Vapouround magazine ISSUE 13 | Page 28

NEWS A FITTING END TO THE YEAR A newly-branded conference lends its support to the vape trade A n essential American conference on electronic nicotine delivery systems is preparing for its second annual meeting. Formerly known as Regulations for E-Cigarettes, ENDS US 2017 (Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems) analyses, debates and informs its attendees about e-cigarette regulation on a national level, at state level and in the European Union. The event is held by Smithers Rapra, formerly Rapra Technology Ltd. in a bid to assist the vaping industry in understanding “how to operate as a business within this complex web of changing regulations.” The organisers hope the conference will “provide education to help companies understand new regulations and find solutions to the challenges ahead.” 28 | VM13 Mitch Zeller, Director of the Center for Tobacco Products of the Food and Drug Administration, has been confirmed as a speaker. In recent months, the FDA has taken a firm anti- smoking stance, and extended tentative olive branches to the vape trade as a means to this end, describing e-cigarettes as a safer alternative and declaring a moratorium delaying potentially stifling regulation until their safety is fully assessed.