Vaping Research
One year follow-up study of asthmatic daily vapers confirms past findings of improved respiratory symptoms, lung function, AHR, ACQ and cigarette consumption decline.
Polosa R et al. Persisting long term benefits of smoking abstinence and reduction in asthmatic smokers who have switched to electronic cigarettes.
Bradley Fikes: E-cigarettes appear much less risky than smoking, scientists say www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/mar/19/e-cigarettes-health-risk-smoking/
Smoking Cessation Research
Brad Rodu: Clinical trials and errors blur consumer tobacco preferences rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.com/2016/03/clinical-trials-and-errors-blur.html
International Conference
Global Forum on Nicotine in Warsaw, Poland, June 17-18 gfn.net.co/ gfn.net.co/programme-2016/program
THR Education and Advocacy
Jacob Sullum: Equating vaping with smoking is medical malpractice reason.com/archives/2016/03/28/equating-vaping-with-smoking-is-medical
View e-cigarettes as harm reduction, not health risk: Prof (Sweanor criticizes Health Canada s cigarette protecting anti-nicotine propaganda and abstinence-only laws) m.metronews.ca/#/article/news/ottawa/2016/03/27/prof-says-feds-moving-the-wrong-way-on-vaping.html
Hank Campbell: 1% of a $900 billion market has health officials baffled (link expired/disabled)http://acsh.org/news/2016/03/28/1-of-a-900-billion-market-has-health-officials-baffled/
Mike Siegel: CVS Health tells public that smoking is no more dangerous than vaping tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/2016/03/cvs-health-tells-public-that-smoking-is.html
Sarah Jakes: Vapers just want to have fun www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/vapers-just-wanna-have-fun/#.VuxonX0rLMp
Heat Not Burn Products
Marlboro kicks some ash: Philip Morris makes a device to heat rather than burn tobacco www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-24/marlboro-kicks-some-ash
Smoke without fire: Japan become test ground for real tobacco e-cigarette www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-tobacco-idUSKCN0WV0GQ
FDA Deeming Ban
FDA s Robert Califf falsely claims FDA bases its regulations on scientific evidence (after FDA unlawfully banned e-cigs in 2009, stated its intent to ban them again in 2011, and proposed banning them again in 2014), says FDA Deeming Regulation is among his top priorities, but fails to acknowledge it would protect cigarettes by banning vapor products.
blogs.fda.gov/fdavoice/index.php/2016/03/priorities-teamwork-to-achieve-common-goals
ATR s Paul Blair: It s time for presidential candidates weigh overregulation of vapor products www.atr.org/it-s-time-presidential-candidates-weigh-overregulation-vapor-products
NCI falsely claims cigars pose same disease risks as cigarettes to lobby for FDA Deeming Ban www.deseretnews.com/article/865650824/Where-theres-smoke-theres-cancer.html?pg=all
Sheila Kaplan: The era of unregulated cigars may be going up in smoke www.statnews.com/2016/03/23/cigar-fda-proposed-regulations/
Other FDA
Brad Rodu: FDA smokeless tobacco campaign is incompatible with science-based regulation rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.com/2016/03/fda-smokeless-tobacco-campaign-is.html
22nd Century says FDA has formally acknowledged receipt of company s MRTP application to falsely claim very low nicotine cigarettes are reduced risk products.
www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160331005925/en/FDA-Acknowledges-Receipt-22nd-Century%E2%80%99s-Nicotine-Modified
FTC
FTC issues 2013 reports on cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products
www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2016/03/ftc-releases-reports-2013-cigarette-smokeless-tobacco-sales
www.ftc.gov/reports/federal-trade-commission-smokeless-tobacco-report-2013
www.ftc.gov/reports/federal-trade-commission-smokeless-tobacco-report-2013
Prohibition
E-cigarette body tells Hong Kong officials to regulate industry, not ban its products www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/1931681/e-cigarette-body-tells-hong-kong-officials
Litigation
Florida Supreme Court rules for allowing punitive damages in Engle cases www.journalnow.com/business/business_news/local/fla-supreme-court-rules-for-allowing-punitive-damages-in-engle/article_372c9db7-05a3-50fe-979b-cc759af2f7e8.html
Taxation
Scott Drenkard: Vapor Products and Tax Policy (excellent analysis that finds no logical reason for taxing vapor products except to protect cigarettes from market competition) taxfoundation.org/article/vapor-products-and-tax-policy
Fiscal health before public health? Taxing e-cigarettes, a business decision E-cigarette regulation is about replacing cash flow, not harm reduction us.blastingnews.com/business/2016/03/fiscal-health-before-public-health-taxing-e-cigarettes-a-business-decision-00843965.html
Guy Bentley: Local lawmakers left red faced after failure of e-cigarette tax (MD) dailycaller.com/2016/03/25/local-lawmakers-left-red-faced-after-failure-of-e-cigarette-tax/#ixzz44IVVPQem
Why electronic cigarette taxes don t work: Montgomery County (MD) e-cig tax falls 80% short of expectations www.cspnet.com/category-news/tobacco/articles/why-electronic-cigarette-taxes-don-t-work
Vermont House approves bill (HB 879) to impose 92% tax on vapor products, sent to Senate
legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2016/H.879
CASAA urges Vermont vapers to oppose 92% tax on vapor and smokeless tobacco blog.casaa.org/2016/03/vt-take-action-to-oppose-vapor-taxes.html
Vermont legislature may protect cigarettes with a 92% tax on lifesaving vapor products www.manchesterjournal.com/oped/ci_29699824/vapes-shops-become-vaporized
North Dakota Sec of State approves for circulation ballot petition to impose 56% tax on lifesaving vapor products, increase cigarette tax from $.44 to $2.20/pack, and increase tax on less harmful OTP from 28% to 56% Bismarck Tribune 3/29 www.wday.com/news/3995693-north-dakota-may-soon-have-decide-increase-taxes-tobacco-products-including-e
Guy Bentley: High cigarette taxes and black market tobacco are funding global terrorism dailycaller.com/2016/03/21/high-cigarette-taxes-and-black-market-tobacco-are-funding-global-terrorism/
Nebraska legislative committee rejects bill that would have increased cigarette tax netnebraska.org/article/news/1016336/immunity-prostitution-charges-advances-supreme-court-declines-marijuana-lawsuit
State tobacco tax roundup: March 2016
www.cspnet.com/category-news/tobacco/articles/state-tobacco-tax-roundup-march-2016
Licensure of Vapor Products
Washington State Senate and House approve bill (SB 6328) to require licenses for vapor retailers, require vapor product warnings, ban vaping in schools; sent to governor www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/mar/29/legislature-oks-vaping-regulation/
Washington State AG Bob Ferguson and other vaping opponents endorse reasonable vapor product regulation legislation www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/landmark-ag-requested-regulations-e-cigarettes-vapor-products-pass-senate
Hoosier security: E-cigarettes bill creates mandated monopoly eaglecountryonline.com/local-article/hoosier-security-e-cigarette-bill-creates-mandated-monopoly/
Highland Park (NJ) Council preliminarily approves bill to protect cigarettes by imposing a $1,200 annual licensing fee on retailers who sell lifesaving vapor products.
www.nj.com/middlesex/index.ssf/2016/03/nj_borough_wants_vape_shops_to_cough_up_fee.html
Vaping Bans
Clive Bates: Vaping bans asking the wrong question
www.clivebates.com/?p=3813
CASAA urges Alaska vapers to oppose bill (HB 328) to ban vaping in workplaces blog.casaa.org/2016/03/ak-take-action-to-oppose-indoor-vaping.html
Alaska Senate approves bill (SB 1) to ban vaping and smoking in workplaces juneauempire.com/state/2016-03-30/senate-votes-ban-smoking-bars-restaurants-statewide
CASAA urges Orange County (CA) vapers to oppose proposed vaping ban blog.casaa.org/2016/03/local-alert-orange-co-nc-take-action-to.html
CASAA urges South Bend (IN) vapers to oppose proposed workplace vaping ban blog.casaa.org/2016/03/local-alert-south-bend-in-take-action.html
South Bend (IN) Council approves ban on vaping and smoking in workplaces (including vape shops) www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/south-bend-council-approves-smoking-ban-on—vote/article_6bf5c2dc-f617-11e5-b1bd-830cf02cb648.html
Derek James From: Ontario s anti vaping law misguided, illegal windsorstar.com/opinion/columnists/ontarios-anti-vaping-law-misguided-illegal
Dick Puddlecote: There s only one person to blame, Drakeford (Wales) dickpuddlecote.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/theres-only-one-person-to-blame.html
Smokeless Tobacco Usage Bans
Big Pharma financed CTFK and 33 other prohibitionist groups lie to Major League Baseball about the negligible risks of smokeless tobacco products to bully the league to impose totally unwarranted and unenforceable smokeless tobacco usage bans for adults www.tobaccofreekids.org/press_releases/post/2016_03_31_mlb
www.tobaccofreekids.org/content/press_office/2016/2016_03_31_mlb_letter.pdf
Reason s Matt Welch: Chewing tobacco at ballparks is disgusting, but it shouldn t be illegal www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-0331-welch-chewing-tobacco-ban-20160331-story.html
Deron Snyder: MLB will soon find out how far smokeless tobacco bans are received www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/mar/28/snyder-mlb-will-soon-find-out-how-far-smokeless-to/
Intolerant NYC City Council bans adults from using very low risk smokeless tobacco products (that have helped millions of people quit smoking, and pose no risks to others) at sports and recreational areas to purportedly protect children (despite virtually no smokeless tobacco use by NYC teens); Mayor de Blasio to sign bill
www.foxnews.com/us/2016/03/28/smokeless-tobacco-set-to-be-banned-in-ny-baseball-parks.html
www.nydailynews.com/sports/de-blasio-promises-sign-new-york-city-chewing-tobacco-ban-article-1.2579149
nypost.com/2016/03/27/de-blasio-to-follow-through-on-tobacco-ban-in-ballparks/
www.northjersey.com/sports/klapisch-yankees-deliberate-tobacco-ban-1.1534134?page=all
Steve Chapman s op/ed criticizes adult smokeless tobacco use at Chicago baseball stadia www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chapman/ct-smokeless-tobacco-ban-ballpark-baseball-mlb-perspec-0327-jm-20160325-column.html
California
California governor urged to veto slew of anti e-cigarette bills dailycaller.com/2016/03/30/california-governor-urged-to-veto-slew-of-anti-e-cigarette-bills/
Orange County vaping industry lobbies against changes in smoking laws www.ocregister.com/articles/cigarettes-710158-brown-vaping.html
No drinking, smoking or vaping under 21 in California if new law signed motherboard.vice.com/read/no-drinking-smoking-or-vaping-under-21-in-california-if-new-law-signed
Dr. Rob Crane lies about vaping to ban sales of vapor products to 18, 19 and 20 year old smokers, ban use of lifesaving vapor products in workplaces (which protect cigarettes).
www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article66713847.html
Minimum Age Laws
Second e-cig study finds raising age limit may have backfire effect www.journalnow.com/news/local/second-e-cig-study-finds-raising-age-limit-may-have/article_8ed3f4fb-0c69-55d9-9fca-c6970920a613.html
CASAA urges Chautauqua County (NY) vapers to oppose bill to increase minimum age for vapor product sales to 21.blog.casaa.org/2016/03/local-alert-chautauqua-co-ny-take.html
CASAA urges Gardner (KS) vapers to oppose bill to increase minimum age for vapor product sales to 21. blog.casaa.org/2016/03/local-alert-gardner-ks-oppose-tobacco.html
Vermont House votes 71-71 on bill to increase minimum age for sales of tobacco and vapor products to 21, plans to reconsider bill
(link expired/broken) www.sunherald.com/news/business/article68621147.html
www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/politics/2016/03/26/vermont-considers-raising-smoking-age-21/82186172/
USA Today editorial endorses age 21 for cigarette sales, but deceptively fails to acknowledge that all age 21 laws and bills also increase the minimum age for lifesaving vapor products and low risk OTP www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2016/03/21/cigarettes-21-sales-age-california-hawaii-editorials-debates/81730332/
Flavoring Ban
Imperial Tobacco and two retailers sue New Brunswick over menthol tobacco ban
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/tobacco-menthol-ban-imperial-1.3511069
www.newswire.ca/news-releases/imperial-tobacco-canada-files-legal-challenge-against-new-brunswick-menthol-ban-573364201.html
Plain Packaging
France sets cigarette plain packaging date, JTI to file appeal medicalxpress.com/news/2016-03-france-cigarette-plain-package-date.html
EU TPD
Jacob Hasselbalch: Profession disruption in health regulation: electronic cigarettes in the European Union (describes rapid changes in the EU TPD s e-cigarette policy, but fails to acknowledge that many abstinence-only e-cig prohibitionists who lobbied for the TPD s cigarette protecting e-cig sales ban repeated many fear mongering lies they made about snus when lobbying the EU to ban snus in the 1990 s and when sabotaging then ASH-UK director Clive Bates attempt to repeal EU s cigarette protecting snus ban a decade ago). jpo.oxfordjournals.org/content/3/1/62.full
Jacob Hasselbalch: Why e-cigarettes have an image problem blog.oup.com/2016/03/e-cigarettes-image-problem/
Junk Science, Propaganda and Lies
Frank Schnell: How natural variations became environmental crises: the word game acsh.org/news/2016/02/16/how-natural-variations-became-environmental-crises-the-word-game/
Study finds e-liquid and rechargeable vapor products are significantly less expensive than cigarettes in majority of 45 countries studied (if same vaporizer is used for several weeks or months, which is typical) and disposable e-cigs are more expensive than cigarettes in vast majority of countries; but American Cancer Society press release falsely claims the study found e-cigarettes are more expensive than cigarettes in 44 of 45 nations (because ACS inaccurately assumed that all rechargeable vapor products are used for just one day).
tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/early/2016/03/16/tobaccocontrol-2015-052874.abstract
www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-03/acs-cct032416.php
www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/Smoking/56982
medicalxpress.com/news/2016-03-cigarettes-cheaper-e-cigarettes-countries.html
US DHHS agencies (that funded most of the junk science and fear mongering press releases demonizing vaping) team up with aerosol research group to further demonize vaping under the guise of science, stack AAAR scientific review panel with DHHS vaping opponents, e-mail Call for Abstracts for Special Symposium on E-cigarettes in October to vaping opponents (but not to vaping supporters, and don t post it on website) href=”http://aaarabstracts.com/2016/
www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/threads/obamas-dhhs-teaming-up-with-aerosol-research-group-to-demonize-vaping.734621/
aaarabstracts.com/2016/
Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners publishes review by Univ. of Pennsylvania s Amy Tomashefski confirming most vapers know vapor products are far less harmful than cigarettes and have helped smokers quit, then denies this clear fact (that vaping is less harmful than smoking, and has helped many smokers quit), urges FDA to impose the cigarette protecting vapor Deeming ban, and urges nurse practitioners to instruct patients who smoke to not vape, and instruct patients who vape to stop vaping. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2327-6924.12358/abstract
Mike Siegel: Public health malpractice? Nursing journal article recommends scolding smokers who quit using e-cigarettes tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/2016/03/public-health-malpractice-nursing.html
CDC s Tom Frieden claims agency advertisements prompted 400,000 smokers to quit, but agency still denies that vaping has helped anyone quit smoking, and continues lobbying for FDA s proposed vapor deeming ban that protects cigarettes.
www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0324-anti-smoking.html
thehill.com/policy/healthcare/274243-cdc-104k-people-quit-smoking-due-to-ad-campaign
After demanding and signing laws that protect cigarettes from market competition by far less harmful vapor and smokeless tobacco products (to ensure that many more smokers will get cancer), former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg (and Joe Biden) absurdly claim cancer can be cured by spending more money (Godshall comments). www.bloombergview.com/articles/2016-03-30/curing-cancer-is-within-reach
Michael Schulson: How journalists can help hold scientists accountable (reveals that many/most studies are junk science and much scientific reporting hypes junk science) www.psmag.com/nature-and-technology/journalists-should-hold-scientists-accountable
CPI s Nicholas Kusnetz anti tobacco industry rant protects cigarettes by deceitfully conflating lifesaving vapor products with cigarettes, referring to vaping prohibitionists financed by Big Pharma and by Obama s DHHS as anti-smoking advocates , repeating their lies claiming state laws banning vapor product sales to minors protect e-cigarettes , falsely claims tobacco companies led the lobbying campaign (mobilized by vapers and vape shop owners) against CA Sen. Leno s vaping ban.
www.publicintegrity.org/2016/03/25/19468/how-big-tobacco-lobbies-safeguard-e-cigarettes
news.vice.com/article/why-us-big-tobacco-lobbies-for-e-cigarettes
Huff Post publishes more lies about vaping, this time by Prop 65 frivolous lawsuit group CEH s Micheal Green www.huffingtonpost.com/michaelgreen/e-cigarettes-hooking-a-new-generation_b_9498756.html
Ontario Thoracic Society chair George Chandy and anti-THR activist Stan Shatenstein protect cigarettes, threaten lives of all vapers and smokers by repeating long disproved lies about vaping (e.g. a gateway to cigarettes, as harmful as cigarettes, prevents smokers from quitting) to lobby for vaping bans and other cigarette protecting anti vaping laws.
ottawacitizen.com/opinion/letters/your-letters-for-saturday-march-26-vaping-and-speeding
Des Moines Register s Linh Ta repeats ALA lies about vaping without any fact checking to lobby for more cigarette protecting vaping bans www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/health/2016/03/17/more-iowa-cities-ban-smoking-vaping-parks/81821080/
State funded/controlled vaping opponent ClearWay Minnesota gives grant to study e-cigs www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clearway-minnesotasm-funds-new-research-grants-300237900.html
Public Health versus Paternalism
Paternalism and public health (for) by Sandro Galea, Dean, BU School of Public Health (Godshall comments) www.bu.edu/sph/2016/03/13/paternalism-and-public-health/
A Commentary on Dean Galea s Note (against) by Leonard Glantz www.bu.edu/sph/2016/03/13/a-commentary-on-dean-galeas-note/
Guy Bentley: Academics devise surveillance system to identify e-cigarette supporters dailycaller.com/2016/03/20/academics-devise-surveillance-system-to-identify-e-cigarette-supporters/
www.j-biomed-inform.com/article/S1532-0464(16)00046-0/abstract
Bill Godshall
Executive Director
Smokefree Pennsylvania
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