Young adults choosing vaping over smoking. Study finds vaping is likely safer than smoking for the heart. American Heart Association doubles down on anti-vaping. Questioning FDA strategy. Truth Initiative says “we” don’t need/want vaping. JUUL submits new device to FDA. Call to Action and more!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a link to the audio/video versions of this post!
CALL TO ACTION // Maine Flavor Ban
TOBACCO HARM REDUCTION // Young Adults Choose Vaping Over Smoking
This article has a negative spin on what should be considered good news!
Young adults vape more and smoke less than older adults, PLUS they’re vaping at a far lower rate than they smoked a decade ago (11% vape today vs 23.4% smoking in 2003).
The next generation is REPLACING high risk smoking with low risk vaping and it’s delusional to think they wouldn’t otherwise be smoking without access to vapor products.
How many young adults smoked cigarettes 20 years ago because no healthier alternatives were available?
🤔— noparty. (@nopartyfits) July 21, 2023
READ MORE: Over 1 in 10 young adults regularly use e-cigarettes, CDC report says
TOBACCO HARM REDUCTION // Time to Change the Way We Look at Youth Vaping
“Underage vaping continues to dominate discourse and drive public policy. Daily, alarmist media headlines feed the anxieties of parents, teachers and public health officials and have created a full-blown moral panic. However, the fear of youth vaping greatly exceeds the objective threat it poses—and benefits are almost universally overlooked.”
~Dr. Colin Mendelsohn
Much moral panic about youth vaping. But a hard-nosed public health analysis shows it is a mix of experimental, transient and inconsequential OR a diversion from smoking and therefore highly beneficial.
Bravo @ColinMendelsohn for calling it👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽 https://t.co/P6wTSTZNng
— Clive Bates (@Clive_Bates) July 15, 2023
READ MORE: It’s Time to Change the Way We Look at Youth Vaping
TOBACCO HARM REDUCTION // An Integrated Approach
“It’s time to get over our instinct to tell people to “just quit” whatever they’re doing, which too often really means—whether we intend it to or not—“serves you right” or “quit or die.” Together, we can change the conversation and urge policymakers to give people access to information and tools that can improve and save their lives.”
~ Jessica Shortall
Harm Reduction Belongs Everywhere
"It’s time to get over our instinct to tell people to “just quit” whatever they’re doing, which too often really means—whether we intend it to or not—“serves you right” or “quit or die.” Together, we can change the conversation and urge…— Allison (@alli_vapes) July 21, 2023
READ MORE: Harm Reduction Belongs Everywhere
RESEARCH // Smoking vs Vaping Effects on the Heart
In layman’s terms: those who switched to vaping had a SIGNIFICANTLY lower adverse result (40% & 50%) than those who smoked (110% & 100%) compared to never-users & previous smoking was a factor for the vapers. While the article attempts to downplay the adverse results from vaping as only being “to a lesser extent” than smoking, they cannot hide the fact that the difference is actually quite significant. This is compelling “harm reduction” potential!
Additionally, vapers who had never smoked had significantly lower adverse results than vapers who had previously smoked, suggesting that it was likely the previous smoking (and not the current vaping) that caused the higher adverse results.
Ironically, just as this study was published, the American Heart Association doubled down on its insistence that vaping was linked to heart disease in a new report.
Researchers identified early signals of #atherosclerosis in blood samples from young people who smoke tobacco #cigarettes or #vape, though to a lesser extent among the latter @UCLAHealth @HealioPulm #cardiotwitter https://t.co/T0IJI5IiGm
— Cardiology Today (@CardiologyToday) July 16, 2023
READ MORE: Early atherogenic signals identified in young smokers and e-cigarette users
TOBACCO CONTROL // American Heart Association’s Anti-Vaping Report
Contrary to the headline, this report fails to identify any “confirmed” health risks. It’s just a regurgitation of poorly-designed/biased studies that have largely been debunked, plus the typical rhetoric, misinformation and complete omission of the BENEFITS of harm reduction.
Ironic that British Heart Foundation releases report that e-cigarettes markedly improve vascular function in Smokers relating to Heart Disease & American Heart Association campaign strongly condems e-cigarette use, with no evidence to support misleading claims, At the Same Time!
— William Billy (@BillyBobby223) November 18, 2019
READ MORE: Current evidence identifies health risks of e-cigarette use; long-term research needed
TOBACCO CONTROL // Truth Initiative Thinks It Speaks for Vapers
“We don’t need these products. We don’t want to use these products.”
~ Stacy Gogosian, Truth Initiative
No. You don’t get to speak for the millions of us who DO need and want these products.
What else will “we” not need or want once nicotine is gone? Alcohol? Cannabis? CBD?
These people are prohibitionist extremists and need to get real jobs, maybe jobs where they can help people instead of control and hurt them ->
Nicotine Prohibition Is the Goal of Truth Initiative’s “Gamechanger” https://t.co/uhqMG0NaZq @Filtermag_org @MarcGunther
— B Fojtik (@PositiveEnerG) July 20, 2023
READ MORE: Nicotine Prohibition Is the Goal of Truth Initiative’s “Gamechanger”
FDA // Questioning the Strategy
“There hasn’t been a new smoking cessation tool approved in 17 years. And though FDA has stated that e-cigs are a less-harmful alternative for adult smokers, marketing denial orders for menthol vapes show that the agency has a standard that some see as impossibly high.”
~ Katherine Foley
This is a very important thread from Politico's @katherineefoley on @FDATobacco's problematic approach to regulation of mentholated tobacco products – both cigarettes and #ecigs. Highly recommend it to all who care about this major issue. 👇 https://t.co/nf1jzvLCSK
— Cliff Douglas (@cdoug) July 21, 2023
READ MORE: Experts say the Biden administration could blow its biggest chance to get smokers to quit
FDA // “Progress” on Reagan-Udall Report
In summary, nothing changed. The FDA is on track to destroy the independent US vapor product market, effectively handing it over to the tobacco industry, while deadly combustible cigarettes will keep being sold – just with no menthol & far less nicotine.
READ MORE: FDA Provides Update on Reagan-Udall Tobacco Panel
INDUSTRY NEWS // JUUL Submits New Device to FDA
“The device has Bluetooth capability and a mobile- and web-based application that allows age verification and device locking, and prevents the use of third-party “compatible” Juul pods….
Based on the FDA’s track record reviewing and making decisions on PMTA submissions, Juul can expect at least a two-year wait before the agency makes an initial determination as to whether the new device is “appropriate for the protection of public health”—and possibly years of legal wrangling after that.”
CASAA director Jim McDonald reporting for Vaping360.
READ MORE: Juul Labs Submits PMTA for 2G JUUL Device
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 (@CASAAmedia) October 26, 2022
CASAA IN ACTION // CASAA Live
On this episode of CASAA Live, join CASAA CEO Alex Clark and CASAA Member Coordinator Kristin Noll-Marsh as they reveal why they started vaping and discuss the importance of consumer testimonials!
If you missed the last CASAA Live episode you can catch up NOW before the show comes back in September after the summer hiatus!
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: