[ Just paste broken links shown in purple directly into your browser - the extra line doesn't matter. Pls. PM me if you have more recent info. about proposed/actual legislation, if you think I've missed an important story, or if you want more tweaks to the formatting program. ]
1) Philadelphia passes vaping=smoking indoor/outdoor vaping ban unanimously.
2) French cessation study - 1% of the French population has used vaping to quit smoking.
3) KY on the verge of passing a simple minor/possesion ban, which defines PVs as "vapor products," not "tobacco products" - over the objections of ANTZ orgs.
4) Walgreens refuses to yield to ANTZ pressure, will continue to sell tobacco products.
5) PCECAA introduced in the US House (those stories will be covered tomorrow, the headline is that there are very few of them). PCECAA = Protecting Children from Electronic Cigarette Advertising Act - originally introduced on Jan 26th, successfully establishing the meme in the American press than vaping products "are marketed to children." A subsequent press release by NY Sen. Schumer on March 9th, followed by a press conf. by CT Sen. Blumenthal (and Rep. DeLauro) garnered a second massive avalanche of coverage. Your Correspondent can find only five such stories so far today: we'll find out tomorrow if the American press wants to celebrate yet have another "minor-gateway-to-tobacco" extravaganza.
6) Andover MA BOH planning to ban indoor vaping, no date for hearing yet set.
7) Fallout continues over MN Gov. Dayton's decision not to back a statewide indoor/outdoor vaping ban (also see analysis by Gary Cox in ECF's InfoZone).
8) OK Vape shop rep. presses for childproof caps legislation.
9) Mesquite TX passes simple minor sales/possession ban, also bans vaping on city property, but not private businesses.
Coverage (US domestic only): ME,MA,PA,KY,TN,IL,MI,MN,IA,OK,TX,WY
Also: Dr. Rodu on Tuesday's letter by Canadian physicians in the Montreal Gazette; and finally, a mainstream US outlet "gets" vaping (Motely Fool, of all places.
Note: A few poison center call stories and some Gana et al. (junk cessation "study") pieces are still trickling in, but they haven't been listed here. These two memes will undoubtedly fade into the general background, and reappear every now and then like FDA '09 or those now-infamous tin nanoparticles. That said, both memes have almost certainly had at least an intermediate-term impact on the US press and the American public (read: US politicians).
***
STUDIES, BLOGS, ETC
Title: New French representative survey: 1% of the population has quit smoking thanks to e-cigarettes
(C.V. Phillips' blog)
New French representative survey: 1% of the population has quit smoking thanks to e-cigarettes | Anti-THR Lies and related topics
"This ETINCEL-OFDT survey (Enquête Téléphonique pour l'Information sur la Cigarette Électronique - telephone survey for information on electronic cigarettes) was conducted between 12 and 18 November 2013 among a representative sample of 2,052 individuals aged between 15 and 75 years, from metropolitan France (excluding Corsica). ... The questionnaire is made up of 17 questions (cf. Annex 1). It addresses the key themes of awareness of electronic cigarettes, frequency of use, how the products and refills are bought, motivations for use, etc. It also asks respondents questions about tobacco, in order to establish whether electronic cigarette users are smokers or ex-smokers and to assess the potential impact on the prevalence of smoking. [as quoted in the blog]
Title: Minnesota Resists Vaping Ban Trend
(ECF's InfoZone) Minnesota Resists Vaping Ban Trend - ECF InfoZone
Gary Cox lauds Gov. Dayton of MN for doing the right thing, and following the science. [More MN stories are below.]
Title: Smoking Cessation Expert to Health Canada: Stop Killing Smokers
(Dr. Rodu's blog)
http://rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.com/2014/03/smoking-cessation-expert-to-health.html
Analyzes the letter penned by several Canadian physicians published in the Montreal Gazette on 3/24, and covered in this space on 3/25.
***
US NATIONAL
Title: The E-Cig Market Grows Up
(US nat'l bus.) http://www.fool
.com/investing/general/2014/03/26/e-cig-market-grows-up.aspx
For once, Motley Fool has run a piece written by someone who actually knows something about the realities of the vaping community. This junk-free piece starts out with what ECF denizens already know - namely that regulators and politicians are doing their best to stifle innovation (the acronym "TPD" doesn't appear here, but it should). However, the author argues that "the genie is already out of the bottle, and it may be too difficult to contain it once again." (I'm dubious, having lived through the imposition of draconian laws against "paraphernalia" in the 1980s, but let's hope the author is correct.)
After reading that the market is projected by Wells Fargo to be worth $10B by 2017 (Bonnie Herzog?), we find this:
"But perhaps more significant than all the jockeying for position going on with the tobacco giants is the culture growing up around e-cigs, vaping, and tanks, varying methods of all doing essentially the same thing: tobacco-less 'smoking.' It's agreed that calling the early devices electronic cigarettes was an essential part of the growth process to get smokers to switch, but its [sic] equally true that calling anything a 'cigarette' is going to be a lightning rod for controversy and carry with it a hard-to-shake stigmatism. That's part of the reason personal vaping systems are commonly referred to as 'mods' these days, or a modified e-cig that describes a big-battery PVS. [...] What these devices really want to do, though, is simply distinguish themselves from 'cig-alikes.' Rather than being used solely as an alternative to smoking, vaping involves heating up flavored juices and puffing on inhalers for the enjoyment realized. Rebuildable atomizers, or RBAs, allow users to adjust the draw to deliver more flavor; vaping bars provide like-minded people a place to hang out in and talk vaping culture; and the 'vaping lifestyle' is even chronicled in the pages of magazines like VPR and Vape. [para breaks omitted, boldface added]"
The conclusion is that FDA regulation will likely stifle innovation (really??), yet "regardless of the impact on public health, cig-alikes, vaping, and tanks are a huge opportunity for the tobacco industry -- and Altria, Lorillard, and Reynolds American will be sure to control large swaths of it for years to come." (boldface added).
Your Correspondent is highly skeptical about this - if only because BT has proven to be vastly less innovative than the tech-savvy leading edge MOD firms (think Provari, or even Vision or SmokeTech for that matter). BT also has more than a little interest in seeing something like the EU's TPD adopted world-wide: a result which would leave the commercial vaping market looking like a choice between the proverbial tweedle-dum (a Blu) or a tweedle-dee (a VUSE), which will be available by prescription only, at many times the current price. (Even worse, BT has no interest whatsoever in seeing vapers move away from nicotine, since most of the BT firms have been reluctant to diversify their business.)
It's hard to see how BP and BT don't end up conspiring to achieve this endgame scenario or what will stop governments from relying on the bought-and-paid-for Public Health Community to justify successfully outlawing all forms of "DIY," both in the context of equipment as well as e-juice.
That said, if BT does end up producing the 2019 or 2024 version of a Provari, purchasing one will be vastly preferable than serving a long prison sentence for the felony offense of crafting one's own.
Title: No imminent tobacco exit for Walgreen
(dubious investment web site) http://seekingalpha
.com/news/1644913-no-imminent-tobacco-exit-for-walgreen
I have no idea whether this site has the slightest degree of legitimacy, so caveat lector. That said, this brief junk-free report appears to be credible, at least in terms of its presentation.
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Children and E-Cigarettes [letter from Pres. of Amer. Acad. of Pediatrics]
(US nat'l paper) http://www.nytimes
.com/2014/03/27/opinion/children-and-e-cigarettes.html
Letter from the Pres. of the American Academy of Pediatrics cites the March 24 "selling poison by the barrel" NYT article, and stokes the fires of fear (without any evidence, as is the usual practice among the public health community - that's what "science" is all about):
"With flavors like cotton candy, gummy bear and bubble gum, more adolescents than ever are starting to smoke e-cigarettes. What's more, the 'poison barrels' of liquid nicotine, your article's subject, highlight another alarming risk of e-cigarettes: poisoning in young children. Every year, thousands of tobacco ingestions are reported to poison control centers, the majority involving cigarettes and infants under a year old. If small children ingest unpalatable cigarettes in large numbers, they will undoubtedly be even more likely to ingest flavored tobacco products specifically designed to taste good, including liquid nicotine. It is unacceptable that no federal agency has the authority to require childproof e-cigarette packaging. [para breaks omitted, boldface added]"
---
US: MAINE
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Another View: Columnist Harmon misconstrues motives of e-cigarette makers
(Portland ME US local paper) http://www.pressherald
.com/opinion/Another_View__Columnist_Harmon_misconstrues_motives_of_e-cigarette_makers_.html
This onerous letter from an MD who may (?) to be unable to stop his own teenage boys from vaping (and/or to do a google or literature search) illustrates a problem that the writer shares with virtually everyone in the American public health community: he just can't see vaping as something other than medicine:
"If [vaping manufacturers were trying to help smokers, then] these companies would appeal to addicts by only marketing e-cigs as tasting like cigarettes, like Marlboro Reds or Virginia Slims. E-cigs would come in gradations of nicotine content to aid the recovering addict [oops, they already do]. And theyd be heavily marketed to physicians and their patients. But Im a physician, and Ive yet to see one representative or one medical journal advertisement touting the benefits of e-cigarettes.[boldface added]"
And since vaping isn't being marketed as therapeutic (which is illegal, of course) we can therefore assume that:
"... the corporate profit margin much more efficiently targets our children, their money and their lives, than our lazy, tax-and-spend, liberal bureaucrats." [boldface added]
(The benefits of many years of post-graduate education are clearly evident. And it's folks like this MD who are helping the media understand vaping, and making recommendations to politicians.)
[ No threats in ME seem to exist. Legislature ends 2014 session on 4/16. ]
---
US: MASSACHUSETTS
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Hookah lounges, e-cigarettes under fire [indoor vaping ban]
(Andover MA US local paper) http://www.andovertownsman
.com/local/x1387886929/Hookah-lounges-e-cigarettes-under-fire
No date is set for a hearing, and the rationale seems to be based on the idea that "a cigarette is a cigarette:"
"If adopted, the new rules [...] would be the first major update to the town's tobacco use regulations since Town Meeting banned cigarette smoking inside restaurants in 1994. Convenience store owners as well as the proponents behind Lux attended a public hearing on the proposal last week. In addition to banning tobacco lounges, the new regulations would treat electronic cigarettes as a tobacco product, restricting their sale to anyone under age 18. E-cigarettes would also be prohibited from use in restaurants, outdoor dining spaces and anywhere else traditional cigarettes are not allowed. [para breaks omitted, boldface added]
[ HB 3726 would ban vaping wherever smoking is banned, see CASAA call: CASAA: Call to Action! Massachusetts E-Cigarette Usage Ban -- HB 3726 (formerly HB 3639) (UPDATED) ]
---
US: PENNSYLVANIA
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Philadelphia City Council Bans E-Cigarettes In Public Places
(Philadelphia PA US NBC affiliate) http://www.nbcphiladelphia
.com/news/health/E-Cigarette-Ban-Philly-252610201.html
This is just one of scores of stories about the outcome that we all anticipated. It would've been nice if vapers got at least one vote, but the unanimous result is hardly surprising. In keeping with NBC's tendencies, this article contains a cesspool full of junk, including the unadorned matter-of-fact assertion that:
"A report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association of Pediatrics found that vaping is a gateway for teens to use regular cigarettes." (Obviously a reference to Dutra & Glantz - even the authors didn't go so far as to say that - they merely implied it.).
[ PA's SB 1055 a simple minor sales ban, hasn't passed the state sen. No other threats. ]
---
US: KENTUCKY
Title: House passes compromise e-cigarette ban
(Louisville KY US local paper) http://www.courier-journal
.com/story/news/politics/ky-legislature/2014/03/27/house-passes-compromise-e-cigarette-ban/6975443/
HB 299 - a simple minor sales/possession ban - which defines PVs as a "vapor product" (not as a "tobacco product") has been passed by the KY house, over the objections of the ALA and other ANTZ orgs. The language of HB 299 has been incorporated into SB 109, which is expected to be passed by the Sen. tomorrow. No junk.
[ KY also has a Vaping=smoking bill indoor clean air act ext. proposed, as well as both a 40% and 20% tax proposal, see CASAA call: CASAA: Call to Action! Kentucky Bills to Ban E-Cigarette Usage & Impose Excessive Tax Also some minor ban bills - esp. HB 309 which may morph into a tax, and SB 267 which establishes burdensome reporting requirements: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-require-reporting-e-cig-sales-retailers.html ]
---
US: TENNESSEE
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: E-Cigarettes: Healthier Than Your Average Cigarette?
(Jackson TN US local ABC affiliate) http://www.wbbjtv
.com/news/local/E-Cigarette-Stores-Pop-Up-in-West-Tennessee-252517391.html
After talking with a vaper store owner, the reporter does the "responsible" thing, by speaking to an Authorized Health Professional:
"Health experts are not convinced e-cigarettes are safe and worry about the side effects of nicotine. 'Our heart rate rises, blood pressure rises, we get a feel of jitteriness,' Melissa Walls said, Director of Disease Management at the LIFT Wellness Center. 'E-cigarettes can definitely be as addictive if not more addictive than a cigarette mainly because of the amount of nicotine,' Walls said. [...] 'The CDC has noticed then as that the middle school and high school students who never smoked a cigarette are picking up e-cigarettes because of those flavors,' said Walls. [...] According to the FDA, e-cigarettes have not been fully studied so consumers do not know the potential risks when used as intended, how much nicotine or other potentially harmful chemicals are inhaled during use, or if there are any benefits. [...] The LIFT Wellness Center has a tobacco cessation program. Those classes will take place April 7, 14, 21, and 28 at the Lift Wellness Center from 5:30-6:30 p.m. [para breaks omitted, boldface added]"
(What you see above is the last line.)
[ Minor ban in place. CASAA supports HB 1461 which would exempt vaping from indoor clean air act: CASAA: Call to Action! (UPDATED) SUPPORT Tennessee Bill that Excludes E-Cigarettes from Smoking Bans and Tobacco Taxes ]
---
US: ILLINOIS
Title: Should E-Cigarettes be Allowed in Downtown Chicago Apartment Buildings?
(Chicago IL US realtor web site) http://www.luxurychicagoapartments
.com/e-cigarettes-allowed-downtown-chicago-apartment-buildings/
Article prominently displays "survey" in which 64% of the respondents say that vaping shouldn't be permitted in "smoke free" apt.s. (No info. about the survey was given.) No junk in the piece as such, but it does concede that the prohibition will be "hard to enforce." That said, vapers can probably look forward to seeing landlords everywhere add "no use of any electronic smoking device" into their leases. After all, it's a "cigarette," right?
[ IL currently considering two bills that require vaping supplies (but not non-cigarette tobacco) to be behind the counter, see: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...counter-exempts-tobacco-specialty-stores.html and one bill that would require special packaging: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-e-cig-products-sold-il-protect-children.html Also worth watching: SB2659, which would ban smoking in cars containing a minor - however the definition doesn't currently include vaping (and is still in the Public Health Cmte, with a status of "postponed." See: Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for SB2659 And HB 689, which would mandate special packaging in order to protect children (which only has one sponsor at the moment: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-e-cig-products-sold-il-protect-children.html ]
---
US: MICHIGAN
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: How Michigan is trying to keep e-cigarettes out of minors' hands
(Ann Arbor MI US public radio) http://michiganradio
.org/post/how-michigan-trying-keep-e-cigarettes-out-minors-hands
Premise of the discussion is the debate in the state capital over whether vaping should be defined as a "tobacco product" in MI's simple minor sales/possession bans (which may lead to it being automatically included in other laws' ambits). AP reporter Emma Fidel is "interviewed. However it turns out that the NPR "interviewer" clearly has the ANTZ agenda in mind, and keeps asking leading Qs to the AP reporter. This became clear after a few minutes when we heard nothing about cessation. For ex., the interviewer asks about BT purchases of vaping co.s, early on, doing everything she can to create the impression that only BT is involved in the industry. Next, the interviewer she asks about flavors that might appeal to children, once again creating the impression that vaping products are marketed to children. (After all, if the "health groups" are "concerned" about this, it must be true - or at least this is what the listener is implicitly asked to presume.) And finally we get the boilerplate "minor gateway to tobacco Q" - but it's never mentioned that teen smoking is way down, or that there's no defensible evidence. All we hear about are the "concerns" raised by a "recent study" (which of course is Dutra & Glantz's junk statistics paper that conflated causation an correlation). It appears that the moderator is reading from a list of the talking points of the "health groups" - which turn out to be the ACS and the ALA. A naive listener would also believe that essentially nothing is known about vaping, and that the only relevant parties to the discussion are the "health groups" and BT. In short, this is is typical biased coverage which is clearly intended to provide a naive listener with a false impression about the context of vaping in American society, and the essential nature of the debate in states like MI over legislative pigeonholing of vaping. That said, it could've been worse, and both national NPR as well as local affiliates have done much more in the past.
[ MI appears to have several simple minor sales bans in the works - SB 667/8 and HB 4997 5007. SB 667/8 have passed the Sen. Most significantly, MI is under threat from HB 5393, which would effectively ban vaping sales entirely:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/legislation-news/536975-michigan-legislation.html ]
---
US: MINNESOTA
[Reposted because none of the more recent stories has any more info about Dayton' s decision]
Title: Gov. Dayton has doubts about moves to restrict use of e-cigarettes
(Twin Cities MN US local paper) http://www.startribune
.com/politics/statelocal/252366351.html
(H/t to JustJulie for posting this link in legislation.)
It's not clear if this means that he'd veto the bills or whether he'd change his mind on them. SF 2027 is ready for a full vote in the MN sen., HF 1931 - the companion vaping=smoking indoor ban, is still in a house cmte. That said, many MN local gov'ts have already passed indoor/outdoor vaping bans.
"[Gov.] Dayton said that while he would sign a bill to restrict children's ability to buy e-cigarettes, he is likely to oppose proposed restrictions on their use indoors. 'After we came down pretty hard on smokers last session, that's probably enough for this biennium,' Dayton said. The state raised taxes on cigarettes last year. 'We did enough to smokers last session.' The governor's position may quash the growing movement at the Legislature to restrict where Minnesotans can use the newly popular smokeless devices. [...] Dayton said he does not know whether there is definitive evidence that secondhand vapors pose a danger similar to secondhand smoke.[...] Dayton said if e-cigarettes cut down on the use of regular cigarettes, as some users maintain, that may be a boon. Dayton supported an increase in cigarette taxes partly as a way to curb smoking. 'A lot of people are trying to quit smoking because of the higher price and are using this as a way of quitting smoking, which is what we want them to do,' the governor said. [para breaks omitted, boldface added]"
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Update: Dayton ignites e-cig ban debate
(Manketo MN US local paper) http://www.mankatofreepress
.com/local/x1387888429/Update-Dayton-ignites-e-cig-ban-debate
"Sen. Kathy Sheran, the bill's sponsor, said the governor came out against the indoor public places ban without telling her or other advocates. The Mankato Democrat characterized the governor's position as 'focusing on taking care of addicts and letting them practice their addiction at the expense of the general public.' The move to send the bill back to committee to remove that provision, which she said was a panicked reaction to the governor's statement, also came as an unwelcome surprise. Unlike Metzen, Sheran said she is not ready to give up, even in the face of a possible veto. Instead, she wants time to hear the governor's reasoning and, perhaps, persuade him to accept the indoor public places ban. 'They were not allowing me time to process this with the governor,' Sheran said of Senate leadership, 'even though it's passed through four committees with strong support.' It also has support from 79 percent of the public, according to a phone survey conducted in January by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. The insurance company surveyed 630 randomly selected adult Minnesotans, and its results have a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.[para breaks omitted, boldface added]"
[Note: the polling questions and the methodology was never disclosed. This poll was paid for by CLEARWAY MN with tax dollars, which subsequently funded an advertisement in Reuters.
It's also worth noting that the public places language has been stripped from the House version, HF 1931.
Title: Dayton breaks with health commissioner on restricting e-cigarettes
(Litchfield MN US ind. radio station) http://klfd1410.com/news/minnesota-news/dayton-breaks-with-health-commissioner-on-restricting-e-cigarettes
.html
Title: Senate pulls e-cig bill from floor
(St. Cloud MN US local paper) http://archive.sctimes
.com/article/20140326/NEWS02/303260024/Senate-pulls-e-cig-bill-from-floor
Both are similar to the first two articles above.
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Controversy continues over benefits and risks of e-cigarettes
(Twin Cities MN US based Co-Op newspaper) http://www.minnpost
.com/second-opinion/2014/03/controversy-continues-over-benefits-and-risks-e-cigarettes
[Yes, this is an ad - at the very top, this discreet label is posted: "This content is made possible by the generous sponsorship support of UCare." (UCare is a Co-Op non-profit health ins. co.)"]
On the one hand, this article is one of the few pieces that I've read which critiques both Dutra & Glantz's JAMA Pediatrics junk minor-gateway-to-tobacco "study," and the Gana et al. cessation "study." Unfortunately, it concludes by blithely reporting the poison call center meme:
"What is clear and non-controversial, however, is that the liquid in e-cigarettes poses a poison danger to children. Last week the Minnesota Poison Control System reported a 10-fold increase in reports of young people being poisoned by 'e-juice' that had been swallowed, inhaled or spilled onto the skin. Five such poisonings were reported in the state in 2012. That number jumped to 50 in 2013. None of those poisonings resulted in serious injury, but, as Stacey Bangh, clinical supervisor at the Hennepin Regional Poison Center, stated in a press release, 'Given this rate of increase, it's not a matter of if a child will be harmed by these products, but when.' Not only is e-juice not required to be contained in child-proof packaging, it often contains flavorings, such as 'bubble gum' and 'cotton candy,' that appeal to young children. [para breaks omitted, boldface added]"
It's hard to believe that a writer capable of analyzing the two publications in question would also be entirely unable to grasp the significance of the context-free MN health dep't's press release. Maybe it was time to move on to the next story, or perhaps an editor decided that the piece should end on that note.
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US: IOWA
Title: Iowa View: Do the right thing: Restrict sales of e-cigarettes
(Des Moines IA US local paper) http://www.desmoinesregister
.com/article/20140327/OPINION02/303270022/Iowa-View-Do-right-thing-Restrict-sales-e-cigarettes
Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores of Iowa CEO urges passage of IA's simple minor sales/possesion ban. No junk.
[ HF 2109 (formerly HSB 566) simple minor sales ban is ready for Sen. SF 2038 also a minor sales ban but would require tobacco licenses for vendors. ]
---
US: OKLAHOMA
Title: Oklahoma Vapor Advocacy League Pushes For E-Cig Regulation
(OK City OK US Worldnow affiliate radio) http://www.news9
.com/story/25085062/oklahoma-vapor-advocacy-league-pushes-for-e-cig-regulation
Vape store owner Sean Gore working with OK's poison control center to require child-proof caps. No other details in this very brief story.
[ SB 1892 is a mixed bag for proponents of smoke-free alternatives, because it raises the tax on Snus and other smokeless products, but exempts vaping. See: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...g-bills-introduced-oklahoma-hearing-held.html
and: Oklahoma -- OK! - ECF InfoZone ]
---
US: TEXAS
Title: A minor problem: Ordinance bans e-cig sales to those under 18
(N. TX US newspaper amalgam site) http://starlocalmedia.com/mesquitenews/news/a-minor-problem-ordinance-bans-e-cig-sales-to-those/article_aa43dd76-b4fb-11e3-9d12-001a4bcf887a
.html
Mesquite City Council bans sales and possession of PVs to minors, and prohibits use on school grounds and city-owned facilities. Ban doesn't appear to apply to private businesses or to outdoor areas. No junk.
[ TX's legislature is out of session for the year, unless Gov. Perry calls for a special session. ]
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US: MEBRASKA
Title: E-cigarette ban for minors the state's best approach
(Grand Island NE US local paper) http://www.theindependent
.com/opinion/editorial/e-cigarette-ban-for-minors-the-state-s-best-approach/article_e081c6d0-b520-11e3-97eb-0019bb2963f4.html
Editorial backs NE's LB863, which is a simple minor sales/possession ban. However the "we just don't know anything" logic would support taxes and additional restrictions. LB863 (formerly 861) is awaiting Gov. Heineman's signature. No other threats exist in NE's legislature.
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US: WYOMING
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Health experts say more information is needed on effects of e-cigarette use
(Lander WY US local paper) http://www.dailyranger
.com/story.php?story_id=11920&headline=Health-experts-say-more-information-is-needed-on-effects-of-e-cigarette-use
Apparently they have heard of vaping in Wyoming, but the reporter who was assigned to write this piece knew absolutely nothing about it. So we got the usual result - googling the CDC for its alarmist minor junk statistics, and consultation with the local Tobacco Control professions (yes, they have those in rural Wyoming too, and they get the same e-mails that Tobacco Control people all over the country receive):
"The lack of information about the product is troubling to public health nurse Teresa Nirider. 'There's just so much we don't know,' she said. 'The overall impact of e-cigarette use on public health remains uncertain.' [...] 'We don't know what's in that vapor yet,' said Theresa Harmati, a community prevention professional with the Prevention Management Organization of Wyoming in Fremont County. 'Or what's happening when it's being inhaled.' There is no proof that the product helps people quit smoking either. [para breaks omitted, boldface added]
The good news for WY vapers (however many there may be) is that neither Cheyanne nor Casper appears to have an indoor vaping ban, nor can Your Correspondent find any evidence that they've considered it. This means that Wyoming as well as saskatchewan are two of the places where it appears that it will still be legal to vape in a public park, at least for the forseeable future.
***
Google Tips
to see whether there are bad things happening where you live, try this Google search (example for Rhode Island) -
rhode site:casaa.org
(Replace rhode with a single word that describes your city, county, or state. For ex., if you live in Eau Claire, WI - you might use "Claire" to see if something is being proposed at the city level. Don't forget the : (colon), and be sure that there's nothing before or after the colon (not even spaces or tabs.)
You can also try replacing site:casaa.org with e-cigarette to find out what the media is reporting in your area. This is usually most helpful if you use the search tools to search by date. (CASAA doesn't generally issue calls or alerts until a bill is out of a state legislative committee, or is scheduled for a local city or county hearing.)
1) Philadelphia passes vaping=smoking indoor/outdoor vaping ban unanimously.
2) French cessation study - 1% of the French population has used vaping to quit smoking.
3) KY on the verge of passing a simple minor/possesion ban, which defines PVs as "vapor products," not "tobacco products" - over the objections of ANTZ orgs.
4) Walgreens refuses to yield to ANTZ pressure, will continue to sell tobacco products.
5) PCECAA introduced in the US House (those stories will be covered tomorrow, the headline is that there are very few of them). PCECAA = Protecting Children from Electronic Cigarette Advertising Act - originally introduced on Jan 26th, successfully establishing the meme in the American press than vaping products "are marketed to children." A subsequent press release by NY Sen. Schumer on March 9th, followed by a press conf. by CT Sen. Blumenthal (and Rep. DeLauro) garnered a second massive avalanche of coverage. Your Correspondent can find only five such stories so far today: we'll find out tomorrow if the American press wants to celebrate yet have another "minor-gateway-to-tobacco" extravaganza.
6) Andover MA BOH planning to ban indoor vaping, no date for hearing yet set.
7) Fallout continues over MN Gov. Dayton's decision not to back a statewide indoor/outdoor vaping ban (also see analysis by Gary Cox in ECF's InfoZone).
8) OK Vape shop rep. presses for childproof caps legislation.
9) Mesquite TX passes simple minor sales/possession ban, also bans vaping on city property, but not private businesses.
Coverage (US domestic only): ME,MA,PA,KY,TN,IL,MI,MN,IA,OK,TX,WY
Also: Dr. Rodu on Tuesday's letter by Canadian physicians in the Montreal Gazette; and finally, a mainstream US outlet "gets" vaping (Motely Fool, of all places.
Note: A few poison center call stories and some Gana et al. (junk cessation "study") pieces are still trickling in, but they haven't been listed here. These two memes will undoubtedly fade into the general background, and reappear every now and then like FDA '09 or those now-infamous tin nanoparticles. That said, both memes have almost certainly had at least an intermediate-term impact on the US press and the American public (read: US politicians).
***
STUDIES, BLOGS, ETC
Title: New French representative survey: 1% of the population has quit smoking thanks to e-cigarettes
(C.V. Phillips' blog)
New French representative survey: 1% of the population has quit smoking thanks to e-cigarettes | Anti-THR Lies and related topics
"This ETINCEL-OFDT survey (Enquête Téléphonique pour l'Information sur la Cigarette Électronique - telephone survey for information on electronic cigarettes) was conducted between 12 and 18 November 2013 among a representative sample of 2,052 individuals aged between 15 and 75 years, from metropolitan France (excluding Corsica). ... The questionnaire is made up of 17 questions (cf. Annex 1). It addresses the key themes of awareness of electronic cigarettes, frequency of use, how the products and refills are bought, motivations for use, etc. It also asks respondents questions about tobacco, in order to establish whether electronic cigarette users are smokers or ex-smokers and to assess the potential impact on the prevalence of smoking. [as quoted in the blog]
Title: Minnesota Resists Vaping Ban Trend
(ECF's InfoZone) Minnesota Resists Vaping Ban Trend - ECF InfoZone
Gary Cox lauds Gov. Dayton of MN for doing the right thing, and following the science. [More MN stories are below.]
Title: Smoking Cessation Expert to Health Canada: Stop Killing Smokers
(Dr. Rodu's blog)
http://rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.com/2014/03/smoking-cessation-expert-to-health.html
Analyzes the letter penned by several Canadian physicians published in the Montreal Gazette on 3/24, and covered in this space on 3/25.
***
US NATIONAL
Title: The E-Cig Market Grows Up
(US nat'l bus.) http://www.fool
.com/investing/general/2014/03/26/e-cig-market-grows-up.aspx
For once, Motley Fool has run a piece written by someone who actually knows something about the realities of the vaping community. This junk-free piece starts out with what ECF denizens already know - namely that regulators and politicians are doing their best to stifle innovation (the acronym "TPD" doesn't appear here, but it should). However, the author argues that "the genie is already out of the bottle, and it may be too difficult to contain it once again." (I'm dubious, having lived through the imposition of draconian laws against "paraphernalia" in the 1980s, but let's hope the author is correct.)
After reading that the market is projected by Wells Fargo to be worth $10B by 2017 (Bonnie Herzog?), we find this:
"But perhaps more significant than all the jockeying for position going on with the tobacco giants is the culture growing up around e-cigs, vaping, and tanks, varying methods of all doing essentially the same thing: tobacco-less 'smoking.' It's agreed that calling the early devices electronic cigarettes was an essential part of the growth process to get smokers to switch, but its [sic] equally true that calling anything a 'cigarette' is going to be a lightning rod for controversy and carry with it a hard-to-shake stigmatism. That's part of the reason personal vaping systems are commonly referred to as 'mods' these days, or a modified e-cig that describes a big-battery PVS. [...] What these devices really want to do, though, is simply distinguish themselves from 'cig-alikes.' Rather than being used solely as an alternative to smoking, vaping involves heating up flavored juices and puffing on inhalers for the enjoyment realized. Rebuildable atomizers, or RBAs, allow users to adjust the draw to deliver more flavor; vaping bars provide like-minded people a place to hang out in and talk vaping culture; and the 'vaping lifestyle' is even chronicled in the pages of magazines like VPR and Vape. [para breaks omitted, boldface added]"
The conclusion is that FDA regulation will likely stifle innovation (really??), yet "regardless of the impact on public health, cig-alikes, vaping, and tanks are a huge opportunity for the tobacco industry -- and Altria, Lorillard, and Reynolds American will be sure to control large swaths of it for years to come." (boldface added).
Your Correspondent is highly skeptical about this - if only because BT has proven to be vastly less innovative than the tech-savvy leading edge MOD firms (think Provari, or even Vision or SmokeTech for that matter). BT also has more than a little interest in seeing something like the EU's TPD adopted world-wide: a result which would leave the commercial vaping market looking like a choice between the proverbial tweedle-dum (a Blu) or a tweedle-dee (a VUSE), which will be available by prescription only, at many times the current price. (Even worse, BT has no interest whatsoever in seeing vapers move away from nicotine, since most of the BT firms have been reluctant to diversify their business.)
It's hard to see how BP and BT don't end up conspiring to achieve this endgame scenario or what will stop governments from relying on the bought-and-paid-for Public Health Community to justify successfully outlawing all forms of "DIY," both in the context of equipment as well as e-juice.
That said, if BT does end up producing the 2019 or 2024 version of a Provari, purchasing one will be vastly preferable than serving a long prison sentence for the felony offense of crafting one's own.
Title: No imminent tobacco exit for Walgreen
(dubious investment web site) http://seekingalpha
.com/news/1644913-no-imminent-tobacco-exit-for-walgreen
I have no idea whether this site has the slightest degree of legitimacy, so caveat lector. That said, this brief junk-free report appears to be credible, at least in terms of its presentation.
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Children and E-Cigarettes [letter from Pres. of Amer. Acad. of Pediatrics]
(US nat'l paper) http://www.nytimes
.com/2014/03/27/opinion/children-and-e-cigarettes.html
Letter from the Pres. of the American Academy of Pediatrics cites the March 24 "selling poison by the barrel" NYT article, and stokes the fires of fear (without any evidence, as is the usual practice among the public health community - that's what "science" is all about):
"With flavors like cotton candy, gummy bear and bubble gum, more adolescents than ever are starting to smoke e-cigarettes. What's more, the 'poison barrels' of liquid nicotine, your article's subject, highlight another alarming risk of e-cigarettes: poisoning in young children. Every year, thousands of tobacco ingestions are reported to poison control centers, the majority involving cigarettes and infants under a year old. If small children ingest unpalatable cigarettes in large numbers, they will undoubtedly be even more likely to ingest flavored tobacco products specifically designed to taste good, including liquid nicotine. It is unacceptable that no federal agency has the authority to require childproof e-cigarette packaging. [para breaks omitted, boldface added]"
---
US: MAINE
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Another View: Columnist Harmon misconstrues motives of e-cigarette makers
(Portland ME US local paper) http://www.pressherald
.com/opinion/Another_View__Columnist_Harmon_misconstrues_motives_of_e-cigarette_makers_.html
This onerous letter from an MD who may (?) to be unable to stop his own teenage boys from vaping (and/or to do a google or literature search) illustrates a problem that the writer shares with virtually everyone in the American public health community: he just can't see vaping as something other than medicine:
"If [vaping manufacturers were trying to help smokers, then] these companies would appeal to addicts by only marketing e-cigs as tasting like cigarettes, like Marlboro Reds or Virginia Slims. E-cigs would come in gradations of nicotine content to aid the recovering addict [oops, they already do]. And theyd be heavily marketed to physicians and their patients. But Im a physician, and Ive yet to see one representative or one medical journal advertisement touting the benefits of e-cigarettes.[boldface added]"
And since vaping isn't being marketed as therapeutic (which is illegal, of course) we can therefore assume that:
"... the corporate profit margin much more efficiently targets our children, their money and their lives, than our lazy, tax-and-spend, liberal bureaucrats." [boldface added]
(The benefits of many years of post-graduate education are clearly evident. And it's folks like this MD who are helping the media understand vaping, and making recommendations to politicians.)
[ No threats in ME seem to exist. Legislature ends 2014 session on 4/16. ]
---
US: MASSACHUSETTS
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Hookah lounges, e-cigarettes under fire [indoor vaping ban]
(Andover MA US local paper) http://www.andovertownsman
.com/local/x1387886929/Hookah-lounges-e-cigarettes-under-fire
No date is set for a hearing, and the rationale seems to be based on the idea that "a cigarette is a cigarette:"
"If adopted, the new rules [...] would be the first major update to the town's tobacco use regulations since Town Meeting banned cigarette smoking inside restaurants in 1994. Convenience store owners as well as the proponents behind Lux attended a public hearing on the proposal last week. In addition to banning tobacco lounges, the new regulations would treat electronic cigarettes as a tobacco product, restricting their sale to anyone under age 18. E-cigarettes would also be prohibited from use in restaurants, outdoor dining spaces and anywhere else traditional cigarettes are not allowed. [para breaks omitted, boldface added]
[ HB 3726 would ban vaping wherever smoking is banned, see CASAA call: CASAA: Call to Action! Massachusetts E-Cigarette Usage Ban -- HB 3726 (formerly HB 3639) (UPDATED) ]
---
US: PENNSYLVANIA
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Philadelphia City Council Bans E-Cigarettes In Public Places
(Philadelphia PA US NBC affiliate) http://www.nbcphiladelphia
.com/news/health/E-Cigarette-Ban-Philly-252610201.html
This is just one of scores of stories about the outcome that we all anticipated. It would've been nice if vapers got at least one vote, but the unanimous result is hardly surprising. In keeping with NBC's tendencies, this article contains a cesspool full of junk, including the unadorned matter-of-fact assertion that:
"A report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association of Pediatrics found that vaping is a gateway for teens to use regular cigarettes." (Obviously a reference to Dutra & Glantz - even the authors didn't go so far as to say that - they merely implied it.).
[ PA's SB 1055 a simple minor sales ban, hasn't passed the state sen. No other threats. ]
---
US: KENTUCKY
Title: House passes compromise e-cigarette ban
(Louisville KY US local paper) http://www.courier-journal
.com/story/news/politics/ky-legislature/2014/03/27/house-passes-compromise-e-cigarette-ban/6975443/
HB 299 - a simple minor sales/possession ban - which defines PVs as a "vapor product" (not as a "tobacco product") has been passed by the KY house, over the objections of the ALA and other ANTZ orgs. The language of HB 299 has been incorporated into SB 109, which is expected to be passed by the Sen. tomorrow. No junk.
[ KY also has a Vaping=smoking bill indoor clean air act ext. proposed, as well as both a 40% and 20% tax proposal, see CASAA call: CASAA: Call to Action! Kentucky Bills to Ban E-Cigarette Usage & Impose Excessive Tax Also some minor ban bills - esp. HB 309 which may morph into a tax, and SB 267 which establishes burdensome reporting requirements: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-require-reporting-e-cig-sales-retailers.html ]
---
US: TENNESSEE
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: E-Cigarettes: Healthier Than Your Average Cigarette?
(Jackson TN US local ABC affiliate) http://www.wbbjtv
.com/news/local/E-Cigarette-Stores-Pop-Up-in-West-Tennessee-252517391.html
After talking with a vaper store owner, the reporter does the "responsible" thing, by speaking to an Authorized Health Professional:
"Health experts are not convinced e-cigarettes are safe and worry about the side effects of nicotine. 'Our heart rate rises, blood pressure rises, we get a feel of jitteriness,' Melissa Walls said, Director of Disease Management at the LIFT Wellness Center. 'E-cigarettes can definitely be as addictive if not more addictive than a cigarette mainly because of the amount of nicotine,' Walls said. [...] 'The CDC has noticed then as that the middle school and high school students who never smoked a cigarette are picking up e-cigarettes because of those flavors,' said Walls. [...] According to the FDA, e-cigarettes have not been fully studied so consumers do not know the potential risks when used as intended, how much nicotine or other potentially harmful chemicals are inhaled during use, or if there are any benefits. [...] The LIFT Wellness Center has a tobacco cessation program. Those classes will take place April 7, 14, 21, and 28 at the Lift Wellness Center from 5:30-6:30 p.m. [para breaks omitted, boldface added]"
(What you see above is the last line.)
[ Minor ban in place. CASAA supports HB 1461 which would exempt vaping from indoor clean air act: CASAA: Call to Action! (UPDATED) SUPPORT Tennessee Bill that Excludes E-Cigarettes from Smoking Bans and Tobacco Taxes ]
---
US: ILLINOIS
Title: Should E-Cigarettes be Allowed in Downtown Chicago Apartment Buildings?
(Chicago IL US realtor web site) http://www.luxurychicagoapartments
.com/e-cigarettes-allowed-downtown-chicago-apartment-buildings/
Article prominently displays "survey" in which 64% of the respondents say that vaping shouldn't be permitted in "smoke free" apt.s. (No info. about the survey was given.) No junk in the piece as such, but it does concede that the prohibition will be "hard to enforce." That said, vapers can probably look forward to seeing landlords everywhere add "no use of any electronic smoking device" into their leases. After all, it's a "cigarette," right?
[ IL currently considering two bills that require vaping supplies (but not non-cigarette tobacco) to be behind the counter, see: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...counter-exempts-tobacco-specialty-stores.html and one bill that would require special packaging: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-e-cig-products-sold-il-protect-children.html Also worth watching: SB2659, which would ban smoking in cars containing a minor - however the definition doesn't currently include vaping (and is still in the Public Health Cmte, with a status of "postponed." See: Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for SB2659 And HB 689, which would mandate special packaging in order to protect children (which only has one sponsor at the moment: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-e-cig-products-sold-il-protect-children.html ]
---
US: MICHIGAN
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: How Michigan is trying to keep e-cigarettes out of minors' hands
(Ann Arbor MI US public radio) http://michiganradio
.org/post/how-michigan-trying-keep-e-cigarettes-out-minors-hands
Premise of the discussion is the debate in the state capital over whether vaping should be defined as a "tobacco product" in MI's simple minor sales/possession bans (which may lead to it being automatically included in other laws' ambits). AP reporter Emma Fidel is "interviewed. However it turns out that the NPR "interviewer" clearly has the ANTZ agenda in mind, and keeps asking leading Qs to the AP reporter. This became clear after a few minutes when we heard nothing about cessation. For ex., the interviewer asks about BT purchases of vaping co.s, early on, doing everything she can to create the impression that only BT is involved in the industry. Next, the interviewer she asks about flavors that might appeal to children, once again creating the impression that vaping products are marketed to children. (After all, if the "health groups" are "concerned" about this, it must be true - or at least this is what the listener is implicitly asked to presume.) And finally we get the boilerplate "minor gateway to tobacco Q" - but it's never mentioned that teen smoking is way down, or that there's no defensible evidence. All we hear about are the "concerns" raised by a "recent study" (which of course is Dutra & Glantz's junk statistics paper that conflated causation an correlation). It appears that the moderator is reading from a list of the talking points of the "health groups" - which turn out to be the ACS and the ALA. A naive listener would also believe that essentially nothing is known about vaping, and that the only relevant parties to the discussion are the "health groups" and BT. In short, this is is typical biased coverage which is clearly intended to provide a naive listener with a false impression about the context of vaping in American society, and the essential nature of the debate in states like MI over legislative pigeonholing of vaping. That said, it could've been worse, and both national NPR as well as local affiliates have done much more in the past.
[ MI appears to have several simple minor sales bans in the works - SB 667/8 and HB 4997 5007. SB 667/8 have passed the Sen. Most significantly, MI is under threat from HB 5393, which would effectively ban vaping sales entirely:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/legislation-news/536975-michigan-legislation.html ]
---
US: MINNESOTA
[Reposted because none of the more recent stories has any more info about Dayton' s decision]
Title: Gov. Dayton has doubts about moves to restrict use of e-cigarettes
(Twin Cities MN US local paper) http://www.startribune
.com/politics/statelocal/252366351.html
(H/t to JustJulie for posting this link in legislation.)
It's not clear if this means that he'd veto the bills or whether he'd change his mind on them. SF 2027 is ready for a full vote in the MN sen., HF 1931 - the companion vaping=smoking indoor ban, is still in a house cmte. That said, many MN local gov'ts have already passed indoor/outdoor vaping bans.
"[Gov.] Dayton said that while he would sign a bill to restrict children's ability to buy e-cigarettes, he is likely to oppose proposed restrictions on their use indoors. 'After we came down pretty hard on smokers last session, that's probably enough for this biennium,' Dayton said. The state raised taxes on cigarettes last year. 'We did enough to smokers last session.' The governor's position may quash the growing movement at the Legislature to restrict where Minnesotans can use the newly popular smokeless devices. [...] Dayton said he does not know whether there is definitive evidence that secondhand vapors pose a danger similar to secondhand smoke.[...] Dayton said if e-cigarettes cut down on the use of regular cigarettes, as some users maintain, that may be a boon. Dayton supported an increase in cigarette taxes partly as a way to curb smoking. 'A lot of people are trying to quit smoking because of the higher price and are using this as a way of quitting smoking, which is what we want them to do,' the governor said. [para breaks omitted, boldface added]"
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Update: Dayton ignites e-cig ban debate
(Manketo MN US local paper) http://www.mankatofreepress
.com/local/x1387888429/Update-Dayton-ignites-e-cig-ban-debate
"Sen. Kathy Sheran, the bill's sponsor, said the governor came out against the indoor public places ban without telling her or other advocates. The Mankato Democrat characterized the governor's position as 'focusing on taking care of addicts and letting them practice their addiction at the expense of the general public.' The move to send the bill back to committee to remove that provision, which she said was a panicked reaction to the governor's statement, also came as an unwelcome surprise. Unlike Metzen, Sheran said she is not ready to give up, even in the face of a possible veto. Instead, she wants time to hear the governor's reasoning and, perhaps, persuade him to accept the indoor public places ban. 'They were not allowing me time to process this with the governor,' Sheran said of Senate leadership, 'even though it's passed through four committees with strong support.' It also has support from 79 percent of the public, according to a phone survey conducted in January by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. The insurance company surveyed 630 randomly selected adult Minnesotans, and its results have a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.[para breaks omitted, boldface added]"
[Note: the polling questions and the methodology was never disclosed. This poll was paid for by CLEARWAY MN with tax dollars, which subsequently funded an advertisement in Reuters.
It's also worth noting that the public places language has been stripped from the House version, HF 1931.
Title: Dayton breaks with health commissioner on restricting e-cigarettes
(Litchfield MN US ind. radio station) http://klfd1410.com/news/minnesota-news/dayton-breaks-with-health-commissioner-on-restricting-e-cigarettes
.html
Title: Senate pulls e-cig bill from floor
(St. Cloud MN US local paper) http://archive.sctimes
.com/article/20140326/NEWS02/303260024/Senate-pulls-e-cig-bill-from-floor
Both are similar to the first two articles above.
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Controversy continues over benefits and risks of e-cigarettes
(Twin Cities MN US based Co-Op newspaper) http://www.minnpost
.com/second-opinion/2014/03/controversy-continues-over-benefits-and-risks-e-cigarettes
[Yes, this is an ad - at the very top, this discreet label is posted: "This content is made possible by the generous sponsorship support of UCare." (UCare is a Co-Op non-profit health ins. co.)"]
On the one hand, this article is one of the few pieces that I've read which critiques both Dutra & Glantz's JAMA Pediatrics junk minor-gateway-to-tobacco "study," and the Gana et al. cessation "study." Unfortunately, it concludes by blithely reporting the poison call center meme:
"What is clear and non-controversial, however, is that the liquid in e-cigarettes poses a poison danger to children. Last week the Minnesota Poison Control System reported a 10-fold increase in reports of young people being poisoned by 'e-juice' that had been swallowed, inhaled or spilled onto the skin. Five such poisonings were reported in the state in 2012. That number jumped to 50 in 2013. None of those poisonings resulted in serious injury, but, as Stacey Bangh, clinical supervisor at the Hennepin Regional Poison Center, stated in a press release, 'Given this rate of increase, it's not a matter of if a child will be harmed by these products, but when.' Not only is e-juice not required to be contained in child-proof packaging, it often contains flavorings, such as 'bubble gum' and 'cotton candy,' that appeal to young children. [para breaks omitted, boldface added]"
It's hard to believe that a writer capable of analyzing the two publications in question would also be entirely unable to grasp the significance of the context-free MN health dep't's press release. Maybe it was time to move on to the next story, or perhaps an editor decided that the piece should end on that note.
---
US: IOWA
Title: Iowa View: Do the right thing: Restrict sales of e-cigarettes
(Des Moines IA US local paper) http://www.desmoinesregister
.com/article/20140327/OPINION02/303270022/Iowa-View-Do-right-thing-Restrict-sales-e-cigarettes
Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores of Iowa CEO urges passage of IA's simple minor sales/possesion ban. No junk.
[ HF 2109 (formerly HSB 566) simple minor sales ban is ready for Sen. SF 2038 also a minor sales ban but would require tobacco licenses for vendors. ]
---
US: OKLAHOMA
Title: Oklahoma Vapor Advocacy League Pushes For E-Cig Regulation
(OK City OK US Worldnow affiliate radio) http://www.news9
.com/story/25085062/oklahoma-vapor-advocacy-league-pushes-for-e-cig-regulation
Vape store owner Sean Gore working with OK's poison control center to require child-proof caps. No other details in this very brief story.
[ SB 1892 is a mixed bag for proponents of smoke-free alternatives, because it raises the tax on Snus and other smokeless products, but exempts vaping. See: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...g-bills-introduced-oklahoma-hearing-held.html
and: Oklahoma -- OK! - ECF InfoZone ]
---
US: TEXAS
Title: A minor problem: Ordinance bans e-cig sales to those under 18
(N. TX US newspaper amalgam site) http://starlocalmedia.com/mesquitenews/news/a-minor-problem-ordinance-bans-e-cig-sales-to-those/article_aa43dd76-b4fb-11e3-9d12-001a4bcf887a
.html
Mesquite City Council bans sales and possession of PVs to minors, and prohibits use on school grounds and city-owned facilities. Ban doesn't appear to apply to private businesses or to outdoor areas. No junk.
[ TX's legislature is out of session for the year, unless Gov. Perry calls for a special session. ]
---
US: MEBRASKA
Title: E-cigarette ban for minors the state's best approach
(Grand Island NE US local paper) http://www.theindependent
.com/opinion/editorial/e-cigarette-ban-for-minors-the-state-s-best-approach/article_e081c6d0-b520-11e3-97eb-0019bb2963f4.html
Editorial backs NE's LB863, which is a simple minor sales/possession ban. However the "we just don't know anything" logic would support taxes and additional restrictions. LB863 (formerly 861) is awaiting Gov. Heineman's signature. No other threats exist in NE's legislature.
---
US: WYOMING
{Comments posted to page containing this story, &/or e-mail to Editor would be helpful.}
Title: Health experts say more information is needed on effects of e-cigarette use
(Lander WY US local paper) http://www.dailyranger
.com/story.php?story_id=11920&headline=Health-experts-say-more-information-is-needed-on-effects-of-e-cigarette-use
Apparently they have heard of vaping in Wyoming, but the reporter who was assigned to write this piece knew absolutely nothing about it. So we got the usual result - googling the CDC for its alarmist minor junk statistics, and consultation with the local Tobacco Control professions (yes, they have those in rural Wyoming too, and they get the same e-mails that Tobacco Control people all over the country receive):
"The lack of information about the product is troubling to public health nurse Teresa Nirider. 'There's just so much we don't know,' she said. 'The overall impact of e-cigarette use on public health remains uncertain.' [...] 'We don't know what's in that vapor yet,' said Theresa Harmati, a community prevention professional with the Prevention Management Organization of Wyoming in Fremont County. 'Or what's happening when it's being inhaled.' There is no proof that the product helps people quit smoking either. [para breaks omitted, boldface added]
The good news for WY vapers (however many there may be) is that neither Cheyanne nor Casper appears to have an indoor vaping ban, nor can Your Correspondent find any evidence that they've considered it. This means that Wyoming as well as saskatchewan are two of the places where it appears that it will still be legal to vape in a public park, at least for the forseeable future.
***
Google Tips
to see whether there are bad things happening where you live, try this Google search (example for Rhode Island) -
rhode site:casaa.org
(Replace rhode with a single word that describes your city, county, or state. For ex., if you live in Eau Claire, WI - you might use "Claire" to see if something is being proposed at the city level. Don't forget the : (colon), and be sure that there's nothing before or after the colon (not even spaces or tabs.)
You can also try replacing site:casaa.org with e-cigarette to find out what the media is reporting in your area. This is usually most helpful if you use the search tools to search by date. (CASAA doesn't generally issue calls or alerts until a bill is out of a state legislative committee, or is scheduled for a local city or county hearing.)
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