Ethan Nadelmann talks vaping with CASAA’s Matt Culley. Vaping news in Philippines. Denver veto on flavor ban stands! Federal lawmakers go after synthetic nicotine. School vape detectors. Anti-nicotine endgame tactics and more!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a link to the audio/video versions of this post!
CALL TO ACTION UPDATE // Portland, Maine Flavor Ban
A 3-0 vote by the committee has moved the proposal to consideration by the full council. The council likely will vote on it late next month or early next year. If it passes, it probably would go into effect in June. See link for more info and TAKE ACTION!
TAKE ACTION: Portland, Maine – Stop a Flavor Ban!
CALL TO ACTION UPDATE // Tempe, Arizona Flavor Ban
Tempe City Council is moving forward with a ban on flavored tobacco/nicotine products (including synthetic). Staff are being directed to research the proposal further, so it will likely come back up in early 2022. Stay alert!
TAKE ACTION: Tempe, AZ – Stop a Flavor Ban!
CALL TO ACTION UPDATE // Denver, Colorado Flavor Ban
Mayor Hancock issued a VETO today on the flavored tobacco ban approved by the city council, expressing concern about youth just buying in nearby towns and the impact on small businesses. An override vote could happen as soon as Monday!
READ MORE: Mayor Hancock vetoes flavored tobacco ban slated to start in 2023
TAKE ACTION: Denver, CO Stop a Flavor Ban!
RESEARCH // eCigIntelligence Consumer Survey
This study needs 1,000 more participants! CASAA works cooperatively with eCigIntelligence to develop consumer survey questions that aid us in our advocacy efforts and help take the pulse of the vaping community. Please take the survey if you haven’t already!
TAKE SURVEY: USA Vape Consumer Survey 2021
AROUND THE WORLD // Philippines
The minority leader explained that he voted yes in the hope that he could help bring down further the prevalence of smoking in the country by helping those who want to quit smoking to turn to vapes and E-cigarettes as cessation aids. #SenatePH 2/2
— Senate of the Philippines (@senatePH) December 16, 2021
AROUND THE WORLD // New Zealand
Despite having 2nd largest Asian Pacific cigarette black market, lawmakers propose youth AND nicotine prohibition that will create a preposterous scenario where a 54 year old adult can’t buy the mandated very low nicotine, filterless cigarettes, but a 55 year old adult can.
“As proven in Sweden and Norway, a legal risk-reduced product market can effectively eliminate smoking without prohibition and punishment. New Zealand was on track to do that. It is now taking a disastrous wrong turn”, via @MarewaGlover https://t.co/Qm6nGmJpl4 via @Filtermag_org
— Dick Puddlecote (@Dick_Puddlecote) December 14, 2021
READ MORE: Desperate to Win the Smokefree Race, New Zealand Resorts to Prohibition
IN THE NEWS // Upcoming Research
University to do 5 yr study to determine impact of vapor regulations in the U.S., Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea. Will also look at if vaping is a public health benefit, harmful, or a bit of both.
It's a good thing that people will finally look at the effects of knee-jerk policy making in this area.
It's less good that CBC darling Hammond, whose reckless false claims in the media spurred some of that knee-jerk policy making, will be one of them.https://t.co/CjcdqlRd73
— Phil (@phil_w888) December 13, 2021
READ MORE: University of Waterloo in Ontario part of global study on impact of e-cigarette rules
FDA // Harming Public Health?
CTP Director Mitch Zeller’s article highlights the absurdity of FDA claiming to “protect public health” by banning new, low risk, smoke-free products while preexisting deadly cigarettes have de facto FDA authorization.
Vapers who completely quit smoking are STILL just "anecdotal accounts to Mitch Zeller and @FDATobacco
"We are aware of anecdotal accounts of adults who have quit smoking altogether after using e-cigarettes."https://t.co/wXR8XeAK92— Freedom of Choice (@LanceChurchill) December 13, 2021
READ MORE: Tobacco control and prevention efforts in the U.S
RESEARCH // Youth Vaping Update
2021 Monitoring the Future survey shows largest single-year decline in youth use of nicotine vapor products, contradicting anti-vaping claims that youth “epidemic” is ongoing. Cigarette smoking also continued to drop dramatically. Unsurprisingly, anti-vaping groups are putting a spin on the data as “still a serious public health problem” and once again called for a total ban of non-tobacco flavored vapor products.
But this is a “problem” for @TobaccoFreeKids and @truthinitiative. Real-world-truth undermines their efforts to convince the public and lawmakers that we’re in the mists of a public health crisis. They’re already weighing in on this of course.
— Charles A. Gardner, PhD (@ChaunceyGardner) December 15, 2021
READ MORE: Monitoring The Future Survey Data Tables
NATIONAL // Heads Up!
Representative Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) have introduced the Clarifying Authority Over Nicotine Act of 2021, giving FDA authority to regulate synthetic nicotine the same as tobacco products.
Lawmakers seem to have forgotten that the war on nicotine began to end SMOKING–not all nicotine use regardless of risk. They also fail to see how unreasonable regulation is what CREATED the shift to synthetic nicotine in the first place, and this Act will do nothing more than grow the black market!
“My new bill ensures that combustible tobacco cigarettes are the only option on the market”
Smoke up y’all
— GrimmGreen (@GrimmGreen) December 17, 2021
READ MORE: Rep. Sherrill Introduces Clarifying Authority Over Nicotine Act
IN THE NEWS // New FDA Commissioner?
Sen. Richard Burr urged Biden nominee Dr. Robert Califf to “get your house in order” over bungled PMTAs & authorize more of the “new, potentially less harmful alternative[s];” while Sen. Tammy Baldwin worried about synthetic nicotine.
Califf Hearing Offers Few Clues to Future FDA Vape Regulation.
By Jim McDonald @whycherrywhy https://t.co/fbfc0c5Zdd— Vaping360 (@Vaping360) December 16, 2021
READ MORE: Califf Hearing Offers Few Clues to Future FDA Vape Regulation
HARM REDUCTION // HIV & Smoking
Some experts are seeing harm reduction–even vaping–as a better option.
“85% of folks with HIV will keep smoking, so giving them no recommendation but to keep trying to quit is a real shortcoming and a gap in our care.”
Harm reduction may be a better approach for smokers with HIV than strict smoking cessationhttps://t.co/wEYMC9TeYM #Tobacco #harmreduction #THR #TobaccoHarmReduction
— Campaign for Safer Alternatives (@GoingSmokefree) November 30, 2021
BAD POLICIES // Teen Vaping
Schools are installing “vape detector systems” with just one of the sensors costing nearly $1,600. However, they are likely a waste of money, because administrators clearly failed to educate themselves about “stealth vaping.”
i'm so fucking angry school just implemented metal detectors and bag searches over kids vaping, not over the danger of kids bringing weapons, but because of fucking VAPING.
i don't personally vape but this is fucking stupid. they also-— mariah (@lesbianlupo) October 28, 2021
READ MORE: Sturgis Public Schools installs sensors to crack down on vaping
PUBLIC HEALTH // Endgame Tactics
Prohibitionists lie about vaping risks; are apparently more concerned about the tobacco industry making money from harm reduction–and that people could keep using nicotine without dying–than actual deaths from smoking.
The immediate toxic effects of e-cigarettes far outweigh those of conventional cigarettes, so how can we assert that they are safer in the long term? As with any medicinal product, it is up to the manufacturer to prove that they are safe, not for doctors to prove that they are harmful.
There is no robust evidence that e-cigarettes accelerate smoking cessation; e-cigarettes should be properly compared with existing methods of quitting smoking. The single study cited by Public Health England suggesting the benefit of e-cigarettes showed that, after 1 year, smokers using conventional nicotine replacement had quit smoking, whereas those using e-cigarettes were still using these devices, essentially exchanging one form of nicotine addiction for another, thus guaranteeing continued income for big tobacco. Many e-cigarette users also used tobacco—the dream scenario for manufacturers.”
READ MORE: Another public health catastrophe
CASAA IN ACTION // Psychoactive Podcast
Ethan Nadelmann (@ethannadelmann) interviews CASAA director Matt Culley (@MattFromSMM) about the history of #vaping, vape advocacy, nicotine, public health opponents and the FACTS about adult vs. youth vapers.
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.