2019 Vape Summit Issues World Declaration, Establishes Testing Center

The two most eye-catching events of this forum were the official release of the World Declaration on Public Health and Safety of Electronic Cigarettes and the establishment of the Electronic Cigarette Testing Center. The purpose is to further standardize the e-cigarette industry, promote the vigorous development of e-cigarette import and export, improve the e-cigarette standard system, and provide correct guidance for the standardized development of the industry and the guidance of public opinion.

Wang Ning, President of China Electronics Chamber of Commerce, Liu Yufeng, Full-time Vice President, Ou Junbiao, President of the Electronic Cigarette Industry Committee of China Electronic Cigarette Chamber of Commerce, and Ao Weinuo, Secretary, attended the meeting. In addition, overseas people such as internationally renowned cardiologist doctors and e-cigarette experts Konstantinos Farsalinos shared their views on e-cigarette safety, the global situation and future, and the current situation, experience and policies of the e-cigarette market in Britain, Germany and other countries.

Liu Yufeng first delivered a speech, and then reviewed the major events that had occurred and the problems faced by the domestic and foreign e-cigarette market since 2019. Judging from the data, the e-cigarette market has been growing in 2019.
 

According to data from the E-Cigarette Industry Council, in 2019, global sales of e-cigarettes (excluding heating and non-burning) reached US$33 billion, an increase of 106.25% compared with US$16 billion in 2018. Among them, China's e-cigarette exports reached US$6.26 billion, a year-on-year increase of 52.6%, and domestic sales reached US$1.61 billion, a year-on-year increase of 175%.

Throughout the year, more than 2000 newly registered affiliated companies were registered in the industrial and commercial system, directly creating more than 500,000 jobs, indirectly driving employment to more than 2 million people, and more than 132 exporting countries.

Liu Yufeng emphasized thatHealth and happiness have always been people's scornful pursuits. Eliminating the use of e-cigarettes by minors has always been the pursuit of the industry. In order to promote the development of the e-cigarette industry, it is necessary to issue a declaration on public health and safety of e-cigarettes and establish the World E-Cigarette Industry Alliance.We will then discuss the quality standards of e-cigarette products on a global scale, jointly discuss trade facilitation, protect intellectual property rights, and protect minors from e-cigarettes.

Ou Junbiao said that although the current international situation is complex and changeable and the domestic market is difficult to expand, we must not forget the original intention of serving human health, consider the interests of consumers, and believe that we are right.

On the road of e-cigarettes, it is not easy to persist, but the more times like this, the more we need to unite and gather together to keep warm. This is also the purpose of today's gathering of experts and industry practitioners.
 

Ao Weinuo introduced the efforts made by China's e-cigarette industry committee for industry standards this year. The main work that the e-cigarette industry committee will do in 2020 is to revise and promote e-cigarette group standards and guide the development of industry standards.

Ao Weinuo believes that this year is an unforgettable year for e-cigarettes and will be a year that will go down in history. Nowadays, the e-cigarette industry needs supervision and correct guidance, and it needs to judge e-cigarettes more objectively. It cannot be demonized or said that e-cigarettes are good.

According to Ao Weinuo, at present, relevant national departments have made preliminary affirmation of the committee's e-cigarette testing work.

During the forum, the signing ceremony of the e-cigarette testing center was signed by representatives of 10 e-cigarette companies. The establishment of the center was led by the e-cigarette Industry Committee of China Electronics Chamber of Commerce.This marks that more companies and e-cigarette practitioners will join the work of promoting the establishment of industry standards.
 

Konstantinos Farsalinos, an internationally renowned expert, has been studying e-cigarettes since 2012 and has published many papers in scientific journals discussing this matter. He said that he is not optimistic about the current situation.This is the most severe stage of e-cigarette development in historyThe product of e-cigarettes is highly controversial around the world, and there are many misunderstandings in the market.There are 1.1 billion smokers in the world, and 350 million in China。Researchers around the world are very eager to help these smokers and help them quit smoking. In this regard, e-cigarettes may play a very big role.

Konstantinos Farsalinos gave the example of seat belts. Traffic safety accidents happen from time to time, but it is impossible to not drive in order not to get involved in an accident. Therefore, with seat belts, the same applies to motorcycle helmets.

Although there are currently smoking cessation drugs, the clinical response and success rate are not high, only about 20%, and treatment cannot be done solely through drugs. At this time, transforming traditional smokers into e-cigarette users is another important means of quitting smoking. To this end, he also specifically demonstrated the legitimacy of e-cigarette smoking cessation from the perspectives of medicine, biology, medicine and other professional aspects. Smoking is to ingest nicotine, not other harmful substances. How to negotiate with regulatory authorities on this point still needs to be considered.

Konstantinos Farsalinos also revealed a worrying fact thatIn the United States, the proportion of teenagers smoking e-cigarettes is on the rise, partly due to overly fancy packaging. Does this mean that many domestic e-cigarette brands that focus on face value need to be vigilant, because unwittingly, e-cigarettes may target the target group at young people?

In addition to in-depth exchanges on public health and safety, representatives of e-cigarette associations (trade fairs) from nine countries also shared relevant situations in their countries.

For example, John Dunne, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the British Electronic Cigarette Association, shared the successful experience of e-cigarettes in the UK. Developed countries such as Europe and the United States have successively introduced relevant laws and regulations to increase market access barriers.

Dustin Dahlmann, President of the European Electronics Association and the German Electronic Cigarette Association, shared the current market situation in Europe and Germany and made suggestions to manufacturers. Chang Loong Yap, Executive Director of the Malaysian Electronic Cigarette Association, introduced the development and policies of the Malaysian market. Edy Suprijadi, Secretary-General of the Indonesian Electronic Cigarette Association, introduced the trend of Indonesian laws and regulations. In addition, experts from South Korea, the United States, and France shared the current status of their countries 'industries.
 

Immediately afterwards, guests from various countries held thematic dialogues on public health and safety, normative development and supervision. Through the holding of this summit forum, the e-cigarette industry called on the state to provide a clear positioning after comprehensive research and evaluation of the e-cigarette industry and formulate regulatory measures that are in line with national conditions so that my country's e-cigarette industry can develop healthily and orderly.

At the end of the forum, Wang Ning, President of China Electronics Chamber of Commerce, presented medals and thanked the speakers from various countries. Representatives from various countries took the stage to jointly launch the declaration ceremony of the "World Declaration on Public Health and Safety of Electronic Cigarettes."