HEADS UP - NEWS - UPDATES! (When we know, you'll know!)

[kristin]

HEADS UP // Colorado
Following defeat of the flavor ban in Denver and calls for state action--but ignoring 2021 statistics showing a huge decline in youth vaping--lawmakers consider statewide prohibition of thousands of low risk alternatives to smoking.

https://www.denverpost.com/2021/12/22/colorado-legislature-vaping-flavor-ban/

 

[kristin]

PUBLIC HEALTH // FDA
FDA deems VLN cigs to be "reduced exposure," while banning millions of vape products—which significantly reduce exposure to 60+ carcinogens, carbon monoxide, heavy metals, harmful particulates AND are also available nicotine-free.

FDA Authorizes Marketing of Tobacco Products that Help Reduce Exposure to and Consumption of Nicotine for Smokers Who Use Them

 

[kristin]

PUBLIC HEALTH // Research
Youth whose caregivers smoke are 4x as likely to take up smoking, suggesting the current anti-vaping efforts focused on the youth least likely to smoke--rather than on adults who smoke and their children--are misguided at best.

Smoking: Children of parents who smoke four times more likely to start, study says

 

[kristin]

RESEARCH // Study Supports "Accidental" Quitting
Of 1,600 subjects who had no intention to quit smoking, 28% who used vape products daily stopped smoking within 12 months, while less than 6% of those who did not use vape products daily were able to quit.

E-cigarettes may help smokers quit even if they don't intend to, study finds - UPI.com

 

[kristin]

CASAA // Heads Up. News. Updates.

New study links “accidental quitting” with vaping. Heads up for Santa Ana, CA and Colorado. FDA authorizes deadly new cigarettes (with very low nicotine) and more!

https://casaa.org/vaping-causes-accidental-quitting-and-more-tobacco-harm-reduction-news/

 

[kristin]

UPDATE // Washington County, Oregon
A flavor ban took effect Jan. 1st, putting local shops out of business. Some are fighting back with a petition to put the ban to voters, but they need more signatures.

Oregon county's flavored tobacco ban goes into effect Jan. 1 | kgw.com

 

[kristin]

IN THE NEWS // China Goes After Vapor Products

Chinese vapers and industry face a possible flavor ban, looming taxes and PR campaigns claiming second-hand vapor "is as harmful as second-hand smoke."

https://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2021/12/29/china-mulls-ban-flavored-vapes-new-draft-bill

 

[kristin]

HEADS UP! // Minnesota
Arguing for a statewide #vaping flavor ban, president of the Association for Nonsmokers-MN cluelessly claims that "You don't find some 50-year-old guy going out and buying 'Unicorn Juice' to vape. That's not the target audience."

New Local Ordinances, Push for Statewide Tobacco Restrictions in MN

 

[kristin]

RESEARCH // Menthol Ban
Study co-author proclaims the menthol flavor ban "effectively reduces both menthol and overall cigarette sales," but his study had a huge limitation: "cross-border or online cigarette sales in Massachusetts were not accounted for."

Massachusetts menthol ban brings drop in cigarette sales, study finds - UPI.com

 

[MLEJ]

Chinese vapers and industry face a possible flavor ban, looming taxes and PR campaigns claiming second-hand vapor "is as harmful as second-hand smoke."

Only an oppressive totalitarian government like China's would intentionally regulate & propagandize a flourishing young industry out of existence.

Oh, wait...

 

[kristin]

IN THE NEWS // FDA
"With thin evidence of Califf’s intentions for an agency that has never made tobacco control a massive priority, industry insiders, experts and harm reductionists are left with the difficult task of guessing what he might do."

Will Biden's FDA Commissioner Pick Continue the War on Vaping?

 

[kristin]

HARM REDUCTION // Changing Expectations
This person's story demonstrates that millions of people who still smoke deserve to know the truth: that being "stuck on [vaping] as a harm-reduction method, not a step towards kicking the habit" is NOT a failing.

Can’t quit, won’t quit: confessions of a die-hard smoker

 

[kristin]

REGULATION // Setting Arbitrary Limits
A law prohibiting higher nicotine levels and tank/pod capacity--despite consumer demand--has predictably resulted in rampant noncompliance. A consequence that other countries should seriously consider before following suit.

Investigation highlights scale of Liverpool's illegal vaping problem

 

[kristin]

REGULATION // Dire Consequences: A Vape Shop Owner's Heartbreaking Story

“It’s never been about an income. It’s always been about helping people....We always catered to the low-income, the disabled and the elderly..."
~ Skip Murray, Owner and Advocate

Popular Advocate Forced to Close Her Small-Town Vape Shop

 

[kristin]

RESEARCH // Smoke-free Tobacco

Study finds that "despite having higher levels of nicotine," exclusive smoke-free tobacco users had "significantly lower concentrations of inflammation and oxidative stress biomarkers...similar to those of ‘never’ smokers.”

Past studies have found that smoking actually carries a higher risk of head and neck (oral) cancers than smoke-free tobacco. With this new study, the claim that smoke-free tobacco is overall a reduced risk alternative to smoking has even stronger support.

Ditching cigarettes for smokeless tobacco can help cut cardiovascular risks, study finds

 

[kristin]

UPDATE // Fresno, CA

“All of our folks who live in multi-family housing have the right to a healthy lifestyle,” said council vice president, Nelson Esparza.

Clearly that "right" doesn't include folks who have quit smoking with low risk vapor products.

https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/n...w-illegal-in-fresno-apartments-under-new-law/

 

[kristin]

HEADS UP! // Florida
SB224/HB105--bills reportedly being passed to prevent littering of cigarette butts--inexplicably does NOT prevent "the adoption of municipal or county ordinances that impose more restrictive regulation" on smoke- and ....-free VAPING.

https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/01/04/bill-allow-smoking-ban-florida-beaches-parks-gains-support/

 

[kristin]

CASAA // Heads Up. News. Updates.

Arbitrary UK vaping regs have predictable consequences. Vape advocate forced to close shop. Heads up FL & MN. New study supports smoke-free alternatives & more!

https://casaa.org/vaping-regulation-consequences-and-more-tobacco-harm-reduction-news/

 

[kristin]

CALL TO ACTION // Washington State

If enacted, HB 1676 would impose one of, if not the highest retail taxes on vapor products in the country. A 33% tax would be paid on hardware, tanks, coils, batteries, and e-liquid. Take action NOW!

https://casaa.org/call-to-action/washington-stop-a-tax-hike-on-vapor/

 

[kristin]

RESEARCH // Vaping Harms Vision?
Not so fast. Researchers found vapers were more likely to report vision problems, but as the eye condition may have preceded the vaping and the subjects likely previously smoked, authors DON'T prove vaping was the cause.

E-cigarette toxins may damage users’ sight | News | The Times