Vaping Digest April 15th
Wednesday’s News at a glance:
Will the Pandemic Cause Smokers to Switch to Snus or Nicotine Pouches? ~ Harm Reduction Expert: WHO’s Stance on Vaping is Costing Lives ~Alcohol, tobacco and vapes, virus infection and WHO disinformation ~ COVID-19 Vape Survey – Scientists Need Help From the Vapers Of the World ~ US vaping lung injury outbreak was a public health fiasco or worse – comment to FDA ~ No, vapers are not at greater risk of catching Covid-19 ~ Federal Obsession With Fake Epidemic Distracted Nation From Pandemic Preparedness ~ News that Takes Your Breath Away: Risk Perceptions During an Outbreak of Vaping-related Lung Injuries ~ eCigarettes, travel and COVID19 ~ Vaping bill plays into Big Tobacco’s hands – Vaping Trade Association of NZ ~ Vape Stores Must Be Allowed Under Level 3 ~ Vaping ideal in tobacco control – expert ~ Did the vaping industry target youth? ~ Vape shop files $100,000 lawsuit against City of San Antonio, asks for restraining order
Will the Pandemic Cause Smokers to Switch to Snus or Nicotine Pouches?
Tobacco is often viewed as a recession-resistant segment of the market because no matter how bad things get, smokers will typically continue smoking — perhaps even more so. Yet because COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has been found to strike smokers harder than the rest of the population, many may begin rethinking their habit in earnest.
Harm Reduction Expert: WHO’s Stance on Vaping is Costing Lives
Diane Caruana, Vaping Post
The Executive Director for CAPHRA (Coalition of Asia-Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates), believes that sadly the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) rigid stance on vaping is costing millions of lives. Lives lost to smoke-related diseases, which could have been saved by switching from smoking to vaping.
Alcohol, tobacco and vapes, virus infection and WHO disinformation
Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr., Business World
In the ongoing Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the Philippines, there are many prohibitions and closures — office or shop work, many businesses, and public transportation have been shut, strolling around and long travel are prohibited, etc. Also among the weird bans is a liquor ban in many cities in Metro Manila and provinces, and cigarette and e-cigarette bans in some small municipalities like General Luna in Quezon province.
COVID-19 Vape Survey – Scientists Need Help From the Vapers Of the World
Neil Humber, Ecig Click
US vaping lung injury outbreak was a public health fiasco or worse – comment to FDA
Clive Bates, The Counterfactual
The Food and Drug Administration of the United States has requested information on “Vaping Products Associated With Lung Injuries” – see Regulation.gov and Docket FDA-2020-N-0597 to make a submission or read the views of others.
In my view, the sly attribution of this problem to e-cigarettes and nicotine e-liquids by activists, academics and supposed public health agencies has been as bad as the worst ‘merchants of doubt’ operations of Big Tobacco in the 1970s.
No, vapers are not at greater risk of catching Covid-19
Satya Marar, Spiked
Anti-vaping activists have seized upon the Covid-19 pandemic and the surrounding state of fear and uncertainty to further their cause. New York mayor Bill de Blasio has claimed that ‘smokers and vapers’ are more vulnerable to the infection. De Blasio is joined by prominent anti-vaping academic Stanton Glantz. (Glantz’s infamous multimillion-dollar, taxpayer-funded anti-vaping study had to be retracted from the American Heart Association’s journal because of its poor methodology and baseless findings, following a backlash from fellow academics.)
Federal Obsession With Fake Epidemic Distracted Nation From Pandemic Preparedness
Tristan Justice, The Federalist
Two years ago, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched a total war on the use of electronic cigarettes, declaring a fabricated epidemic in teenage vaping. E-cigarette manufacturers were raided, new federal regulations were implemented, and a misinformation campaign was waged on the public from the health agencies that claim to serve them, scaring millions of Americans from making a life-saving switch while the nation sat vulnerable to a pandemic.
News that Takes Your Breath Away:
Risk Perceptions During an Outbreak of Vaping-related Lung Injuries
National Bureau of Economic Research
We study the impact of new information on people’s perceptions of the risks of e-cigarettes. In September 2019 the U.S. experienced an outbreak of e-cigarette, or vaping, associated lung injuries (EVALI). The EVALI outbreak created an information shock, which was followed by additional new information in a later CDC recommendation.
Link to PDF: News that Takes Your Breath Away:
eCigarettes, travel and COVID19
Università degli Studi di Milano, University of Milan
We thank you for your collaboration in this survey that will allow us to know the current situation regarding the coronavirus and how it may affect our future trips. We are a group of experts in Travel Medicine and International Health and your answers will allow us to design better advice and interventions on your future trips. The survey is completely anonymous and the data we collect is fully protected and complies with current data protection legislation.
Vaping bill plays into Big Tobacco’s hands – Vaping Trade Association of NZ
Vaping Trade Association of New Zealand (VTANZ), Voxy
The Vaping Trade Association of New Zealand (VTANZ) is warning the Health Select Committee that the Government’s vaping bill creates barriers for Kiwi smokers’ keen to quit tobacco and could see others return to cigarettes.
Representing over 75 local vaping businesses, the industry association has made its written submission on the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Vaping) Amendment Bill. Today VTANZ spokesperson, Kiwi vape entrepreneur Jonathan Devery, will present to the Health Select Committee.
Vape Stores Must Be Allowed Under Level 3
, Scoop
Ahead of the Prime Minister giving more details on alert level activities tomorrow, the Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA) is asking for specialist R18 vape stores to be allowed to open on public health grounds.
“There’s a real risk of New Zealand’s smoking rates creeping back up if the accessibility of vaping remains reduced while tobacco products continue to be available as per usual,” says Director of AVCA, Nancy Loucas.
Vaping ideal in tobacco control – expert
The Manila Times, Associated Press
The results of a first-of-its-kind survey highlighted the potential of electronic cigarettes as an additional option for tobacco control and how vaping could have a substantial impact on public health, according to a vaping group.
“This groundbreaking survey clearly shows vaping helps smokers quit or reduce smoking. Its results are particularly relevant to with large number of smokers and a low smoking cessation rate.
Did the vaping industry target youth?
Michael J. McFadden, Quora
Door #1: You’re new on the scene and think you’ve got something that tens or hundreds of millions of smokers are going to LOVE because they’ll still be able to FEEL like they’re smoking, both sensually AND pharmacokinetically….(continued)
Door #2: Hmm… (you think) … maybe we’re going about this all wrong. Maybe we should be concentrating on trying to encourage 12 to 17-year-olds who’ve had no interest so far in smoking to lay out comparatively HUGE amounts of money…(continued)
Vape shop files $100,000 lawsuit against City of San Antonio,
asks for restraining order
Gerald Tracy, Darian Trotter, News4 San Antonio
SAN ANTONIO – Mega Vape is suing the City of San Antonio for at least $100,000 and asking for a temporary restraining order.
According to court documents filed by the company, it is claiming the city has directly impacted its business, especially after revoking its Certificate of Occupancy ‘on a whim’ during the Stay Home, Work Safe order.
On this Day…2019
A look back at how things have moved on or otherwise…
In Approaching Nicotine…
Let’s Learn From Past Harm Reduction Victories – Michael McGrady
Alternative nicotine products—including e-cigarettes, lower-risk tobacco alternatives like snus, and heat-not-burn devices—have fallen under disproportionate levels of scrutiny all over the world. In the United States alone, now-former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner Scott Gottlieb—without intention, I’m sure—engineered a nationwide panic that suggests that nicotine consumption among youth through electronic delivery systems (vapes, e-cigarettes, etc.) is at endemic levels.
FDA Created the Youth Vaping Epidemic
Michelle Minton
E-cigarettes pose less risk than smoking. The science is clear: while cigarettes kill about half their users, e-cigarettes have perhaps five percent of the risk. Therefore, e-cigarettes have the ability to save the lives of those smokers who switch to vaping. Yet, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is trying to eradicate e-cigarettes, a move that would sacrifice smoker lives and squander one of the greatest public health opportunities of our generation
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