Research shows taxes on vaping products increases young adult smoking. Court blocks Washington County, OR flavor ban. CASAA in Bloomberg article. Triton loses appeal and more!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a link to the audio/video versions of this post!
CALL TO ACTION // National – Synthetic Nicotine Citizen’s Petition
A Citizens’ Petition on behalf of the American Vapor Manufacturers Association (AVM) has been posted to Regulations.gov and is open NOW for comments/support!
The petition is asking FDA to do the following:
- Use its enforcement discretion to allow the continued marketing of open system products that use synthetic nicotine for which a premarket application (PMTA) has been submitted, through July 13, 2022, and until FDA completes its scientific review; and,
- Allow for these manufacturers to continue submitting additional data and amendments for their application.
LEAVE A COMMENT: Support a citizens’ petition to keep safer, open-system synthetic nicotine products legally available for people who smoke
CALL TO ACTION // National – Menthol Ban
Starting on May 4, 2022, the FDA is accepting comments on two proposed rules banning the use of flavors other than tobacco in combustible tobacco products.
Whether you’re supporting the rule or opposed, one thing we can all agree on is that people who smoke need safer alternatives to cigarettes — mentholated or not!
While the FDA is moving ahead with banning more tobacco products, it is failing to authorize a meaningful variety of e-liquids and devices that are responsible for recent accelerated declines in smoking.
In addition to sharing your views on banning menthol cigarettes and other flavored combustible products, take this opportunity to urge FDA to ensure that people have access to safer forms of nicotine delivery that are enjoyable and affordable–like vaping, nicotine pouches, and smokeless tobacco products.
TAKE ACTION: FDA Menthol Ban – Submit Your Comments
LEGAL BRIEF // Washington County, Oregon Flavor Ban
Judge temporarily blocked Washington County flavor ban: Judge Andrew Erwin issued his opinion on July 5th, stating the county can’t immediately require stores to stop selling, since the county had no immediate plans to enforce the ordinance.
Washington County's ban on flavored tobacco products has been put on hold again, as multiple lawsuits play out in court. https://t.co/1sQAvnpzFx
— ForestGroveNewsTimes (@FGNewsTimes) July 8, 2022
READ MORE: Washington County flavored tobacco ban on hold yet again
LEGAL BRIEF // Fifth Circuit Court Rules Against Triton
CASAA’s Jim McDonald reporting for Vaping360 explains what happened and what may come next.
Fifth Circuit Court Rules Against Triton.
By Jim McDonald @whycherrywhy https://t.co/bGWyBXNF9i— Vaping360 (@Vaping360) July 21, 2022
READ MORE: Fifth Circuit Court Rules Against Triton
AROUND THE WORLD // Brazil E-cig Ban
Brazil fails to accept proven concept of harm reduction, relies on false WHO claims that vaping is a “gateway” to smoking and prioritizes tiny health risks for never-smokers over massive risk reduction for people who smoke.
Muito mais seguro que cigarro industrializado. Uma burrice
— Heitor Bacula (@heitorbacula) July 8, 2022
READ MORE: Brazil Maintains E-cigarette Ban
RESEARCH // Vaping & Smoking Cessation
A promising new study from the UK found that “distribution of [nicotine vapor products] combined with pharmacy support appears to be an agreeable and effective intervention for smoking cessation,” (but further data are needed.)
I honestly had to check the year this came out.
‘Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are small, hand-held, battery-operated devices that resemble cigarettes’
Evaluation of a pharmacy supported e-cigarette smoking cessation intervention in NW England https://t.co/BVb7hFe508— Louise (@grannylouisa) July 13, 2022
READ MORE: Evaluation of a pharmacy supported e-cigarette smoking cessation intervention in Northwest England
RESEARCH // Vape Tax Consequences
Yale research finds that increasing taxes on nicotine vaping products by $1 per mL reduced vaping in the 18-25 year old group by 2.5 percentage points BUT also caused a 3.7 percentage point increase in SMOKING in that same group.
Evidence that cigarettes are more lethal than nicotine vaping products suggests that a tax that increases smoking would be worse for public health than one that increases nicotine vaping, say the researchers.
https://twitter.com/mikepesko/status/1549737081378832386
READ MORE: Tax increases on e-cigs likely to boost cigarette smoking among young adults
JUNK SCIENCE // Vaping & Pregnancy
Despite the fact that they “did not have information regarding alcohol or other drug use by participants during pregnancy” including SMOKING, researchers ridiculously conclude that it was the vaping in the last 3 months of pregnancy that was associated with the unfavorable birth outcomes. Other studies have come to different conclusions–especially when compared to the possibility that the mother may otherwise continue to smoke.
Vaping in pregnancy
▪️Cochrane Review finds NO evidence of harm from #nicotine replacement products in pregnancy on birth outcomes (gum, lozenge) n=9 trials
▪️Similar finding likely from nicotine via #vaping in pregnancyhttps://t.co/ib7NtQSDJa pic.twitter.com/TNg3TIa6sM
— Colin Mendelsohn (@ColinMendelsohn) March 14, 2020
READ MORE: The Association Between Electronic Cigarette Use During Pregnancy and Unfavorable Birth Outcomes
CASAA IN ACTION // CASAA CEO Alex Clark Quoted in Bloomberg Law article
“The impossible application deadline for synthetic nicotine products was never intended to ensure that consumers are protected. Removing these products will do very little to decrease demand among curious youth and will certainly make it more difficult for people to quit smoking.”
The FDA said it’s issued warnings to more than 100 retailers for illegally selling synthetic nicotine products to underage Americans, marking its first enforcement steps in an area that has long gone without federal oversight. https://t.co/mNslQscZco
— Celine Castronuovo (@cecelou18) July 14, 2022
READ MORE: Tobacco-Free Vape Makers Face First FDA Enforcement Moves
TOBACCO CONTROL // War On Nicotine
With things like inflation, violence and far more concerning health issues US citizens are facing these days, “the Biden administration is expending a weirdly large amount of energy on an entirely separate issue: regulating the sh*t out of nicotine.”
As the @JoeBiden administration increasingly supports #harmreduction for illicit drugs but foolishly opposes it for #tobacco/#nicotine, here's some useful advice for #ecig users.@INNCOorg @CASAAmedia@cdoug @Clive_Bates @MattFromSMM @PublicHealthhttps://t.co/TWJHObbzRM
— Ethan Nadelmann (@ethannadelmann) July 19, 2022
READ MORE: How to Prepare for a Juul Apocalypse
CASAA MEDIA // Spotify
CASAA’s podcast is now on Spotify! Please give us a follow here:
CASAA IN ACTION // Twitter Spaces
Join the CASAA Twitter Spaces panel as we discuss YouTube’s censorship of vaping with CASAA director Matt Culley (@MattFromSMM) whose channel has faced unprecedented assault for helping to promote safer nicotine products.
Starting NOW! Join us as we discuss YouTube’s censorship of vaping with Matt Culley (@MattFromSMM) whose channel has faced unprecedented assault for helping to promote safer nicotine products.https://t.co/8pvTSnljCN
— CASAA (@CASAAmedia) July 20, 2022
CASAA IN ACTION // CASAA Live
NOTE: CASAA Live will be on hiatus for the summer and will be returning in September. In the meantime, replay audio from the CASAA Twitter Spaces will be broadcast on our YouTube channel in the same Saturday timeslot.
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 Twitter Spaces episode was originally recorded on July 20, 2022*
The CASAA panel talks vaping & mental health with Dr. Colin Mendelsohn and Dr. Cheryl Olson, addressing the latest misinformation campaign from Truth Initiative.
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: