Vaping In The News covers nicotine, smoking, vaping, snus, heat not burn, e-cigarettes, harm reduction, tobacco control, public health, government, regulations, policies & more worldwide.
The largest threat to Public Health is an informed consumer.
Congress Raises Tobacco Use Age to 21 ~ The bipartisan Tobacco 21 push is a flawed effort supported by big tobacco and prohibitionists ~ Vape Bans Won’t Make You Safer ~ Tweets of the week ~ Mental Health Facility to Give Free E-Cigs to Adult Smokers Wishing to Quit ~ Newest CDC Data Confirm that Respiratory Disease Outbreak was Caused by Vitamin E Acetate Oil in THC Vaping Cartridges ~ Examining the relationship of vaping to smoking initiation among US youth and young adults: a reality check ~ Michigan Supreme Court declines to reinstates flavored vape ban for now ~
I hope this year-end edition of Vaping In The News finds you all in good health and spirits, and I hope to see you all with better vision in 2020!
Congress Raises Tobacco Use Age to 21
Although vaping products arewrongly, and politicallyclassified as “tobacco“, There should be no need to ban flavors if kids can’t obtain them, right?
No need for science or facts folks. Orchestrated hysteria is what is necessary to manipulate public opinion. This is full of great references and should not be missed.
Examining the relationship of vaping to smoking initiation among US youth and young adults: a reality check
Understanding in 2014 there was no “gateway“, this where the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and Truth Initiative realized the 20% fulfillment rate of recruiting new smokers wasn’t working out so well for them – so they created a an “epidemic” and a “new” “problem”.
“There was a substantial increase in youth vaping prevalence beginning in about 2014. Time trend analyses showed that the decline in past 30-day smoking prevalence accelerated by two to four times after 2014.”
Vaping In The News covers
nicotine, smoking, vaping, snus, heat not burn, e-cigarettes, harm
reduction, tobacco control, public health, government, regulations,
policies & more worldwide.
The largest threat to Public Health is an informed consumer.
E-Cigarettes: The HHS Smoking Gun ~ U.S. Prefers Mass Hysteria to Sound Policy on Vaping ~ America’s Strange Nicotine Regulations Somehow Just Got Even Weirder ~ Low Nicotine Cigarettes?….. what?! ~ Blame Anti-Tobacco Advocates for Youth Vaping “Epidemic” ~ Vapers: A Key New Addition to the ‘Leave Us Alone’ Coalition ~ Tobacco 21 Doesn’t Add Up ~ Trump Administration Must Balance Protecting Teens With Saving Adult Smokers ~ The State of Conversation ~ 2019 “Monitoring the Future” survey
E-Cigarettes: The HHS Smoking Gun
Did the “professionals” lie directly to the President on November 22nd? Yes, yes they did.
While I’ve covered these here, and here – oh, and here, um, and here and well other places… Grimm Green is tackling lower nicotine cigarettes….or… well, here’s the video.
Blame Anti-Tobacco Advocates for Youth Vaping “Epidemic”
This is how the “adults” gaslighting children, and parents went along with it.
From some of the articles featured above, and living life in general, we already know curiosity and accessibilityis the driving force behind the experimentation of adult products. (for any product a minor can’t purchase) with any adult product.
“And active membership is much more important than a membership with a lot of people.” ~ Nick Orlando.
The Ohio Vapor Trade Association (OHVTA) held their 2019 conference on Tuesday, May 14th, where OHVTA President James Jarvis hosted Ohio State Representative Doug Green, and Ohio State Senator John Eklund.
Also joining the conference was Jonathan Varner, head of JVA Campaigns (OHVTA’s digital media firm), along with Kevin Boehner and Justin Zink of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.
This meeting included an active power-bank of knowledge with insightful points of view, experience and education across the day-long conference with members from Florida to California. Industry guests spoke about current issues including lobbying, underage sales and proactively navigating the ever-changing landscape and future.
Representative Green and Senator Eklund spoke to the group with sincerity about issues and answered questions. One question was about the best way to go about contacting them, and the answer was clear: email or phone calls. Their staffers take each call and relay it to them.
They wantto hear from consumers and businesses, and – we were told, oftentimes lawmakers don’t hear anything about issues they’re voting on, so your call or email could change the mind of your lawmaker.
In Ohio, trying to define vaping products as tobacco and restricting adult access (Tobacco 21) is another concern to adults as another attendee, Lindsey Stroud (below) points out here.
Left to right, myself, Fig Ramsey & Lindsey Stroud.
Tony Abboud, Frank Cahall, Fig Ramsey, James Jarvis, Jeff Kathman, Bo McCoy and Rhonda Burch.
If you told me 6 years ago when I switched that I’d be sitting in Columbus, Ohio for an event like this – I’d have called you insane.
Instead, I was honored to be invited to an industry event, attending this meeting with the perspective of a concerned consumer, much like when I attended “A Billion Lives“. With great concern.
Witnessing what I did, I discovered heroes with one common goal. What I experienced was listening to actively engaged members (and leaders) in this industry who are passionate about their business, their customers, and attain their goal: To help smokers choose a safer alternative. To educate lawmakers. To educate consumers.
Notably, these professionals are proactive about keeping those products out of hands of underage youth. Furthermore, those same people are concerned about politicians trying to take their livelihood, and your choice away from them, and you.
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The OHVTA Members Legislative Reception (held after the conference) was provided by 80V E-liquid – John Nathan, Demand Vape – Jon Glauser and (Fig Ramsey) VapeTithing.
I finally got to meet Dimitris Agrafiotis.
Dimitris Agrafiotis and I. Don’t tell Phil!
Fig Ramsey, myself, Lindsey Stroud, Jeff Kathman, Frank Cahall. Photo credit Fig Ramsey
If Ohio is an example of how trade organizations represent the industry, I’m impressed. These people are part of the solution. These folks have a network and discuss experience with local, state and national issues with each other. Engaging. Inspiring. Proactive.
I left this meeting with a renewed sense of hope from these business leaders fighting for consumers who have switched and those who may choose to switch, despite government resistance for the choice to do so.
If you are a consumer, join CASAA. Be engaged. If you’re in business and you haven’t, BE ENGAGED. Join an industry group. I don’t care who you choose, but choose. Conduct yourself as if your life and lives around you, and your business(es) depends upon it. If you don’t, who will?
Vaping In The News covers nicotine, smoking, vaping, snus, heat not burn, e-cigarettes, harm reduction, tobacco control, public health, government, regulations, policies & more worldwide.
“The largest threat to Public Health is an informed consumer.”
Meet Scott Gottlieb’s Successor at FDA ~Trump Wants $100M in Fees from the Vape Industry ~ How to attract customers ~ As big tobacco companies support Tobacco 21 proposals, the vaping industry speaks up ~ Instant Popcorn Lung ~ Vaping Parents Attacked ~ Study: Vaping Helped Resolve a Chronic Nasal Infection ~ Why will Big Public Health only fight smoking on their terms? ~ Nicotine 101: The Truth About What It Is and What it Does ~ Voices for Vaping
Meet Scott Gottlieb’s Successor at FDA
Don’t think the temporary successor of Dr. Gottlieb will be any better. Jim McDonald explains:
"I was a teacher- and one of my 9th-grade students the first time she vaped she got instant popcorn lung – something about how her body was made she went on life support – she is fine now healthy and back to school"https://t.co/FgbjBFN66m
James Jarvis, President of the Ohio Vapor Trade Association
VAPING: “Let’s get this out of the way for 2019”.
In a recent post, James Jarvis discussed common myths about vaping, stating “Let’s get this out of the way for 2019.”
Not only is James Jarvis is President of Ohio Vapor Trade Association (OHVTA), he’s also a consumer. I’ve been to Columbus a couple times to see him, and I’ll describe James simply as good people. He cares about smokers having proper information and he cares about the industry.
To the point, a post on his Facebook page got me to thinking… if some vapers genuinely don’t know or are confused about information, how can the public know?
Let’s change that. Now. Let’s get this out of the way: Educators and legislators must learn.
On Public Record.
With the battle preconceived and one-sided (predetermined in some instances) for power and funding, authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ) of their respective township, town, city, and state must be made aware of all sides of this issue in their communities.
If an opportunity arises for three minutes at a podium, this can be read, memorized – as is – or modified, printed to dispel myths about vaping products and nicotine.
Politely – and directly engaging each concern immediately in front of decision-makers, with proper sources for authorities given the task of deciding the fate of (your) regulations, restrictions, taxes, and bans shows a proactive approach to their concerns no matter what the opposition.
I saw his list and was inspired. I have provided his points about vaping (numbered) from his post and link(s) to each point made.
James said: “Let’s get this out of the way for 2019″… ” I agree.
Let’s get this out of the way
1. Popcorn Lung is not caused from vapor products
From Dr Farsalinos, Brad Rodu, Dr. Siegel and more, a collection of evidence to the contrary:
The changes being recommended by FDA include a removal of the warning that consumers should not use an NRT product if they are still smoking, chewing tobacco, using snuff or any other product that contains nicotine—including another NRT.”
4. Tomato, Eggplant, and all nightshade veggies contain nicotine
“Nicotine is an alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants (Solanaceae), predominantly in tobacco, and in lower quantities in tomato, potato, eggplant (aubergine), and green pepper. Nicotine alkaloids are also found in the leaves of the coca plant.”
Nicotine has no association with cancer. There is no supportable evidence to link nicotine with cancer, and a vast amount of evidence (and irrefutable facts) that there is no such link.
11. While youth use of the product Juul has risen, It is far from epidemic proportions. What is a youth epidemic you ask? Alcohol,Opioids and other drugs.
James closes with his post adding “I hope this helps you understand what Vapor is and is not…. any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
In addition to the statements James made above, I’ve added more points commonly brought forth and used by jurisdictions when trying to regulate, restrict, tax and ban businesses below.
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Let’s get this out of the way
There’s more.
12. Tobacco 21
A movement in the United States is raising the age of sale of tobacco to 21. While valiant in effort, it both restricts 18-year-old adults from products (e-cigs, snus, etc.) that can help them quit smoking and shows little progress to reduce smoking rates.
The Consumer Advocates for Smoke Free Alternatives Association (CASAA) released this statement about “Tobacco 21” laws:
Here, a study showed “Increasing the minimum legal purchase age (MLPA) to 21 years in NYC did not accelerate reductions in youth tobacco use any more rapidly than declines observed in comparison sites.”
“Beginning in 1997, Washington required states to report underage sales via the Synar Program (here). The latest Synar data shows that 9.6% of retailers were noncompliant in 2013. The FDA also conducts compliance checks of tobacco retailers. In 2016, the FDA reported a noncompliance rate of 11% (here). The FDA should focus on this far more dangerous illegal cigarette sales issue, rather than obsessing over e-cigarettes. “
Being restricted by law (I’m not as a consumer) is not an easy task for shops to contend with. Shops cannot say e-cigarettes could help ‘quit smoking’, or they’re safer than…
“We argue that omitting key health relevant information for current or prospective consumers represents a kind of quarantine of health-relevant information”
Ignored since 2011, Hanan Frenk and Reuven Dar submitted this to the Harm Reduction Journal:
“We show that the nicotine addiction model presented in this chapter, which closely resembles its 22 years old predecessor, could only be sustained by systematically ignoring all contradictory evidence.”
This shows “The effects of nicotine on the brain are similar to those of sugar, salt, exercise, and other harmless substances and events. “There are so many findings that conflict so starkly with the view that nicotine is addictive that it increasingly appears that adhering to the nicotine addiction thesis is only defensible on extra-scientific grounds.”
A new study shows higher nicotine levels are safe – “nicotine on its own, outside of tobacco products, has limited addictive potential, and that higher doses are safe and well tolerated”
From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health :
“We evaluated concerns about exposure to vaping-related chemicals in a vape shop. Exposure to flavoring chemicals (diacetyl, 2,3-pentanedione, acetaldehyde), formaldehyde, nicotine, and propylene glycol were all below occupational exposure limits.”
It is not anti-freeze. Simply absurd. As of the publishing of this post, the well respected American Academy of Pediatrics is still eluding to ‘anti-freeze’ as an ingredient on their ‘quick facts’ section here.
Vaping In The Newscovers media stories on smoking, vaping, e-cigarettes, snus, heat not burn, tobacco control, public health, government regulations, policies and more.
“The largest threat to Public Health is an informed consumer.”
FDA WANTS COMMENTS ~ E-cigarettes and the obsolescence of combustion ~ Petition ~ Topeka “Tobacco 21” Ordinance Turned Down by Judge ~ The difference between a snafu, a shitshow, and a clusterfuck ~ The Road To Criminalizing Tobacco Product Users ~ Chef Stan’s Cookbook ~ U.S. Health Groups File Suit To Expedite More Smoking ~ An Open Letter ~ Rethinks Attitude… ~ Keep Smoking We Need The Money ~ California Catastrophe ~
FDA wants comments
Comments are being accepted on the regulation of flavors….on their (in my opinion) already decided rules.
Submit yours, then have everyone in your email list do it as well. Then, have them have everyone on their email list do that as well…
“…substantial proportions of the population wrongly believe that e-cigarettes are as dangerous as combustible cigarettes…. Unfavorable press coverage, negative campaigns by e-cigarette opponents, and lack of training of health professionals may explain this situation.”
Topeka “Tobacco 21” Ordinance Turned Down by Judge
Adult choices are adult choices. I wonder why the “Tobacco 21” movement isn’t going state by state rather than each individual local city/town… 50 times rather than hundreds of times… publicity – public opinion – wasting valuable time for those opposed?
A #CrankyOldBroad whispered in my ear – if they get the towns, they can manipulate the states… and most – if not all – of these “Tobacco 21” moments are including e-cigarettes… take all the time you need with that…… Either way, Topeka said “NO“.
Have you ever wondered WHY they wanted to classify nicotine as “tobacco”? Because smokers paid that tax, not tobacco companies. Now, not that I like smokers still paying tax, I DON’T. Not any more than liking people NOT smoking paying the tax.
However, because they can impose tobacco taxes on a NON-tobacco product like e-liquid…. (and tops, and batteries according to National Tobacco Day)
Nothing says #KeepSmokingWeNeedTheMoney, #PonziScheme and “return on investment” like bonds that “were based on assumptions that cigarette smoking declines would not exceed 4 percent annually.”
“Tobacco taxes are just part of the conversation…. We have holes in state revenue that we have to fill. How we do that is going to be how we get out of the session.”
The difference between a snafu, a shitshow, and a clusterfuck
This explains the nature of the e-cigarette fight to a “T”.
I don’t normally use “cuss” words on my blog – because it seems to me I can get my point across without them – allowing new readers to see the point and cuss themselves….
Also, this would be the first time I’ve had all out “PG” rating to a link on my blog, and because of the nature of it, I’m happy to do so.
David was someone who emailed me early on while conducting my survey (2014) explaining I had nicotine strength (and addiction) all wrong… I didn’t have any higher than 24… he explained strengths went higher…much higher. He explained why.
From the “pleasure principle” to many other things, I learn from this man, I appreciate this man.
In the world of funny, this is sad, and this is funny. Not because I was one mentioned within – because it shows the power of a headline and the lack of intelligence from anyone immediately involved taking it upon themselves to jump on the stupidity bandwagon… and this is why we can’t have nice things.
It is also why, when I as a consumer, do not understand something, I ask someone smarter than I am to explain it. Of course, that practice is evidently not a familiar thing to do among professionals….they just toss it out and… well, I’ve taken up way too much of your time:
If you own a vape shop and have photos that I can use of customers who are trying to switch, or have switched similar to the one above, please email me directly with those (and the legal ability to use them) to vapingit@outlook.com.
Add names – company name – number of years the customer smoked, flavor chosen…etc… and any credit you may want for the photo as desired.
Have you met my OUR friends at vapers.org.uk?
You can find me here trying to be cordial on Facebook
You can find me here being a bit more evil on Twitter
Teen smoking rates dropped again despite the ever-popular assessment that e-cigarettes “could be” a gateway to smoking. Even this year, stories continue to manipulate public perception with titles like “heavier teen tobacco use” and content to conjure images of a pack of 8-year-olds smoking like it’s going out of style. I’ll get to the unicorn sightings, I know that’s why you’re here.
