Tobacco Control’s nervous breakdown over vaping. Zyn is not the new vaping. Wisconsin sneaks a “Big Tobacco Protection” law into an alcohol reform bill. Colorado Lawmakers Kill Bill to Ban Flavored “Tobacco”. MANY Calls to Action and more!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a link to the audio/video versions of this post!
CALLS TO ACTION
Below are the new and updated Calls to Action for this past week. To view all of the current Calls to Action, scroll down to “More Calls to Action” below. To view the current hearing events schedule (Facebook,) click the box on the right.
RHODE ISLAND
⚠️URGENT⚠️A HEARING is scheduled for TOMORROW, Tuesday, March 12th!
H 7225 would TAX #vaping products at an outrageous 80% of wholesale price AND codify the Rhode Island Health Department’s FLAVOR BAN!
TAKE ACTION: RHODE ISLAND: Stop a Vape Tax!
ILLINOIS
⚠️URGENT⚠️ HEARING SCHEDULED for this WEDNESDAY, March 13th at 10 AM!
HB 5069 is a “Big Tobacco Protection Bill” that would decimate vape shops and remove adult access to SAFER ALTERNATIVES to SMOKING!
TAKE ACTION: ILLINOIS: Stop a “Big Tobacco Protection” Act!
KENTUCKY
HB 11/SB 344 would effectively ban most vaping products from being sold in KY, put independent vape shops out of business, hundreds of workers out of jobs, and leave thousands of adults at risk!
TAKE ACTION: KENTUCKY: Stop a “Big Tobacco Protection” Bill!
MINNESOTA
A hearing was already held on TUESDAY, March 5th at 10:30 AM!
HF 2177 would BAN sales of nicotine and tobacco products in FLAVORS other than tobacco, even if they’ve been authorized by FDA!
TAKE ACTION: MINNESOTA: Stop a Flavor Ban!
MORE CALLS TO ACTION: GET INVOLVED: Calls to Action By State
TOBACCO CONTROL
Tobacco Control’s Nervous Breakdown
“Limiting nicotine strength in the European Union made it harder to bring to market the pod devices that have been successful in reducing smoking in the United States. Flavor bans in the United States made vapes less appealing and caused more people to smoke, in some cases including young people. The prescription-only availability of vapes in Australia has led to a chaotic, lawless mess, with more than 90 percent supplied via informal, illegal channels.
With their mission to protect the young from vaping, regulators forgot that in a world without vaping, many young people would smoke and, therefore, are benefiting from vaping.”
~ Clive Bates
My latest: Tobacco Control's Nervous Breakdown
"Innovation in the recreational nicotine market is revolutionizing the tobacco industry and disrupting tobacco control"
… Let’s delve deeper and ask who is disrupted and how. https://t.co/HuD0bHTFwi
via @tobaccoreporter pic.twitter.com/UVDT5hqW5n
— Clive Bates (@Clive_Bates) March 1, 2024
READ MORE: Tobacco Control’s Nervous Breakdown
ZYN is NOT the ‘New Vaping’
While the headline states “Zyn Is the New Vaping,” the facts presented in the article make it perfectly clear that the comparison is not “an apples-to-apples comparison” or “even an apples-to-asteroids comparison.”
The chart below compares the dramatic rise in vaping (frequently blamed on JUUL by the anti-vaping groups) in just a few years vs. the very low and slow rise in the use of nicotine pouches. There really is no comparison!
READ MORE: Zyn Is the New Vaping
AROUND THE WORLD
Anti-Vaping Laws Cause Shocking Police Interactions
Australian lawmakers, public health officials and anti-nicotine organizations stated that the vape ban wouldn’t criminalize vapers in any way. Personal possession and use of vapes, they said, is not — and will not be — criminalized. True “la-la land” thinking.
This is how the bans are playing out in reality. Something is very wrong when laws meant to “protect youth” like this 13 year old teen (and the teens in the US who have been similarly treated by law enforcement) appear to be causing more harm to them than good.
This 13 yr old gets put to the ground for #vapes.
I've never heard once about a teen being arrested for smoking tobacco. I wonder if the cops would have left him alone if he had a pack of Winfield Blues instead. pic.twitter.com/CGP58wHm2I
— BradK (@BradK87287) March 4, 2024
READ MORE: Wild scenes as teen scuffles with police during arrest over vape
RESEARCH
Study Makes Claim But Hides Information Behind Paywall
“Researchers completed an evaluation of small and larger blood vessels to assess their functionality in 21 regular users of e-cigarettes [ages 21-31].”
Not only is this a very small study, but the abstract does not disclose if the “regular users” currently or formerly smoked. (The full study is secured behind a paywall.) If they didn’t take into account previous or current smoking, there is no way for them to know if the subjects were experiencing the negative effects from the vaping or from exposure to cigarette smoke!
READ MORE: Regular e-cigarette use could lead to premature vascular dysfunction, VCU study finds
Only 1 in 4 People Who Live in Rural US and Smoke Attempted to Quit During a One Year Period
In fact, only 30% – 50% of all of the people who smoke attempt to quit annually and only 7.5% succeed.
Public health knows this yet urge lawmakers to ban vaping and other smoke-free products that would significantly reduce risks for those folks who can’t or won’t quit. It is completely unethical to essentially tell people who are between quit attempts to just continue smoking rather than advise them to use safer alternatives!
READ MORE: Only 1 in 4 rural US smokers attempted to quit during a one year period
LEGISLATION
Wisconsin Lawmakers Sneak PMTA law Into Alcohol Reform Bill
In May 2023, WI lawmakers introduced SB 268, which mainly overhauled alcohol laws. It also required vaping product retailers to be licensed the same as tobacco retailers, beginning May 6, 2024. (This raised no red flags.)
The only public hearing for SB 268 was held in August 2023. On November 14, 2023, lawmakers both quietly added and quickly passed an amendment that is identical to the devastating PMTA registry bills that are being introduced around the country.
PMTA registry bills (also known as “Big Tobacco Protection Acts”) require products sold in the state to either have submitted applications or have received FDA marketing authorization. They must also pay to be on a state registry.
Manufacturers who sell or wholesale vaping products in the state must comply by July 2025.
Because the bill was originally about alcohol and was signed into law by Governor Evers with 50+ other bills on the SAME DAY, news articles had little to say about the PMTA registry amendment — if at all. Most only mentioned the original tobacco license requirement.
This will put hundreds of WI independent vape shops out of business, hundreds of workers out of jobs, and thousands of people at risk of returning to smoking, or delaying attempts at quitting.
It’s unconscionable that this was not introduced as a stand-alone bill along with public hearings!
This is outrageous! WI lawmakers essentially snuck a PMTA registry bill into an alcohol reform bill and passed it on the SAME DAY — without it going through committees or having public hearings! I live in WI and closely watch for vape bills, yet I just found it yesterday! https://t.co/mjTYGpadV2
— Kristin Noll-Marsh (@Noll_Marsh) March 8, 2024
Colorado Lawmakers Kill Bill to Ban Flavored “Tobacco”
The proposal would have allowed a board of county commissioners to ban flavored tobacco and nicotine/vapor products, creating a confusing patchwork of different laws across the state. The House Business Affairs & Labor Committee defeated it on a 6-5 vote!
A few lawmakers made some sensible argument during the debate over the bill:
“I don’t think we should essentially penalize adults because we want to keep something away from our children.”
~ Rep. Regina English (D – El Paso County)
The bill “would stop a bunch of small businesses, the vape shops that do sell to adults, the hookah shop.”
~ Rep. Naquetta Ricks (D – Aurora)
Great news! SB24-022 was killed in a 6-5 vote this past week!
This bill would've led to tobacco bans across Colorado
article: https://t.co/euuZMvFX30#copolitics #coleg @smokerfriendly pic.twitter.com/QP6UhO1b4C
— FreeStateColorado (@FreeStateColor1) March 10, 2024
READ MORE: Colorado Democrats once again kill bill to regulate flavored tobacco
ADVOCACY
Adult Vaper Survey
Researchers are about 1,000 vapers short of the population sample needed to complete this survey! If you haven’t yet, please take the survey and then SHARE it to vaping, vape manufacturer and vape shop accounts! If you’re a vape shop or manufacturer, please share with customers!
Click here: USA – Vape Consumer Survey 2023
CASAA IN ACTION // CASAA Live
On this week’s show, Alex and Logan speak with special guest Bengt Wiberg, an outspoken Swedish advocate for snus, a very low risk tobacco alternative to smoking. Bengt helped found the advocacy network EU for Snus and is the inventor of “sting-free” snus pouches.
Catch the next show LIVE Saturday, March 23rd, 2024 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 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: