CASAA Director Julie Woessner interviewed by ABC in Des Moines

[Vocalek]

Short version: ABC5 Special Report: E-Cigarettes in Iowa - ABC5 News Des Moines, IA

Longer version: Web Extra: Julie Woessner, Advocate for E-Cigs - ABC5 News Des Moines, IA

 

[Uma]

WTG Julie!!!

 

[Bob Chill]

Nice!

A couple quotes get under my skin:

As for the health hazards of just nicotine, doctors wait for more medical studies.

More medical studies? Nicorette has been OTC in the US since the 90's. And it's been approved for long term use along with other NRT's. I think 2 decades of use and constant surveillance by doctors and the drug companies covers enough studies. Millions of humans have been live subjects for years. Why are we starting over? Clear and present danger of nicotine was put to bed many years ago but not a single article about ecigs even hints at the subject.

Big changes are on the horizon for the e–cigarette. Too popular to be ignored by big tobacco, government and the health community, Americans as a whole have not yet decided whether this new technology is a vice or a virtue.

Why can't it be both a vice and a virtue? Humans are wired for vices. Not all vices are evil. We are creatures of habit and we are wired to seek pleasure. Rock climbing and skydiving are every bit a vice as drinking coffee and using an ecig. They are both a habit to increase pleasure in an individual's mind. Rock climbing and skydiving alter brain chemistry just as much as using a chemical directly.

I suppose it's near impossible at this stage to accept what's been coined as one of the worst vices has now been technologically advanced to relatively benign activity. It's either too good to be true or it's true and too good. We're in the too good to be true phase it appears. I do believe that will change. How long is anyone's guess.

 

[Kent C]

Humans are wired for vices. Not all vices are evil. We are creatures of habit and we are wired to seek pleasure. Rock climbing and skydiving are every bit a vice as drinking coffee and using an ecig. They are both a habit to increase pleasure in an individual's mind. Rock climbing and skydiving alter brain chemistry just as much as using a chemical directly.

This is an important point. Pleasure seeking is not a crime. So those who want to stop an activity have to find the part that constitutes a crime. For smoking and vaping that is second hand smoke and vapor. There are other 'created crimes' by socializing medicine where even the actions of an individual doesn't affect anyone else - EXCEPT that it causes others healthcare costs to rise - but only because health care is socialized. If people were responsible for their Own healthcare, then their individual actions wouldn't affect others - or at least wouldn't harm or rob from others. (ie. doesn't violate the rights of others).

That said, it's only the second hand vapor that should be a concern for others. I know that the healthcare situation as it exists is also a problem but that is a problem for other habits and lifestyles as well - eating, drinking, rock climbing ;-) etc. It's an easier argument to make. Focus on (and studies on) second hand vapor should be a priority, imo. And that gets to the 'traces' subject that Uma mentions. And it doesn't take 'long term studies' the way that vaping itself does.

 

[rothenbj]

The pleasure of controlling the pleasures of others is intoxicating and, of late, an epidemic.

 

[Toots Aplenty]

I messaged Senator Matt McCoy (the guy who says flavored liquids are "marketing to minors") on his Facebook wall giving my testimony and support for the ecig industry. What does he do? Deletes my post and bans me from his page. Other people have posted their support of ecigs on his page but they haven't been removed.
I was civil, polite and informative and that's probably what he didn't like; informed and intelligent individuals who have done their research. So I emailed the sniveling coward expressing my concerns about an elected official censoring opposition to their personal biased opinions matt.mccoy@legis.iowa.gov