US Army confuses service members about vaping. Slash loved snus. Youth vaping instigates strip searches. Heads up Colorado. Commentary about Bloomberg’s war on vaping and more!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a link to the audio/video versions of this post!
CALL TO ACTION // Maine
LD 1693, a bill aspiring to advance health equity, also contains a ban on sales of any flavored tobacco and vapor products–many of which are helping adults quit smoking!
TAKE ACTION: Maine – Stop a Flavor Ban!
CALL TO ACTION // Brunswick, Maine
The City of Brunswick is moving forward with an ordinance to ban the sale of flavored vapor products. This is on the heels of Portland and Bangor adopting their own flavor bans under pressure from anti-smoking activists who are not only ignoring the benefits of switching to smoke-free products, but racing to build support for state legislation that will take safer nicotine products away from all Maine cities and towns.
This ordinance is scheduled for a PUBLIC HEARING on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at 6:30 PM (In person or via ZOOM)!
READ MORE: Fight a Flavor Ban!
HEADS UP // Colorado
Adult vapers should start preparing their testimonials for Rep. Kyle Mullica, Rep. Jennifer Bacon, Sen. Rhonda Fields & Sen. Kevin Priola, to inform them how very wrong they are about flavored vapor products! #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs
People have been smoking cigarettes, which taste like shit and literally kill you, since forever and they always will… but banning the flavor??? pic.twitter.com/4gwQ0eJVHZ
— Johnny (@johnnyhatchback) January 20, 2022
READ MORE: Fight Over Flavored-Tobacco Ban Moves to Colorado Legislature
HEADS UP // Iowa
HF 98 redefines nicotine vapor products as “tobacco,” most likely in order to levy a higher tax on the products. Harm reduction products that are helping adults quit smoking should be made more affordable, not more expensive!
READ MORE: Iowa House Bill 98
HARM REDUCTION // Snus
Although he switched to nicotine gum in 2015 and still needs to use it, Slash says, ““I used to (use snus). I did it for years and years and years, and I finally quit a few years ago, but when I first quit smoking, which was in 2009, pretty soon after that I discovered snus, and it was like the best discovery in the world. My God, it’s the greatest! So I did it from probably 2009 until 2015 or something like that.”
Guns N’ Roses Guitarist Lauds Snus – https://t.co/cKzXqL1Ydf pic.twitter.com/KEneVBI6lw
— Tobacco Reporter (@tobaccoreporter) February 4, 2022
READ MORE: Guns N’ Roses Guitarist Lauds Snus
LEARN MORE: Facts About Snus & Oral Tobacco
PUBLIC HEALTH // US Army Misinformation
The US Army issued a warning to service members about vaping-related lung injuries, but left out any info about tainted, illicit THC vapes. It’s a shockingly irresponsible omission that puts people at great risk, if they’re misled to believe e-cigarettes are what cause EVALI.
https://twitter.com/vaper_the/status/1493534297336082433
READ MORE: Public Health Officials warn about unregulated e-cigarette risks
COMMENTARY // Nicotine Policy Debate
The evidence is so clear on noncombustible nicotine products like e-cigarettes and snus; it is indisputable at this point.”
“Either they are willfully ignorant of the evidence that exists, or they are just lying.”
~ Michelle Minton
READ MORE: Remember When We Thought Cellphones Were Going to Cause Brain Cancer?
COMMENTARY // Anti-Vaping Philanthropists
Despite many studies showing THR products are much lower risk than smoking and more effective than NRT,
Bloomberg’s global anti-vaping campaign continues to ignore the overwhelming evidence and repeatedly employs tactics to create doubt amongst lawmakers on every continent.”
~ Martin Cullip
READ MORE: Philanthropists Who Do More Harm Than Good Need To Be Held Accountable
COMMENTARY // Unintended Consequences
While his concern is mainly with funding from taxes, he makes some good points.
As the flavor ban is debated, I hope our legislators have real, concrete answers to the questions raised. Are the unintended consequences of a flavor ban worth it? With teen tobacco use at historically-low rates, are the efforts to lower it further worth the price to Colorado preschoolers and minority business owners? These are the questions legislators need to ask. Parents, educators and the minority business community will be watching.”
~ Gil Cisneros
READ MORE: Flavored-tobacco ban will have ripple effects
COMMENTARY // Nonsensical Claims
When anti-vaping folks start talking about detecting teeny-tiny amounts of particulates, carcinogens and toxins in vapor to ban outdoor use.
TOBACCO CONTROL // Youth Programs
Article claims that “industry-sponsored school programs do not discourage teenagers from smoking” but fails to explain how those programs are any different than the anti-smoking/anti-vaping programs sponsored by Bloomberg and Truth Initiative.
Funny the same studies show that groups like yours create tobacco users.https://t.co/CSyDzRSFua
— Marshall Keith (@MarshallKeith2) February 14, 2022
READ MORE: The Tobacco Giant That Won’t Stop Funding Anti-Smoking Programs for Kids
TOBACCO CONTROL // Perpetuating Misinformation
Dr. Drew Harrell repeats misinformation about vaping, including the debunked “gateway” claim, “brain damage” and flavors targeting and hooking kids to push levying high taxes in New Mexico on the much safer alternatives helping adults quit smoking.
For all their funding, you'd think they'd get the facts right… @American_Heart
I suggest y'all check out TPA's 101 analyses – you can find the Land of Enchantment's data here: https://t.co/orhTnPWaUEhttps://t.co/EbefX2fHmf pic.twitter.com/bg35mbbD9A
— Lindsey Stroud (@lmstroud89) February 18, 2022
READ MORE: Let’s protect our youth by increasing tobacco taxes
RESEARCH // Dismissing Harm Reduction
VA doctors/researchers outrageously tell vets–despite all evidence to the contrary–that research shows they’re essentially better off smoking than vaping! They make vague claims of “dangers,” suggest instead to use methods that fail to help the vast majority of people who smoke.
READ MORE: Research roundup: E-cigs aren’t safe
IN THE NEWS // Anti-Vaping Hysteria
DA not issuing charges in Jan. 18th Suring student strip search for vapor products investigation.
Parents say boys and girls were divided up, placed in different rooms, and searched by same sex administrators, removing everything except their underwear.
Forcing underage people to strip to their underwear would earn most folks a blue box on their address the rest of their lives. Not if you are part of the protected class though.
DA not issuing charges in Suring student search investigation https://t.co/EzPhNRTdso
— OutdoorsWI (@outdoorswi1) February 16, 2022
READ MORE: DA not issuing charges in Suring student search investigation
IN THE NEWS // FTS vs Altria and JUUL
Revisiting this in the light of the news that the Administrative Law Judge has dismissed the FTC's complaint against Altria's investment in JUUL. Could still be some twists and turns; I look forward to reading the judgement. https://t.co/z2QoF1C8nb
— Increasingly poor output (@JonFell73) February 16, 2022
CASAA IN ACTION // CASAA Live
If you missed the CASAA Live show this past weekend, check out the replay now! CASAA Live is on Saturdays at 4:30 PM ET/3:30 PM CT/2:30 PM MT/1:30 PM PT on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter!
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, plus there are still Black Friday deals on all items!
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: