Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer

What FDA ‘Surveillance’ Says Youth Are Vaping and More! Tobacco Harm Reduction News

September 15, 2023 Tobacco Harm Reduction News

What FDA’s “rapid surveillance and a data-driven approach” absurdly considers a “youth-appealing” vaping product.  UK says they will defy WHO anti-vaping directives. Fact-checking media misinformation. Some surprising new research. D.C. disinformation. CASAA Live replay and more!

Scroll to the bottom of this post for a link to the audio/video versions of this post!

FDA // What Is “Youth-Appealing?”

If the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products “rapid surveillance and a data-driven approach” considers this old-school vaping device as a “youth-appealing” product, then what WOULDN’T it consider “youth-appealing?” It’s patently absurd to believe these products are popular with anyone other than older vapers.

CASAA director Jim McDonald reporting for Vaping360.com.

READ MORE: FDA “Youth-Appealing” Warnings Include Basic Kanger Vape Pen

TOBACCO HARM REDUCTION // UK Will Defy WHO Anti-Vaping Directive

COP10 delegates from the US (really EVERY country) should show the same backbone as the UK delegation and tell the WHO where they can stuff their anti-THR policies — especially regarding banning adult access to affordable and appealing #vaping products!

ADVOCACY // Vaping “Doomsday Preppers”

One of the most poignant statements we’ve seen about the state of tobacco harm reduction, as told by advocate and Michigan shop owner Marc Slis.

A couple in their 70’s came into his shop and told him how they make their own e-liquid and “have several years of supplies, including frozen nicotine and plenty of backup hardware.”

Marc goes on to explain, “This is the reality of smoking cessation in the United States today. A couple in their late 70’s acting like doomsday preppers because US tobacco control policy, practically dictated by Gates, Bloomberg and the pharmaceutical industry, puts them at risk of returning to smoking.”

IN THE NEWS // Calling Out Media Misinformation

We must keep calling out misleading news stories such as this one by WAFF48 in Alabama. They not only falsely claim EVALI is “infectious,” but also fail to mention it was linked to vitamin E acetate in illicit THC vapes NOT to any ingredients (especially vitamin E acetate) in nicotine e-cigs. It’s unconscionable that CDC has allowed this misinformation to continue years later!

READ MORE: EVALI: Harmful ingredients in e-cigarettes cause permanent lung damage.

IN THE NEWS // Fact-Checking Media Misinformation

Quick fact check of yet another article filled with misinformation and lies:

– Vaping is NOT “marketed as healthy” or “safe.”

– Current scientific evidence DOES support vaping helps people quit smoking. They should look at studies beyond 2021.

– Adolescents are NOT “likely to transition from vaping to smoking cigarettes.”

– e-Cigarettes have NOT “been found to hurt heart and lung health” NOR have they contributed “to the hospitalization of 3,000 people in 2019.” That was EVALI linked to illicit THC vapes.

READ MORE: When it comes to tobacco, truly healthy alternatives are a myth | Guest Commentary

RESEARCH // Pre-Pregnancy Vaping Helps Prevent Smoking

University at Buffalo researchers compared abstinence rates between 2 groups using data from 1,329 pregnant women through the U.S. Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (2016 – 2020). They found those using e-cigarettes before pregnancy were MORE LIKELY TO ABSTAIN FROM SMOKING later in pregnancy.

READ MORE: People who used e-cigarettes before pregnancy were more likely to stop smoking than those using nicotine replacement therapy

RESEARCH // Latest Cochrane Report On Smoking Cessation

E-cigs, varenicline and cytisine were most likely to help people quit smoking. For every 100 people, e-cigs led the pack with up to 19 likely to quit smoking by using them; cytisine with up to 18 likely to quit and varenicline with up to 16 likely to quit. Only 6 in 100 people are likely to quit when using no medicine/e-cigs or placebo.

READ MORE: How effective are medications and e-cigarettes for quitting smoking, and what works best?

RESEARCH // Studying Interventions to Combat Stigma

Patients face rising stigma when diagnosed with lung cancer and smoking-related diseases that is associated with poorer psychosocial outcomes, including distress and isolation, delayed help-seeking, and concerns about the quality of care.

READ MORE: Stigmatization of smoking-related diseases is a barrier to care, and the problem may be on the rise

RESEARCH // Nicotine Treatment Aiding “Long COVID” Sufferers

Well, this tweet blew our minds:

And here’s a paper published in BioMed Central that backs it up:

“Treating several individuals suffering from post-COVID-19 syndrome (AKA “Long COVID”) with a nicotine patch application, we witnessed improvements ranging from immediate and substantial to complete remission in a matter of days.”

READ MORE: Is the post-COVID-19 syndrome a severe impairment of acetylcholine-orchestrated neuromodulation that responds to nicotine administration?

RESEARCH // Based On A False Premise

This study found changes that “mimic” those seen in COPD and have the “potential” to cause inflammation and tissue damage. However, they rely on a FALSE PREMISE there’s a “perception that e-cigarettes are SAFE” rather than HARM REDUCTION and didn’t bother to compare their results to cells exposed to SMOKE.

Meaning, researchers failed to investigate whether or not the effects from vapor were far less than what they’d have found with smoke. Considering many with COPD who switch to vaping report that their symptoms lessen or even disappear altogether, failing to also consider the harm reduction potential of vaping compared to smoking is highly irresponsible.

READ MORE: Study finds vaping renders frontline immune cells unable to move to meet threats

RESEARCH // Does Vaping Really Cause Chronic Stress?

This study does NOT show “whether stress caused an increase in vaping, or whether vaping increased experiences of stress, or if another factor led to an increase in both.”

However, according to the NIH website, “Stress is a well-known risk factor in the development of addiction.” So…maybe someone would tell these researchers that “well-known” fact and they shouldn’t be trying to blame the vaping?

READ MORE: Young people who vape more likely to report chronic stress

RESEARCH // Snus Review Uses Dubious Studies

Researchers conclude snus use “entails a cancer hazard where the magnitude of cancer risk may be affected by user history and the susceptibility of the host.” Of course, they didn’t take HARM REDUCTION into consideration. Many snus users in Sweden would likely be smoking if snus wasn’t an option, which would have not only the much higher risk of these same cancers, but also all of the much more deadly risks of inhaling SMOKE.

A pretty lackluster conclusion. This review also included some dubious studies – especially the ones about pancreatic cancer – neither of which controlled for important variables including alcohol consumption and diabetes. (See this study review: Snus: a compelling harm reduction alternative to cigarettes)

READ MORE: Study shows link between the tobacco product snus and cancer – researcher points out that the numbers are small

WORLD NEWS // An Unrealistic Endgame

Note the new endgame language: “Crackdown on tobacco and nicotine addiction.” This language is very stigmatizing to consumers of these products rather than addressing the actual health risks that come from use – which are nearly all from SMOKING. Whatever happened to the noble and far more realistic goal of “reducing disease and premature death due to SMOKING?”

TOBACCO CONTROL // Disinformation In D.C.

“Based on the evidence that nicotine e‑cigarettes are an effective tobacco harm reduction tool, it is not unreasonable to ask if the DC Department of Health’s anti‐​vaping campaign should be classified as DISINFORMATION.”

READ MORE: Is the DC Department of Health Embarking on a Disinformation Campaign to Snuff Out Tobacco Harm Reduction?

TOBACCO CONTROL // Doctor Misrepresents Vaping Health Risks

This article by Dr. Poulikidis Hackensack Meridian Health is about as BAD as it gets. He gives readers the FALSE IMPRESSION that nicotine e-cigs cause EVALI (without mentioning the true cause: illicit THC vapes,) then states there’s a “link” between vaping and popcorn lung, lipoid pneumonia and primary spontaneous pneumothorax (collapsed lungs.)

However, the “links” he speaks of are so weak that they may as well be non-existent. There have been no reported cases of popcorn lung from vaping, nor have any of the cases of vapers with lipoid pneumonia or primary spontaneous pneumothorax been CONFIRMED to have been caused by the vaping. In fact, lipoid pneumonia is linked to inhaling fats/oils not found in vapor products and the cases of primary spontaneous pneumothorax occurred in young people who were already at high risk for the condition (ie. tall and thin) even if they weren’t vaping!

READ MORE: Signs Vaping May Be Causing You Long Term Damage

CASAA MEDIA // Spotify

CASAA’s podcast is 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 IN ACTION // CASAA Live

On this episode of CASAA Live, join CASAA CEO Alex Clark , Vice President Logan Evans and Member Coordinator Kristin Noll-Marsh as they recap what happened over the summer in Tobacco Harm Reduction.

If you missed the last CASAA Live episode you can catch up NOW before the show comes back on Saturday, September 23rd!

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: