Vapers Digest August 13th
Monday’s News at a glance:
Vaping bans continue to spread as politicians ignore harm reductions – Gottlieb’s New Statement – WA Liberal party calls for vaping to be legalised – Vapers Prefer Fruit and Dessert Flavors – Meet America’s vaping ‘superhero.’ – Evidence over prejudice: Ending the anti-vaping hysteria – Iowa attorney general backs new polices – Guernsey Harbours want smoking ban lifted – Big Tobacco poised to enter the vaping market – Ban on e-cigarettes to reduce safer choices for smokers – E-cigarettes included in tobacco control – Smoking ban must extend to include e-cigarettes – Vaping In The News August 11th
Vaping bans continue to spread
As politicians ignore harm reductions – Fergus Mason
Despite the impressive decline of smoking in countries which have taken a hands-off approach to vaping, more governments continue to go down the prohibitionist route. Last week it was South Africa and China threatening to clamp down on safer products. Meanwhile US vapers potentially face higher prices on most products as new tariff barriers go up against Chinese manufacturers.
South Africa Moves to Crush Vaping Industry – POTV
Gottlieb’s New Statement
Mawsley, Planet of the Vapes
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has released a statement about the measures the organisation is planning on “taking to support the development of novel nicotine replacement drug therapies”. It raises questions about the FDA’s true motives, covers old ground regarding objections and creates fears of over-regulation.
“As a public health agency,” writes Gottlieb, “there is no greater impact we can have to improve the health of our nation than to significantly reduce the rate of tobacco-related disease and death.”
Calls for vaping to be legalised
ATHRA
Many in the vaping community get frustrated by the slow progress of the cause to legalise vaping and help smokers reduce harm in Australia. Whilst there is still a way to go, we have made a significant step forward.
The WA Liberal party has passed at its state conference today 12 August 2018, a motion calling for the legalisation of vaping. The following motion was passed overwhelmingly 76 to 56:
CSIRO report confirms e-cigarettes assist users in quitting smoking
Farsalinos Survey Shows…
Vapers Prefer Fruit and Dessert Flavors – Jim McDonald
American vapers who no longer smoke cigarettes prefer fruit and dessert e-liquids over other choices, according to the findings of a major survey conducted by researchers this spring. The survey assessed the flavor preferences of regular vapers.
The results of the U.S. Flavors Survey have been compiled and submitted to the FDA as a comment on the advanced notice of proposed rulemaking on vape (and other “tobacco product”) flavors. Lead author Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos says the authors will also publish an analysis of the data in an academic journal.
The argument that ‘there is no evidence…’ that vaping works is really a distraction from looking at it in the round, including user experience. What critics really mean is: ‘no evidence is available from methods I cannot define to achieve standards I cannot specify’. @MPEriksen https://t.co/GOUgP1YCqN
— Clive Bates (@Clive_Bates) August 12, 2018
Assuming these links work @FarsalinosK destruction of the aldehyde bollox is well worth a read: (first link is their letter, 2nd one his response) https://t.co/6KriH0Zx49https://t.co/cTNI1WTo5H
— Sarah J (@Twigolet) August 13, 2018
Meet America’s vaping ‘superhero.’
Kevin Riordan
When vaping enabled him to finally stop smoking 10 years ago, Greg Conley saw the light.
“I immediately became kind of evangelical about it,” said the personable 31-year-old Medford lawyer, who’s the founder and president of the American Vaping Association.
“I’m not an anti-smoker,” he said. “Smokers don’t respond to that. What I’m saying is, ‘If you wish to quit, vaping is a great method.’ Not, ‘You should stop smoking.’”
Evidence over prejudice:
Ending the anti-vaping hysteria – Guy Bentley
FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb recently unveiled a major shift in federal tobacco policy, heralding a new approach with the potential to champion public health through innovation, harm reduction and consumer choice over a one-size fits all approach manifested in outdated regulation.
Wading into the heated debate surrounding e-cigarettes, Gottlieb’s announcement on July 28 put the brakes on what would have been the de facto prohibition of e-cigarettes. E-cigarette businesses breathed a sigh of relief as Gottlieb announced a four-year extension for applications to allow their products to stay on the market.
Guernsey Harbours want smoking ban lifted
Guernsey Harbours is asking the island’s government to lift a smoking ban at the port to allow people to light up after long journeys.
They say that after smokers have been on long journeys they may become anxious at the port and therefore should have a designated space where they can have a cigarette.
Guernsey Harbours has said that as there is a specific place at the airport, there should be a similar place at the ferry port.
Iowa attorney general backs new polices
To reduce adult smoking rate – Marian Johns
Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller has submitted a policy paper to the federal government and public health experts recommending new polices on e-cigarettes and a public information campaign that he says will drive the adult smoking rate below 10 percent over the next three years.
“The adult smoking rate for 2017 was 13.9 percent, down from 16.8 percent three years ago,” Miller wrote in his policy paper “The rapidly falling rate, combined with the growing popularity of JUUL e-cigarettes and other alternatives, puts the U.S. on the precipice of a major public health breakthrough.”
Big Tobacco to enter the vaping market
Ollie Neas, New Zealand
Three years before his father was diagnosed with lung cancer, Clint Baxter bought him an e-cigarette.
The gift was supposed to be a way for his father, a smoker for 40 years, to leave cigarettes behind. But in 2013 at Christchurch Hospital, Baxter learnt his father had barely given the device a chance.
“He didn’t want anyone to tell him to quit, especially his son,” says Baxter. “That was a reality check for me. I couldn’t force him. It’s not a medicine. It had to be a customer’s choice.”
Ban on e-cigs to reduce safer choices
The Council for Harm Reduced Alternatives (CHRA), a national tobacco harm reduction organisation, and the Association of Vapers India (AVI), an advocacy group that represents e-cigarette users, have warned the Central and State governments about the consequences of banning e-cigarettes.
They said that a ban would deprive millions of smokers of safer choices and cause damage to public health.
Huff and e-puff: On e-cigarette ban
E-cigarettes included in tobacco control
China Daily
A recent incident inside a subway car in Beijing, in which a passenger smoked an electronic cigarette and quarreled with other passengers who complained, has aroused wide public discussions. Legal Daily comments:
The Beijing Tobacco Control Association has responded by stating that electronic cigarettes release harmful smoke, too, and should be prohibited in public places. It also said it plans to clearly put electronic cigarettes on the control list to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
Smoking ban must extend to include e-cigs
David Lee, Global Times
Controversies surrounding e-cigarettes have been rising. A video shared on social media quickly went viral in late July, in which a young woman smoking an e-cigarette aboard a Beijing subway train, argued with an old gentleman who was trying to persuade her to stop smoking.
“You are so ignorant. I’m not smoking a cigarette!” The woman angrily rebuked the man. A security guard who supposedly maintained order onboard the subway, stood near the argument, but he failed in his attempts to persuade the woman. Two other women who were sitting beside the smoking women stood up and left the video scene, apparently annoyed by either the smoke or the argument.
Vaping In The News August 11th
Kevin Crowley, Vaping Links
A Billion Lives: Aaron Biebert, Uncut ~ The FDA Blatantly Hands E-Cig Market To Big Pharma ~ Forget the little guy, it’s all Big Pharma now ~ The Social Side of Nicotine ~ Speaking of warning labels ~ A longitudinal study of smokeless tobacco use and mortality ~ Muddled Milk, Nicotine and Hypocrisy ~ Our Friend James Jarvis ~ Your Home Is Your Castle, Unless You’re Poor ~ Speaking Of Morals – Not Blowing Smoke ~ Gottlieb’s New Statement
On this Day…2017
A look back at how things have moved on or otherwise….
The 11 Day Reprieve
Dick Puddlecote
Well, I knew I’d be revisiting this at some point, I just didn’t expect it so very soon! Let’s pop over the Atlantic again, shall we?
On July 28th, the newly-installed chief of the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), Scott Gottlieb, “announced a new comprehensive plan for tobacco and nicotine regulation that will serve as a multi-year roadmap to better protect kids and significantly reduce tobacco-related disease and death“. He mentioned freezing regulations on e-cigs and the vaping world went into meltdown.
Friends Of Ours
Frank Davis
On Facebook Walt has been reporting on new antismoking legislation passed by NYC city council. This from the Health Committee chair:
I tripped over the first two words – “Dear friends” – as I wondered whether the “chair” was actually addressing “friends” who were in any way “dear” to it. It seemed more likely that it was addressing a bunch of mafia thugs who were trying to put together a new protection racket. Or maybe extend an existing racket.
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