Bill Godshall Update 2014-08-29
Tobacco Harm Reduction Update - August 29th, 2014
Contents:
E-cig Research, FDA, FDA / AHA, WHO, E-cig Safety, E-cig Business, State Action, Taxation, Vaping Bans, Smokeless Tobacco, Legal Minimum Age, Employment Discrimination, EU, UK, Canada, Australia, Marijuana for Opioid Harm Reduction, Drug Harm Reduction.
E-cig Research
All Gates Lead to Smoking: the 'gateway theory', e-cigarettes and remaking of nicotine (full text attached: evolution of unscientific 'gateway theory' to deceive and scare)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953614005334
Consistent with other surveys, CDC 2013 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) finds:
- 0.4%, 0.8%, 0.9% of never smokers reported 'ever use' of an e-cig in 2011, 2012, 2013
- 'ever smokers' were 22 times more likely than 'never smokers' to have 'ever used' an e-cig (20.2% vs .9%)
- 'ever smokers' were 23 times more likely than 'never smokers' to have tried an e-cig in 'past-30-days' (6.9% vs 0.3%)
- cigarette smoking rates further declined to record lows in 2013.
http://antithrlies.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/intentions-to-smoke-cigarettes-among-never-smoking-u-s.pdf
(full text of CDC study in N&TR)
http://ntr.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2014/08/18/ntr.ntu166.abstract?sid=2410f53a-ff87-4037-aaba-d35eeb220fcf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25143298
But CDC commits public health malpractice by deceitfully withholding smoking data from its study, highlighting falsified 'intention to smoke' data, touting falsified estimates of e-cig use, and failing to mention key e-cig experimentation data (cited above) in study's abstract and press release.
CDC press release lies about NYTS e-cig data, headline falsely claims 'More than a quarter-million youth who had never smoked a cigarette used e-cigarettes in 2013', press release touts falsified 'intention to smoke' data to deceitfully imply e-cigs are addicting nonsmoking youth (despite no evidence that any nonsmoker has become a daily e-cig user) and are gateways to smoking (despite no evidence that e-cig use preceded daily smoking) to deceive and scare public and to lobby for FDA deeming regulation that would ban >99.9% of e-cigs and give e-cig industry to Big Tobacco.
http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/p0825-e-cigarettes.html
Carl Phillips: CDC refines their lies about kids and e-cigarettes
http://antithrlies.com/2014/08/26/cdc-refines-their-lies-about-kids-and-e-cigarettes/
Brad Rodu: In the CDC-FDA e-cigarette study, 'probably not' is the new 'yes'
http://rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.com/2014/08/in-cdc-fda-e-cigarette-study-probably.html
Carl Phillips - CDC press release about e-cigarettes: blatant lying by government officials
http://antithrlies.com/2014/08/27/cdc-press-release-about-e-cigarettes-blatant-lying-by-government-officials/
News media tout CDC's lies about e-cigs and youth as facts, fail to do any fact checking.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2014/08/25/adolescents-who-use-e-cigarettes-are-much-more-likely-to-try-tobacco-cdc-says/
http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/215883-cdc-kids-jumping-right-to-e-cigarettes
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2014/08/25/number-of-young-non-smokers-who-tried-e-cigs-tripled-in-2-years
http://live.wsj.com/video/e-cigarette-use-triples-among-the-youth-2014-08-27-121155247/272CFF3B-63CF-4820-B5CF-02824911C4EF.html#!272CFF3B-63CF-4820-B5CF-02824911C4EF
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/08/26/cdc-e-cigarettes-may-be-tempting-non-smoking-youths-to-smoke/
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/08/26/e-cigarette-minors-fda-rules-tellusatoday-your-say/14655785/
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/08/25/us-usa-health-ecigarettes-idUKKBN0GP1KS20140825
http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2014/08/27/study-electronic-cigarette-use-up-60-percent-among-middle-high-schoolers/
http://gawker.com/cdc-study-teens-love-e-cigs-1626572345
http://newsok.com/oklahoma-health-officials-worry-e-cigarettes-may-lead-youth-to-cigarette-smoking/article/5335618
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/08/26/3475723/e-cigarette-study-teen-smokers/
Gregory Conley: E-cigarettes are not a 'gateway,' they help smokers quit
http://pamplinmedia.com/ht/118-hillsboro-tribune-opinion/230989-94125-e-cigarettes-are-not-a-gateway-they-help-smokers-quit
Gregory Conley: Public Health Officials Should Embrace E-Cigarettes
http://dailycaller.com/2014/08/20/public-health-officials-should-embrace-e-cigarettes/#ixzz3B27yZErU
FDA
SFATA submits cogent comments to FDA opposing deeming regulation
http://sfata.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/FDA_2014_N_0189_SFATA_Comments.pdf
Daniel Sarewitz: Allow use of electronic cigarettes to assess risk
http://www.nature.com/news/allow-use-of-electronic-cigarettes-to-assess-risk-1.15766?WT.ec_id=NATURE-20140828
Proposed e-cigarette regulation not sitting well with retailers
http://news.wbfo.org/post/proposed-e-cigarette-regulations-not-sitting-well-retailers
FDA requests comments on Swedish Match's MRTP application for 10 General Snus products; comments accepted until February 23, 2015, but FDA requests comments by November 24, 2014 for consideration before MRTP application is sent to TPSAC (even though nobody can read the 100,000+ page MRTP application in just three months).
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/Static/widgets/tobacco/SMNA_MRTPA_FDA-2014-N-1051.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/feds-seek-comments-modified-risk-tobacco-25127118
FDA bans seven (i.e. issued Not Substantially Equivalent Orders for) Star Ariva and Stonewall dissolvable tobacco lozenges (which are very similar to FDA approved nicotine lozenges) that Star stopped selling two years ago
http://acsh.org/2014/08/dea-narcotic-abuse-terrible-solution-will-hurt-patients/
http://www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/Labeling/TobaccoProductReviewEvaluation/NewTobaccoProductReviewandEvaluation/ucm371765.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
http://www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/NewsEvents/ucm412025.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
FDA/AHA
Big Pharma and FDA funded American Heart Association keeps protecting cigarettes, issues new e-cig policy statement that repeats dozens of false and misleading fear mongering claims, grossly misrepresents scientific and empirical evidence, reaffirms AHA's Big Pharma protection policies to impose FDA Deeming Regulation (that would ban >99.9% of e-cigs and give e-cig industry to Big Tobacco), ban flavorings, ban most advertising and marketing to adults, and ban vaping everywhere smoking is banned. AHA policy also endorses taxing e-cigs, redefining e-cigs as tobacco products at state level to impose unwarranted taxes and regulations, urging vapers to quit vaping by using ineffective and less than safe FDA approved products, and endorsing e-cig use by smokers only after FDA approved cessation drugs fail (which occurs >90% of the time). http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/early/2014/08/22/CIR.0000000000000107.full.pdf+html?sid=45c15d1b-327b-48f0-8f85-75ee57545a6f
AHA e-cig policy statement also falsely claims to support laws banning e-cig sales to minors (as CTFK/ACS/AHA/ALA opposed bills to ban e-cig sales to minors in AZ, OK, RI, OH, FL, MI, MO & PA), and fails to ethically disclose AHA's Big Pharma and FDA funding conflicts of interests (while claiming to 'avoid any actual or potential conflicts of interest' among the 14 authors, most of whom also have blatant conflicts of interest).
AP headline touts AHA's endorsement of e-cigs for smokers if FDA drugs fail, article repeats false and misleading fear mongering claims about e-cigs; Godshall comments.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/heart-group-e-cigarettes-might-help-smokers-quit
More news stories repeat AHA's e-cig lies and propaganda with little or no fact checking
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/25/electronic-cigarette-statement/14450967/
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2014/08/25/e-cigarettes-should-be-regulated-like-tobacco-american-heart-association
http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2014/08/heart_group_weighs_in_on_e-cig.html
http://thehill.com/regulation/healthcare/215884-e-cigs-stoke-second-hand-smoke-angst#ixzz3BVSsEASG
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/e-cigarettes-option-curb-smoking-american-heart-association-says-yes/
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/who-aha-health-reports-oppose-e-cigarettes/
http://www.hngn.com/articles/40123/20140825/e-cigarettes-containing-nicotine-regulated-tobacco-items-aha.htm
http://www.healthline.com/health-news/aha-recommends-regulating-e-cigs-082414
http://associationsnow.com/2014/08/heart-association-cancer-society-see-e-cigarettes-last-resort/
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/281445.php
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/13997/20140825/rise-in-e-cigarettes-sparks-concern-for-teens-picking-up-the-habit.htm
http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryhusten/2014/08/25/rise-in-popularity-of-e-cigarettes-sparks-concerns-and-recommendations/
WHO
WHO commits public health malpractice, threatens lives of hundreds of millions of smokers, protects cigarette markets, grossly misrepresents scientific evidence on e-cigs, falsely claims e-cigs must be banned or strictly regulated before scientific studies can evaluate e-cigs, falsely claims e-cigs cannot significantly reduce smoking diseases and deaths in many countries, urges governments to ban or severely restrict e-cig sales, ban e-cig advertising (including truthful claims), ban or severely restrict e-cig promotions and sponsorships, ban flavored e-cigs, ban e-cig use wherever smoking is banned.
http://apps.who.int/gb/fctc/PDF/cop6/FCTC_COP6_10-en.pdf
WHO promotes unwarranted vaping bans; Godshall responds
http://wunc.org/post/health-organizations-call-ban-e-cigarettes-indoors
More news media hype WHO's false claims about e-cigs, call for vaping bans
http://www.nature.com/news/e-cigarettes-the-lingering-questions-1.15762
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/27/business/international/world-health-organization-urges-stronger-regulation-of-electronic-cigarettes.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=0
http://online.wsj.com/articles/world-health-organization-calls-for-tougher-rules-on-e-cigarettes-1409074077
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/26/us-health-who-ecigarettes-idUSKBN0GQ0PF20140826
http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2014/0826/A-global-nix-on-nicotine-s-new-delivery-system
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-26/ban-on-indoor-e-cigarette-use-sales-to-kids-urged-by-who.html
http://news.sky.com/story/1324805/call-for-e-cigarettes-to-be-banned-indoors
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2734575/E-cigarettes-banned-indoor-spaces-sales-restricted-World-Health-Organisation-report-declares.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/11056964/Ban-toxic-e-cigarettes-indoors-says-World-Health-Organisation.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-health/11058158/E-cigarette-WHO-ban-I-thought-vaping-was-safe.html
http://www.latinpost.com/articles/20078/20140827/e-cigarette-juices-refills-who-calls-strict-regulation-electronic-cigarettes.htm
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/912596-un-health-agency-wants-ban-on-e-cigarettes-indoors/
http://www.theweek.co.uk/uk-news/58735/e-cigarettes-should-be-banned-indoors-says-who
ACSH: Policy statements from all over falsely accuse e-cigs/vapors of harm potential
http://acsh.org/2014/08/policy-statements-falsely-accuse-e-cigsvapors-harm-potential/
UK Dept of Health has no plans to ban vaping in workplaces
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/aug/26/e-cigarettes-no-indoor-smoking-ban-england
Dr. Ruairi Hanley: Stubbing out e-cigarettes will condemn smokers to death
(appropriately criticizes WHO's egregious lobbying for e-cig bans)
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/stubbing-out-ecigarettes-will-condemn-smokers-to-death-30545658.html
Gerry Stimson criticizes WHO's misrepresentation of scientific evidence on e-cigs, lobbying for e-cig bans that protect cigarettes (UK)
http://nicotinepolicy.net/gerry-stimson/2396-statement-on-today-s-publication-of-the-world-health-organisation-who-report-on-e-cigarettes
European Vapers Speak Up Against WHO
http://nicotinepolicy.net/n-s-p/2368-european-vapers-speak-up-against-who
http://nicotinepolicy.net/documents/letters/july2014-to-miss-chan-and-annex.pdf
E-cigs backed in city despite fresh warning (UK)
WHO accused of 'scaremongering' and using 'cherry picked science
http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/E-cigs-backed-city-despite-fresh-warning/story-22840179-detail/story.html
E-cig Safety
Connecticut Senate Democrats repeat false and misleading fear mongering claims about safety of e-liquid, which has never poisoned anyone, which tastes terrible, and which induces vomiting (if swallowed) that prevents poisoning; Godshall replies.
http://www.nhregister.com/health/20140819/connecticut-senate-democrats-demand-liquid-nicotine-rules
TVECA weighs in the safety issue of e-cigs on planes
Laptop batteries have created far more fires than e-cigs, but laptops aren't banned
http://www.csdecisions.com/2014/08/19/tveca-weighs-safety-e-cigs-planes/
E-cig Business
Big Tobacco's e-cigarette push gets a reality check; Vape shops pose threat amid sales shift away from convenience stores
http://online.wsj.com/articles/big-tobaccos-e-cig-push-gets-a-reality-check-1409078319
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/big-tobaccos-e-cig-push-gets-a-reality-check-2014-08-26-154855951
Looking deeper into Nielsen's e-cig data
http://www.cspnet.com/category-news/tobacco/articles/looking-deeper-nielsen-s-e-cig-data
BLU versus blu: Zippo wins infringement case over lighter, e-cigarette trademarks
http://www.cspnet.com/category-news/tobacco/articles/blu-vs-blu
Imperial Tobacco on track to acquire US brands
http://www.nasdaq.com/article/imperial-tobacco-on-track-to-acquire-us-brands-20140819-00078#ixzz3AqMK2j27
Forget how to smoke with e-cigarettes
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/blog/forget-how-to-smoke-with-e-cigarettes/
Noah Minskoff and the quitting problem: The potential of e-cigarettes
http://www.inquisitr.com/1419239/noah-minskoff-and-the-quitting-problem-the-potential-of-e-cigarettes/#WV5ikqJ1QmSBmaYj.99
State Action
Utah cites three online e-cig companies for violating consumer protection and other laws
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/58343358-79/utah-act-consumer-llc.html.csp
Taxation
CASAA issues Call To Action opposing Altria/Reynolds/Lorillard sponsored bill (SB 1018) in Michigan to tax e-cigs and to falsely redefine e-cigs as smokeless tobacco to impose tobacco licensing and regulations on all e-cig vendors (to protect Big Tobacco)
http://blog.casaa.org/2014/08/call-to-action-michigan-legislators-are.html
Pennsylvania bill (HB 2451) would increase cigarette tax by $.80/pack
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2013&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=2451
Vaping Bans
CASAA updates Call To Action on Baltimore bill to ban vaping and redefine smokefree vapor products as 'smoking devices', public hearing scheduled for October 7
http://blog.casaa.org/2014/05/call-to-action-baltimore-md-indoor-use.html
Tupelo (MS) City Council passes unwarranted and unenforceable vaping ban in workplaces based upon false and misleading fear mongering claims by prohibitionists.
http://www.sunherald.com/welcome_page/?shf=/2014/08/20/5754860_tupelo-city-council-passes-e-cigarette.html
Overland Park (KS) bans vaping in workplaces
http://fox4kc.com/2014/08/19/overland-park-bans-use-of-e-cigarettes/
Proposed ordinance in Branson (MO) would ban smoking and e-cig use in workplaces
http://www.cityofbranson.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/08142014-706
Santa Rosa (CA) considers bill to ban smoking and vaping in multi-unit housing
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/2599452-181/santa-rosa-moves-toward-tighter
Elk Grove (IL) considers vaping ban
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140826/news/140828889/
Big Pharma funded e-cig prohibitionist Ken Wassum urges employers to ban vaping, fails to ethically disclose his huge financial conflicts of interest
http://www.hreonline.com/HRE/view/story.jhtml?id=534357474
Smokeless Tobacco
Brad Rodu: How many Americans use smokeless tobacco?
http://rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.com/2014/08/how-many-americans-use-smokeless-tobacco.html
Legal Minimum Age
Washington Times editorializes against NJ bill to increase the legal minimum age for tobacco sales to 21 years; Godshall responds with some objectivity.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/19/editorial-jersey-bounces-choice/
NY Assembly Rules Cmte introduces bill (A10182) to ban vaping in all workplaces, increase minimum age for tobacco and e-cig sales from 18 to 21, referred to Assembly Health Cmte
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&bn=A10182&term=&Summary=Y&Actions=Y&Text=Y
Employment Discrimination
Wellspan to discriminate against tobacco and e-cig users (but not against users of tobacco derived nicotine gums, lozenges and patches) by not hiring them (PA and MD), Godshall responds.
http://www.eveningsun.com/local/ci_26357906/wellspan-no-longer-hiring-employees-who-use-tobacco
EU
Totally Wicked e-cig company files lawsuit challenging Article 20 (regulating e-cigarettes) of the EU Tobacco Products Directive; hearing scheduled for October 6
http://nicotinepolicy.net/n-s-p/2364-first-legal-challenge-against-eu-tobacco-products-directive?
http://www.eureporter.co/magazine/2014/08/19/uk-electronic-cigarette-company-formally-challenges-tobacco-products-directive/
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/totally-wicked-formally-challenges-tobacco-230100390.html
UK
Clive Bates files complaint against Johnson & Johnson anti vaping ad
http://www.clivebates.com/?p=2335
Smokers turn their backs on NHS as they opt for e-cigarettes to help quit smoking (UK)
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/smokers-turn-their-backs-on-nhs-as-they-opt-for-ecigarettes-to-help-quit-smoking-9679239.html
Scary Monsters '“ Have health professionals started a moral panic over e-cigarettes?
Neil McKeganey thinks they have.
http://nicotinepolicy.net/neil-mckeganey/2405-scary-monsters
Canada
Toronto City Council bans vaping due to false and misleading fear mongering claims;
Mayor Rob Ford votes against counterproductive ban
http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/toronto-city-council-votes-to-ban-e-cigarettes-from-city-property-1.1974902
Toronto Board of Health rejects scientific evidence, abdicates ethical duty, votes to protect cigarettes by urging Ontario government to ban vaping in all workplaces.
http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2014/08/18/toronto_board_of_health_asks_province_for_ecigarette_ban.html
http://www.timminspress.com/2014/08/21/call-out-for-e-cigarette-legislation
Rush is on to ban e-cigarettes
http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/straighttalk/archives/2014/08/20140819-074942.html
Ottawans split on e-cig ban
http://m.ottawasun.com/2014/08/25/ottawans-split-on-e-cig-ban
Australia
Chris Bullen and Ron Borland tell truth about e-cigs, while prohibitionists Mike Daube and Australian health authorities repeat false and misleading fear mongering claims
http://www.abc.net.au/health/features/stories/2014/08/18/4069328.htm
Wayne Hall calls for repeal of e-cig ban, Ross MacKenzie lies about nicotine and e-cigs https://theconversation.com/viewpoints-should-australia-lift-its-ban-on-e-cigarettes-28410
Marijuana for Opioid Harm Reduction
Study finds opioid analgesic overdose deaths 25% lower in states that legalized medical marijuana compared to states that still ban all marijuana.
http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1898878&resultClick=3
http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1898872&resultClick=3
http://www.latimes.com/science/la-sci-medical-marijuana-20140826-story.html
http://www.newsweek.com/states-medical-marijuana-painkiller-deaths-drop-25-266577
ACSH: The DEA, narcotic abuse, and a terrible solution '“ which will hurt patients
http://acsh.org/2014/08/dea-narcotic-abuse-terrible-solution-will-hurt-patients/
Heroin's death toll rising in NY, amid shift in who uses it
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/28/nyregion/heroins-death-toll-rising-in-new-york-amid-a-shift-in-who-uses-it.html?smid=tw-nytmetro&_r=0
ACSH: The neverending, losing war on drugs
http://acsh.org/2014/08/neverending-losing-war-drugs-will-hurt/
Drug Harm Reduction
WHO wisely advocates drug decriminalization to prevent/control HIV (while absurdly opposing smokefree harm reduction alternatives to prevent cigarette diseases and deaths)
http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/guidelines/keypopulations/en/
http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/2014/07/world-health-organization-calls-drug-decriminalization-and-broad-drug-policy-reforms
http://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook/2014/07/illicit-drugs
- Bill Godshall
Godshall THRU 2014-08-29