FDA’s Special Math for vaping products. CASAA in the news and at GTNF. New study finds there’s still no “gateway” to smoking. An asthma study with a timing problem. Former “Drug Czar” unsurprisingly misleads the public. Engineering a snus panic and more!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a link to the audio/video versions of this post!
FDA // How Many Vapes?
The FDA seems proud that it has managed to “authorize 23 e-cigarettes” (out of MILLIONS of products.)
In reality, the agency authorized just SEVEN e-cig devices and 12 refills since 2020 (and NONE have been authorized since July 2022.) ALL of the products are only authorized to be sold with artificial “tobacco” flavored e-liquid.
CASAA director Jim McDonald reporting for Vaping360.com.
“Here's a list of vaping products the FDA hasn't authorized:
•Bottled e-liquid: 0
•Open-system (refillable) devices, tanks and pods: 0
•Vapes in flavors other than tobacco: 0
•Disposable vapes people like: 0
•Vapes popular in vape shops: 01/8743 https://t.co/k3nSfE9owE
— Phillip Kirschberg (@RushmoreExt23) September 20, 2023
READ MORE: About FDA’s New “Authorized E-Cigarette” List…
CASAA IN ACTION // Op-Ed By CASAA CEO Alex Clark in The Buffalo Times
It’s time for experts to update their priorities – and ensure that efforts to prevent kids from habitually using nicotine don’t undermine the fight to get adults off traditional cigarettes.”
~Alex Clark
READ MORE: Another Voice: Time to quit the harmful narratives around vaping
CASAA IN ACTION // The Global Tobacco and Nicotine Forum
CASAA CEO Alex Clark (@Hello_Alex) took part in a panel discussion during the thirteenth annual conference of The Global Tobacco and Nicotine Forum (GTNF) held last night. Below are the tweets from @thegtnf highlighting Alex’s comments as he spoke:
https://twitter.com/CASAAmedia/status/1704145546686988492
CASAA IN ACTION // Rebutting TV News Misinformation
This news report by FOX26 in Houston falsely claims the study “shows vaping is CAUSING asthma for kids.” As CASAA’s Kristin Noll-Marsh wrote in the comments: “That study found no such thing!”
Check out the rest of her rebuttal in the comments section on YouTube:
COMMENTARY // Dogmatism, Data, and Public Health
This may be a longer read, but it’s definitely worth your time!
“What should have been a relatively simple scientific question became transmuted into a moral campaign.”
“There is the well-known tendency among those who favor a particular hypothesis to “cherry-pick” the data.”
Sound familiar?
A very good piece by @GeoKabat for @Quillette. I support public smoking bans; smoke makes me very nauseous; my never-smoker mother died of lung cancer. I have every reason to want passive smoking to be deadly. But truth is more important than my desires.https://t.co/9yhrTN77kS
— Iona Italia, PhD (@IonaItalia) September 17, 2023
READ MORE: Dogmatism, Data, and Public Health
RESEARCH // Still No “Gateway” To Smoking
The results of this study alleviate the concern that access to e-cigarettes and other low-risk nicotine products promote smoking. There is no sign of that, and there are some signs that they in fact compete against cigarettes…”
~ Professor Peter Hajek, Director of Health and Lifestyle Research Unit, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London
READ MORE: Population study finds no sign that e-cigarettes are a gateway into smoking
RESEARCH // An Asthma Study With A Timing Problem
The survey asked respondents whether they had ever used an e-cigarette, how many days during the previous 30-day period they had used one, and whether they had ever been told they had asthma by a healthcare professional.
This means that it’s entirely possible that a significant number of the respondents had asthma before they even started vaping. 🤦♂️
Large, longitudinal study finds exclusive #ecig use is not associated with onset of asthma in youth
Smoking was associated with a significantly increased risk@AsthmaFndation @tsanz_thoracic @LungFoundation @asthmacouncilau @AsthmaAustralia @RACGP https://t.co/NK3sLSsB8M— Dr Colin Mendelsohn (@ColinMendelsohn) April 16, 2023
READ MORE: Researchers Find Association Between Vaping And Asthma Among US Adolescents
RESEARCH // They Studied People Who Smoke, Not Vapers
Study participants smoked but had never vaped before. Both smoking & vaping delayed blood vessels from dilating back to normal (as does caffeine.) It’s long been understood that people with PREEXISTING heart conditions should avoid nicotine/caffeine.
Researchers did not appear to take into consideration that carbon monoxide, which also has been linked to atherosclerosis, is present in cigarette smoke but NOT present in e-cigarette vapor. Eliminating carbon monoxide exposure means less risk to the heart. That means SAFER than smoking!
Furthermore, in 2013 the FDA stopped requiring nicotine gum labels to advise only 12 weeks of use, because studies showed “adverse effects…were described as MINOR AND TRANSIENT, and there was NO CORRELATION between long-term gum use and cardiovascular events.” So, nicotine gum doesn’t appear to raise the risk of heart attack, but somehow nicotine vapes do? 🤔
Do you think it’s wise to make such a sweeping conclusion based on the measurement of a single acute effect with questionable clinical significance?
I don’t.
Researchers who looked at a much larger amount of evidence came to a different conclusion.https://t.co/hfAOtCrkTV
— Phil (@phil_w888) September 18, 2023
READ MORE: E-Cigarettes Not a Safer Alternative to smoking
TOBACCO CONTROL // Misinformation From A Former Drug Czar
Unsurprisingly, a former “Drug Czar” misleads the public about a drug.
He falsely suggests that a “number of kids are dying” from disposable nicotine vapes and his warning that they “may contain the dangerous opioid fentanyl” is pure scaremongering.
But we do agree with him that the “new Texas law punishing kids who vape is too aggressive.” The law requires “students caught with vapes at the school to be placed in an alternative schooling environment, or Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP) even if it’s their FIRST OFFENSE.” Nicotine is not a controlled substance, nor is it intoxicating. Such harsh punishment should be reserved for truly dangerous behavior, not something as low risk as vaping nicotine.
The FDA started cracking down on disposable e-cigarettes "but sadly, what I’m concerned about are the number of kids that are dying until the FDA takes more aggressive action," said Jim Carroll, former director of National Drug Control Policy."
Dying??https://t.co/YTd4M7oP1p— Lance Churchill (@LanceChurchill) September 19, 2023
READ MORE: Ex ‘Drug Czar’ talks FDA action against e-cigs, Texas law that punishes kids for vaping
IN THE MEDIA // The “Tyranny” of Vaping?
She was “so addicted” to nicotine that she could only quit by…reading a book (which essentially promotes going “cold turkey”) and throwing away her vape. Did it ever occur to her that maybe it was so easy because she’d switched to vaping before trying to quit smoking AND she drastically cut her health risks during the process of quitting?
READ MORE: I thought vaping was my pleasure but a book showed me it was a tyranny. With one leap, I was free
IN THE MEDIA // Engineering a Snus Panic
Note how they don’t mention what the “negative impacts” of snus use are — because there really aren’t any other than possible dependency.
Mr. Murphy should be happy that, rather than smoke as he did, the current generation is choosing to not smoke.
For a start snus isn't banned to buy, go into any supermarket and its there. Its a healthier way to get nicotine than smoking. And not know anyone with side effects(bad gums etc)
— carl webster (@carlweb884) September 21, 2023
READ MORE: Danny Murphy: I used snus during my career but believe football clubs should ban it
CASAA IN ACTION // CASAA Live
This week’s guest is Corey Pegues, a retired NY Deputy Inspector, who joins Alex and Logan to discuss the FDA’s looming ban on menthol, illicit markets for tobacco/nicotine products, and if harm reduction can help solve issues between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
Catch the show LIVE tomorrow, Saturday September 23rd at 4:30PM ET/3:30PM CT!
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 // 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 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: