Study confirms vaping is replacing smoking. Great advocacy turnout in Columbus, Ohio to fight flavor ban. New CASAA graphic series explaining CDC data. FDA rejects menthol vape product. Juul documents expose FDA politics. Inside look at Reagan-Udall review and more!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a link to the audio/video versions of this post!
CALL TO ACTION // Columbus, Ohio
A bill that would ban the sale of flavored vapor products (and possibly other smoke-free nicotine products) is expected to be heard and discussed at a town hall meeting on Tuesday 10/25/22. Click the link for more info!
TAKE ACTION: Columbus Ohio: Stop a Flavor Ban!
CALL TO ACTION UPDATE // Tempe, Arizona
A survey has been set up to gather community input on the FLAVOR BAN proposal. You can participate by following the link to the flavor ban survey in the Call to Action below. Take Action!
TAKE ACTION: Tempe, AZ: Stop a Flavor Ban!
HEADS UP // SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE!
The first reading for a flavor ban is scheduled to take place in early December, with the goal of activating a ban in April 2023.
READ MORE: South Portland flavored tobacco ban likely to come next spring
CALL TO ACTION UPDATE // Columbus Ohio
Turnout to oppose the flavor ban in Columbus, Ohio was so great that the meeting room reached maximum capacity, with a large crowd not even allowed inside to take part in the discussion. But you still have opportunities to be heard!
As the Council later tweeted: We will hold in-person & virtual conversations with small businesses on November 2nd, 16th and 30th. We will hold a public hearing on November 9th. Residents can also provide feedback at flavoredtobacco@columbus.gov.
Please see CASAA’s Call to Action above!
READ MORE: Columbus City Council to host talks with small businesses on possible flavored tobacco ban
RESEARCH // Self-Serving Truth Initiative “Study”
Anti-harm reduction group Truth Initiative published a study finding that the FDA is mainly targeting small vape businesses that are NOT selling products preferred by youth. Despite admitting the products aren’t what youth use, Truth still calls for banning all of their flavors.
READ MORE: FDA enforcement likely resulting in minimal impact on e-cigarette accessibility
STUDY: Analysis of e-cigarette warning letters issued by the Food and Drug Administration in 2020 and 2021
RESEARCH // E-cigs Are Displacing Cigarettes
Researcher: “These findings suggest a measurable, national-level displacement of cigarettes by e-cigarettes – which should yield a net benefit for population health.”
(1/13) E-cigarette sales coincide with a national-level shortfall in combustible cigarettes, according to my new preprint for a paper (currently revised-and-resubmitted to the Journal of Consumer Policy): https://t.co/1PJwcrTcYd
— Arielle Selya (@ArielleSelya) October 27, 2022
RESEARCH // Mouse Study Ignores Human Studies
There’s ZERO real-world evidence that nicotine vaping causes any heart problems. In fact, studies have found that switching to vaping from smoking significantly reduces risk IN HUMANS.
IN MICE https://t.co/xpBuxvkcBV
— justsaysinmice (@justsaysinmice) October 27, 2022
READ MORE: E-cigarettes may disrupt heart rhythm, hike risk of sudden cardiac arrest
CASAA IN ACTION // CDC Youth Tobacco Survey Data
CASAA President Danielle Jones has created a series of graphics explaining how to correctly read the (intentionally?) confusing CDC Youth Tobacco Survey Data because so many people seem to be getting it so horribly wrong. Save this one so you can use it later!
https://twitter.com/DanielleTHR/status/1582838253245190144
FDA // A Political Moving of Goal Posts
FDA has issued a marketing denial order (MDO) for a menthol vapor product because the company didn’t demonstrate that the flavor was “more effective” than tobacco flavor.
This is a clear “moving of the goal posts” for vapor products in an attempt to bow to the political pressure against non-tobacco flavors. Menthol and other vape flavors should be evaluated for their OWN harm reduction effectiveness, NOT how they compare to tobacco-flavored products! Imagine the FDA saying it wouldn’t approve cherry-flavored nicotine gum because the pharmaceutical company didn’t demonstrate that cherry was a more effective flavor than mint!
Tobacco-flavored vapor products won’t be at all “effective in promoting complete switching or significant cigarette use reduction…among adult smokers” if people won’t even use them because they don’t like the flavor!
FDA // Regulatory Destruction of Small Businesses
Brian King, the director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), said in a press release, “We will not stand by as manufacturers repeatedly break the law, especially after being afforded multiple opportunities to comply.”
Except many “smaller- and medium-sized manufacturers, with the burden of proof on them and little, if any, concrete direction from the regulator, simply did not bother to complete PMTAs. But even if they had, the outcome almost certainly would not have been in their favor.”
READ MORE: FDA Targets Small Vape Companies With Permanent Injunctions
FDA // Amanda Wheeler Reagan-Udall Statement
How is the FDA stopping “big tobacco” from “hooking” teens by destroying these small businesses, which are largely owned by and employ adults who quit smoking with vapor products (the kind rarely used by teens) and stopping them from helping millions of other adults do the same?
https://twitter.com/i/status/1583505621575700481
FDA // Juul Releases MDO and Appeal Documents
When a political or ideological agenda is corrupting the scientific process, can you trust the “science” anymore?
Are these actions truly in the interest of protecting public health or are they protecting…something else? You decide.
#Juul has decided to make its FDA Marketing Denial Order and the evidence behind its Appeal public. This provides a rare opportunity to see the details of part of FDA's PMTA process for a major #ecig product. https://t.co/Pyxvr3JtUT
— Jonathan Foulds PhD (@JonathanFoulds) October 21, 2022
READ MORE: Juul Labs’ Science- and Evidence-Based Appeal of the Marketing Denial Order
TOBACCO HARM REDUCTION // A Law Enforcement Perspective
Georgetown SME Adjunct Professor Edgar Domenech, a law enforcement expert, will be speaking about Tobacco Harm Reduction as an alternative to flavor bans at the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association Fall Conference.
“We need to do things smart,” he tells Wood TV8.
TOBACCO CONTROL // Bloomberg Health Rep Misleads the Public
No, it’s really not. It’s just guaranteeing that youth will only have the most harmful, combustible nicotine products (cigarettes) as the easiest to access. It’s the antithesis of “protecting youth” while simultaneously increasing the health risks for millions of adults.
“Today’s announcement by @US_FDA is a critical step toward ending the youth vaping epidemic. Flavored tobacco products target youth and banning these products is a critical step toward protecting youth from lifelong addiction to nicotine.”
~ Dr. Kelly Henning, Public health lead at Bloomberg Philanthropies
Today’s announcement by @US_FDA is a critical step toward ending the youth vaping epidemic. Flavored tobacco products target youth and banning these products is a critical step toward protecting youth from lifelong addiction to nicotine.
— Dr. Kelly Henning (@drkellyhenning) October 26, 2022
CASAA MEDIA // Spotify
CASAA’s podcast is now on Spotify! Please give us a follow here:
CASAA IN ACTION // Twitter Spaces
The week we recap the Reagan-Udall sessions with Amanda Wheeler, Tim Andrews and CASAA CEO Alex Clark, who all presented to the panel about FDA’s issues regulating reduced-harm products. What grade would you give FDA? Also available on CASAA’s Spotify channel (above.)
— CASAA (@CASAAmedia) October 26, 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!
This week, join Alex and Logan as they speak with tobacco harm reduction advocate Dr. Marewa Glover about the public health goal to make her country smoke-free by 2025 and how policy makers think they’re going to get there.
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:
Social Media Thumbnail Photo by Elsa Olofsson on Unsplash