Utah and Arizona Calls to Action. Fact checking articles about teen vaping in Hawaii and Juul publishing research. Exposing anti-vaping bias. Public health policy in UK vs US. Juul settles lawsuit and more!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a link to the audio/video versions of this post!
CALL TO ACTION UPDATE // Utah Nicotine Cap
Lawmakers are contemplating an amendment to the Electronic Cigarette Substance Standards that would cap nicotine strengths to 3% in closed systems. Public comments will be accepted until 7/15/2021 and can be sent to tobaccorulescomments@utah.gov. Take action now!
Utah nicotine caps derail harm reduction efforts https://t.co/nVffJOM7nc @StevenGreenhut#utpol "Such strict regulation may encourage vape users to compensate for reduced nicotine levels by partaking in riskier behaviors."
— R Street Institute (@RSI) July 6, 2021
READ MORE: Utah – Stop Arbitrary Limits on Nicotine Content!
DO MORE: If you live in Utah, join the CASAA Utah Facebook Group
CALL TO ACTION // Support Sensible Regulation in Arizona
HB 2682 would implement a reasonable licensing scheme for vapor businesses in Arizona. The new regulations would formalize annual inspections and compliance checks for vape shops and tobacco retailers and establish penalties for breaking the law. This bill would also make certain decisions about nicotine regulations, such as sales restrictions, taxation, and where products can be consumed a state-level matter.
A YES on #HB2682 would provide reasonable regulation of the vapor industry in Arizona. For some reason our opponents want a no on hb2682, so shops who sell to kids won’t be penalized. But common sense and a self regulating industry support this bill.
— Dave Gravy (@DaveGravyMorris) June 28, 2021
READ MORE: Arizona – Support Sensible Licensing
DO MORE: If you live in Arizona, join the CASAA Arizona Facebook Group
FACT CHECK // JUUL Lawsuit
Publication in the American Journal of Health Behavior (AJHB) or any other scientific journal has absolutely no influence on the Pre-Marketing Tobacco Application (PMTA) process. Companies are actually required to finance and submit their own research directly to the FDA–demonstrating benefit to public health–in order to receive marketing approval. Additionally, it is disingenuous to imply that the purchase of the journal issue is somehow “corrupt” when the industry funding and interests were fully disclosed. It’s also curious that the fact that Juul paid thousands of additional dollars to make the articles free to the public is hinted at as somehow “shady” when taxpayer-funded research is more often hidden behind expensive paywalls.
Banning products merely creates a black market and furthers mass incarceration.
JUUL might have paid a steep price in this lawsuit, but society will pay a steeper one if we continue to fall for the bootleggers and Baptists’ sideshow. https://t.co/CkGwpd5ga4
— FEE (@feeonline) July 9, 2021
READ MORE: Juul: Taking Academic Corruption to a New Level
FACT CHECK // Teen Vaping in Hawaii
While girls in Hawaii were more likely to have tried vaping “even one puff” in the past 30 days, the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior survey data also showed a higher percentage of boys reported frequent/daily vaping than the girls. Boys were also more likely to report frequent/daily smoking. Even so, current smoking for both sexes combined declined from 8.1% in 2017 to 5.3% in 2019. Furthermore, daily vaping for girls and boys was also low–6.9% and 8.9% respectively–which hardly qualifies as a “vaping epidemic.”
Yeah, because teen vaping is a manufactured crisis with no constituency except people who are paid to flog it—or compensated with publicity like PAVe, Raja and Cuomo. It wasn’t an organic problem that caught the eye of experts. It was created by the people who profit from it. https://t.co/yNYBz27RSC
— Jim McDonald (@whycherrywhy) July 7, 2021
READ MORE: Girls Are Leading Hawaii’s Teen Vaping Epidemic
IN THE NEWS // JUUL Lawsuit
JUUL has settled a lawsuit with $40 million payout to the state of North Carolina (purportedly earmarked for e-cigarette cessation and prevention) and additional restrictions. The NC Attorney General now demands the FDA ban all non-tobacco flavors, impose nicotine caps and restrict advertising for all brands.
Juul Labs Inc. will pay $40 million to North Carolina and take more action to prevent underage use and sales, according to a landmark legal settlement announced Monday after years of accusations that the company had fueled an explosion in teen vaping. https://t.co/JEYdPlgOeJ
— PBS NewsHour (@NewsHour) June 29, 2021
Juul Settles NC Lawsuit for $40M, but Faces Bigger Legal Hurdles.
By Jim McDonald @whycherrywhy https://t.co/LMAalYtfP0— Vaping360 (@Vaping360) July 9, 2021
READ MORE: Juul to pay $40 million in North Carolina teen vaping suit settlement
COMMENTARY // Claims Against Vaping Don’t Stand Up to Scrutiny
Public health officials, scientists and even companies that manufacturer and sell e-cigarettes should do all they can to prevent teen vaping.
That said, there’s a point at which judicious public health advocacy devolves into ideological activism that actually does more harm than good.”
~Cameron English for ACSH.org
READ MORE: ‘What About The Children?’ We Can Discourage Teen Vaping And Accept The Benefits Of E-Cigarettes
PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY // United Kingdom vs United States
Researchers in the UK are studying whether giving away vapor products can help improve the health of homeless people. Meanwhile, lawmakers in Washington D.C, just voted for taking away from city residents access to thousands of popular vapor product flavors that are shown to help adults quit smoking.
https://twitter.com/john_benenati/status/1411471851906289666
READ MORE: Homeless people to be given free e-cigarettes as part of new trial
PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY // Exposing Anti-Vaping Bias
“Science-based policy” champion Senator Dianne Feinstein uses junk science to push her anti-vaping agenda. Mainly, a discredited study claiming youth vaping increases the risk of COVID-19 infection and the disproven claim that “flavors” are primary reason youth try vaping.
It’s illegal for teens to vape, vapes are unavailable in most retail stores, teen SMOKING is at historic lows. Vaping is 97% safer. Get some facts Senator. Its called Tobacco Harm Reduction and it is saving lives.
— Jim Fannin (@FanninJim) July 9, 2021
READ MORE: Sen. Feinstein: Congress Must Address The Youth Vaping Crisis
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 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.