Public Health Surveillance
Analysis of 2014 CDC NYTS data finds <.1% of never tobacco users in US middle and high schools reported vaping on 10 or more of the past 30 days, debunks BIG LIE by Obama s DHHS and Big Pharma shills (since 2009) that vaping has addicted many nonsmoking teens to nicotine (as nicotine addiction means daily use that causes harm).
ntr.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/12/24/ntr.ntw388
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28013271
2014 NYTS data show past 30 day frequency of youth use of different products (but charts below don t compare findings between never, current & former smokers)
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6438a1.htm
www.clivebates.com/?p=4593#more-4593 (see top graph)
www.clivebates.com/?p=4574#more-4574 (see third graph)
Iowa AG Tom Miller pointed out (at 2016 FDLI conference) that just 1% of US youth vape daily, and just 1% vaped on 20-29 of past 30 days (but didn t reveal that virtually, and probably, all of those 2% who regularly vape are current or former tobacco users).
www.clivebates.com/documents/AGMillerFDLI.pdf
But at an April 16, 2015 press conference (detailed below), Obama s DHHS omitted and LIED about that key 2014 NYTS finding (i.e. <.1% of never tobacco users in US middle and high schools reported vaping on 10 or more of the past 30 days) to lobby for FDA Deeming Regulation (that is set to ban all vapor sales to US adults on August 8, 2018).
CDC s Tom Frieden LIED about key 2014 NYTS finding (i.e. <.1% of never tobacco users in US middle and high schools reported vaping on 10 or more of the past 30 days) www.nytimes.com/2015/04/17/health/use-of-e-cigarettes-rises-sharply-among-teenagers-report-says.html
This is another generation being hooked by the tobacco industry. It makes me angry.
www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/e-cigarette-use-triples-among-middle-and-high-school-students-study-says/2015/04/16/16632674-e3bd-11e4-81ea-0649268f729e_story.html?utm_term=.0252722bd5d8
Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, called the spike in e-cigarette use shocking. It s a really bad thing, and it is subjecting another generation of our children to an addictive substance, he said in an interview.
CDC 4/16/2015 MMRW and press release on 2014 NYTS deceived public about its key finding (i.e. <.1% of never tobacco users in middle and high schools reported vaping on 10 or more of the past 30 days), failed to include or mention frequency of use in past 30 days data, falsely insinuated vaping has addicted many nonsmoking youth to nicotine.
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6414a3.htm?s_cid=mm6414a3_w
www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2015/p0416-e-cigarette-use.html
FDA s Mitch Zeller and FDA graphic grossly misrepresented 2014 NTYS teen vaping data at 4/16/2015 press conference to scare and lobby for FDA Deeming Regulation dmr.homefrontdc.com/697/ctp-nyts-findings
Many news outlets repeated CDC s 4/16/2015 lies about 2014 NYTS teen vaping data www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-reveals-alarming-news-about-teen-e-cigarette-use/
www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/16/e-cigarettes-smoking-health_n_7080548.html
www.npr.org/blogs/health/2015/04/16/400144741/use-of-e-cigarettes-triples-among-u-s-teens
www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2015/04/teenagers-vaping-nicotine
www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/04/16/teen-ecigarette-use-triples/25853003/
Washington Post and NY Times editorials repeated CDC s lies about 2014 NYTS teen vaping data to demand FDA Deeming Regulation (and failed to admit it bans vapor sales) www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-to-regulate-e-cigarettes/2015/04/18/b590b962-e531-11e4-b510-962fcfabc310_story.html
www.nytimes.com/2015/04/23/opinion/the-perils-of-smokeless-tobacco.html
Big Pharma shills cited CDC lies about 2014 NYTS teen vaping data to lobby Obama to implement FDA s Deeming Regulation (and failed to admit it bans vapor sales to adults) www.tobaccofreekids.org/content/press_office/2015/2015_04_28_obama.pdf
www.tobaccofreekids.org/press_releases/post/2015_04_28_obama
medicalxpress.com/news/2015-04-electronic-cigarettes-gaining-popularity-teens.html
www.abstracts2view.com/pas/view.php?nu=PAS15L1_2165.6
US Senators Schumer, Durbin and Blumenthal cited CDC lies about 2014 NYTS vaping data to lobby for FDA Deeming Regulation (and failed to admit it bans sales to adults) www.schumer.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/schumer-e-cigarette-manufacturers-targeting-teens-with-glitzy-ads-and-candy-flavors-like-cherry-crush_gummy-bear-new-cdc-report-shows-e-cig-puffing-has-tripled-among-high-schoolers-schumer-demands-fda-ban-fun-flavors–regulate-marketing-tactics-aimed-at-kids
www.rollcall.com/news/act_like_young_lives_are_at_stake_commentary-241547-1.html
– – –
Back to 12/2016 & 1/2017 US Public Health Surveillance
ACS Cancer Statistics Report: Death rate down 23% in 21 years, largely due to decline in cigarette smoking www.cancer.org/cancer/news/news/cancer-statistics-report-death-rate-down-23-percent-in-21-years
www.cancer.org/research/cancerfactsstatistics/cancerfactsfigures2016/index
ACS 2016 Facts and Figures (page 2) shows huge decline in male lung cancer death rate (from 90 deaths/100,000 in 1990 to 60 deaths/100,000 in 2012)
www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@research/documents/document/acspc-047079.pdf
But on pages 43-46 of report, Big Pharma financed ACS repeats many false fear mongering claims about e-cigarettes (e.g. health risks are unknown, is most common form of tobacco use by teens, will renormalize smoking, will be gateway to cigarettes), and one correct claim (i.e. will reduce demand for Big Pharma drugs and counseling).
Report also falsely conflates the very low cancer risk of smokeless tobacco and low cancer risk of cigars with the huge cancer risks of cigarettes, hawks ineffective Big Pharma drugs and counseling as most effective ways to quit smoking, praises cigarette protecting 2009 TCA and 2010 ObamaCare, lobbies for more state anti-vaping funding.
US death rate from cancer now 25% lower than it was 25 years ago, report says www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-cancer-drop-20170105-story.html
CDC report delineates 48% decline in per capita cigarette consumption from 2000-2015, a 44% decline in per capita combustible tobacco consumption, and a 4% increase in per capita smokeless tobacco consumption; but CDC s first sentence conflates very low risk smokeless tobacco and low risk cigars/pipe tobacco with deadly cigarettes (yet again) www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6548a1.htm
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/pdfs/mm6548a1.pdf
Newly released CDC 2015 NYTS data debunk another false claim by Obama s DHHS and Big Pharma shills about youth and vaping, found NONE of the 8 most commonly ever-used vapor products by youth contained Gummy Bears or other candy flavorings; also found 32.5% teens who ever-vaped reported vaping NO nicotine products. But first sentence of CDC s report falsely claims e-cigarettes are now the most commonly used tobacco product among US youths (as CDC confused consumption with the number of past month users, and falsely classified no-nicotine vapers as tobacco users ).
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm655051a2.htm
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/pdfs/mm655051a2.pdf
Steve Birr: CDC fears teen vaping is out of control despite plunge in 2016 dailycaller.com/2017/01/01/cdc-fears-teen-vaping-is-out-of-control-despite-plunge-in-2016/
THR Research
Polosa/Caponnetta delineate health benefits of vaping, debunk false anti vaping claims
NEJM: The Health Effects of Electronic Cigarettes www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1613869?query=TOC&
FDA/NIH funded study finds US adults with a mental health condition are almost twice as likely to vape as adults without a mental health condition (just as adults with mental health conditions are far more likely to smoke cigarettes) www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/1/10/htm
Brad Rodu Confirmed: Snus use protective for Parkinson s disease rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.com/2017/01/confirmed-snus-use-protective-for.html
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27940486
Study of 40 cigarette smokers given an e-Go with 12 or 24 mg nicotine flavored e-liquids finds 16 (40%) were cigarette abstinent after 2 weeks, and 6 (15%) after 4 weeks; significant declines found in cigarette consumption, carbon monoxide and metabolites for benzene and acroylonitrile among 40 participants, as were significant declines in HEMA and AAMA among the 16 vapers who remained cigarette abstinent for at least 2 weeks.
ntr.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/12/21/ntr.ntw333.abstract
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28003511
Next Generation Labs claims to develop scientific method to prove authenticity of synthetic nicotine in e-liquids globenewswire.com/news-release/2016/12/20/899356/0/en/Next-Generation-Labs-Develops-Scientific-Method-to-Prove-Authenticity-of-Synthetic-Nicotine-in-E-Liquids.html
Smoking Cessation
Irish Health Information and Quality Authority begins public consultation to include e-cigarettes as smoking cessation intervention after report finds vaping cost effectively helps smokers quit
www.hiqa.ie/press-release/2017-01-05-hiqa-announces-public-consultation-first-eu-hta-include-e-cigarettes-interv
www.hiqa.ie/getting-involved/consultations/hta-smoking-cessation
E-cigarettes are cost-effective way to help smokers quit www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/15004634.E_cigarettes___39_are_cost_effective_way_to_help_smokers_quit__39_/
E-cigarettes likely to increase number of smokers who quit (Ireland)
www.irishtimes.com/news/health/e-cigarettes-likely-to-increase-number-of-smokers-who-quit-1.2926394
Irish Medical Times: HIQA finds e-cigarettes a cost effective treatment www.imt.ie/news/hiqa-finds-e-cigarettes-a-cost-effective-treatment-05-01-2017/
THR Education and Advocacy
Linda Bauld I ll say it again: E-cigarettes are still far safer than smoking www.theguardian.com/science/sifting-the-evidence/2017/jan/02/ill-say-it-again-e-cigarettes-are-still-far-safer-than-smoking
Sally Satel The year in e-cigarettes: The good, the bad, and some reasons for optimism www.forbes.com/sites/sallysatel/2016/12/31/the-year-in-e-cigarettes-the-good-the-bad-and-some-reasons-for-optimism/#55da87952cfc
Justin Haskins: The Surgeon General s irrational war on e-cigarettes
www.newsday.com/opinion/the-surgeon-general-s-irrational-war-on-e-cigarettes-1.12821626
Neil McKeganey: US Surgeon General s misplaced call to arms against e-cigarettes thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/healthcare/311884-us-surgeon-generals-misplaced-call-to-arms-against-e-cigarettes
Right to Vape Tour (Fall 2016 US bus tour by AVA, CASAA, SFATA, ATR) www.righttovape.org/ Episode One www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3STGfunCBI
Episode Two
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SKw30nbaTk
Episode Three
www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5VyaN1_ogc
Episode Four
www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3G_pCIVvS8
David Clement: Vaping regulations undermine anti-tobacco work (Canada) www.thespec.com/opinion-story/7041881-vaping-regulations-undermine-anti-tobacco-work/
Alex Fok: Hong Kong government urged to rethink anti-smoking policies (urged to support very low risk alternatives to cigarettes) harbourtimes.com/2016/12/29/hong-kong-government-urged-to-rethink-anti-smoking-policies/
The year in vaping 2016
vaping.com/blog/uncategorized/vaping-infographic/?utm
Legalizing Vapor
Laws to regulate e-cigarettes in pipeline in Malaysia; three different ministries to regulate www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2058184/laws-control-e-cigarettes-pipeline-malaysia
www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/three-ministries-to-regulate-use-of-e-cigarette-vape
Vapers see regulation of e-cigarettes as good news (Malaysia)
www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=114978
THR in Healthcare
Derek Yach: Its time to focus on health prevention and promotion www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOhv5gF987s&feature=youtu.be
Ed Anselm Tobacco Control in Accountable Care: Working Toward Optimal Performance ajmc.s3.amazonaws.com/_media/_pdf/AJAC_Anselm_1216%20(final).pdf
THR Business
BAT quits nicotine inhaler to focus on vaping www.reuters.com/article/us-brit-am-tobacco-voke-kind-idUSKBN14P12V
www.tobaccoreporter.com/2017/01/bats-voke-on-the-back-burner/
BAT ends supply deal for Voke nicotine inhalers
au.advfn.com/p.php?pid=nmona&article=73528119
Consort Medical announces BAT termination of supply agreements for Voke www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/CSRT/13082586.html
Consort Medical shares go up in smoke as BAT unit terminates supply deal for Voke www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/171085/consort-medical-shares-go-up-in-smoke-as-bat-unit-terminates-supply-deal-for-voke-nicotine-inhaler-171085.html
FDA Deeming Regulation/Ban
Who will Trump pick to helm the FDA?
Big Pharma and FDA funded vapor prohibitionist American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown wants FDA vapor prohibitionist Robert Califf to be reappointed
www.medpagetoday.com/PublicHealthPolicy/PublicHealth/62172
CDC director Tom Frieden to resign on January 20, won t be held accountable for his egregious public health malpractice
www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2017/01/05/cdc-chief-to-resign-day-of-trump-inauguration.html
ACSH s Josh Bloom Addition By Substraction At CDC: Good Riddance, Tom Frieden (Godshall comments)
acsh.org/news/2017/01/03/addition-subtraction-cdc-good-riddance-tom-frieden-10664
Nicopure s Patricia Kovacevic interviews Jeff Stier (re: SG Murthy s anti-vaping propaganda report and Obama s FDA vapor deeming ban) www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM_Id_nXfrM
Vaping measure fails to pass Senate; Cole-Bishop fight expected to morph but continue www.cspdailynews.com/category-news/tobacco/articles/vaping-measure-fails-pass-senate
Under Trump, Florida s premium cigar industry could escape job killing regulations watchdog.org/284772/trump-cigar-regulations/
FDA issues Final Rule: When is a product is made or derived from tobacco regulated as a drug and/or device? (lets FDA ban more tobacco products by reclassifying them as drugs, and lets FDA bully vapor companies to stop making truthful claims, as occurred in 2010) www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/01/09/2016-31950/clarification-of-when-products-made-or-derived-from-tobacco-are-regulated-as-drugs-devices-or
s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2016-31950.pdf
Mike Siegel: New FDA rule is wrong on the law: smoking cessation claims are not inherently therapeutic claims because smoking is not a disease tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/2017/01/new-fda-rule-is-wrong-on-law-smoking.html
FDA issues Final Rule: Refuse to Accept Procedures for Premarket Tobacco Product Submissions (allows FDA to refuse to accept most/all PMTAs for tobacco/vapor products that are far less harmful than highly addictive and deadly FDA approved cigarettes) www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/12/29/2016-31370/refuse-to-accept-procedures-for-premarket-tobacco-product-submissions
FDA issues third edition of Substantial Equivalence FAQ Guidance (that will let FDA reject more SE applications, and bully more manufacturers to withdraw applications) www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/Labeling/RulesRegulationsGuidance/ucm436462.htm
www.fda.gov/downloads/TobaccoProducts/Labeling/RulesRegulationsGuidance/UCM436468.pdf
FDA issues Guidance Submission for Warning Plans for Cigars , mandates 6 inaccurate or extremely misleading warnings (that conflate cigars with far more addictive and harmful cigarettes) to be rotated on cigar packages and advertisements.
www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/12/29/2016-31586/submission-of-warning-plans-for-cigars-guidance-for-industry-availability
Richard Craver: FDA discloses warning labels for cigars (Brad Rodu points out that FDA s mandated cigar warnings grossly misrepresent the scientific evidence) www.journalnow.com/business/business_news/local/fda-discloses-warning-labels-for-cigars/article_f12eccca-4abf-5e56-8374-1699fa8d1813.html
m.richmond.com/business/local/article_d3ffb96a-d742-5e93-bfa3-2980ae0dc14a.html
Brad Rodu delineates FDA s scientific review finding negligible cancer, heart and lung disease risks among those who smoked 1-2 cigars/day rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.com/2016/08/fda-study-cancer-risks-nearly-nil-for-1.html
rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.com/2016/09/fda-cigar-study-part-ii-heart-lung.html
FDA issues revised Guidance Listing of Ingredients in Tobacco Products that delays ingredient listing deadline (for newly deemed tobacco/vapor products) to August 2017 www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/12/29/2016-31587/listing-of-ingredients-in-tobacco-products-revised-guidance-for-industry-availability
Charlie Minato: FDA delays ingredient listing deadline to August 2017
halfwheel.com/fda-delays-ingredient-listing-deadline-august-2017/136204
Charlie Minato: Ten questions for 2017
halfwheel.com/ten-questions-2017/135977
FDA approval for iQOS to be a game changer for Altria (as it would create a monopoly) www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2016/12/30/fda-approval-for-iqos-to-be-a-game-changer-for-altria/#bb00923aa59a
Battery Safety
FDA to host so-called Public Workshop (where FDA will invite all presenters) entitled Battery Safety Concerns in Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems on April 19/20, 2017; March 17 registration deadline to speak at public comment period, May 22 deadline for submitting written comments to docket.
www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/NewsEvents/ucm535185.htm
Note that FDA s Deeming Regulation has likely increased vapor battery incidents because it banned all manufacturers from making any product improvements (including batteries) and banned vape shops from assembling (i.e. manufacturing) vapor components from August 8, 2016 until August 8, 2018, when all vapor product sales are to be banned.
March 2016 FDA report on e-cigarette battery incidents in US since 2009 delineated spikes in 4Q2013 and 2Q2015; but report trashed all vapor products and failed to admit that most vapor battery incidents were caused by consumer errors, not by manufacturers.
tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/26/1/10.long
Longtime vapor prohibitionist and propagandist US Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) blames vapor manufacturers for battery incidents caused by consumers, wants recalls www.courant.com/politics/hc-connecticut-e-cig-explosion-20161223-story.html
AP article calls mishandled batteries exploding e-cigarettes to confuse and scare ww2.kqed.org/futureofyou/2016/12/26/a-problem-with-e-cigarettes-they-can-explode/
Countdown to Christmas Battery Safety (preventing and reducing vapor battery risks) www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAdPApOpy70&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop
ECITA: Battery Safety (sound advice to prevent/reduce problems with vapor batteries) www.ecita.org.uk/sites/default/files/Battery%20safety%20advice.pdf
More DHHS Junk Science, Propaganda and Lies
CDC awards $34.4 million to ICF to promote CDC/SG propaganda to mislead Americans about THR, vaping, smokeless tobacco, nicotine, flavorings, tobacco companies, etc.
www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161230005047/en/CDC-Selects-ICF%E2%80%99s-Award-Winning-Health-Communications-Practice
CDC report falsely claims ineffective Big Pharma drugs and medical counseling are the key reasons many US smokers have quit smoking since 2000, fails to even mention Cold Turkey or Vaping (which are how most Americans actually quit smoking since 2000) www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6552a1.htm
Reading Eagle (PA) article Surgeon general report: electronic cigarettes are lethal touts lies about vaping, nicotine and teens by SG Murthy and CDC s Frieden (note this article was removed after Godshall submitted a letter to editor exposing its many false claims) www.readingeagle.com/voices/article/surgeon-general-report-electronic-cigarettes-are-lethal
Philadelphia Dr. Charmaine Chan repeats SG Murthy s fear mongering lies about vaping (in obfuscatory reply to question asking if vaping is less harmful than cigarette smoking) www.philly.com/philly/health/kidshealth/Are-e-cigarettes-any-safer-for-my-child-than-smoking.html
Mike Siegel: Physician says that youth vaping leads to crack addiction (in above article) tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/2017/01/anti-tobacco-physician-advocate-says.html
Article touts SG report and CDC survey finding many teen vapers don t vape nicotine to further demonize vaping and promote FDA Deeming Regulation (without acknowledging that it bans vapor sales to all US adults on August 8, 2018) www.theverge.com/2016/12/29/14117964/e-cigarette-vaping-increase-teens-cdc-health-risks
DHHS funded study finds current vapers in college were no more likely than non vapers to subsequently report cigarette use, but DHHS funded anti-vaping activists falsly insinuate their study found vaping is a gateway to cigarette smoking.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306460316304440
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28038364
Mike Siegel: First longitudinal study to examine progression from vaping to smoking among young people finds NO effect of vaping (in contrast to author s claims) tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/2017/01/first-longitudinal-study-to-examine.html
DHHS funded Stan Glantz misrepresents findings of study on college student vaping tobacco.ucsf.edu/starting-e-cigs-triples-odds-starting-cigarettes-among-college-students-evidence-just-keeps-piling
NCI/FDA funded UNC finds many teens don t believe inaccurate and misleading warnings that are mandated on cigar packages and ads; study s co-author Adam Goldstein falsely claims not inhaling cigar smoke still causes cancer and heart disease news.unchealthcare.org/news/2016/december/cigar-warning-labels-are-not-equally-believable-among-adolescents
Obama DHHS funded anti-vaping activists falsely claim dual use of vapor products by cigarette smokers harms public health, unethically advocate lying to smokers about far less harmful vapor products to discourage smokers from switching to vaping www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743516304297/
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28024860
Mike Siegel You can t identify potential benefits of e-cigarettes if you only look for the risks: The flaw in current e-cigarette research tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/2017/01/you-cant-identify-potential-benefits-of.html
Peter Hajak refutes false claims by DHHS funded anti-vapers that dual use of vapor products by smokers harms their health and harms public health
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28024860
DHHS funded study finds American ignorance about vaping increased from 2012 to 2014 (as fewer knew vaping was less harmful than cigarette smoking in 2014), But Johns Hopkins Bloomberg study co-author Eric Ford praised the findings, and advocated more anti-vaping propaganda to further confuse and scare the public about vaping.
www.jhsph.edu/news/news-releases/2017/fewer-see-e-cigarettes-as-less-harmful-than-cigarettes.html
medicalxpress.com/news/2017-01-e-cigarettes-cigarettes.html
www.medpagetoday.com/Pulmonology/Smoking/62361
Taxation
ATR s Paul Blair: State overspending may be significant problem for vapers in 2017
www.atr.org/state-overspending-may-be-significant-problem-vapers-2017
Lawsuit takes aim at new vaping tax (PA) www.cpbj.com/article/20161227/CPBJ01/161229867/lawsuit-takes-aim-at-new-vaping-tax
January 23 rally in Pennsylvania capital (Harrisburg) to reduce 40% vapor tax www.facebook.com/events/191092478016023/
40% tax puts second vape shop in Lancaster County out of business (PA) lancasteronline.com/news/local/tax-puts-a-second-vape-shop-in-lancaster-county-out/article_dba8238e-cecc-11e6-8e3e-9faccb9a8f06.html
E-cigarette retailers battle lawmakers on new tax (KS) themercury.com/articles/e-cigarette-retailers-battle-lawmakers-on-new-tax
San Francisco (CA) increases cigarette litter tax (er fee) from $.50 to $.60/pack www.sfexaminer.com/sfs-cigarette-litter-fee-packs-sold-increases-60-cents/
Vaping Bans
Obama s National Park Service proposes to redefine smoking to include use of lifesaving smokefree vapor products, proposed banning vaping everywhere (indoors and outdoors) smoking is already banned at all National Parks; 60 day public comment period s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2016-31957.pdf
CEI v DOT: Obama s DOT files final reply brief defend agency s 2011 vaping ban in airlines by falsely claiming that smokefree vaping is the same as smoking www.tobacco-on-trial.com/2016/12/28/cei-v-dot-respondent-final-brief-dec-28-2016/
www.tobacco-on-trial.com/wp-content/uploaded/2016/12/2016-12-28-cei-v-dot-respondents.pdf
Franklin County (KY) officials rejects Board of Health s proposed workplace vaping ban www.state-journal.com/2016/12/23/county-passes-on-policing-e-cigarettes/
Allegheny County (PA) Council to consider e-cigarette ban
www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2016/12/31/Allegheny-County-Council-to-consider-e-cigarette-ban/stories/201612310148
Healthcare Council of Western PA (which has never advocated legislation to reduce cigarette smoking) urges Allegheny County Council to enact Board of Health s cigarette protecting workplace vaping ban
www.post-gazette.com/opinion/letters/2016/12/26/We-support-efforts-to-limit-e-cigarette-use/stories/201612260025
Proposed e-cigarette ban moves to Allegheny County Council committee triblive.com/local/allegheny/11725328-74/council-ban-cigarettes
Riverside (CA) considers banning vaping at many outdoor locations www.pe.com/articles/smoking-822141-vaping-cigarettes.html
Redlands (CA) Daily Facts editorial: No need for ordinance banning e-cigarettes www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/opinion/20170105/no-need-for-ordinance-banning-e-cigarettes
Taiwan Health Promotion Administration proposes banning smokefree vaping in all public places, falsely claims vaping is smoking
www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3063926
Minimum Age
Trenton (NJ) council postpones vote on raising tobacco (and vapor) purchase age to 21 automotive.einnews.com/article/360745099/ByZMI5ouaXLAJ3vB
Orange County (NY) Legislature increases minimum age for tobacco/vapor sales to 21
bronx.news12.com/news/tri-state/orange-county-legislators-pass-bill-to-raise-age-to-buy-tobacco-1.12796138
Muskegan County (MI) commissioners increase minimum age for tobacco sales to 21 (vapor sales likely included since Big Pharma shills CTFK, ACS, AHA, ALA insist)
halfwheel.com/muskegon-county-michigan-commissioners-vote-support-tobacco-purchase-age-increase/135895
Retailer Restrictions/Burdens
California officials making life tough for vape vendors dailycaller.com/2017/01/03/california-officials-making-life-tough-for-vape-vendors/
Philly tobacco retailer limits (that do nothing to reduce smoking) go into effect www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2016/12/29/philly-tobacco-laws-cigarette-prices-wawa-gas.html
Independence (MO) ordinance requires tobacco retailers to install/maintain cameras fox4kc.com/2017/01/02/independence-city-ordinance-requires-tobacco-and-convenience-stores-to-have-more-surveillance-cameras/
Steve Birr: Tobacco to be hidden from plain sight in Netherlands shops nltimes.nl/2016/12/23/tobacco-hidden-plain-sight-netherlands-shops
Anti-Vaping Funding
Iowa funded anti-vaping group lobbies for more tax dollars for more anti-vaping propaganda programs (that they deceptively call tobacco prevention) www.radioiowa.com/2016/12/30/alliance-seeks-2-3-million-more-for-iowas-anti-smoking-programs/
WHO FCTC
David Williams: Time to defund the taxpayer-subsidized United Nations (cites WHO FCTC COP banning, and forcibly removing journalists from anti-tobacco meetings).
www.insidesources.com/time-defund-taxpayer-subsidized-united-nations/
WHO issues four more papers misrepresenting the scientific evidence on vapor products, repeat false fear mongering claims from August 2016 FCTC ENDS propaganda report www.who.int/tobacco/industry/product_regulation/eletronic-cigarettes-report-cop7-background-papers/en/
UK experts refuted many false claims in WHO FCTC s 8/16 ENDS propaganda report at ukctas.net/news/commentary-on-WHO-report-on-ENDS&ENNDS.html
www.who.int/fctc/cop/cop7/FCTC_COP_7_11_EN.pdf (FCTC 8/16 ENDS report)
Cancer Therapy Advisor article touts Luke Clancy s absurd accusation that all countries are violating the WHO FCTC unless/until they ban all tobacco companies from communicating with government officials www.cancertherapyadvisor.com/iaslc-2016/tobacco-control-companies-seeking-influence-policy-violations-cancer/article/577761/
More Junk Science, Propaganda and Lies
Clive Bates exposes irreconcilable contradiction between data findings and authors conclusions in Sao Paula smoking ban heart attack study published by Tobacco Control
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27794066#cm27794066_37507
Farsalinos/Polosa/Bates reveal health benefits of increasing endothelial progenitor cells, refute unsubstantiated claim that vaping nicotine may cause chronic heart disease
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27693003#cm27693003_37474
ASH Ireland s Pat Doorley grossly misrepresents the scientific and empirical evidence about vaping, tells cigarette smokers to not vape, but instead use NRT products (that have a 5% success rate for smoking cessation, and have already been used by most smokers) www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/quitting-smokers-should-not-vape-35332992.html
www.thejournal.ie/vaping-ireland-3166362-Jan2017/
Brad Rodu: Sacremento Bee errs twice with Fake News on e-cigarettes rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.com/2016/12/sacramento-bee-errs-twice-with-fake.html
blog.heartland.org/2016/12/sacramento-bee-errs-twice-with-fake-news-on-e-cigarettes/
LA Times editorial absurdly credits anti-vaping propaganda for decline in past 30 day e-cig use by US youth (as that s what likely caused more youth to try vaping from 2012-2014), repeats Univ of Michigan s lie that 2016 was first year youth e-cig use declined.
www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-ecig-youth-rates-20161222-story.html
Big Pharma financed AAP publishes yet another report that grossly misrepresents risks of nicotine (which are similar to those of caffeine) to demonize vaping, report author Lorena Siqueira falsely claims vaping causes lifelong nicotine addiction among youth
pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2016/12/15/peds.2016-3436
Big Pharma financed AAP repeats fear mongering claims about kids drinking e-liquid, but fails to acknowledge that Big Pharma drugs cause >100 times more child poisonings consumer.healthday.com/cancer-information-5/electronic-cigarettes-970/kids-landing-in-ers-after-drinking-parents-e-cig-nicotine-liquid-717984.html
Israel Cancer Association lies about THR, demonizes Philip Morris for marketing low risk iQOS to cigarette smokers, calls for high taxes and advertising ban
www.jpost.com/Business-and-Innovation/Health-and-Science/Call-made-for-regulation-taxes-no-smoking-law-enforcement-for-e-cigs-476575
Washinton Post editorial and AP article repeat false fear mongering claims about very low risk smokeless tobacco products (that have helped a million smokers quit smoking), praise MLB for banning adults from using products (that pose no risks to nonusers).
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/mlb-takes-a-swing-at-smokeless-tobacco/2016/12/27/c4d6f304-b8d5-11e6-b994-f45a208f7a73_story.html
www.chicagolawbulletin.com/Articles/2017/01/03/MLB-dipping-ban-1-3-17.aspx
Cannabis Harm Reduction
David Nutt: Better late than never? After 82 years the WHO reviews cannabis www.drugscience.org.uk/blog?tag=cannabis
Study finds no elevated stroke risk for marijuana smokers, unlike cigarette smokers
stroke.ahajournals.org/content/early/2016/12/27/STROKEAHA.116.015565
www.reuters.com/article/us-health-stroke-pot-idUSKBN14N1TD
ACSH s Jamie Wells: Cannabis and Strokes: Linked or Not? (Godshall comments)
acsh.org/news/2017/01/04/cannabis-and-strokes-linked-or-not-10682
Opioids
ACSH s Josh Bloom Opioid Denial: My Own Harrowing Experience
acsh.org/news/2016/12/29/opioid-denial-my-own-harrowing-experience-10655
CDC reports increase in opioid overdose deaths from 2010-2015 (but fails to acknowledge that FDA and CDC actions caused opioid overdose deaths to increase) www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm655051e1.htm
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6552a12.htm
Bill Godshall
Executive Director
Smokefree Pennsylvania
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