Colorado to consider ban on Dissolvable Tobacco Products

[Vocalek]

Here is the the news story:

Tobacco products that really suck | IndyBlog

tobacco products that really suck

Posted by Pam Zubeck on Fri, Aug 5, 2011 at 9:32 AM

The Colorado Board of Health will take up the matter of dissolvable smoke products at a board meeting Aug. 17. The board could decide that day to adopt a resolution opposing the marketing of such products.

The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Sabin-Cleere Conference Room, Building A, at 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South in Denver. Here's the release from the Board of Health:

DENVER — On Aug. 17, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., the Colorado Board of Health will hold a public hearing at its regular monthly meeting to discuss health concerns related to new dissolvable tobacco products being test-marketed in the state.

Dissolvable tobacco products represent the newest line of tobacco products marketed by the tobacco industry. These products pose potential health concerns, particularly because of their appeal to youth. Some new dissolvable tobacco products resemble breath mints and strips. Counties throughout Colorado have reported seeing these new products in local stores.

“The Board of Health wants to provide an opportunity for public input on the sale of dissolvable tobacco products in Colorado. The public health concern is that the composition, packaging and flavoring may have a particular appeal to kids. In 1989, the board adopted a resolution opposing the marketing and sale of a new tobacco product, and the board may consider a similar resolution for these dissolvable tobacco products,” said Laura Davis, board president.

Colorado research has shown children have easy access to tobacco products, with nearly half the children who purchased tobacco illegally reporting they were not asked to show any proof of age.

Dr. Chris Urbina, executive director and chief medical officer at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said, “While data specific to tobacco dissolvables are not yet available, the research on cigarettes and tobacco is conclusive. Tobacco is highly addictive, and use of tobacco products can lead to cancer, heart disease and stroke.”

More than 80 percent of adults who use tobacco started before the age of 18. Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death and is a major driver in health care costs.

URGENT: Is there anyone who lives in the Denver area who could attend this meeting in person to speak?

CASAA can provide guidance on what to say, or even a complete prepared speech. Send email to board at CASAA.org to volunteer.

Here is the posted meeting agenda: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/op/bh/agendas/BOHAugust17AgendaAPPROVED.pdf

 

[Vocalek]

Here is some information from RJ Reynolds on their dissolvable products:

http://www.leg.state.or.us/committe...aterials/HB 3588/HB3588MarkNelson04202011.pdf

And here is some from Star Scientific:

Ariva and Stonewall Official Site | Dissovable Tobacco | Smoke Free Tobacco

And I just found this. I wish I had this info before I presented to the FDA last month:

Star Scientific makes two dissolvable tobacco lozenges, Ariva and Stonewell, which are not subject to Chapter IX of Federal Food Drug & Cosmetic Act. In fact researchers from the Department of Psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina published a study last year arguing that dissolvable tobacco products "led to a significant reduction (40%) in cigarettes per day, no significant increases in total tobacco use, and significant increases in two measures of readiness to quit, either in the next month or within the next 6 months."

Tobacco Companies Work New Angles to Stabilize Revenues

 

[ByStander1]

OMG!!! Board up the Windows!!! "Counties ... have reported seeing these new products in local stores.

Sounds like a line out of a movie, "Alien ships have been sighted over all the major cities in the nation!"

 

[Pamdane]

I hope we are looking to allow these products?

 

[YKruss]

I hope we are looking to allow these products?

I hope you're serious - of cause they have to be allowed as part of a harm reduction.

 

[Anima]

There is no good thing that can't be ripped away by the government "for the sake of the children." I hate children so much.

 

[Vocalek]

I hope we are looking to allow these products?

Absolutely. I left this comment, and it provides potential content to anyone who would care to write to the CO State Board of Health.

Dissolvable tobacco products are no more dangerous to the health of children than Nicorette lozenges and gum. In fact, they are less dangerous because they are kept behind the counter with other tobacco products. In many stores, Nicorette products are shelved out in the open, even on the bottom shelf where children can easily pick them up. If you disbelieve this, go look for yourself. Research shows that smokers are using these products to reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke or to quit altogether. Dr. Chris Urbina is being imprecise when he credits “tobacco products” with the diseases caused by inhaling smoke: cancer, heart disease and stroke.

Decades of research on Swedish smokers who switched to snus, a low-nitrosamine type of moist snuff, show that they have no higher risk of disease than, and an equivalent life expectancy to, smokers who quit all use of nicotine products. Alternative products such as snus, dissolvable tobacco, and e-cigarettes are a boon to the 40% of smokers who are plagued by attention deficits, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, depression, anxiety, anger (or any combination of these) when they abstain from nicotine, and find no relief from these negative consequences until they resume using nicotine. Researchers estimate that smokers who switch to a modern smokeless tobacco product can reduce their disease risks by up to 99%. This provides smokers with a third option to the two equally unsatisfactory choices of quit (and become dysfunctional) or continue smoking (and die).

 

[Vocalek]

I tracked down the study mentioned on the Star Scientific site:

A pilot randomized study of smokeless tobacco use among smokers not interested in quitting: Changes in smoking behavior and readiness to quit

 

[Vocalek]

Oh, and here is the source for the 40% of smokers can't quit assertion:

Profiles in discouragement: two studies of variabi... [J Abnorm Psychol. 1998] - PubMed result

The 40% figure is also mentioned in this article by Dr. John Hughes: Smoking and Dependence

Multiple studies have found that the average duration of withdrawal is about three weeks and that a substantial proportion of smokers ( 40%) have withdrawal symptoms that last longer than three weeks [24]. I believe that it is this chronic, low grade discomfort that undermines smoking cessation.

For some of us, it's chronic all right. But far from "low grade."

 

[Vocalek]

CASAA Call to Action has been posted

 

[Stubby]

Absolutely. I left this comment, and it provides potential content to anyone who would care to write to the CO State Board of Health.

I left a comment after you did and today both comments are gone. There appears to be a bit of censorship going on at the Independent. Perhaps it's just my browser but that's what I'm seeing.

 

[Vocalek]

This just in: Contact information for all the Board Members

Please call or write as soon as possible. See CASAA.org


President
Laura J. Davis
Ball Aerospace & Technologies
Health & Safety Director
9675 W. 108th Circle
Westminster, CO 80021
Office: 303-533-7095 Fax: 303-533-7249

Vice President
Christine Nevin-Woods, DO, MPH
Pueblo City-County Health Department
Executive Director
101 West 9th Street
Pueblo CO 81003
Office: 719-583-4512 Fax: 719-583-4554

Crestina Martinez
Costilla County Commissionner
P.O. Box 100
San Luis CO 81152
Office: 719-672-3372 Fax: 719-672-3962

Philip Mehler, MD
Denver Health Chief Medical Officer
777 Bannock Street, MC 0278
Denver, CO 80204
Office: 303-436-3234 Fax: 719-583-4554

Kindra Mulch
Kit Carson County Health and Human Services Director
P.O. Box 70
Burlington, CO 80807
Office: 719-346-7158 Fax: 719-346-8066

Glenn H. Schlabs
Sherman & Howard, LLC Attorney
90 S. Cascade Ave
Colorado Springs, CO. 80903
Office: 719-475-2440 Fax: 719-635-4576

Christopher S. Stanley, M.D.
United Healthcare Senior Medical Director
6465 Greenwood Plaza Blvd Suite 300
Centennial, CO 80111
Office: 303-267-3321

Joan Sowinski
High Altitude Health, LLC
Environmental and Occupational Health Consultant
16702 E. Berry Ln.
Centennial, CO 80015
Office: 303-332-7904

Susan Warren
2630 Clinton St.
Denver CO 80238
Home: 303-377-9554

 

[Vocalek]

I left a comment after you did and today both comments are gone. There appears to be a bit of censorship going on at the Independent. Perhaps it's just my browser but that's what I'm seeing.

Stubby: I am seeing Zero comments as well. Would you please reconstruct your comment and send it as a letter to the editor of the paper. Those are more difficult to censor.

letters@csindy.com

Hey Everyone

Please take the time to write a paragraph or two about how reduced-risk alternative products allow smokers who can't stop using nicotine to save their health and their lives.

Dissolvable tobacco products are just another smoke-free alternative like e-cigarettes and snus. What works for some won't work for others. We need to keep all alternatives available and affordable. These product are not much different from the pharmaceutical nicotine lozenges, but they are a lot more affordable. For smokers who can only afford to buy one pack at a time, a $50 or more investment to buy the smallest size package of NRTs represents a lot of money.

Be sure to reference the article http://www.csindy.com/IndyBlog/archives/2011/08/05/tobacco-products-that-really-suck that was published on August 5.

 

[Placebo Effect]

The meeting is happening now. You CAN testify by telephone.

Below are the instructions for participating in the Colorado Board of Health meeting via teleconference.

ACCESSING BOH TELECONFERENCES

1) Dial the conference access number: 1-866-899-5399

2) Dial the conference room number: *3529725* (Note: the star key must be pressed before & after the rm. #)

3) Wait to be added to the conference.

Please remember to mute your phone when you are not speaking and to place your cell phone on “silent” or “vibrate” to prevent disruptions to the teleconference.

 

[ByStander1]

Not very clear on phone. Who was senator just speaking on harm reduction?

Excellent! Brad's speaking now (1625 EDST)

Smoker Friendly rep now (1632 EDST)

 

[Vocalek]

Sen. Bob Hagedorn. His promoting the generic concept of harm reduction was a perfect lead in to Dr. Rodu.

(I think I'm in love with Dr. Rodu!!)

 

[ByStander1]

Sen. Bob Hagedorn. His promoting the generic concept of harm reduction was a perfect lead in to Dr. Rodu.

(I think I'm in love with Dr. Rodu!!)

Thanks,... and Ditto!!!

 

[ByStander1]

ANTZ on now (1641 EDST)

40% of who under 18 would want to try?" study?

I'm starting to agree with the "I hate the children group." LOL!

Yeah, 'Let's spend a ton of money notifying parents of this being out there.' Didn't mention any getting the information out there for smokers and saving their lives.

 

[ByStander1]

"These studies are in their infancy" blah blah blah = I say something terrifying and (possibly) fictitious.

Facebook page = marketing campaign?!!! Gonna put marketing firms out of business!!!

 

[ByStander1]

"Fact: Nicotine is the most addictive substance known to man." ??????????