Alaska’s governor Mike Dunleavy vetoes vape tax bill. Steve Forbes blasts FDA on vaping actions, while AVM calls FDA out for fudging PMTA numbers. CASAA in Action. Juul settles some lawsuits. Calls to Action in Arizona and Oregon. City limits vape shops for having “wrong image” and more!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a link to the audio/video versions of this post!
CALL TO ACTION // National – Menthol Ban
Starting on May 4, 2022, the FDA is accepting comments on two proposed rules banning the use of flavors other than tobacco in combustible tobacco products.
Whether you’re supporting the rule or opposed, one thing we can all agree on is that people who smoke need safer alternatives to cigarettes — mentholated or not!
While the FDA is moving ahead with banning more tobacco products, it is failing to authorize a meaningful variety of e-liquids and devices that are responsible for recent accelerated declines in smoking.
In addition to sharing your views on banning menthol cigarettes and other flavored combustible products, take this opportunity to urge FDA to ensure that people have access to safer forms of nicotine delivery that are enjoyable and affordable–like vaping, nicotine pouches, and smokeless tobacco products.
TAKE ACTION: FDA Menthol Ban – Submit Your Comments
CALL TO ACTION // MULTNOMAH,OR
Multnomah County Board of Commissioners is asking for public input on a potential ban on sales of flavored tobacco and nicotine products! County Board directs the Health Dept to return with recommendations in September.
TAKE ACTION: Flavor Ban Comments Needed!
CALL TO ACTION // TEMPE, AZ!
City may be moving forward with a ban on the sale of the flavored vapor products helping adults quit smoking. Share your experiences and urge the council members to oppose any plan to ban low-risk alternatives to smoking!
TAKE ACTION: https://casaa.org/call-to-action/arizona-tempe-stop-a-flavor-ban/
CALL TO ACTION UPDATE // Alaska Tax Bill
In a letter dated Sept. 8 to the president of the Alaskan Senate, Gov. Mike Dunleavy indicated he has vetoed Senate Bill 45, which would have added a 35 percent wholesale tax to vaping products and severely restricted shipping options for Alaskan vapers. The bill also harmonized the state minimum age to purchase tobacco and vaping products with federal law.
Dunleavy said in his letter to the Senate that “a tax on the people of Alaska is not something I can support.”
The owner of Ice Fog Vapor Shop said Monday that a 45% state excise tax proposal on liquid tobacco products, known as e-juice or vape juice, could smoke his business. #Alaska #Fairbanks #Akleghttps://t.co/NdOlU7Zw7N pic.twitter.com/UGIxFYtnPs
— FDNMpolitics (@FDNMpolitics) April 12, 2022
READ MORE: Alaska Governor Vetoes Vape Tax Bill
LEGAL NEWS // Juul Lawsuits
“Most if not all of the agreed practices listed in the settlement have been standard at Juul for years, and some others have been federally prohibited since 2016…
“Juul withdrew most of its flavored products…more than a year before the FDA mandate.”
CASAA Director Jim McDonald reporting for Vaping360.
1/Epic twitter thread on the JUUL settlement b/c, after years of looking at MSA funding & seeing these AGs all excited to get moneys from a #THR product. I'm pissed. So let's settle in for a wild ride that'll probably end up an op-ed.
— Lindsey Stroud (@lmstroud89) September 7, 2022
READ MORE: Juul Will Pay States $439 Million to Atone for Past Sins
TOBACCO CONTROL // Anti-Vaping Bias
Despite all tobacco control efforts, nearly 200 US teens still started smoking every day. As vaping increased, smoking declined dramatically. It’s clear to anyone not blinded by a prohibitionist agenda that teens who are vaping would otherwise be SMOKING.
However, researchers of this new study ignore those facts and choose to issue an alarmist “warning” that vaping has become a “gateway” to nicotine addiction. Not only do they exaggerate the health effects of vaping, they completely fail to compare comparatively low health risks from vaping to the known deadliness of smoking.
“There is NOT strong evidence that vaping is a gateway into smoking.
Most young people who try vaping DO NOT get addicted to nicotine. Those who vape are much less likely to be dependent than those who smoke” https://t.co/RQQlr9A4rO
— Grove Mitchell (@grove_mitchell) August 28, 2022
READ MORE: Vaping a Gateway to Nicotine Addiction for Teens: Study
RESEARCH // Researchers “Surprised”
Past studies have found that among non-Hispanic Black adults, lesbian and bisexual females are more likely to smoke. Despite that fact, researchers still found it “surprising” that teens in that same demographic are more likely to vape. Incredibly, they didn’t even discuss the greater risk of smoking or the possibility that vaping was displacing smoking in that group.
Just as astounding was the researchers’ best guess on why they think this group is more likely to vape: targeted e-cigarette marketing. It appears to have never crossed their minds that people who aren’t white, male and/or heterosexual may just have added stress and anxiety in their lives that may cause them to seek a temporary relief.
Of course, most tobacco control research seems to ignore this fact when pondering why people of color, LGBTQ+, women and those with lower income might want to use nicotine, because they vehemently deny there’s any benefit to the user other than relief of craving nicotine.
my dumbass really thought I’d stop buying cigarettes after the election while still being a black queer unemployed woman in a pandemic
— mere mortal (@meremortalnash) December 4, 2020
REGULATION // The “Wrong” Image
You can buy deadly cigarettes from any gas station, grocery or convenience store within 1,000 feet of schools and churches (and each other,) but officials in Columbia, SC have decided to limit vape shops–which are selling products that are saving millions of adult lives–mainly because they “give off the wrong image.”
Ironically, the store in the photo featured in article is not what vapers would consider a “vape shop.” Referring to smoke shops, convenience stores and even cannabis dispensaries that happen to sell vapor products as “vape shops” seems to be a misrepresentation becoming more and more common in the media today.
lol that store in the picture is a head shop and NOT a vape shop. They sell pipes, bongs, probably even cigarettes along with vape. But this store is NOT a vape shop.
— Bud South Feather (@BudFeather) September 8, 2022
READ MORE: Columbia city council working to restrict new vape shops
TOBACCO CONTROL // Seeking a “Middle Ground”
Four highly regarded tobacco control scholars are calling for a policy agenda on e-cigarettes that balances curbing youth use with promoting vaping products as tools that can help adult smokers switch to safer nicotine alternatives. Their agenda—which consists of making e-cigarettes more easily and cheaply available than cigarettes, but also of reducing cigarettes’ nicotine content and banning a range of flavored vaping and tobacco products—is certain to draw criticism both from anti-nicotine zealots and tobacco harm reduction proponents….
Filter’s Alex Norcia reporting for Filter Magazine.
Well worth a read, for those who care about #vaping and #smokinghttps://t.co/bF8m1uzjwT
— MarcGunther (@MarcGunther) September 7, 2022
READ MORE: New Paper Calls for “Middle-Ground” Approach to Vaping Regulation
CASAA IN ACTION // Planet of the Vapes Article
Online vaping blog “Planet of the Vapes” in the UK reported on CASAA taking the Bureau of Investigative Journalism to task on Twitter for it’s irresponsible article misrepresenting the relevancy and impact of nicotine levels in IQOS.
The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association has taken the Bureau of Investigative Journalism to task for its claims about heated tobacco productshttps://t.co/r9SUvsaQ8q @CASAAmedia #vape #vapingnews #tobacco #smokefree #harmreduction pic.twitter.com/p8cCVZ8CbK
— Planet of the Vapes (@PVapes) September 9, 2022
READ MORE: CASAA Takes The Bureau To Task
CASAA IN ACTION // Global Tobacco and Nicotine Forum
CASAA CEO Alex Clark will be a panelist at the 12th Global Tobacco and Nicotine Forum (GTNF) in Washington DC on September 28th. Started in 2008, the GTNF has become a global exchange for views and ideas between public health experts, government representatives, the industry and investors.
Excited to be heading back to #GTNF2022 in person! I'll be on a panel focusing on "The Forgotton #Smoker" between Brian King (@FDAtobacco) and @BradRodu (THR Superhero).
(Even on the agenda we're caght in the crossfire 😉 )https://t.co/uyIq4JT0dY pic.twitter.com/uJ0tlRKOGD
— Alex Clark (@Hello_Alex) September 8, 2022
READ MORE: Global Tobacco and Nicotine Forum Agenda
COMMENTARY // Steve Forbes Blasts FDA Actions Against Vaping
For health authorities to equate vaping with inhaling cigarette smoke is blatantly false and counterproductive.
“Where’s the science when lives depend on it?”
Hear! Hear, Mr. Forbes! Bravo. 👏👏👏
.@SteveForbesCEO slams the FDA's rule against vaping and e-cigarettes. #WhatsAhead pic.twitter.com/0c78YWUXJs
— Forbes (@Forbes) September 8, 2022
READ MORE: Based More On Emotion Than Science: Steve Forbes Blasts FDA
FDA // Fudging the Numbers?
FDA reports “over 350” products passed the first stage of the PMTA process—instead of the actual number that’s closer to 5,000—perhaps in an attempt to pacify anti-harm reduction groups calling for a total ban on vapor products.
“Once again the FDA and its Center for Tobacco Products are misleading the public and press on crucial data and methods in its approval process for vaping products,” [American Vapor Manufacturers Association (AVM) President Amanda] Wheeler, said in a statement. “The figures stated in its press release today on synthetic nicotine applications are demonstrably inconsistent with FDA letters to our own members indicating many thousands more applications successfully filed than FDA now claims.”
CASAA director Jim McDonald reporting for Vaping360.
https://twitter.com/VaporAmerican/status/1567988272575709184
READ MORE: AVM: FDA Misreports PMTA Acceptance Numbers
CASAA MEDIA // Spotify
CASAA’s podcast is now on Spotify! Please give us a follow here:
CASAA IN ACTION // Twitter Spaces
On this week’s Twitter Space we talk with journalist Alex Norcia about his investigation into the inner workings of FDA and what he’s uncovered so far via FOIA requests. You won’t want to miss this episode – now available on CASAA’s YouTube channel, too!
Join us this Wednesday as we talk with @Alex_Norcia about his investigation into the inner workings of FDA and what he’s uncovered so far via FOIA requests.https://t.co/QyDZpXJ2NI
— CASAA (@CASAAmedia) August 15, 2022
CASAA IN ACTION // CASAA Live
NOTE: CASAA Live is back this week!
If you missed the most recent CASAA Live show, check out the replay now! CASAA Live is on alternating Saturdays at 4:30 PM ET/3:30 PM CT/2:30 PM MT/1:30 PM PT on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter!
*This Twitter Space was originally recorded on August 17, 2022.
On this episode the CASAA Twitter Spaces panel spoke with journalist Alex Norcia about his investigation into the inner workings of FDA and what he’s uncovered so far via Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
TAKE ACTION // CASAA State Facebook Groups
Have you joined your CASAA State Facebook group yet? Check it out now! Click the link below, click on your state on the map, then click the “Join Now” button to go to your state’s group page. It’s as easy as that to stay updated on local happenings, meet local advocates and never miss a Call to Action in your state!
Don’t forget to also follow our official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CASAAmedia
FIND YOUR GROUP: CASAA State Locator
CASAA STORE // Apparel and More
Show your support by shopping our store! Our president (and brilliant website/swag designer) Danielle has added some awesome new designs to CASAA’s apparel shop!
VISIT: CASAA Apparel and Swag Store
CASAA MEDIA // Podcast
Catch up on past tobacco harm reduction news with Alex and Logan on the CASAA podcasts on SoundCloud every Monday and now live on YouTube and Facebook every Saturday at 3:30 PM.
SoundCloud:
Social Media Thumbnail Photo by Elsa Olofsson on Unsplash