Vaping research, petition to WHO update, Calls to Action for Windsor, CA and Edgewater CO. Update for DC. Heads Up in Michigan. CASAA in Action and more.
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a link to the audio/video versions of this post!
CALL TO ACTION // Windsor, CA Sales Ban
The total sales ban of nicotine vaping products (and flavors in all other low-risk tobacco products) has had the first reading, but the city council found the ban reasonable. There will be another public hearing before it’s official, so continue sending in comments!
Another council presenting it’s illiteracy on science to the world – and it’s hypocrisy towards other vices, as right above (second from left) them hangs a banner promoting fermented fruits.
— Dave (@bk13051) July 22, 2021
HEARING VIDEO: Joint Windsor Town Council Meeting
DO MORE: Windsor, CA – Stop a Total Vaping Sales Ban!
DO MORE: If you live in California, join the CASAA California Facebook Group
CALL TO ACTION // Edgewater, CO Flavor Ban
The ordinance to ban flavored vapor and tobacco products passed unanimously on first reading. It will come back for discussion and a vote at the next Edgewater City Council meeting. Residents are still encouraged to make contact with council members prior to the final vote!
Edgewater, Colorado, a suburb of Denver with a population of 5,300, voted tonight on first reading to ban the sale of all flavored tobacco and nicotine products.
The goal is a statewide ban and anti-harm-reduction groups are going city-to-city to find sponsors. https://t.co/zflfKRHVuq pic.twitter.com/x0wolAtDo8
— Gregory Conley (@GregTHR) July 21, 2021
DO MORE: Edgewater, Colorado – Stop a Flavor Ban!
DO MORE: If you live in Colorado, join the CASAA Colorado Facebook Group
RESEARCH // Switching Completely
This New Zealand study confirms that switching to vaping from smoking is a different journey for each person–something vaping advocates have known for years. Vaping researcher Professor Janet Hoek said the observed variety in behaviors implied traditional smoking cessation program goals were too ‘‘simplistic.’’
“Classifying behaviours using point-prevalence categories, like achieving ‘smoke free’ status after 12 weeks, may be simplistic, especially during the early stages of an ENDS-assisted quit attempt. Cessation support programmes involving ENDS may need to run for longer than the conventional 12-weeks to ensure people have access to support during what could be an extended period of movement between smoking and ENDS use,” she explains.
Put simply, the “dual use” often used as a point of criticism against the efficacy of vaping for smoking cessation is based on a outdated tobacco control standards and expectations. Vaping is vastly different than gums or patches, and varied dual use periods should be expected.
The variable journey from #smoking to vaping https://t.co/VlvcBCPcVS
— Medical Xpress (@physorg_health) July 22, 2021
READ MORE: The variable journey from smoking to vaping
RESEARCH // Vaping and COVID-19
Ignoring all of the real world studies finding no increased risk for humans contracting COVID-19 due to vaping, the authors claim their study of mice “provides further evidence for vaping being a risk factor for COVID-19.” (Mice definitely shouldn’t vape.)
In humans, however, other researchers have theorized nicotine may actually be protective against COVID-19 infection. If they do become infected, scientists found that COVID-19 patients who smoked were found to have worse outcomes than non-smokers. Mysteriously, those who had already quit smoking (ie. “former smokers”) appeared to the worst outcomes.
This is mostly media critique, but congressional Democrats were also using the pandemic as an excuse to pressure the FDA last year to enact complete prohibition of e-cigarettes. From what we know now, the FDA was right to ignore them. https://t.co/D9UDpy4Gf8
— Jacob Grier (@jacobgrier) June 25, 2021
READ MORE: Vaping Increases Susceptibility to Coronavirus in Mice
HEADS UP! // Michigan Vape Tax
Senate Bills 572 through 577 would impose excessive taxes, marketing restrictions and more on vapor products.
- Open-system vapor products (bottled e-liquid): 18% wholesale tax
- Closed-system vapor products (pre filled pods, cigalikes, etc.): 60c/mL
- Alternative Nicotine Products (like nicotine pouches): 50c/oz
The Michigan Senate isn’t back in regular session until September, at which time these bills are expected to move with urgency!
#NewResearch
Michigan's proposed 18% vapor tax would tax those who've quit smoking, while MI only spent $1.5M in 2019 on tobacco control.
Read more: https://t.co/rE0JbEZPIj#michigan #mileg #migov #tobaccoharmreduction #harmreduction #vaping #SayYesToTHR #vapingsaveslives pic.twitter.com/6lL9BdwHPg— Tobacco Harm Reduction 101 (@thr101org) June 22, 2020
DO MORE: Michigan – Stop a Vapor Tax!
DO MORE: If you live in Michigan, join the CASAA Michigan Facebook Group
CASAA IN ACTION // CASAA In The Media
Steven Greenhut at the R Street Institute gave CASAA’s Utah Call to Action–and THR in general–some great coverage in InsideSources!
Like CASAA, we at the R Street Institute take a more practical approach—one that focuses on ‘harm reduction.'”
READ MORE: Utah Nicotine Caps Derail Harm Reduction Efforts
UPDATE // Washington D.C. Ban
Mayor Muriel Bowser has signed into law the bill banning the sale of vaping and low risk tobacco product in non-tobacco flavors, including menthol. Flavor bans irresponsibly make it more difficult for people to quit smoking.
The evidence is overwhelming: DC's Science-denying flavor ban on life saving #vaping will increase smoking rates, hurt businesses, and make minorities law enforcement targets https://t.co/dM7ePQfRvG
— ATR (@taxreformer) June 19, 2021
READ MORE: DC Bans Sale of Menthol Cigarettes, Flavored Tobacco/Vapor Products
ADVOCACY // Stronger Together
This community is amazing! You exceeded the first goal of 5,000 signatures (by far) in just a few days and now the international Voices4Vape petition to the World Health Organization is already less than 200 hundred signatures shy of hitting the second goal of 7,500. The petition calls for the WHO to “start to follow its own constitutional mandate and the peer-reviewed science – which they have so far willfully and cynically failed to do.” Keep the momentum going!
Don't let your right to choose alternatives to smoking be taken away! – Sign the Petition! https://t.co/5nSaVciqSh via @ChangeAUS
— voices4vape (@voices4vape) March 23, 2021
DO MORE: Sign the Petition to the WHO
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 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.