Debunking vaping myths. Straw man argument against disposables. Cause and effect of anti-vaping laws. California bill aims to end nicotine use. Calls to Action and more!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a link to the audio/video versions of this post!
CALL TO ACTION // Maryland Flavor Ban
SB 259 requires low risk, smoke-free alternatives–products used by millions of adults to quit/avoid smoking–to be flavored like tobacco, prohibiting even FDA-authorized flavors.
A hearing was held on Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 1 PM.
TAKE ACTION: Stop the Maryland Flavor Ban
CALL TO ACTION // Hawai’i Vape Tax
HB 537 would subject vapor products to the state’s 70% tobacco tax.
Hawai’ians are encouraged to TAKE ACTION NOW!
TAKE ACTION: Stop the Hawai’i Vape Tax
CALL TO ACTION UPDATE // Hawai’i Flavor Ban
HB 551 will dangerously take away all non-tobacco flavors (including 0 mg vapes) from legal adults–many who use flavored low risk products to avoid relapsing to smoking!
TAKE ACTION: Stop the Hawai’i Flavor Ban
CALL TO ACTION // Connecticut Flavor Ban
HB 6488 would force adults who have switched to pleasant-tasting, low risk alternatives to smoking to go back to products that taste like tobacco or menthol. This bill already had one hearing on February 1st, 2023.
TAKE ACTION: Stop the Connecticut Flavor Ban
CALL TO ACTION // New Mexico Flavor Ban
HB 94 had a hearing in the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee. If you live in New Mexico, please click the link below and TAKE ACTION NOW!
TAKE ACTION: Stop the New Mexico Flavor Ban
CALL TO ACTION // Oregon Flavor Ban
HB 3090 would ban the sale of nicotine and tobacco products in flavors other than fake “tobacco.” This prohibition would include everything from smoke-free nicotine pouches to vapor products and menthol cigarettes.
TAKE ACTION: Stop the Oregon Flavor Ban
HEADS UP! // Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Misleading rhetoric, baseless health risk claims and outdated teen use data is being used to justify this moratorium–possibly laying the groundwork for a flavor or sales ban!
READ MORE: Milwaukee lawmakers look to ban new vape shops for a limited time
CASAA IN ACTION // Debunking Vaping Myths
Does vaping cause popcorn lung? Does e-liquid contain antifreeze? Will vaping make your lungs collapse? In this shareable video, CASAA takes on some of the most common myths, exaggerations and misinformation about nicotine vaping products!
TOBACCO CONTROL // An Anti-Vaping Straw Man
The so-called “loophole” for disposables refers to the FDA’s 2020 enforcement guidance, which exempted some disposable vaping products from priority enforcement. However, the popular flavored disposables actually being targeted by HR 901 began entering the market in 2019, so were in violation of FDA rules from the start. Meaning, they’re already “banned.”
The bill “has little chance of advancing. But groups like Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids will use the bill as a wedge to pressure the FDA to increase enforcement against disposables.”
(In truth, they’d probably prefer to just ban ALL vaping products.)
Sad, sad people who think bans are the answer to all of life’s real & perceived problems.
What many don’t realise: the rise of disposable vapes is the direct result of previous bans. If they’re banned in turn, something else will replace them. Would it be worse?
— Phil (@phil_w888) September 22, 2022
READ MORE: New Bill Pressures FDA to Crack Down on Disposable Vapes
TOBACCO CONTROL // Cause and Effect
“The DHS noted in a news release that the rise in illegal tobacco/vape product sales followed the federally mandated increase in the legal tobacco purchasing age from 18 to 21 that took effect at the end of 2019.”
Is anyone surprised that removing popular products from the market led to incresed black market sales? We’re not.
Let’s see.
Prohibition didn’t work with alcohol.
Prohibition doesn’t work with drugs.
Why then would anyone believe that prohibition will work with vaping?
Isn’t the definition of insanity ‘doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result’?— 🏴☠️Pope Bane🏴☠️ (@Pope_Bane) February 15, 2023
READ MORE: Tobacco 21 is serious stuff – State pushes ID check for tobacco, vape sales
Tobacco Harm Reduction // THR Journalist Moving On
THR advocates are losing a fantastic journalist ally in Alex Norcia–his insightful and groundbreaking articles on the topic will be sorely missed–but THR advocacy has been lucky to gain him as a great friend. We wish him the best in his future endeavors!
My last piece, on my last day, for @Filtermag_org. https://t.co/t76zqfTkLq
— Alex Norcia (@Alex_Norcia) February 14, 2023
READ MORE: Tobacco Harm Reduction Reflections, as My Years of Reporting End
TOBACCO CONTROL // Prohibition By Any Other Name
Lawmaker Damon Connolly (D-CA) has introduced a state bill that would prohibit anyone born after 2007 from ever buying non-pharmaceutical nicotine products–even those with very low health risks. Imagine if he’d proposed this for alcohol or marijuana…. 
READ MORE: AB 935 Tobacco Sales: Phased Tobacco ban
TOBACCO HARM REDUCTION // More Harm Than Good
Police state the vape pen contained THC, which means it was not a nicotine e-cigarette. Yet, unsurprisingly to THR advocates, the school sent home a misleading letter to parents, warning only that the “devices contain nicotine and other substances.”
FYI, no one calls THC vape pens "e-cigarettes".
Apart from that, kudos for pointing out the real culprit (ie. vitamin E acetate in bootleg THC cartridges). https://t.co/zCYi1tF1bc
— Jukka Kelovuori (@jkelovuori) July 16, 2020
READ MORE: Police investigating after vape pen sends several students to the hospital
TESTIMONIAL // Anecdote # 13,502
JP made an informed decision to NOT start smoking again to cope with his stress and ADHD. Instead, he chose to manage his well-being with very low risk alternatives.
What’s YOUR real story? Submit your testimonial today!
SUBMIT YOUR STORY: CASAA Testimonial Project
CASAA MEDIA // Spotify
CASAA’s podcast is on Spotify! Please give us a follow here:
CASAA IN ACTION // Twitter Spaces
The week we recap the Reagan-Udall sessions with Amanda Wheeler, Tim Andrews and CASAA CEO Alex Clark, who all presented to the panel about FDA’s issues regulating reduced-harm products. What grade would you give FDA? Also available on CASAA’s Spotify channel (above.)
— CASAA (@CASAAmedia) October 26, 2022
CASAA IN ACTION // CASAA Live
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!
If you missed the last CASAA Live episode you can catch up NOW before the next show!
On this episode, CASAA vice president Logan Evans and Member Coordinator Kristin Noll-Marsh sit down with special guest, Gregory Conley, Director of Legislative & External Affairs for the American Vapor Manufacturers (AVM) and board president of the American Vaping Association. He and AVM are remarkable examples about how everyday consumers can become strong advocates not only for a life-saving product, but for the disruptive industry those consumers rely upon!
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