An $18.6 million study to stop LQBTQ+ youth vaping. Calls to Action to stop a national vape tax and a Pennsylvania flavor ban. The inevitable prohibition game of whack-a-mole. Fifth Circuit Court stays Vuse flavor ban and more!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a link to the audio/video versions of this post!
CALL TO ACTION // Stop A Federal Tax!
If HR 5715 is enacted, 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!
CALL TO ACTION // Pennsylvania: Stop a Flavor Ban!
HB 1161 would ban tobacco and nicotine products in any flavor other than tobacco.
TAKE ACTION: Pennsylvania: Fight a Flavor Ban!
ADVOCACY // The Strength of Voices
Thank you, Nick Green (aka Grimm Green on YouTube) for helping to get the word out about the CASAA Call to Action! ❤️
RESEARCH // Bans Make Things Worse
“In a large-scale, long-term analysis of policies and sales data, the researchers found that for every 0.7 milliliters of “e-liquid” that goes unsold due to flavor restrictions, 15 additional traditional cigarettes are sold. The substitution was especially evident among cigarette brands popular with young people aged 20 and under, suggesting that flavor restrictions may increase smoking among youth as well as adults.”
Translation: Bans make things worse.
Yale School of Public Health’s @AFriedmanPhD presents data that flavor bans increase cigarette sales.
Every half-pod not sold following a flavor ban results in the sale of 7 more cigarettes. #ecigsummit pic.twitter.com/9mERoDEgRV
— Gregory Conley (@GregTHR) May 16, 2023
READ MORE: E-cigarette flavor restrictions may increase cigarette sales, study finds
RESEARCH // Youth Survey Spin
Note both exclusive youth “tobacco use” (incl. low risk tobacco/nicotine) and marijuana use rose, but the commentary focuses mainly on tobacco smoking. They also ignore the fact that the percentage for marijuana use increased by 20.5% while the “tobacco” use percentage (which likely includes ALL forms of tobacco and vaping products, not just cigarettes) rose just 6.7%.
Teen drinking is down but marijuana use is up, and more popular, study suggests https://t.co/Cv6tssY59s via @USATODAY @Saleen_Martin
— New York Health Foundation (@NYHFoundation) September 29, 2022
READ MORE: Kids’ Use of Cannabis and Tobacco Rose From 2021 to 2022
RESEARCH // Reading the Bias Between the Lines
“Wagner said that before 2016, they were not seeing a lot of kids becoming daily users after trying the e-cigarette products. That has since changed.”
After stating the above, they then go on to only mention PAST 30 DAY USE data, hiding that DAILY USE is still a very low 2.6%!
They also fail to mention that “current” (ie. even 1 puff in the past month) cigarette SMOKING (high school) has dropped from 9.3% in 2015 to just 2% – and DAILY smoking would be even lower, but that data isn’t made public for some reason. 🤔
They also state, “OSU’s research hopes to help the FDA regulate e-cigarettes, and guide adult smokers to these products as they can be less harmful than traditional cigarettes.”
While the consideration for adults who smoke and vape is an improvement over many other biased research, we can guess from the tone of the article that their “help” to the FDA will include advice to ban non-tobacco and menthol vape flavors – which will impact mostly adults who smoke.
READ MORE: Ohio State gets $20M for study to help reduce tobacco’s appeal to teens
RESEARCH // A $18.6 Million Study to Stop LGBTQ+ Youth Vaping
“This funding will allow us to further advance the science of e-cigarette and vaping prevention messaging among youth and young adults, with a special focus on lesbian, gay, and bisexual young people who use e-cigarettes at a higher rate than other populations.”
LBGTQ+ youth are at higher risk for smoking, drinking, drugs and other harmful behaviors. So NIH and FDA awarded an $18.6 million dollar grant to stop them from using LOW RISK, HARM REDUCTION products. 🤦♂️
Let that sink in for a minute.
$18.6 MILLION DOLLARS. To prevent harm reduction.
TOBACCO CONTROL // The Inevitable Prohibition Game of Whack-A-Mole
We all told them they’d be playing a useless game of whack-a-mole, but they didn’t listen.
It’s far past time for FDA to stop playing games, quit denying the science and real world facts, and start saving lives.
It’s time to tell the truth about Tobacco Harm Reduction and authorize flavored vapor products!
🔎Corrupt journalism in action:@AP gets funding from @RWJF
So does @Phealthlawctr
RWJF is hardline anti-vaping *and* has big investments in rival nicotine products.
AP reporter Matt Perrone features PHLC and conceals all of the funding from readers.https://t.co/SifUJElvAX pic.twitter.com/xO2UsHgCp6
— American Vapor Manufacturers (@VaporAmerican) October 16, 2023
READ MORE: Elf Bar finds an easy way around US vape import ban: a name change
HEADS UP! Louisiana // New Vape Laws Take Effect
The new Louisiana law that was intended to “protect the health of citizens from online sales” will instead ENDANGER the health of citizens by increasing the unregulated illicit market (both online and off), and making it easier and cheaper to smoke than use low risk alternatives to smoking. It will also take away jobs and livelihoods by closing down neighborhood vape shops that will have little left to sell.
Big Tobacco is trying to make sure no independent vape suppliers survive:
In Louisiana: The law Edwards signed triples the tax on vape liquid from 5 cents per milliliter to 15 cents per milliliter. But the bigger impacts have to do with a new registry pushed by the tobacco…— Lance Churchill (@LanceChurchill) June 23, 2023
READ MORE: Part of new Louisiana vape law goes into effect soon: What you need to know
FDA // Fifth Court Stays Ban of Vuse Flavors
Court temporarily blocks FDA’s ban of Vuse Alto menthol pods. The Fifth Circuit Court has temporarily stayed the FDA marketing denial order, allowing Vuse pods to remain on the market.
CASAA director Jim McDonald reporting for Vaping 360.
Court temporarily blocks FDA’s ban of Vuse Alto menthol pods.
The Fifth Circuit Court has temporarily stayed the FDA marketing denial order, allowing Vuse pods to remain on the market.https://t.co/SdDXygDkQq
— Vaping360 (@Vaping360) October 19, 2023
READ MORE: FDA Orders Vuse Alto Menthol Pods Off the Market
CASAA LIVE // Special Announcement!
Our show this week has been postponed in lieu of a CASAA LIVE SPECIAL tentatively scheduled for the week of October 30th. We will have SPECIAL GUESTS join us to discuss the “Big Vape” documentary on Netflix.
👉Watch here for the date and time to be announced soon!
TESTIMONIALS // Real people. Real Stories.
Anecdote #13,532:
Thirty-eight year old James had smoked for 22 years and his health was rapidly declining. Just 2 months after ending up in the hospital, vaping changed his life for the better.
SUBMIT YOUR STORY: Submit Your Success Story to the CASAA Testimonial Project!
CASAA IN ACTION // CASAA Live
Join CASAA CEO Alex Clark and vice president Logan Evans as they view Alex’s recent discussion with scientist and harm reduction advocate Annie Kleykamp about her efforts to make sure older people who smoke aren’t left behind in THR.
Catch the show LIVE every-other Saturday 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.
