[ Just paste broken links shown in purple directly into your browser - the extra line doesn't matter. Pls. PM me if you have more recent info. about proposed/actual legislation, if you think I've missed an important story, or if you want more tweaks to the formatting program. ]
1) Santa Clara Co. CA looks as if it will be the next jurisdiction to enact vaping=smoking rules - this time justified exclusively on the basis of the alleged minor-vaping-to-tobacco-smoking gateway.
2) BOHs in Western MA continue to move forward with 21 y.o. age limits and outdoor vaping bans.
3) Ames IA (and Story Co.) want to revisit minor bans for (?) clarification - initiated by vape store owners.
4) Nicotine gum a problem in India?
Coverage: India, US: MA, NY, PA, VA, OH, TN, IN, IA, MO, MT, CA
Also: Gary Cox on Vapestick - introducing vaping to Russia & Ukraine.
***
BLOGS, STUDIES, ETC.
Title: Vapestick Invades Russia AND Ukraine
(ECF's InfoZone)
Vapestick Invades Russia AND Ukraine - ECF InfoZone
UK firm introduces vaping to a new market.
***
INDIA
Title: Keep your kids away from nicotine gums
(India nat'l paper) http://timesofindia.indiatimes
.com/City/Bangalore/Keep-your-kids-away-from-nicotine-gums/articleshow/32447107.cms
Noteworthy only because of its reference to nicotine gum, which is allgedly become a problem in India after a traditional condiment called paan, (also known as gutka) was banned in some areas. Apparently nicotine is also the new tobacco in India, although it's hard to see how BP would ever allow NTR products to be portrayed in a negative light in the US or Europe without addressing it.
***
US: NATIONAL
Title: How towns and states are slowing the growth of e-cigarette sales
(Convenience and Fuel store trade 'zine) http://www.cspnet
.com/sites/default/files/magazine-files/CoverStory_TOBSUP_2014.pdf
Looks as if this general survey was written some months ago, based on the references to regulation, as well as the number of jurisdictions that have decided to treat vaping as smoking (100 - this is at least two months old). There's also no mention of the recent ANTZ meme that vaping is a gateway to tobacco smoking. It also contains the canard that nothing is known about vaping. I was hoping for a bit more from this source. NJOY Pres. Craig Weiss suggests that time is on the side of vaping, because the science will eventually indicate that it's a valuable THR and harm reduction tool. Perhaps his optimism is also dated (i.e. from several months ago). Or maybe he lives in a bubble that's isolated from the US media.
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: OK To Vape In The Office? Cities, Feds and Firms Still Deciding
(US Nat'l Public Radio) http://www.npr
.org/blogs/health/2014/03/21/291139371/ok-to-vape-in-the-office-cities-feds-and-firms-still-deciding
This throwaway audio piece says very little of consequence, although the first line says that vaping is "supposed to be gentler to the smoker and those around them, reminds the viewer that BT is investing in vaping, and says "the rhetoric that e-cigarettes are a healthier alternative ramps up."
The reporter goes on to say: "And, in fact, little is known about what chemical compounds are in the products, or what their health impact might be." Finally we hear from Tim McAfee, who tells us again that nothing is known about what's in "them" or the "health effects."
So there you have it from NPR - another balanced piece. Vaping has no known benefits whatsoever to smokers who switch, and absolutely nothing is whatsoever known about what's in PVs or their effects on bystanders. The only good thing I can say for this audio report is that the ANTZ didn't drop a bunch of their usual junk about the minor-gateway-to-tobacco, or tin nanoparticles, volatile organic compounds, "vaping leads to more smoking, not less" etc. All we heard was that vaping is smoking.
---
US: MASSACHUSETTS
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Some fume over town e-cigarette regs (VIDEO)
(Lowell MA US local paper) http://www.lowellsun
.com/todaysheadlines/ci_25399178/some-fume-over-town-e-cigarette-regs
Vape store owners express consternation over the recent decision by the Westford City BOH to raise the age for vaping purchases to 21.
'Sandy Collins, director of the town's health-care services, said the action by the Board of Health was necessary to keep younger residents safe. 'The board felt strongly that when presented with growing research and evidence that e-cigarettes are a gateway drug, they voted unanimously,' Collins said. 'Eighty percent of adult smokers began smoking daily before 20 years of age, and 90 percent of persons who purchased cigarettes for distribution to minors are under 21.' [para breaks omitted, boldface added]"
[ HB 3726 would ban vaping wherever smoking is banned, see CASAA call: CASAA: Call to Action! Massachusetts E-Cigarette Usage Ban -- HB 3726 (formerly HB 3639) (UPDATED) ]
Title: B.O.H. approves new smoking regulations for Northampton
(Springfield MA US local ind. radio station) http://wwlp
.com/2014/03/21/b-o-h-approves-new-smoking-regulations-for-northampton/
Northhampton MA BOH bans vaping in public parks and within 25 feet of city buildings. No discussion of rationale, but the story is written in a way that makes no disctinction between vaping and smoking (for example, cigarette butts are mentioned.
---
US: NEW YORK
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Village of Lansing Considers Smoke Free Law
(Lansing NY US local paper) http://www.lansingstar
.com/news-page/10516-village-of-lansing-considers-smoke-free-law
Although this piece doesn't reference vaping, what's noteworthy about it is the position taken by the local Health Dep't official, when discussing an outdoor ban on the use of all tobacco products:
'Superintendent of Public Works John Courtney objected to a possible tobacco-free law. He said that his crew in the DPW uses chewing tobacco and argued that there is no second hand smoke associated with chewing tobacco, so that should continue to be allowed. 'I understand the smoking aspect of it,' he told Schiele. 'Your key points kept touching on the smoking aspect. These are adult men. They work hard. They're in there twelve hours a day. I think they know what's good for them and they can either do it or not do it. This eliminates that. Smoke free is different from tobacco free.' Schiele said he doesn't accept that they can make their own decisions about using tobacco because of its addictive nature. [para breaks omitted, boldface added]
---
US: PENNSYLVANIA
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: E-CIGARETTES: STILL MANY QUESTIONS
(Uniontown PA US local paper) http://www.heraldstandard
.com/columns/national_advice/consumer_reports/e-cigarettes-still-many-questions/article_b2510116-6c04-500a-ae8a-7f4c3d6a7da7.html
This is the six-week-old Consumer Reports "don't try vaping for cessation/THR" article. This seems to have more staying power than the dead puppy and poison control center call stories combined.
[ PA's SB 1055 a simple minor sales ban, hasn't passed the state sen. No other threats. ]
[REPOST due to new title - first reviewed 3/22/14]
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: JEFF EDELSTEIN: Forget banning smoking; it's time to outlaw cigarettes
(Delaware Co. PA US local paper) http://www.delcotimes
.com/opinion/20140323/jeff-edelstein-forget-banning-smoking-its-time-to-outlaw-cigarettes
Title: Why the government should ban cigarettes but grandfather' current smokers
(Lansdale PA US local paper) http://www.thereporteronline
.com/lifestyle/20140319/why-the-government-should-ban-cigarettes-but-grandfather-current-smokers
"My reasoning is simple: Because virtually all smokers start smoking as children, and I cant believe theres one adult smoker who looks back on that decision and thinks, 'Hey, you know what? That was a good choice I made back when I was a teenager. So glad I started smoking.' In short: No reasonable adult would ever pick up the habit. People start when theyre young, and then spend the rest of their life fighting off an addiction many studies claim is even more powerful than ....... So yeah. Enough is enough. One in five deaths in America each year would be avoided if every smoker could turn back time."
Evidently this writer doesn't know the difference between vaping and smoking. Nor is he apparently aware that not all e-juice contains nicotine. And this from someonewho describes himself as "a capitalist, as a libertarian-lite, as a 'dont tread on me'-type of character."
Readers will not be surprised to learn that he quit cold turkey some years ago. (What is it that they say about blood being thicker than water?)
---
US: VIRGINIA
Title: Vapefest: Where e-cigarette camaraderie is in the air along with haze
(US Nat'l Paper - Re: Herndon VA US) http://www.washingtonpost
.com/vapefest-where-e-cigarette-camaraderie-is-in-the-air--along-with-haze/2014/03/22/5c91d58c-b15f-11e3-a49e-76adc9210f19_story.html
Completely junk-free coverage of a vape meet. This sentence was a joy to read:
"Even after working the room for five hours and inhaling clouds of second-hand atomized propylene glycol, there are still interesting people to talk to and not a hint of dry eye or scratchy throat, or that icky feeling you might get from sucking tarry poison into your infuriated bronchi."
[ H218 simple minor sales ban is ready for Gov's sig. If you know anything about the other bills proposed in VA, please PM me. Also see these possibly not-current threads: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...cts-alternative-nicotine-products-minors.html *and* http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-bill-hb-26-would-ban-e-cig-sales-minors.html ]
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: E-Cigs get a closer look by the FDA.....do you know what you're (really) smoking?
(Virginia Beach VA US local paper online site) http://hamptonroads
.com/2014/03/ecigs-get-closer-look-fdado-you-know-what-youre-really-smoking
The author of this article is advertised as a "AASDN Nutrition Specialist" (this appears to be a "degree mill" as far as I can tell). And as soon as I saw Karen Blumenfeld's (of NJ GASP) trademark phrase vapor smoke, I knew that this was going to be a fairly dreadful hit job. (Inquiring minds would like to know whether Ms. Blumenfled came up with the elegant phrase on her own as a form of messaging, or whether this is a consequence of the fact that she's not what we might call a "native English talker speaker.")
Basically the author cuts-and-pastes large chunks out of NJ GASP's "white paper" on vaping, but she goofs in one regard - by citing a paper by Dr. Seigal (which perhaps she failed to actually read, but used because of its title). As indicated above, comments or e-mails to the editor would be helpful - the Virginia Pilot isn't some two-bit tumbleweed town rag.
---
US: OHIO
Title: Ecigarette report misrepresented [Greg Conley's letter]
(Toledo OH US local paper) http://www.toledoblade
.com/Letters-to-the-Editor/2014/03/23/Ecigarette-report-misrepresented.html
Greg Conley's letter addressing the use of junk statistics in the dreadful opinion piece reported in this space on 3/18.
[ OH's simple minor sales ban HB 114 signed, but we don't know anything specific about Gov. Kasich's tax proposal yet. ]
---
US: TENNESSEE
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Putnam putting tobacco settlement funds to use
(Cookeville, TN US local paper) http://www.herald-citizen
.com/view/full_story/24795122/article-Putnam-putting-tobacco-settlement-funds-to-use?instance=latest_articles
No junk in this piece, and it doesn't concern vaping. It merely notes that Putnam Co. will receive about $60K in order to:
"prevent children from beginning to smoke, particularly those in elementary school and those transitioning to middle school; help women who smoke during pregnancy to quit; and reduce infant and pre-school-aged children exposure to second-hand smoke"
I suspect the money intended to reduce teen smoking will likely be partly dedicated to lobbying local officials in order to support anti-vaping regulations.
[ Minor ban in place. CASAA supports HB 1461 which would exempt vaping from indoor clean air act: CASAA: Call to Action! (UPDATED) SUPPORT Tennessee Bill that Excludes E-Cigarettes from Smoking Bans and Tobacco Taxes ]
---
US: INDIANA
Title: Peering through the smoke and mirrors -- is vaping safe?
(Ft. Wayne IN US hospital web site) http://community.parkview
.com/blog/sharonransomobgyn/peering-through-the-smoke-and-mirrors-is-vaping-safe
Premise for the piece is that an MD is advising a patient about whether to conside vaping as THR/cessation. Junk numbers ar e cited for child/adult fatal nicotine exposure doses. But on a junk scale of 0 to 100 (where 100 is a perfect ANTZ score), this piece gets about a 10. Conclusion:
"Puff for puff, vaping an e-cigarette has been shown to deliver less nicotine into the bloodstream than conventional cigarettes. However, increased heart rate and blood pressures have been recorded in vapers as well as in smokers. Although vaping can be seen as a way to reduce the harm caused by conventional cigarettes and as a bridge to smoking cessation, I would urge caution in the use of e-cigarettes. Additional research is required to determine whether e-cigarettes will decrease or increase nicotine addiction, and whether the long-term effects of vaping on the heart and lungs will be as dangerous as those of conventional cigarettes." (para break omitted)"
[ Indiana passed a simple minor sales ban last year. Indiana's HB 1174 proposes to tax vaping in the same way as tobacco (24% of wholesale), it's still in Ways & Means. See: HB 1174: Taxation of electronic cigarettes. Amends the definition of tobacco product to include electronic cigarettes for purposes of the tobacco products tax. Hoosier Vapers and http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...5-hb-1174-taxation-electronic-cigarettes.html ]
---
US: IOWA
Title: Public hearing dates set for county e-cigarette proposal
(Ames IA US local paper) http://amestrib
.com/news/public-hearing-dates-set-county-e-cigarette-proposal
Story county meeting scheduled for 7pm on 3/31, Ames city council meeting on 7pm 4/4. Allegedly these two proposed ord.s were requested by local vape store owners, who want clarification of rules regarding sales to minors. Local vapers are encouraged to contact local vape stores for more information, and to ensure that everything possible is being done to prevent these proposed ord.s from morphing into vaping=smoking indoor/outdoor vaping bans. (That's no paranoid fantasy, it's occured before. No junk.
[ HF 2109 (formerly HSB 566) simple minor sales ban is ready for Sen. SF 2038 also a minor sales ban but would require tobacco licenses for vendors. @1
---
US: MISSOURI
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Makers, sellers of electronic cigarettes could face taxes
(KC MO US fox affiliate) http://fox4kc
.com/2014/03/22/makers-sellers-of-electronic-cigarettes-could-face-taxes/
Very short piece indicating that states are beginning to tax vaping. No junk.
[ Missouri presently only has a simple minor ban under consideration SB 841 = HB 1690 and: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...acco-derived-product-vapor-product-minor.html ]
---
US: MONTANA
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Few bans on selling, using, promoting e-cigarettes
(Great Falls MT US local paper) http://www.greatfallstribune
.com/article/20140323/BUSINESS/303230016/Few-bans-selling-using-promoting-e-cigarettes
General article cites the unregulated status of vaping. City-county health official is quoted:
'The city-county health department's Bronec said she personally would not recommend the use of e-cigarettes to anybody. 'The FDA does not fully know the risks associated with e-cigarettes,' she said. 'It has not done enough testing to conclude they are an effective smoking cessation device, such as nicotine patches or gum with controlled levels of nicotine,' Bronec said. 'And there have been a few studies that indicate some e-cigarettes have some of the same harmful chemicals found in tobacco cigarettes.' [para breaks omitted, boldface added]"
Your Correspondent believes that this is the beginning of a move to pass an indoor/outdoor vaping=smoking ord. MT doesn't presently have a statewide statute that does this.
[ The MT legislature will not be back in session until 2015. ]
---
US: CALIFORNIA
Title: [Santa Clara] County Moves to Regulate E-Cigarettes [in order to keep minors from smoking tobacco]
(San Jose CA US local paper) County Moves to Regulate E-Cigarettes | San Jose Inside
As with many recent indoor/outdoor vaping bans, this one is justified entirely on the grounds that it's needed to prevent minors from engaging in tobacco smoking.
From a memo written by the state/co. health & environmental dep'ts:
Children and teens are especially vulnerable to the re-normalization of smoking through e-cigs and their array of candy and fruit flavors that regular old cigarette companies have been banned from peddling since 2009, the county says. 'Youth are now witnessing smoking behaviors in public spaces that have been smoke-free for most, if not all, of their life, the report reads. 'Youth are also being exposed to e-cigarette advertising on television, something that has been prohibited for decades for traditional tobacco products.' [para breaks omitted]"
No date for the hearing has ben set, here's the link to the memo: http://sccgov.iqm2
.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=SplitView&MeetingID=4993&MediaPosition=&ID=70938
[ CA is under threat from a wide variety of legislation, such as an internet sales ban: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-shipment-e-cigarettes-anyone-california.html ]
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Q-Line: Up in vapor
(Santa Monica CA US local paper??) http://smdp
.com/q-line-up-in-vapor/133244
Allegedly a tenants' rights group is "asing city officials to ban [vaping]" - it's not clear whether this is in multi-unit buildings, or an outright ban.
***
Google Tips
to see whether there are bad things happening where you live, try this Google search (example for Rhode Island) -
rhode site:casaa.org
(Replace rhode with a single word that describes your city, county, or state. For ex., if you live in Eau Claire, WI - you might use "Claire" to see if something is being proposed at the city level. Don't forget the : (colon), and be sure that there's nothing before or after the colon (not even spaces or tabs.)
You can also try replacing site:casaa.org with e-cigarette to find out what the media is reporting in your area. This is usually most helpful if you use the search tools to search by date. (CASAA doesn't generally issue calls or alerts until a bill is out of a state legislative committee, or is scheduled for a local city or county hearing.)
1) Santa Clara Co. CA looks as if it will be the next jurisdiction to enact vaping=smoking rules - this time justified exclusively on the basis of the alleged minor-vaping-to-tobacco-smoking gateway.
2) BOHs in Western MA continue to move forward with 21 y.o. age limits and outdoor vaping bans.
3) Ames IA (and Story Co.) want to revisit minor bans for (?) clarification - initiated by vape store owners.
4) Nicotine gum a problem in India?
Coverage: India, US: MA, NY, PA, VA, OH, TN, IN, IA, MO, MT, CA
Also: Gary Cox on Vapestick - introducing vaping to Russia & Ukraine.
***
BLOGS, STUDIES, ETC.
Title: Vapestick Invades Russia AND Ukraine
(ECF's InfoZone)
Vapestick Invades Russia AND Ukraine - ECF InfoZone
UK firm introduces vaping to a new market.
***
INDIA
Title: Keep your kids away from nicotine gums
(India nat'l paper) http://timesofindia.indiatimes
.com/City/Bangalore/Keep-your-kids-away-from-nicotine-gums/articleshow/32447107.cms
Noteworthy only because of its reference to nicotine gum, which is allgedly become a problem in India after a traditional condiment called paan, (also known as gutka) was banned in some areas. Apparently nicotine is also the new tobacco in India, although it's hard to see how BP would ever allow NTR products to be portrayed in a negative light in the US or Europe without addressing it.
***
US: NATIONAL
Title: How towns and states are slowing the growth of e-cigarette sales
(Convenience and Fuel store trade 'zine) http://www.cspnet
.com/sites/default/files/magazine-files/CoverStory_TOBSUP_2014.pdf
Looks as if this general survey was written some months ago, based on the references to regulation, as well as the number of jurisdictions that have decided to treat vaping as smoking (100 - this is at least two months old). There's also no mention of the recent ANTZ meme that vaping is a gateway to tobacco smoking. It also contains the canard that nothing is known about vaping. I was hoping for a bit more from this source. NJOY Pres. Craig Weiss suggests that time is on the side of vaping, because the science will eventually indicate that it's a valuable THR and harm reduction tool. Perhaps his optimism is also dated (i.e. from several months ago). Or maybe he lives in a bubble that's isolated from the US media.
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: OK To Vape In The Office? Cities, Feds and Firms Still Deciding
(US Nat'l Public Radio) http://www.npr
.org/blogs/health/2014/03/21/291139371/ok-to-vape-in-the-office-cities-feds-and-firms-still-deciding
This throwaway audio piece says very little of consequence, although the first line says that vaping is "supposed to be gentler to the smoker and those around them, reminds the viewer that BT is investing in vaping, and says "the rhetoric that e-cigarettes are a healthier alternative ramps up."
The reporter goes on to say: "And, in fact, little is known about what chemical compounds are in the products, or what their health impact might be." Finally we hear from Tim McAfee, who tells us again that nothing is known about what's in "them" or the "health effects."
So there you have it from NPR - another balanced piece. Vaping has no known benefits whatsoever to smokers who switch, and absolutely nothing is whatsoever known about what's in PVs or their effects on bystanders. The only good thing I can say for this audio report is that the ANTZ didn't drop a bunch of their usual junk about the minor-gateway-to-tobacco, or tin nanoparticles, volatile organic compounds, "vaping leads to more smoking, not less" etc. All we heard was that vaping is smoking.
---
US: MASSACHUSETTS
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Some fume over town e-cigarette regs (VIDEO)
(Lowell MA US local paper) http://www.lowellsun
.com/todaysheadlines/ci_25399178/some-fume-over-town-e-cigarette-regs
Vape store owners express consternation over the recent decision by the Westford City BOH to raise the age for vaping purchases to 21.
'Sandy Collins, director of the town's health-care services, said the action by the Board of Health was necessary to keep younger residents safe. 'The board felt strongly that when presented with growing research and evidence that e-cigarettes are a gateway drug, they voted unanimously,' Collins said. 'Eighty percent of adult smokers began smoking daily before 20 years of age, and 90 percent of persons who purchased cigarettes for distribution to minors are under 21.' [para breaks omitted, boldface added]"
[ HB 3726 would ban vaping wherever smoking is banned, see CASAA call: CASAA: Call to Action! Massachusetts E-Cigarette Usage Ban -- HB 3726 (formerly HB 3639) (UPDATED) ]
Title: B.O.H. approves new smoking regulations for Northampton
(Springfield MA US local ind. radio station) http://wwlp
.com/2014/03/21/b-o-h-approves-new-smoking-regulations-for-northampton/
Northhampton MA BOH bans vaping in public parks and within 25 feet of city buildings. No discussion of rationale, but the story is written in a way that makes no disctinction between vaping and smoking (for example, cigarette butts are mentioned.
---
US: NEW YORK
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Village of Lansing Considers Smoke Free Law
(Lansing NY US local paper) http://www.lansingstar
.com/news-page/10516-village-of-lansing-considers-smoke-free-law
Although this piece doesn't reference vaping, what's noteworthy about it is the position taken by the local Health Dep't official, when discussing an outdoor ban on the use of all tobacco products:
'Superintendent of Public Works John Courtney objected to a possible tobacco-free law. He said that his crew in the DPW uses chewing tobacco and argued that there is no second hand smoke associated with chewing tobacco, so that should continue to be allowed. 'I understand the smoking aspect of it,' he told Schiele. 'Your key points kept touching on the smoking aspect. These are adult men. They work hard. They're in there twelve hours a day. I think they know what's good for them and they can either do it or not do it. This eliminates that. Smoke free is different from tobacco free.' Schiele said he doesn't accept that they can make their own decisions about using tobacco because of its addictive nature. [para breaks omitted, boldface added]
---
US: PENNSYLVANIA
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: E-CIGARETTES: STILL MANY QUESTIONS
(Uniontown PA US local paper) http://www.heraldstandard
.com/columns/national_advice/consumer_reports/e-cigarettes-still-many-questions/article_b2510116-6c04-500a-ae8a-7f4c3d6a7da7.html
This is the six-week-old Consumer Reports "don't try vaping for cessation/THR" article. This seems to have more staying power than the dead puppy and poison control center call stories combined.
[ PA's SB 1055 a simple minor sales ban, hasn't passed the state sen. No other threats. ]
[REPOST due to new title - first reviewed 3/22/14]
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: JEFF EDELSTEIN: Forget banning smoking; it's time to outlaw cigarettes
(Delaware Co. PA US local paper) http://www.delcotimes
.com/opinion/20140323/jeff-edelstein-forget-banning-smoking-its-time-to-outlaw-cigarettes
Title: Why the government should ban cigarettes but grandfather' current smokers
(Lansdale PA US local paper) http://www.thereporteronline
.com/lifestyle/20140319/why-the-government-should-ban-cigarettes-but-grandfather-current-smokers
"My reasoning is simple: Because virtually all smokers start smoking as children, and I cant believe theres one adult smoker who looks back on that decision and thinks, 'Hey, you know what? That was a good choice I made back when I was a teenager. So glad I started smoking.' In short: No reasonable adult would ever pick up the habit. People start when theyre young, and then spend the rest of their life fighting off an addiction many studies claim is even more powerful than ....... So yeah. Enough is enough. One in five deaths in America each year would be avoided if every smoker could turn back time."
Evidently this writer doesn't know the difference between vaping and smoking. Nor is he apparently aware that not all e-juice contains nicotine. And this from someonewho describes himself as "a capitalist, as a libertarian-lite, as a 'dont tread on me'-type of character."
Readers will not be surprised to learn that he quit cold turkey some years ago. (What is it that they say about blood being thicker than water?)
---
US: VIRGINIA
Title: Vapefest: Where e-cigarette camaraderie is in the air along with haze
(US Nat'l Paper - Re: Herndon VA US) http://www.washingtonpost
.com/vapefest-where-e-cigarette-camaraderie-is-in-the-air--along-with-haze/2014/03/22/5c91d58c-b15f-11e3-a49e-76adc9210f19_story.html
Completely junk-free coverage of a vape meet. This sentence was a joy to read:
"Even after working the room for five hours and inhaling clouds of second-hand atomized propylene glycol, there are still interesting people to talk to and not a hint of dry eye or scratchy throat, or that icky feeling you might get from sucking tarry poison into your infuriated bronchi."
[ H218 simple minor sales ban is ready for Gov's sig. If you know anything about the other bills proposed in VA, please PM me. Also see these possibly not-current threads: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...cts-alternative-nicotine-products-minors.html *and* http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-bill-hb-26-would-ban-e-cig-sales-minors.html ]
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: E-Cigs get a closer look by the FDA.....do you know what you're (really) smoking?
(Virginia Beach VA US local paper online site) http://hamptonroads
.com/2014/03/ecigs-get-closer-look-fdado-you-know-what-youre-really-smoking
The author of this article is advertised as a "AASDN Nutrition Specialist" (this appears to be a "degree mill" as far as I can tell). And as soon as I saw Karen Blumenfeld's (of NJ GASP) trademark phrase vapor smoke, I knew that this was going to be a fairly dreadful hit job. (Inquiring minds would like to know whether Ms. Blumenfled came up with the elegant phrase on her own as a form of messaging, or whether this is a consequence of the fact that she's not what we might call a "native English talker speaker.")
Basically the author cuts-and-pastes large chunks out of NJ GASP's "white paper" on vaping, but she goofs in one regard - by citing a paper by Dr. Seigal (which perhaps she failed to actually read, but used because of its title). As indicated above, comments or e-mails to the editor would be helpful - the Virginia Pilot isn't some two-bit tumbleweed town rag.
---
US: OHIO
Title: Ecigarette report misrepresented [Greg Conley's letter]
(Toledo OH US local paper) http://www.toledoblade
.com/Letters-to-the-Editor/2014/03/23/Ecigarette-report-misrepresented.html
Greg Conley's letter addressing the use of junk statistics in the dreadful opinion piece reported in this space on 3/18.
[ OH's simple minor sales ban HB 114 signed, but we don't know anything specific about Gov. Kasich's tax proposal yet. ]
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US: TENNESSEE
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Putnam putting tobacco settlement funds to use
(Cookeville, TN US local paper) http://www.herald-citizen
.com/view/full_story/24795122/article-Putnam-putting-tobacco-settlement-funds-to-use?instance=latest_articles
No junk in this piece, and it doesn't concern vaping. It merely notes that Putnam Co. will receive about $60K in order to:
"prevent children from beginning to smoke, particularly those in elementary school and those transitioning to middle school; help women who smoke during pregnancy to quit; and reduce infant and pre-school-aged children exposure to second-hand smoke"
I suspect the money intended to reduce teen smoking will likely be partly dedicated to lobbying local officials in order to support anti-vaping regulations.
[ Minor ban in place. CASAA supports HB 1461 which would exempt vaping from indoor clean air act: CASAA: Call to Action! (UPDATED) SUPPORT Tennessee Bill that Excludes E-Cigarettes from Smoking Bans and Tobacco Taxes ]
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US: INDIANA
Title: Peering through the smoke and mirrors -- is vaping safe?
(Ft. Wayne IN US hospital web site) http://community.parkview
.com/blog/sharonransomobgyn/peering-through-the-smoke-and-mirrors-is-vaping-safe
Premise for the piece is that an MD is advising a patient about whether to conside vaping as THR/cessation. Junk numbers ar e cited for child/adult fatal nicotine exposure doses. But on a junk scale of 0 to 100 (where 100 is a perfect ANTZ score), this piece gets about a 10. Conclusion:
"Puff for puff, vaping an e-cigarette has been shown to deliver less nicotine into the bloodstream than conventional cigarettes. However, increased heart rate and blood pressures have been recorded in vapers as well as in smokers. Although vaping can be seen as a way to reduce the harm caused by conventional cigarettes and as a bridge to smoking cessation, I would urge caution in the use of e-cigarettes. Additional research is required to determine whether e-cigarettes will decrease or increase nicotine addiction, and whether the long-term effects of vaping on the heart and lungs will be as dangerous as those of conventional cigarettes." (para break omitted)"
[ Indiana passed a simple minor sales ban last year. Indiana's HB 1174 proposes to tax vaping in the same way as tobacco (24% of wholesale), it's still in Ways & Means. See: HB 1174: Taxation of electronic cigarettes. Amends the definition of tobacco product to include electronic cigarettes for purposes of the tobacco products tax. Hoosier Vapers and http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...5-hb-1174-taxation-electronic-cigarettes.html ]
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US: IOWA
Title: Public hearing dates set for county e-cigarette proposal
(Ames IA US local paper) http://amestrib
.com/news/public-hearing-dates-set-county-e-cigarette-proposal
Story county meeting scheduled for 7pm on 3/31, Ames city council meeting on 7pm 4/4. Allegedly these two proposed ord.s were requested by local vape store owners, who want clarification of rules regarding sales to minors. Local vapers are encouraged to contact local vape stores for more information, and to ensure that everything possible is being done to prevent these proposed ord.s from morphing into vaping=smoking indoor/outdoor vaping bans. (That's no paranoid fantasy, it's occured before. No junk.
[ HF 2109 (formerly HSB 566) simple minor sales ban is ready for Sen. SF 2038 also a minor sales ban but would require tobacco licenses for vendors. @1
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US: MISSOURI
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Makers, sellers of electronic cigarettes could face taxes
(KC MO US fox affiliate) http://fox4kc
.com/2014/03/22/makers-sellers-of-electronic-cigarettes-could-face-taxes/
Very short piece indicating that states are beginning to tax vaping. No junk.
[ Missouri presently only has a simple minor ban under consideration SB 841 = HB 1690 and: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...acco-derived-product-vapor-product-minor.html ]
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US: MONTANA
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Few bans on selling, using, promoting e-cigarettes
(Great Falls MT US local paper) http://www.greatfallstribune
.com/article/20140323/BUSINESS/303230016/Few-bans-selling-using-promoting-e-cigarettes
General article cites the unregulated status of vaping. City-county health official is quoted:
'The city-county health department's Bronec said she personally would not recommend the use of e-cigarettes to anybody. 'The FDA does not fully know the risks associated with e-cigarettes,' she said. 'It has not done enough testing to conclude they are an effective smoking cessation device, such as nicotine patches or gum with controlled levels of nicotine,' Bronec said. 'And there have been a few studies that indicate some e-cigarettes have some of the same harmful chemicals found in tobacco cigarettes.' [para breaks omitted, boldface added]"
Your Correspondent believes that this is the beginning of a move to pass an indoor/outdoor vaping=smoking ord. MT doesn't presently have a statewide statute that does this.
[ The MT legislature will not be back in session until 2015. ]
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US: CALIFORNIA
Title: [Santa Clara] County Moves to Regulate E-Cigarettes [in order to keep minors from smoking tobacco]
(San Jose CA US local paper) County Moves to Regulate E-Cigarettes | San Jose Inside
As with many recent indoor/outdoor vaping bans, this one is justified entirely on the grounds that it's needed to prevent minors from engaging in tobacco smoking.
From a memo written by the state/co. health & environmental dep'ts:
Children and teens are especially vulnerable to the re-normalization of smoking through e-cigs and their array of candy and fruit flavors that regular old cigarette companies have been banned from peddling since 2009, the county says. 'Youth are now witnessing smoking behaviors in public spaces that have been smoke-free for most, if not all, of their life, the report reads. 'Youth are also being exposed to e-cigarette advertising on television, something that has been prohibited for decades for traditional tobacco products.' [para breaks omitted]"
No date for the hearing has ben set, here's the link to the memo: http://sccgov.iqm2
.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=SplitView&MeetingID=4993&MediaPosition=&ID=70938
[ CA is under threat from a wide variety of legislation, such as an internet sales ban: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-shipment-e-cigarettes-anyone-california.html ]
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Q-Line: Up in vapor
(Santa Monica CA US local paper??) http://smdp
.com/q-line-up-in-vapor/133244
Allegedly a tenants' rights group is "asing city officials to ban [vaping]" - it's not clear whether this is in multi-unit buildings, or an outright ban.
***
Google Tips
to see whether there are bad things happening where you live, try this Google search (example for Rhode Island) -
rhode site:casaa.org
(Replace rhode with a single word that describes your city, county, or state. For ex., if you live in Eau Claire, WI - you might use "Claire" to see if something is being proposed at the city level. Don't forget the : (colon), and be sure that there's nothing before or after the colon (not even spaces or tabs.)
You can also try replacing site:casaa.org with e-cigarette to find out what the media is reporting in your area. This is usually most helpful if you use the search tools to search by date. (CASAA doesn't generally issue calls or alerts until a bill is out of a state legislative committee, or is scheduled for a local city or county hearing.)