Also noteworthy, and no surprise, e-cigarette use is going up. Well, hang on to your hats. If e-cigarettes are a gateway to smoking… where are the new smokers? You ponder that question, I’ll keep typing.
They’re wrong, No Gateway
With the confidence of a unicorn herder, always good for a laugh ever-so-credible Stanton Glantz just below boasts “even non-nicotine #ecigarettes are a strong gateway to cigarettes…”and he’s wrong. He uses the word “are”. Not only is he wrong, he’s wrong at least twice.
If he were correct in his hypothesis, this would be a different blog. I trust grandstanding filled with babbling and buffoonery is forthcoming from Stan about how wrong he isn’t. (Blatantly obnoxious and wrong.) He’ll stroke his beard, fidget in his chair, participate in some pesky deposition, but won’t admit wrong, he and others have been wrong, and will continue to be wrong. With reports of youth smoking rates dropping to all-time lows, thousands of gateway enthusiasts like Stanton “Puff-N-Stuff” Glantz, are… well, I am happy to report as I did in August here, and here, wrong.
Teen smoking drops again
Teen Nicotine and tobacco use (smoking rates) dropped again according to the latest report from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) called “Monitoring The Future Survey”.
Use of traditional cigarettes has continued to decline to the lowest levels in the survey’s history.
Significant five-year declines-by more than half for daily use and for use of one-half pack or more per day-were reported by all grades.
Daily cigarette use was reported by 0.6 percent of 8th graders
2.2 percent of 10th graders
4.2 percent of 12th graders in 2017.
This was down from peaks of 10.4 percent and 18.3 percent among 8th and 10th graders in 1996 and a peak of 24.6 percent of 12th graders in 1997.
Expert Integrity In Question
Gateway Enthusiasts and Unicorns are out of work
Despite the valiant efforts of “experts”, despite an uncanny desire to invest in tactics like this to keep kids smoking, they’re smoking less. Now, due to cause and effect, the country has countless unicorns displaced and unemployed. Gateway enthusiasts and Unicorns are looking for work. Kids sure don’t smoke like they used to. Do what you can to save the unicorns, continue to question the integrity of experts.
Since the definition of nicotine is now tobacco, tobacco USE rates/funding are in jeopardy. (I predict next year the “tobacco use” will be put together with vaping in this survey, with or without nicotine). To my knowledge, not one city has made an effort to focus on the intended target: children. Instead of focusing on pre-teen and teen smoking (what I would consider 8-15 year-old juveniles), to educate that age group on tobacco use, so-called “experts” are insistent, despite the lowest smoking rates in history, on half-assed efforts and a lot of money aimed at raising the age of purchasing tobacco and e-cigs to 21.
Teens Are Smoking Less
While I was writing this blog, this came across my eye. (Thanks, Jenny!)
While all the “Tobacco 21” enthusiasts are running around feeling good about themselves, the teen smokers they should be spending energy on are already smoking. In this, it states the desire to raise the age to 21. Well. The paragraph above I stated 8-15 as the age range to educate, where (bold emphasis is mine) this study says:
“The mean age for the first puff on a cigarette was 11.7 years (n = 66). Youths who had stolen tobacco from a parent reported a mean age for the first puff (11.3 years), one year earlier than youths who had never stolen tobacco from a parent (12.3 years, n = 66, p = 0.05)”
Focus time on efforts, not control
11 year olds. 12 year olds. Why are they worrying about restricting 18-20-year-old adults again? Why are they not worried about pre-teen and teen tobacco use? Oh, that’s right, they’re experts. It’s pretty obvious a quick check with my untrained eye on the target age of when children first initiate smoking *in their own study* isn’t their expertise. Maybe no one noticed.
You would think efforts focusing on pre-teen smoking education before a potential problem occurs would be more fruitful, and the obvious primary focus. Instead, restrict adults from doing something that “they might do” as adults has become the idiotic trend.
As far as my personal view, I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again:
On teens: “If “children” are *already smoking, they’re *smokers regardless of age. Think of the children™.”
If these people worked on the…. they might work themselves right out …. of… a …. job . . . wait a minute….
This was added 12/19/17.
Unpopular opinion: I am totally fine with vaping among teens. Nicotine is a performance-enhancer (like caffeine in many ways) and the fewer teens smoking cigarettes, the better for public health. They are practicing #harmreduction.
Truth Initiative claims a gateway on August 6th claiming:
Even though the teen smoking rate has been declining, popular new e-cigarettes like JUUL are a gateway into traditional cigarette smoking and put a new generation of youth at risk of nicotine dependence. https://t.co/mbTOKWMGa2 via @USNewsHealth and @mg_galvin
“The percentage of adolescent daily smokers who smoked one or more packs of cigarettes per day was not reported for 2019 due to low statistical precision.”
From @Center & @UMTobResNetwork experts: "Among adolescent never cigarette smokers, those who had ever used #ecigs … compared with never #ecig users, exhibited modest or non-significant increases in subsequent past 12-month or past 30-day smoking." https://t.co/HJYy1Vx5l6
— University of Michigan Tobacco Research Network (@UMTobResNetwork) July 16, 2022
From the tweet above:
“Among adolescent never cigarette smokers, those who had ever used e-cigarettes at baseline, compared with never e-cigarette users, exhibited modest or non-significant increases in subsequent past 12-month or past 30-day smoking when adjusting for behavioral risk factors.”
VapesGiving Event Aims to Raise Huge Funding Goals to help Advocacy~ Letters of Intent ~ Feds Owe the Public ‘Corrective Statements’ on Vaping ~ Long-term vaping causes no negative health results [new study] ~ Moving beyond vaping as a cessation-only practice ~ Simon Chapman gets it with both barrels in the Australian Senate. ~ The ‘Father of Stress’ Was a Tobacco Industry Shill ~ Smoking Cessation and Nicotine De-addiction Products Market~ Two from me
This is Vaping In The News for the week ending December 9th, 2017
VapesGiving Event Aims to Raise Huge Funding Goals to help Advocacy
Instead of focusing on what “can’t” be done, consider what CAN be done. Considering what is at stake, there is NO reason #VapesGiving can’t raise millions with this movement. This is beyondoverdue.
Companies, including manufacturers, are joining with multiple advocacy groups to raise what should be nothing short of millions to attain results at any and all levels.
If you are IN business and not doing “anything”, I implore you to assess this and make some noise by making a difference. If you are already, I thank you.
Feds Owe the Public ‘Corrective Statements’ on Vaping
The verdict is in if you’re in the United States, you’re seeing tobacco companies court-ordered advertising on television for the 1st time since the 70’s. Sally Satel & Guy Bentley explain why the Feds owe the public the same courtesy.
While they mention the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Surgeon General, I can come up with a list of defendants in other parts of this blog upon request.
Long-term vaping causes no negative health results [new study]
Last week, I inadvertantly skipped this article by Jim McDonald.
“They found that the vapers had no negative health outcomes, and in fact showed results that were virtually indistinguishable from those of the non-vapers.”
Indistinguishable. This study extinguishes concerns, certainly, as to a smoker switching or dual using, and the very few and hard to find, who may take up vaping as opposed to smoking.
Keller and Heckman is pleased to announce its 2nd annual E-Vapor and Tobacco Law Symposium. If you’re interested in attending, please click on the graphic below!
During a meeting with Public Health officials, I was asked why UK supported vaping & USA did not. My response: UK = government sponsored healthcare & stands to save millions in costs. USA = private healthcare & that industry will lose millions to vaping. If u could see their look pic.twitter.com/vuB1TkDWn1
How Low Will They Go? Tobacco Control Tries To Shut Down Journal For Defying Them
Carl V. Phillips continues “tobacco control’s willingness to harm science, social norms and anything else in pursuit of the movement’s special interest goals”
We’re “anecdotal” my vaping ass. Now there’s more evidence we’re not.
“Given the government’s own evidence, it’s time to acknowledge the scientific legitimacy, value and benefit of e-cigarettes with respect to the health of the population.”
“I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for (me) to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”
Sarah Jakes, Ecig Summit Keynote speech ~ Public Health’s Useful Idiot ~ Health impact of E-cigarettes ~ This is Why Tobacco Control Should not be Trusted ~ MN Groups Abuse Government Process In Attempt To Raise Vaping And Smoking Age ~ Quit Methods ~ Content analysis of homeless smokers’ perspectives on established and alternative smoking interventions. ~ California Smokers’ Helpline
This is Vaping In The News for the week ending November 18th, 2017
This tweet, and the link to Sarah’s Keynote speech will speak for itself.
This guest blog is courtesy of two people I trust:
Kevin M. Price and David Goerlitz.
The current decline in smoking has been well-documented and has occurred because of a consumer based technology coming into the marketplace, not by the efforts of Tobacco Control (TC) groups. TC is primarily funded by Tobacco Taxes. It is a textbook conflict of interest because if they succeed at what they are trying to do, they will de-fund themselves. Let me make this a bit clearer for those of you reading this; Tobacco Control does NOT have the goal of eliminating smoking, period! TC is about control and power. Here are some of their proposed ‘fixes’ and what they claim their goal is along with what their true objectives are:
Tobacco 21- TC claims that raising the age to purchase tobacco products will reduce the numbers of new smokers by 25%. In actuality, it has done little to help reduce smoking or curb youth access since it does not make it illegal to possess tobacco products if you are under 21 and it has been largely rejected by a majority of cities and towns already. Raising the age to buy without the means to enforce it is a feigned attempt to appear to be doing a public service. The intended goal of this program is to inflate the numbers of ‘youth smokers’ by including the now ‘underage’ 18-20 year olds in their reports and surveys. They will further secure their funding by showing a jump in tobacco use overnight. Clever but not completely honest to say the least.
Flavor Bans- TC will claim that “Flavors are marketed to Children” and should be banned from all tobacco products. Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) has played a major role in helping people to stop smoking. It is estimated that nearly 13 million Adults in the USA have used smokeless tobacco (Vaping and Snus) with significantly higher success rates (67%) of never returning to combustible tobacco products again, using flavored products. Why would TC want to remove products that are magnitudes safer than smoking? Why would TC want to restrict access to something that millions of adults have found success quitting smoking with? If someone is trying to quit smoking, should they HAVE to use tobacco flavors to do so? The answer, they are well aware that doing so will cause many to return to smoking, completing the cycle of taxation and funding for their continued existence. It is not about public health, it is about their funding.
High Taxation- Tobacco has always been the target for taxes and revenue generators for states. The sin and guilt applied to smokers has been a psychological war going on for decades. ‘You smoke and should be ashamed of it, pay your taxes’. However, TC has completely ignored any and all THR products citing that ‘They are not FDA approved’ as their reasoning. Again, I ask you, Why not include THR products with a very high success rate and far less harm? It is an obvious ruse and it comes back to their funding. Call it ‘Tobacco’, tax it, and keep the funding coming in, rinse and repeat. Are you seeing the trend here? I hope so. On to the next…
Tobacco Control uses slight of words- If you listen to these TC groups speak, they will interchange the words ‘tobacco’ and ‘nicotine’ as if they are one and the same, they are not. Using this play on words they will say things like “Smoking kills 480k+ Americans each year. ____________ (add in any of their proposals above here) will save people from their deadly addictions to nicotine and create a healthier state/city in ____________ (enter city or state here).” They want to create the narrative so that people associate tobacco and nicotine as one and the same by continually using them together. Keep in mind that there are no studies that can prove nicotine is deadly or that it is ‘highly addictive’ as they claim. Not ONE study! Prove me wrong, I’ll wait. They do this so that they can include anything with nicotine in it to be taxed just like tobacco…to protect their funding.
Finally, I would like to point out that these TC groups are NOT required to communicate truthfully OR factually to the public. They are not bound by any state or federal laws to tell the truth. Having given you my professional opinion, I stand by the title of this letter in saying “This is WHY Tobacco Control should not be trusted”.
Kevin M. Price is the President of THR4Life. You can learn more about THR4Life here.
“I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for (me) to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”
Vaping Links And More 