLNCs should be a key intervention, and we recently
re-iterated that call in this blog.
https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/five-strategic-approaches-to-achieving-the-smokefree-
aotearoa-2025-goal/ [blogs.otago.ac.nz]
RELEASED UNDER THE OFFICIAL
The Minister and Ministry of Health team are gathering information about the feasibility of such
an approach and a query has come up (see below) about which VLNCs are available and the
technical feasibility of mandating such products.
My understanding is that:
1. The only (?) available VLNCs at the moment are a range of varying concentration products
(including 0.4mg/ml) produced as 'Spectrum' by the company 22nd Century in the US using
low nicotine level tobacco plants. However, these products are currently mainly (wholly?)
available for research purposes and are not for sale to the general public. I am not sure if
'Magic' low nicotine cigs are still available in Europe - I think these were produced by 22nd
Century as well.
22NDCENTURY HAS APPLIED FOR A MODIFIED RISK TOBACCO PRODUCT
APPLICATION AND THE FDA ADVISORY BOARD REVIEWED THAT APPLICATION A
YEARS OR SO AGO. THEIR INTENTION WAS TO MARKET IT UNDER THE NAME
ACT 1982
“VLN”. I AM NOT SURE OF THE STATUS OF THAT APPLICATION, BUT THIS NEWS
RELEASE (
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/01/11/2156515/0/en/22nd-Century-Group-E
xpands-VLN-Tobacco-Growing-Program-to-Support-Anticipated-Demand-of-the-Company-s-R
educed-Nicotine-Content-Cigarettes.html). IT DOES SUGGEST THEY ARE GEARING UP
FOR A LARGER SCALE PRODUCTION, SO THEY MIGHT BE ABLE IN A POSITION TO
MAKE THEM AVAILABLE ON THE SCALE NEEDED IN NZ.
INFORMATION
1. Other very low nicotine cigarettes (Next, Quest) have been produced in the past by major
tobacco companies but these were not successful within a market where nicotine-containing
cigs etc were still available and none of the big tobacco companies currently produce such a
product commercially. I was not aware that Pall Mall Slims Silver, or Virginia Slims
Superslims etc are VLNCs.
AGREED THAT NONE OF THEM CURRENTLY PRODUCE VLNCs; HOWEVER, THEY
ARE FULLY CAPABLE OF DOING SO. IF VIA GENETIC ENGINEERING, IT WOULD
TAKE A WAY SINCE THEY WOULD HAVE TO GROW THE CROPS. IF EXTRACTION,
IT MIGHT BE MUCH EASIER. NOT SURE ABOUT PALL MALL OR VIRGINIA SLIMS –
I HAVE NOT HEARD THAT.
1. It is perfectly feasible for cigarette and other tobacco products to be made with a minimal
level of nicotine concentration through the use of genetically engineered low nicotine plants
(or I believe that nicotine can be extracted/degraded from tobacco). Note, genetically
engineered products could be an issue in the NZ context.
CORRECT, SEE ABOVE. THIS IS NOT A TECHNICAL CHALLENGE. THAT SAID, I AM
RELEASED UNDER THE OFFICIAL
SURE THE INDUSTRY WILL MAKE IT SOUNDS LIKE A HUGE HURDLE. LARGE
SCALE PRODUCTION MIGHT BE BUT STARTING IN NZ MAY NOT PRESENT THE
SAME LEVEL OF CHALLENGES.
Would you be able to respond with your expert views on these points and perhaps be available to
talk to the Ministry or Minster's team. If you can't help could you suggest anyone who we could
approach (e.g. Neil B, Dorothy H, Tracy Smith?)
Thanks very much.
Richard
1982
From:Sally Stewart <[email address]>
ACT
Sent:Monday, February 15, 2021 3:43 PM
To:Richard Edwards <[email address]>
Cc:Carolyn Shivanandan <[email address]>
Subject:wondering if you can help with our understanding around very low nicotine cigarettes
Kia ora Richard, we’re wondering if you can help us better get our heads around VLNC or if you
INFORMATION
can suggest who can. The background is that Chris Bullen suggested to the Minister that these
only exist in research contexts, which we didn’t think was right. The Minister asked us to follow
up (and also answer the question about whether it’s technically feasible – which it clearly is).
OFFICIAL
Carolyn has been doing some digging around and her note is copied below. Are you – or can you
think of someone – we can talk with to better understand the various options on the market
THE
internationally.
UNDER
Ngā mihi
Sally
RELEASED
There is evidence that very low nicotine cigarettes are available, or can be manufactured
internationally. (e.g. Spectrum / Moonlight, Next, etc.) Research quoted in the ASPIRE report
talks about 0.4mg/g as being the level of Nicotine needed to have an effect. This is significantly
lower than cigarettes currently on the market in New Zealand.
There are also a variety of products seemingly marketed overseas by main stream tobacco
companies that might meet the nicotine levels that are being discussed? For example Pall Mall
Slims Silver, orVirginia Slims Superslims (which apparently has 0.1mg of nicotine). This is a
link to a Victorian govt spreadsheet with testing information with various examples -
https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/Api/downloadmedia/%7B2B981D89-5DC2-4630-9335-2F8B3E
AC1DFE%7D [apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com]
1982
It would be helpful to understand if any work has been done comparing the nicotine levels in
these types of cigarettes with what has been proposed in experimental settings. There seems to
ACT
be different ways to measure – mg/cigarette, mg/g, and just mg, and perhaps different ways to
test and present data more broadly so I am wondering if it is not as straight forward as it would
seem?
INFORMATION
Sally StewartlManager, Tobacco Control Programmels 9(2)(a)
Population Health and Prevention, Ministry of Health
lwww.moh.govt.nz
[apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com]
OFFICIAL
THE
Professor/Ahorangi Richard Edwards
Co-Director, ASPIRE 2025 Research Centre
UNDER
Department of Public Health | Te Tari Hauora Tūmatanui
School of Medicine and Health Sciences
University of Otago, Wellington | Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo, Te Whanga-nui-a-Tara
RELEASED
PO Box 7343 | Wellington South | New Zealand | DD s 9(2)(a)
http://www.otago.ac nz/wellington/departments/publichealth/
https://aspire2025.org nz/
Web: http://www.otago.ac.nz/wellington/departments/publichealth/staff/otago023413 html
Twitter: @ProfEdwardsNZ
E-mail: [email address] nz
Skype: pr.edwards.nz
From: Richard Edwards <[email address]>
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2021 4:48 PM
1982
To: Sally Stewart <[email address]>
Cc: Carolyn Shivanandan <[email address]>; Nick Wilson
ACT
<[email address]>; Janet Hoek <[email address]>; Andrew Waa
<[email address]>
Subject: Re: wondering if you can help with our understanding around very low nicotine
cigarettes
Hi Sally
INFORMATION
I have contacted Eric Donny from North Carolina (see
https://school.wakehealth.edu/Faculty/D/Eric-C-Donny) who is first author of this article:
https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/26/e1/e37 .
OFFICIAL
THE
See message below.
Great to see that the Minister is pursuing this option
UNDER
.
I’ll forward on his response.
RELEASED
Richard
Dear Eric
I hope you are keeping well.
I am getting in touch because the issue of VLNCs has potentially become a live one in NZ.
1982
The context is that the new Govt Minister is committed to preparing an action plan for
ACT
consultation setting who NZ's smokefree goal can be achieved. As you will probably remember
we have advocated strongly that mandated VLNCs should be a key intervention, and we recently
re-iterated that call in this blog.
https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/five-strategic-approaches-to-achieving-the-smokefree-
aotearoa-2025-goal/
INFORMATION
The Minister and Ministry of Health team are gathering information about the feasibility of such
an approach and a query has come up (see below) about which VLNCs are available and the
OFFICIAL
technical feasibility of mandating such products.
THE
My understanding is that:
1. The only (?) available VLNCs at the moment are a range of varying concentration products
UNDER
(including 0.4mg/ml) produced as 'Spectrum' by the company 22nd Century in the US using
low nicotine level tobacco plants. However, these products are currently mainly (wholly?)
available for research purposes and are not for sale to the general public. I am not sure if
'Magic' low nicotine cigs are still available in Europe - I think these were produced by 22nd
Century as well.
2. Other very low nicotine cigarettes (Next, Quest) have been produced in the past by major
RELEASED
tobacco companies but these were not successful within a market where nicotine-containing
cigs etc were still available and none of the big tobacco companies currently produce such a
product commercially. I was not aware that Pall Mall Slims Silver, or Virginia Slims
Superslims etc are VLNCs.
3. It is perfectly feasible for cigarette and other tobacco products to be made with a minimal
level of nicotine concentration through the use of genetically engineered low nicotine plants
(or I believe that nicotine can be extracted/degraded from tobacco). Note, genetically
engineered products could be an issue in the NZ context.
Would you be able to respond with your expert views on these points and perhaps be available to
talk to the Ministry or Minster's team. If you can't help could you suggest anyone who we could
approach (e.g. Neil B, Dorothy H, Tracy Smith?)
Thanks very much.
Richard
ACT 1982
From: Sally Stewart <[email address]>
Date: Monday, 15 February 2021 at 3:43 PM
To: Richard Edwards <[email address]>
INFORMATION
Cc: Carolyn Shivanandan <[email address]>
Subject: wondering if you can help with our understanding around very low nicotine cigarettes
Kia ora Richard, we’re wondering if you can help us better get our heads around VLNC or if you
can suggest who can. The background is that Chris Bullen suggested to the Minister that these
only exist in research contexts, which we didn’t think was right. The Minister asked us to follow
up (and also answer the question about whether it’s technically feasible – which it clearly is).
Carolyn has been doing some digging around and her note is copied below. Are you – or can you
think of someone – we can talk with to better understand the various options on the market
internationally.
RELEASED UNDER THE OFFICIAL
Ngā mihi
Sally
There is evidence that very low nicotine cigarettes are available, or can be manufactured
internationally. (e.g. Spectrum / Moonlight, Next, etc.) Research quoted in the ASPIRE report
talks about 0.4mg/g as being the level of Nicotine needed to have an effect. This is significantly
lower than cigarettes currently on the market in New Zealand.
There are also a variety of products seemingly marketed overseas by main stream tobacco
companies that might meet the nicotine levels that are being discussed? For example Pall Mall
Slims Silver, or Virginia Slims Superslims (which apparently has 0.1mg of nicotine). This is a
link to a Victorian govt spreadsheet with testing information with various examples -
https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/Api/downloadmedia/%7B2B981D89-5DC2-4630-9335-2F8B3E
ACT 1982
AC1DFE%7D
It would be helpful to understand if any work has been done comparing the nicotine levels in
these types of cigarettes with what has been proposed in experimental settings. There seems to
be different ways to measure – mg/cigarette, mg/g, and just mg, and perhaps different ways to
test and present data more broadly so I am wondering if it is not as straight forward as it would
INFORMATION
seem?
Sally Stewart lManager, Tobacco Control Programme l s 9(2)(a)
Population Health and Prevention, Ministry of Health
lwww.moh.govt.nz
****************************************************************************
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RELEASED UNDER THE OFFICIAL
If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use, disseminate,
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Sent by:
To: [email address]
denis.choiniere@canada.c
cc:
a
bcc:
17/04/2021 12:06 am
Subject: VLNC
1982
Hi! Sally
ACT
Here are some references, in case you do not have them.
Denis
INFORMATION
1)
Report: Consultation on Tobacco Addictiveness Reduction Measures, Berlin,
Germany, 15–16 May 2018,
OFFICIAL
https://www.who.int/tobacco/publications/prod regulation/meeting-report-tobacco-addictiveness
-reduction-measures/en/
THE
2)
Advisory note: global nicotine reduction strategy, WHO Study Group on Tobacco
Product Regulation,
UNDER
https://www.who.int/tobacco/publications/prod regulation/nicotine-reduction/en/
3)
FCTC COP5, Report of the WG on Articles 9 and 10, ANNEX 3: BACKGROUND
PAPER ON TOBACCO ADDICTIVENESS REDUCTION,
https://apps.who.int/gb
RELEASED /fctc/PDF/cop5/FCTC COP5 9-en.pdf (see also section “corrigenda”, for
corrections to this Annex, in https://www.who.int/fctc/cop/cop7/FCTC COP 7 8 EN.pdf)
De : Choiniere, Denis (HC/SC)
Envoyé : 2021-04-15 15:58
À : 'Sally Stewart' <[email address]>
Objet : VLNC
Hi! Sally
My colleague Mathew Cook and I were quite involved in the COP working group on articles 9
and 10, especially on the aspect of addictiveness reduction. I am sure he would be pleased to join
me in a chat with you in the coming weeks.
ACT 1982
Best,
Denis
INFORMATION
De : Sally Stewart <[email address]>
Envoyé : 2021-04-15 15:49
À : Choiniere, Denis (HC/SC) <[email address]>
Objet : RE: Menthol Ban
Thanks again Denis, this is interesting.
Did you do some work on denicotinising cigarettes? If you did, it might be useful to chat
sometime in the coming weeks.
Regards
RELEASED UNDER THE OFFICIAL
Sally
From: Choiniere, Denis (HC/SC) <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, 16 April 2021 1:55 am
To: Sally Stewart <[email address]>
Cc: Brendon Baker <[email address]>
Subject: Menthol Ban
Hi! Sally,
Geoff Fong (University of Waterloo) sent me these documents, which could be of interest to you.
ACT 1982
Best,
Denis
****************************************************************************
Statement of confidentiality: This e-mail message and any accompanying
attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
legal privilege.
INFORMATION
If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use, disseminate,
distribute or copy this message or attachments.
If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender
immediately and delete this message.
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