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[kristin]

Researchers: “Regulatory agencies should be aware that the manufacturing process of adding synthetic coolants may increase the attractiveness of various e-cigarette products.”

That they can't wrap their heads around the fact that increasing the "perceived appeal and sensory experience of vaping" is a GOOD thing to help end smoking harms illustrates how much their moral objection to nicotine use overrides their common sense.

Effects of ‘Ice’ flavoured e-cigarettes with synthetic cooling agent WS-23 or menthol on user-reported appeal and sensory attributes | Tobacco Control

 

[kristin]

 

[kristin]

“A question I think matters, and is too rarely mentioned in our national conversation about drugs (legal or illegal) – not just why we shouldn’t, why it’s bad for us and for others, but also why we do, what social function it serves, and what our society is failing to provide that is fulfilled by these unhealthy and dangerous options.”
~ Coco Kahn

Why aren't we talking about why smoking seems to be making a comeback in some demographics? Good question.

Another good question to ask would be "What replaced the hole left by millions of people NOT using tobacco/nicotine products to cope?"

Why is smoking back? Could one reason be loneliness? | Coco Khan

More young people are taking up the habit, and one reason may be a need for the comfort of connection, says Coco Khan, a Guardian commissioning editor

www.theguardian.com

 

[kristin]

In his keynote, Professor Robert Beaglehole, formerly director of the Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion at the WHO, took aim at the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) treaty, highlighting that its failure to achieve success is because of its unrealistic drive for nicotine abstinence and a stubborn resistance to embracing less harmful products.

Ex-WHO Director Slams Its Tobacco Harm Reduction Denial

The WHO has "lost its way" by aiming for a "nicotine-free world" as smokers die, said Prof. Beaglehole. He wants an independent inquiry.

filtermag.org

 

[kristin]

Just ignore that nearly all of the "non-compliant" products are smoke-free nicotine products that eliminate exposure to deadly smoke, while the "compliant" products include combustible cigarettes.

This is what FDA considers “appropriate for the protection of the public health?”

 

[kristin]

Researchers report in an article in The Hill how bans result in companies offering customers something else to fill the gap. The authors point out the new products see significant sales increases and want the FDA to stop it. Completely lost on them is the fact that consumers have to WANT those new products for them to sell. Until they figure out how to stop consumers from wanting the products, they’ll never stop companies from trying to sell them – legally or illegally.

https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/4362670-fda-must-stop-companies-from-evading-upcoming-tobacco-rules/

 

[kristin]

The flavor ban in Multnomah County, OR -- the state's most populous county -- begins January 1st. Billed as a ban on flavored "tobacco," it's real target is low risk vaping products and, as seen with flavor bans that have been passed elsewhere, will likely result in increased SMOKING.

Flavored tobacco ban for Multnomah County set to start on Jan. 1 – Oregon Capital Chronicle

Multnomah County's ban on flavored tobacco products is set to go into effect on Jan. 1.

oregoncapitalchronicle.com

 

[kristin]

Researchers were surprised that only 57% of all of the people surveyed who smoke across 4 countries wanted to quit all forms of nicotine, with the remainder split between those preferring to switch to an alternative and 21% continuing to smoke or being uncertain.

We're not surprised at all.

Study finds one fifth of Australian smokers plan to keep smoking

Study finds one fifth of Australian smokers plan to keep smoking

www.unimelb.edu.au

 

[bombastinator]

The withdrawal is awful. There have been instances of people taking hostages. This law is liable to get someone killed. It’s stupendously wrongheaded. What they are attempting to fix won’t be changed by the law at all. The only group it helps are the cigarette companies.

 

[kristin]

"An estimated 85% of Black smokers use menthols, according to the FDA, compared to 30% of white smokers."

Menthol is a PREFERRED flavor, but there's ZERO science proving that they won't just switch to regular or illicit menthol cigarettes.

Furthermore, the fact that the FDA still hasn't authorized any reduced risk products (especially #vaping products) in menthol flavor will push more people who currently smoke menthol cigarettes to regular or illicit menthol cigarettes instead of to safer alternatives.

Top Biden officials meet with Black, public health leaders following menthol ban delay

Top Biden administration officials this week met with prominent civil rights and public health leaders in the wake of the administration’s decision to delay a ban on menthol cigarettes. …

thehill.com

 

[kristin]

The Dawson County, Montana Health Department used outdated 2020 data and the rat study "brain damage" claim to perpetuate the "youth vaping epidemic" myth. Current high school vaping (which includes taking even 1 puff in the past 30 days) dropped from 19.6% in 2020 to just 10% in 2023.

Even in Montana, current high school vaping (again, "current use" means taking even 1 puff in the past 30 days) dropped from 30.2% in 2019 to 26% in 2021 and the more concerning DAILY USE also dropped from 8.7% to just 6.7%.

Side Note: Current high school ALCOHOL use was at 31.4% in 2021!

Vape use remains high among high school students

Here in the United States, the federally mandated age to be able to purchase tobacco products is 21.

www.terrytribune.com

 

[kristin]

CASAA BLOG
Take the 2023 ECigIntelligence Adult #Vaping Survey. Senators ask FDA Commissioner to explain agency's "miniscule authorization rate." FDA VLN cigarette standards may be coming in April. Ex-WHO director slams its THR denials & more!

2023 ECigIntelligence Adult Vaping Survey & More! THR News

Take the 2023 ECI Vaping Survey. Senators ask FDA to explain "miniscule authorization rate." Ex-WHO director slams THR denial & more!

casaa.org

 

[bombastinator]

"An estimated 85% of Black smokers use menthols, according to the FDA, compared to 30% of white smokers."

Menthol is a PREFERRED flavor, but there's ZERO science proving that they won't just switch to regular or illicit menthol cigarettes.

Furthermore, the fact that the FDA still hasn't authorized any reduced risk products (especially #vaping products) in menthol flavor will push more people who currently smoke menthol cigarettes to regular or illicit menthol cigarettes instead of to safer alternatives.

Top Biden officials meet with Black, public health leaders following menthol ban delay

Top Biden administration officials this week met with prominent civil rights and public health leaders in the wake of the administration’s decision to delay a ban on menthol cigarettes. …

thehill.com

My understanding is that traditional menthol increases risk of problems with smoking. Iirc they were bad enough that they were banned from vaping years ago for that reason. They weren’t as bad as regular smoking and more or less disappeared in the noise there, but in e-cigs it was a big enough thing to be brought up.

Menthol is a crystal that can be dissolved in alcohol and added to vape juice. Whereas “ice” was a paste or a liquid or something. My memory was there is or were substitutes that were extremely similar (but not identical) that didn’t cause the problem. They were more expensive though. It would really irritate me if it turned out the real problem was that cigarette companies developed and went to the fake stuff because it was cheaper for them (but not vapers) and it was the fake stuff that caused issues. It might also be that they don’t want to switch to the more expensive thing because it might cost a ceo his third mistress or something so it’s getting whined about. That kind of evil garbage is the sort of things cigarette companies pull though.

 

[kristin]

Approval of the veto override in the Ohio Senate would prevent the favor ban enacted in Columbus from taking effect. It would also end ongoing efforts to impose a flavor ban in Cleveland and other localities.

“They are deciding winners and losers based on a business address and with no regard for how prohibition-based policies like local flavor bans can impact businesses and move products into illicit channels and online sources. The responsible licensed, regulated and taxpaying brick and mortar businesses in communities suffer while criminal enterprises that don't care about age verification and online vendors who are already selling illegal vapes to minors thrive.” ~ Beth Wymer

Lawmakers Override Gubernatorial Veto In Order To Block Flavor Bans

Ohio lawmakers have worked for a year to pass legislation preventing cities and towns from banning flavored tobacco and vape products. They may soon succeed.

www.forbes.com

 

[bombastinator]

There are a few flavorings that have issues. I’m ok with banning THOSE, but why ban stuff that doesn’t? Sometimes there are flavorings that have a problem in only some systems but not in others (usually a heat level thing) at that point might it make more sense to ban only the types of vapes with this problem? This just seems too hurriedly thought out to me. Flavor bans don’t reduce youth vaping much if at all iirc, they are more likely to increase youth smoking though which is much worse than vaping.

 

[kristin]

He's being deceptive by stipulating "after ecigs widely used." By 2015 (when Juul became popular,) the high school smoking rate was already at a record low of 9.3%. Declines are expected to slow the closer they get to zero because those would be the least likely to quit.

Although a slower decline would be expected, looking at the past 30 years it's clear that the decline ACCELERATED in the past decade as vaping increased.

His "3x more likely to start smoking" ignores common liability AND the fact that smoking rates have reached a record low.

 

[bombastinator]

He's being deceptive by stipulating "after ecigs widely used." By 2015 (when Juul became popular,) the high school smoking rate was already at a record low of 9.3%. Declines are expected to slow the closer they get to zero because those would be the least likely to quit.

Although a slower decline would be expected, looking at the past 30 years it's clear that the decline ACCELERATED in the past decade as vaping increased.

His "3x more likely to start smoking" ignores common liability AND the fact that smoking rates have reached a record low.

View attachment 1005948

View attachment 1005947

So if you combine the two lines you get the expected reducing curve rather than the increased drop around 2013. The problem I think is that media campaigns attempted to take credit for that increase while it was actually vaping that did it. The media stuff never had much effect for years and years and then suddenly it di at the same time school age vaping took off? That’s not even reasonable. Sounds what we need is open research on the subject instead of useless media campaigns.

 

[kristin]

The court issued a stay on Dec. 29th pausing enforcement of the ban, pending ongoing litigation. The court's order cited concerns from tobacco and vaping interests that the ban would force businesses to permanently close if the court did not step in.

Oregon Court of Appeals blocks Multnomah County Jan. 1 ban on flavored tobacco products - KTVZ

PORTLAND, Ore. (KGW/KTVZ) — The Oregon Court of Appeals has temporary halted Multnomah County's ban on flavored tobacco products, which was set to take effect on Jan. 1, KGW reported. The court issued a stay on Friday morning that pauses enforcement of the ban, pending ongoing litigation. In...

ktvz.com

 

[kristin]

It's insane that vapers in the Netherlands have to resort to "hoarding" because of a ban on low risk alternatives to smoking. Of course, if they wanted to buy deadly cigarettes, that's not a problem.

Vapers Hoarding Ahead of Flavor Ban

A legal challenge against the measure is making its way through the Dutch court system.

tobaccoreporter.com

 

[kristin]

The city said they banned flavors because they feel it targets minorities & children. Ismail said children shouldn’t even be considered in the conversation. "That’s irrelevant to us. 21 is the guideline for federal reasons and we ID people off the front."

Columbus tobacco store expects 65% loss in business because of city's flavored tobacco ban

The ban includes menthol cigarettes and flavored vaping products.

www.10tv.com