Vaping propaganda has predictable findings. LA bans flavors. Mexico bans vape sales. CASAA president Danielle Jones in article. Clive Bates commentary and more!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a link to the audio/video versions of this post!
CALL TO ACTION // National
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
RESEARCH // Who is Advertising to Teens?
A new study confirms the negative consequences of anti-vaping propaganda that CASAA has been warning about for years–finding that images of “kid-friendly” vapor product flavors and teens vaping “appeared to heighten vaping appeal.”
READ MORE: Perceived effectiveness of objective elements of vaping prevention messages among adolescents
RESEARCH // Changing for the Worse
An American Cancer Society study finds that public perception that vaping is more harmful than smoking rose from 6.8% in 2018 to 28.3% in 2020, which increased smoking 2019-20. Yet the ACS press release still doesn’t quite admit that perception is wrong.
American Cancer Society study finds American Cancer Society misinformation on e-cigarettes has been highly effective, and most ppl now think vaping is just as or more dangerous than smoking #PublicHealth https://t.co/qstJjw8DIp
— Guy Bentley (@gbentley1) June 8, 2022
AROUND THE WORLD // Mexico Bans Sale of Vapor Products
Thanks to lies told by the World Health Organization, the president of Mexico was persuaded to ban the sale of thousands of low risk products helping adults quit smoking (most of which contain no tobacco) for World No Tobacco Day, while deadly cigarettes are still sold everywhere. WHO then presented the president with an award.
On the day the President of Mexico bans e-cigarettes in the country, he wins a WHO award.
Go figure. https://t.co/ihvYPbBqrs— Lindsey Stroud (@lmstroud89) May 31, 2022
READ MORE: Mexico bans sales of ‘harmful’ e-cigarettes
LEGISLATION // Maine Flavor Bans
Due to a moral panic over teens trying low risk vaping, adults in Portland and Brunswick, ME–who quit or might have quit smoking deadly cigarettes with pleasantly flavored vapor products–can now only buy vapor products that taste like cigarette tobacco.
Great op-ed in @MainerNewsCoop against a Maine flavor ban.
"But screw the adults, let’em croak early; This is about saving children, and what monster could be against that?… The faddish follies of children now delineate the rights of adults in the U.S." https://t.co/QpcweTJEzO— Lance Churchill (@LanceChurchill) June 8, 2022
READ MORE: Bans on flavored tobacco sales take effect in Maine communities
LEGISLATION // LA Bans Flavors
LA Council voted 12-0 to ban vaping and tobacco products in flavors other than “tobacco.” As in other cities, the ban is based on anti-vaping org lies about “hooking kids,” smoking gateway, etc. It now goes to Mayor Eric Garcetti for his signature.
Interesting to see Los Angeles purposefully captured 0-nicotine into the latest flavor ban amendments. Full vote on the entire draft ordinance will come down later today. pic.twitter.com/iU5X2JdvrE
— StefanDidak (@StefanDidak) June 1, 2022
READ MORE: Los Angeles will clamp down on selling flavored tobacco products
IN THE MEDIA // TV Doc Lies About Vaping
Dr. Saju Mathew (@drsajumathew)–a health commentator on CNN–lies to the public about vaping risk for “popcorn lung” and invents something he calls “chemically manufactured nicotine,” implying that it’s more addictive than “natural” nicotine. No causal link has been made between vaping and popcorn lung, and nicotine is the same chemical whether it’s lab-made or extracted from tobacco.
Furthermore, vapor products ARE regulated by the FDA. If anyone complained they’d been harmed by a vapor product, the FDA has clear authority to order the products be pulled from store shelves. In fact, the agency has already done so without any consumer complaints.
A good number of my patients vape. Some transition from smoking cigarettes by #vaping. It’s not regulated by the FDA & the products usually contain chemically manufactured #nicotine, which is highly addictive. Also reports of #popcornlung has been linked to vaping.
— Saju Mathew MD MPH (@drsajumathew) June 6, 2022
Unsurprisingly, he chose to block anyone who criticized him for spreading misinformation about vaping rather than engaging in any kind of discussion.
COMMENTARY // Harm Reduction & Mental Health
“This blind spot in tobacco control is costing lives—millions of lives—every year. The right to control one’s health and body is at the core of tobacco harm reduction. It empowers people to make safer choices.
We desperately need an alternative narrative to the dominant tobacco control view that harm reduction can only be about protection from tobacco.”
~ Gerry Stimson, founder and Director of Knowledge-Action-Change
READ MORE: The Right to Health Means the Right to Tobacco Harm Reduction
COMMENTARY // U.S. Tobacco/Nicotine Regulation
“Regulatory regimes that are tougher on the alternatives to cigarettes function as anti-competitive barriers to entry. Sound regulatory practice requires efficiency, transparency and predictability with burdens proportionate to risk. Unfortunately, the premarket tobacco product application process by which safer products must enter the market to compete with cigarettes is astonishingly expensive and opaque and fails any test of proportionate regulation. It functions to protect the cigarette trade and concentrate the vape market into a monoculture of uninspiring products. This is partly the law itself, but much is down to how the FDA has interpreted its responsibilities under the law.”
~ Clive Bates
READ MORE: What lessons should regulators learn from the United States?
TESTIMONIAL // Anecdote #13,461
Melodie was unable to quit smoking for 30+ years. After she developed COPD and required oxygen therapy, she tried vaping. Now she’s been smoke-free and healthy for 8 years!
What’s YOUR real story? Submit your testimonial today!
SUBMIT HERE: CASAA Testimonial Project
CASAA IN ACTION // Not A Bot
CASAA and CASAA president Danielle Jones are featured prominently in this sympathetic article about the challenges of Tobacco Harm Reduction and vaping advocacy by Dr. Cheryl Olsen (who was also a terrific guest on our CASAA Live show back on March 5th–check it out on our YouTube channel!)
A delightful read by @DrCherylOlson.
“Founded in 2009, it (@CASAAmedia) sprang from an online forum for vaping enthusiasts stunned by attacks from anti-tobacco organizations on a product that had (by plan and by accident) turned them into nonsmokers.
1/2 https://t.co/LJf7eZ6r86— Phillip Kirschberg (@RushmoreExt23) June 1, 2022
READ MORE: Not a Bot – Tobacco Reporter
CASAA IN ACTION // Twitter Spaces with Roberto Sussman
Is Mexico Banning Vaping?
Listen in as the CASAA team speaks with Roberto Sussman about what’s happening in Mexico and the WHO’s influence on vaping prohibition on Twitter Spaces!
Starting NOW!
Join us this week with @RobertoSussman as we discuss what’s happening in Mexico and the WHO’s influence on vaping prohibition.https://t.co/IVdchXdJAM
— CASAA (@CASAAmedia) June 8, 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!
Recently, we spoke with Nick “Grimm” Green a very popular social media influencer and a passionate vaping advocate on YouTube, who has used his platform to help thousands of people quit smoking and to spread the word about Tobacco Harm Reduction. We’ll be talking about his history and involvement in the vaping “community” and what he sees for the future of vaping and social media. Plus, the Legislative update!
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: