News Review 13th September
This is the week that was….
Three main topics will be highlighted this week ‘In the News’ with one common narrative of the vastly different levels of participation or support
Monday 7th September
Monday was a quiet news day overall with few new items reported . A good analysis by Carl Phillips that rips into fake non-profit ‘ambulance- chasing’ frauds CEH(Centre for Environmental Health) is shown. http://antithrlies.com/2015/09/04/attacking-ecigs-to-encourage-continued-smoking-predatory-lawsuit-and-goofy-california-law-edition/
Tuesday 8th September
Many good stories could be highlighted today, the first relates to the picture above and the impassioned initiative taken by Kevin Crowley that could inspire others to follow this message. https://vapinglinks.wordpress.com/2015/09/07/do-something/
A very widely reported ‘junk’ US study supposedly demonstrating a ‘gateway’ effect from only 6 supposed ‘converts’ #gatewaygate
This was very quickly responded to by Scientists and Academics (more to follow later in the week)
http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-new-study-on-e-cigarette-use-in-us-adolescents/
http://tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/does-new-jama-pediatrics-study-show.html
Smokefree NHS announced via its #Stoptober campaign a new more e-cig friendly approach http://www.nhs.uk/smokefree/help-and-advice/e-cigarettes this is a significant change in approach reflecting recent gudelines.
Dr Konstantinos Farsalinos gave us some highly important information following a study by the Spanish Council of Scientific Research demonstrating that ‘there is no 2nd hand vaping’ http://www.ecigarette-research.org/research/index.php/whats-new/whatsnew-2015/226-sp
The significance of this highlighted here by Fergus Mason http://ecigsplaza.co.uk/ecigs-news/secondhand-vaping-death-of-a-legend/
Wednesday 9th September
Two more entries for #gatewaygate, one from the ever-readable Jacob Sullum https://reason.com/blog/2015/09/09/does-this-study-prove-that-vaping-is-a-g an excellent dismantlement was also done via NHS choices http://www.nhs.uk/news/2015/09September/Pages/No-conclusive-evidence-that-e-cigs-tempt-teens-to-smoke.aspx
A very good article co-authored by Sally Satel and Brad Rodu highlighted the totally illogical stance by some engaged in Public Health http://www.forbes.com/sites/sallysatel/2015/09/09/why-public-advocates-care-more-about-heroin-addicts-than-smokers/
They’re Back….
If you missed them first time around, now is your chance to support the NNA and get hold of one of their wristbands. Listing ends tomorrow (14th Sept)
Thursday 10th September
The court date set for the Totally Wicked Article 20 Legal Challenge was announced today as 1st October
http://www.clivebates.com/?p=2446 and http://article20legalchallenge.com/news/cjeu-court-date-set-for-the-1st-october-2015/ Far more signatures of support would help to make this case the success it so desperately needs to be. 46,000 or so supporters out of 10 million+ users in the EU or 50 million Worldwide is a disappointing level of support for such a crucial case to overturn the unscientific ‘dogs-dinner’ that is Article 20 of the TPD.
An account of the APPG (All Party Parliamentary Group) meeting (9th September) on e-cigs is shown here from James Dunworth . From what I gathered, possibly mistakenly, this was attended by 2MPs and 3 members from the House of Lords, once again this is a disappointing figure, but constituents (US) can ask their own MP to show more interest and to participate in future meetings.
http://www.ecigarettedirect.co.uk/ashtray-blog/2015/09/public-health-u-turn-on-e-cigs.html
This also this was covered by Dave Dorn via VTTV ‘ The Haze Hour’ http://www.vapourtrails.tv/?p=10210
Outside of the reported news, there followed some very pertinent blogs on this subject by Lorien and Sarah from the NNA
http://theindefatigablefrog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/and-now-we-see-through-glass-darkly-pt-1.html
http://theindefatigablefrog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/and-now-we-see-through-glass-darkly-pt-2.html
These followed a ridiculous spat on twitter, where both of the above incredibly hard working perceptive ladies felt the need to clarify their position, to defend themselves and the NNA.
A blog from Dick Puddlecote demonstrated why the CMO(Chief Medical Officer) Sally Davies continues her antipathy toward e-cigarettes http://dickpuddlecote.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/pulling-cmos-strings.html naturally not every single one, or even the majority of calls from arch critic Martin McKee would relate to e-cigs, but 3000 calls in 18 months, he is unlikely to be engaged in idle chit chat or dating the Dame. McKee and Davies do appear to spout very similar views,can it be a coincidence?……’you decide’ !
Two further quite outstanding blogs also appeared today
This from Neil McKeganey regarding the conflict of interest argument http://nicotinepolicy.net/neil-mckeganey/4834-tobacco-control-research-a-tale-of-two-delphi-groups
Another & probably the most outstanding, scathing, and cutting blog I have ever read by Prof. Siegel here http://tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/why-are-anti-smoking-groups-and.html
Friday 11th September
Another excellent put-down of the junk -gateway ‘study’ in #gatewaygate appeared here http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/ignore-the-headlines-we-dont-know-if-e-cigs-lead-kids-to-real-cigs/
Good news from Ireland (with an interview with Gillian Golden from the Irish Vape Vendors Association(IVVA) http://www.thejournal.ie/ireland-no-vaping-ban-in-pubs-offices-electronic-cigarettes-2326862-Sep2015/ this now leaves Wales as the only part of GB + Ireland with proposals to ban indoor useage
Overall impressions of the week
The supportive scientific community have ‘upped their game’ overall, with very effective rapid responses to negative unscientific ‘junk studies’ from an increasing variety of sources. The APPG meeting seemed to have been a very positive affair albeit poorly attended by MP/Lords, the spectre of the TPD raised its ugly head with delegates stating that the only hope lay with the Totally Wicked Legal Challenge which bafflingly continues to receive lukewarm support from Vendors and Consumers alike.
#gatewaygate
http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-new-study-on-e-cigarette-use-in-us-adolescents/
http://tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/does-new-jama-pediatrics-study-show.html
https://reason.com/blog/2015/09/09/does-this-study-prove-that-vaping-is-a-g
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2015/09September/Pages/No-conclusive-evidence-that-e-cigs-tempt-teens-to-smoke.aspx
http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/ignore-the-headlines-we-dont-know-if-e-cigs-lead-kids-to-real-cigs/
