Lawmakers lie to pass destructive “Resources to Prevent Youth Vaping” act. UK’s disastrous decision to ban disposables (and maybe flavors, too.) Researchers concerned young adults correctly believe e-cigarettes SAFER than smoking. Newsweek headline lies about vaping research findings. New Calls to Action and more!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a link to the audio/video versions of this post!
CALLS TO ACTION
Did you know there are 17 Calls to Action (and more being added almost daily) for bills that target #vaping products and 4 have upcoming hearings within a week??
Check out casaa.org/get-involved/state-locator NOW to see if you need to take action in YOUR city and/or state!
STOP A FEDERAL TAX!
Comparing “oranges to oranges” (in this case milligrams of nicotine in vapes vs cigarettes,) if HR 5715 is enacted, vapes would be taxed at a rate approximately 5X higher than cigarettes! Vaping consumers will be paying up to 6¢/mg of nicotine compared to 1.1¢/mg in cigarettes.
The tax hike is just as bad, if not worse, for nicotine pouches, snus, and moist snuff — all reduced risk products compared to cigarettes!
TAKE ACTION: Fight a National Vapor Tax!
MICHIGAN
Stop an onslaught of anti-vaping bills!
Lawmakers in Michigan are once again throwing everything and the kitchen sink into a raft of anti-vaping bills aiming to reduce everyone’s access to these life-saving products! These bills include everything from a flavor ban and tax hikes to repealing state preemption of local tobacco retailer laws.
TAKE ACTION: Michigan: Stop a Slew of Anti-Vaping Laws
FLORIDA
These so-called “PMTA Registry Bills” are currently making their way around the U.S. They make it far more difficult for companies awaiting PMTA to sell life-saving products and ban thousands of products popular with adults.
TAKE ACTION: Stop a Big Tobacco Protection Act!
VIRGINIA
If enacted, this law would effectively ban all vaping products not granted marketing orders through FDA’s “arbitrary and capricious” authorization process (over 99%) and “call for a fine of $1,000 a day for each product sold.”
TAKE ACTION: Virginia: Stop the Joe Camel Protection Act!
WASHINGTON
Bill SB 6118 (aka “PMTA Registry”) legislation has been introduced and referred to the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee. No hearing is scheduled at this time, but we expect this bill to move quickly!
TAKE ACTION: Washington: Stop a Big Tobacco Protection Act!
VERMONT
A flavor ban bill (S. 18) has already passed the Senate.
UPDATE! Hearings are already happening in the House and, disturbingly, are being hastily scheduled with little to no opportunity given for public comment!
TAKE ACTION: Vermont Update: Stop a Flavor Ban!
INDIANA
Yet another state is trying to pass a “Big Tobacco Protection” act!
Anti vaping bill SB 227 (aka “PMTA Registry legislation”) has been introduced and is scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday, January 23, 2024!
TAKE ACTION: Indiana: Stop a Big Tobacco Protection Act!
SOUTH CAROLINA
This “PMTA Registry” legislation would put thousands of people at risk of returning to smoking, or delaying attempts at quitting, hundreds of independent vape shops out of business, and hundreds of workers out of jobs!
TAKE ACTION: South Carolina: Stop a Big Tobacco Protection Act!
SOUTH DAKOTA
This “PMTA Registry” legislation would put thousands of people at risk of returning to smoking, or delaying attempts at quitting, hundreds of independent vape shops out of business, and hundreds of workers out of jobs!
TAKE ACTION: South Dakota: Stop a Big Tobacco Protection Act!
ARIZONA
This “PMTA Registry” legislation would put thousands of people at risk of returning to smoking, or delaying attempts at quitting, hundreds of independent vape shops out of business, and hundreds of workers out of jobs!
TAKE ACTION: Arizona: Stop a Big Tobacco Protection Act!
NEBRASKA
This “PMTA Registry” legislation would put thousands of people at risk of returning to smoking, or delaying attempts at quitting, hundreds of independent vape shops out of business, and hundreds of workers out of jobs!
TAKE ACTION: Nebraska: Stop a Big Tobacco Protection Act!
HAWAI’I
HB 1778 is a #vaping & nicotine product FLAVOR BAN.
There is a hearing on Friday, February 2nd at 8:30 AM.
TAKE ACTION: Hawai’i: Stop a Flavor Ban!
COLORADO
SB 22 would create a confusing and unfair patchwork of #vaping and THR product restrictions and bans across the state, which are then used as an argument for statewide bans.
A hearing is scheduled for Thursday, February 8th!
TAKE ACTION: Colorado: Stop Local Flavor Bans!
NEW HAMPSHIRE
“PMTA Registry” legislation would put thousands of people at risk of returning to smoking, or delaying attempts at quitting, hundreds of independent vape shops out of business, and hundreds of workers out of jobs!
A hearing is scheduled for February 6th at 11 AM!!
TAKE ACTION: New Hampshire: Stop a Big Tobacco Protection Act!
INTERNATIONAL
UK’s Disastrous Decision to Ban Disposable Vapes (and Possibly Flavors)
“This will trigger more smoking, more illicit trade and more workarounds. The problem of youth vaping is a non-problem and the government is reacting to a moral panic it doesn’t understand.” ~ Clive Bates
“about nine times as many adults compared to teens will be affected by the ban. Adult use will be dominated by people who smoke or previously smoked – and this measure puts them at risk of serious diseases” analysis of govt stupidity via @Clive_Bates https://t.co/L6oa5ARRTS
— Martin C (@NannyFreeState) January 29, 2024
READ MORE: UK to ban disposable vapes, restrict flavours and do more stupid stuff
LEGISLATION
Lawmakers Lie to Decimate Vaping Industry
In this latest money grab, lawmakers call for FDA “user fees” that will mainly to be used for youth prevention (yeah, like that funding will happen,) making disproven “youth vaping epidemic,” “gateway to a lifetime of addiction,” “flavors target kids” claims and even straight-up lying that youth vaping “has increased by 1,800% in just the last year.”
This is how out of touch lawmakers are… @SenatorShaheen has reintroduced legislation to put user fees on e-cigarette products… https://t.co/33fQyc9OVi
— Lindsey Stroud (@lmstroud89) January 30, 2024
TOBACCO HARM REDUCTION
Excellent Commentary by Jacob Grier
“Unlike vaping, which presents difficult tradeoffs between harm reduction for adults transitioning away from cigarettes and popularity among teenagers who never smoked, nicotine pouches do not yet show much uptake among youth. The 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey found that only 1.5 percent of students reported using nicotine pouches. It’s certainly possible that that number will rise, but HYPOTHETICAL FEARS OF TEENAGERS GETTING HOOKED on Zyn shouldn’t completely eclipse the product’s benefits for adult consumers.” ~ Jacob Grier
Note that this graph shows that “hypothetical fears of teens getting hooked on #vaping” also should not have eclipsed the benefits for adult vapers. There was no “youth vaping epidemic.”
The stakes of tobacco policy matter for the rest of us too, particularly for the health of people who smoke and for the 2024 elections. https://t.co/wacIkP9f2W via @slate, @jacobgrier
Excellent thoughtful piece from this author 👏— Alan Beard (@Alan_Beard1) January 31, 2024
READ MORE: What Chuck Schumer Doesn’t Understand About Zyn
RESEARCH
Young Adults Correctly Believe Vaping is Safer
Researchers are concerned that young adults correctly believe e-cigarettes/nicotine vaping is safer and a healthier choice than combustible cigarettes, so want to “clarify the negative health-related consequences” to get them to…what? Smoke instead?
READ MORE: Perceiving E-Cigarettes as Safe and Safer Alternative to Cigarettes Among Young Adults.
Headline Lies About Research Findings
While the Newsweek headline warns that vaping “causes health problems in 4 in 5 users,” buried in the article they admit “because of the nature of the study, we do not know for sure that the e-cigarettes themselves were causing these effects. ”
So…the headline is a lie. Big surprise.
This framing is misleading since NRTs too cause similar effects – headaches, anxiety, palpitations etc – on first use (a factor of switching nicotine intake method), yet no one calls them hazardous. https://t.co/rcWghgYz4K
— AVI (@vapeindia) February 1, 2024
READ MORE: Vaping Warning as E-Cigarettes Causes Health Problems in 4 in 5 Users
E-cig Coupons Encourage Use
Researchers suggest it’s bad that e-cigarette coupons “may encourage and sustain” product use, repeat disproven “gateway” claim, then suggest restricting coupons to curb e-cigarette use.
There’s no mention of subjects’ current smoking status nor the benefits of switching to safer alternatives. Wouldn’t it be a good thing if coupons encouraged people who smoke to switch and therefore a bad thing to curb use by people who smoke?
Read this very carefully, because it’s all in the wording.
“E-cigarette coupons may encourage and sustain e-cigarette use. Policies restricting e-cigarette coupons 👉may curb e-cigarette use.”https://t.co/y5KRwvzf0j https://t.co/SeyRS00WnQ
— VapingIT, SPE, EEI (@Vapingit) January 30, 2024
READ MORE: E-Coupons Are Luring Folks to Taking Up Vaping
ADVOCACY
Adult Vaper Survey
Q. I don’t have a lot of time or money, but how can I still advocate for #vaping and tobacco harm reduction? 🤔
A. One QUICK and FREE way to advocate right now is to complete this survey! 👇👇👇
Click here: USA – Vape Consumer Survey 2023
CASAA IN ACTION // CASAA Live
Join Alex and Logan as they discuss why Calls to Action are important and how the timing is crucial. They’ll also explain why Preemption bills are beneficial and how PMTA Registry bills impact consumers.
Catch the next show LIVE Saturday, February 10, 2024 at 4:30PM ET/3:30PM CT!
TAKE ACTION // CASAA State Facebook Groups
Have you joined your CASAA State Facebook group yet? Check it out now! Click the link below, click on your state on the map, then click the “Join Now” button to go to your state’s group page. It’s as easy as that to stay updated on local happenings, meet local advocates and never miss a Call to Action in your state!
Don’t forget to also follow our official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CASAAmedia
FIND YOUR GROUP: CASAA State Locator
CASAA STORE // Apparel and More
Show your support by shopping our store! Our president (and brilliant website/swag designer) Danielle has added some awesome new designs to CASAA’s apparel shop!
VISIT: CASAA Apparel and Swag Store
CASAA MEDIA // Spotify
CASAA’s podcast is on Spotify! Please give us a follow here:
CASAA IN ACTION // Twitter Spaces
The week we recap the Reagan-Udall sessions with Amanda Wheeler, Tim Andrews and CASAA CEO Alex Clark, who all presented to the panel about FDA’s issues regulating reduced-harm products. What grade would you give FDA? Also available on CASAA’s Spotify channel (above.)
— CASAA (@CASAAmedia) October 26, 2022
CASAA MEDIA // Podcast
Catch up on past tobacco harm reduction news with Alex and Logan on the CASAA podcasts on SoundCloud every Monday and now live on YouTube and Facebook every Saturday at 3:30 PM.
SoundCloud: