Vaping In The News covers nicotine, smoking, vaping, snus, heat not burn, e-cigarettes, harm reduction, tobacco control, public health, government, regulations, policies & more worldwide.
The largest threat to Public Health is an informed consumer.
Dead Fish ~ What’s the deal with Snus – the smokeless nicotine in a pouch? ~ A Cocaine Nasal Spray Just Received FDA Approval ~ CDC Survey Shows Flavors Aren’t Driving Youth Vaping ~ U-Haul’s Hateful Policy of Barring Nicotine Users From Employment ~ What’s that? Prescribing smoking? ~ Trump told Azar he regrets involvement in vaping policy ~ Watch: Kat Timpf Warns FDA’s New Vape Ban ‘May Kill People’ ~ Professor “Puff-N-Stuff” Glantz said what? ~ What’s your story…We Vape We Write ~ THR4Life
Dead Fish
While “Truth” Initiative takes an idiotic stance to promote and encourage dangerous activities using vaping products, eighth grade students in Minnesota are being taught to – well, experiment with zebra fish and “lavender vape oil”.
“They just died” said one student….
Note: The word “oil” is mentioned at least 10 times, (like this one showing “teens said they have found ways around the temporary vaping ban” here) making me believe they’re purposely either trying to create a search engine hit scheme, or are riding the false ‘oil‘ claim on purpose.
U-Haul’s Hateful Policy of Barring Nicotine Users From Employment
When a surcharge on your health premiums for ‘tobacco use’ just isn’t enough to control your use of a legal product, and personal behavior, enough is never enough. Hate and discriminationis still encouraged.
Now come the formalities… mark your calender! It’s coming, but not the way I thought. I was under the impression this would (still could) mandate all cigarettes on the market to ‘lower nicotine’ levels. This is a pre-approved decision, as combustion is still combustion, and the Master Settlement Agreement will apply. More about this below the tweet…
Mark your calendar: The Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee meets Feb. 14 to discuss 22nd Century Group Inc. tobacco products under modified risk review.
Thinking of quitting smoking with cigarettes? That’s right. Soon you’ll be able to stock up on the prescription cartons six weeks at a time… Well – at least according to the graphic, that’s what 22nd Century “believes”… confidence is high…
In 2016, I predictedprescribing smoking. In 2018, I also realized over100 million dollars was invested by FDA and other government agencies, and “public health” criminalswould support it……. What’s the return on investment?
Here’s how they plan to submit their PMTA: (Note, I repeat, confidence is high – see if you notice the Chantix/Phizer reference once you’re in there…)
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Guess what. The vaping issue isn’t done with or over in Washington.
Unless the FDA/HHS immediately reforms the product application process (PMTA/SE), thousands of businesses and tens of thousands of jobs will be killed after May.
Trump told Azar he regrets involvement in vaping policy
What? This is about health, jobs, and personal choice for adults. There should be NO compromise with political front groups. I would encourage every citizen to ask WHY any health policy decision is deemed political. Seems we’re on some nerves, and by all means we’re loud, but I don’t believe we’re loud enough.
Watch: Kat Timpf Warns FDA’s New Vape Ban ‘May Kill People’
When there are warnings, I would appreciate it if Kat would be in charge because she explains “the perfect example of what happens when government officials insist on legislating what they don’t understand“…. and that’s the truth.
“You will have noticed, of course, the complete and utter disregard for the use of proper scientific language here with my writing, and it is deliberate.”
Robert Innes will take you down a hole with ignorance, language, science, and quite a bit more…
Vaping In The News covers nicotine, smoking, vaping, snus, heat not burn, e-cigarettes, harm reduction, tobacco control, public health, government, regulations, policies & more worldwide.
The largest threat to Public Health is an informed consumer.
How Truth Became a Casualty of the War on Smoking ~ 12.2 billion less cigarettes were sold ~ Coffee 21. Campaign for Caffeine Free Children ~ New e-cig policy a ‘first step’: HHS Assistant Secretary ~ The David Goerlitz Story ~ Business Insider ~ FDA’s New “Flavor Ban Lite” Ignores May PMTA Deadline ~ Truth Initiative Promo Encourages Risky Teen Behavior ~ Health Insurance Companies Can Charge People Who Vape Up to 50% More ~ America’s Flavour Crisis ~ A Billion For Free ~ A Reminder ~ A Twitter Reminder
How Truth Became a Casualty of the War on Smoking
If you think there’s truth, ethics, or “fighting” in the anti-smoking, anti-tobacco, or long-standing anti-nicotine pharmaceutical and government front group fields… you’re just wrong. Sit there and be wrong. I’m unable to assist you.
-ZERO- tobacco. -ZERO- combustion. -ZERO- Master Settlement Agreement funds. If the phrase “birds of a feather” comes to mind, Alice below my tweet… paired with Chimpmanzee below hers, will be sittin’ in a tree cherry picking from various…never mind.
Is your professional "no one actually knows" statement misleading?
Can you give evidence of ecigs simply being <the same> or <more> harmful than smoking? https://t.co/cMKfKM7rzt
Truth Initiative Promo Encourages Risky Teen Behavior
Imagine, if you will, an organization dedicated to reducing, or eliminating risky teen behavior while encouraging risky teen behavior… don’t hurt yourself.
Health Insurance Companies Can Charge People Who Vape Up to 50% More
Because nicotine has been “deemed” addictive, and nicotine has been “deemed” tobacco… the health sector – private sector, and government sector, has the ability to say, and do what they want –
Because of those false facts, they’ve “deemed” you a risk, and you are going to pay… or not get paid… and you’ll like it.
Remember when some of your friends took a position demanding this film be free before it was released? I do. Well, now it is, so watch it. Then buy a copy for your local and state reps and hand deliver it to them at your next scheduled meeting.
“A Billion Lives has been released as free-to-view on a number of platforms.”
People to tag in your tweets (politely): Campaign Manager for President Trump: @parscale: Brad Parscale, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, @SecAzar: Alex Azar, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, @SteveFDA: Dr. Stephen M. Hahn , of course, President Donald J. Trump himself, @realDonaldTrump: President Trump.
Vaping In The News covers nicotine, smoking, vaping, snus, heat not burn, e-cigarettes, harm reduction, tobacco control, public health, government, regulations, policies & more worldwide.
The largest threat to Public Health is an informed consumer.
Congress Raises Tobacco Use Age to 21 ~ The bipartisan Tobacco 21 push is a flawed effort supported by big tobacco and prohibitionists ~ Vape Bans Won’t Make You Safer ~ Tweets of the week ~ Mental Health Facility to Give Free E-Cigs to Adult Smokers Wishing to Quit ~ Newest CDC Data Confirm that Respiratory Disease Outbreak was Caused by Vitamin E Acetate Oil in THC Vaping Cartridges ~ Examining the relationship of vaping to smoking initiation among US youth and young adults: a reality check ~ Michigan Supreme Court declines to reinstates flavored vape ban for now ~
I hope this year-end edition of Vaping In The News finds you all in good health and spirits, and I hope to see you all with better vision in 2020!
Congress Raises Tobacco Use Age to 21
Although vaping products arewrongly, and politicallyclassified as “tobacco“, There should be no need to ban flavors if kids can’t obtain them, right?
No need for science or facts folks. Orchestrated hysteria is what is necessary to manipulate public opinion. This is full of great references and should not be missed.
1) the federal government conflated the dangers of THC and nicotine use; 2) HHS/FDA/CDC lied to POTUS in stating flavors led to youth vaping; 3) our public health industrial complex is corrupt or incompetent (or both), perhaps 2020 will tell. https://t.co/4Y3gn82dNw
Examining the relationship of vaping to smoking initiation among US youth and young adults: a reality check
Understanding in 2014 there was no “gateway“, this where the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and Truth Initiative realized the 20% fulfillment rate of recruiting new smokers wasn’t working out so well for them – so they created a an “epidemic” and a “new” “problem”.
“There was a substantial increase in youth vaping prevalence beginning in about 2014. Time trend analyses showed that the decline in past 30-day smoking prevalence accelerated by two to four times after 2014.”
Vaping In The News covers
nicotine, smoking, vaping, snus, heat not burn, e-cigarettes, harm
reduction, tobacco control, public health, government, regulations,
policies & more worldwide.
The largest threat to Public Health is an informed consumer.
E-Cigarettes: The HHS Smoking Gun ~ U.S. Prefers Mass Hysteria to Sound Policy on Vaping ~ America’s Strange Nicotine Regulations Somehow Just Got Even Weirder ~ Low Nicotine Cigarettes?….. what?! ~ Blame Anti-Tobacco Advocates for Youth Vaping “Epidemic” ~ Vapers: A Key New Addition to the ‘Leave Us Alone’ Coalition ~ Tobacco 21 Doesn’t Add Up ~ Trump Administration Must Balance Protecting Teens With Saving Adult Smokers ~ The State of Conversation ~ 2019 “Monitoring the Future” survey
E-Cigarettes: The HHS Smoking Gun
Did the “professionals” lie directly to the President on November 22nd? Yes, yes they did.
While I’ve covered these here, and here – oh, and here, um, and here and well other places… Grimm Green is tackling lower nicotine cigarettes….or… well, here’s the video.
Blame Anti-Tobacco Advocates for Youth Vaping “Epidemic”
This is how the “adults” gaslighting children, and parents went along with it.
From some of the articles featured above, and living life in general, we already know curiosity and accessibilityis the driving force behind the experimentation of adult products. (for any product a minor can’t purchase) with any adult product.
As I’ve done before – I posted an example of timeless advice I read early on in my journey of advocating on my Facebook page last week called “The Vaping Advocate’s Rules For Campaigning” created by one of my idols, Chris Price.
In that post, I had a conversation with someone I adore, gets it, engages, understands what some of us forget about ‘community’, and is already going to meetings, all the while – she’s teaching some of us “old dogs” new tricks.
As I posted it, I stated “I am particularly fond of #9.”
Cherry Lai responded: “I want #11 & #12.”
I replied: “Yes“.
Cherry replied: “This week I have learned a very important lesson. Both the vaper community and vapor industry must build relationships with their prospective lawmakers at all levels of the government before the words “flavor ban” are even uttered. When a proposed ban is scheduled for a hearing, most of the time it is too late to change anyone’s mind.”
“A big thank you to all the state associations who have worked tirelessly with their legislators behind the scene to protect the vaper community and vapor industry! Also, CASAA!“
Cherry speaking against the “ban the sale of flavored tobacco products – not including menthol or hookah lounges – in the city of Los Angeles” – (No audio) link
Her response immediately brought me to think of an “article” I worked on for someone, but it, and the project, never saw the light of day. Well, she re-inspired me.
I replied: “You are SO right, Cherry. This is an article I was working on in August. While it was never published, and was aimed at – and designed for – industry eyes… it remains intact. Of course you can take your, and my words – and consumer/community view of what you just said with it: ‘before the words “flavor ban” are even uttered”…
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That got me to thinking… and now have proudly collaborated what was, at inception, more for industry eyes. However, like writing a song, “The State of Conversation”with Cherry’s words in italicsand bold, within, took on a different meaning.
Below is my hat-tip to Cherry.
The State of Conversation
I’m grateful to have your attention. I am a consumer, I’m not in your industry. I see the need for the conversation to change at every level.
I say “change the conversation”. I mean that for those already facing local and state regulations, restrictions, taxes and bans. For those of you who are not, I urge, no implore you to create the conversation.
Preemptive strike
To quote Oliver Kershaw from September 2018:
“There’s only one solution – Unity and aggression.”
State industry groups are not a luxury, they are a requirement. More than likely, contributions are tax-deductible. (Legalese: check with your accountant). Your chosen industry group can be the network needed to watch for local, state, (and national) legislation before it becomes past-tense information.
Your state group should have resources to both provide and contribute to, for you and other members with experience and advice between you. That leaves you time to run your business, and tend to your customers.
Make your presence known. Change the conversation.
Get in front of these people. When a town, city, or state is in the process of enacting a law or laws, there is forethought. Someone, probably a national “health” organization, from a local or state level, already had an ear of a council member or three – or five.
The power of national “health” organizations are influential in creating and changing laws on all levels. Those organizations already have the ear of decision-makers long before you walk in. It seems they have made up their mind when a business owner like yourself, prepared or not, walks to the podium for what inevitably is a quick, and timed statement.
Some of those decision makers (or friends, family members) may be volunteers of those organizations. They’ve met. They have other agendas. They carry credibility. They have a long-standing history.
Explain your business.
Your business provides a significantly less harmful alternative product and service for consumers to reduce or eliminate smoking. You are a local concern. You provide jobs and revenue.
Request officials to take a meeting. Be the first in the door. Explain what you already know they will be, or already are concerned about in relation to your product, your business. Explain the importance of less harm. Explain your business.
They should already know vaping products are an adult product. Explain the gateway theory is false. Explain what you know about the Synar Amendment. Tell them your abilities to stop underage points of sale at a higher rate than the 20% acceptable failure rate the current amendment provides. Provide solutions.
Explain why “Tobacco 21”, while looking good on paper, does not work, and why. Ask them if they plan on regulating, restricting, taxing or banning a less harmful adult choice to 18, 19, and 20 year olds in your community. If they do – or plan to, then ask them why.
Prove yourselves in all aspects.
SHOW them data, science, and research from reputable sources, including statements from health organizations and government officials. Talk with them coherently about nicotine. Show them you are not a “tobacco” product by any means including the definition and should not be taxed as such.
Then, go to your local city or county health department. Then, your nearest (friendly and always concerned) local non-profit health organization as well if they’ll listen. Sound crazy? Good.
I say “change the conversation”. I mean that. Instead of changing the conversation, create the conversation.
If ordinances and laws have been enacted, ask how they can be rescinded. Use the “Freedom of Information Act” with inquiries. Act quickly. Get consumers involved, use consumer testimonials. Use the media to your advantage. While we all know the answer, publicly ask why health and public officials are against a much less harmful, smoke-free alternative to smoking.
Both the vaper community and vapor industry must build relationships with their perspective lawmakers at all levels of the government before the words “flavor ban” are even uttered. When a proposed ban is scheduled for a hearing, most of the time it is too late to change anyone’s mind.
In that conversation, if possible, business should partner with consumers, so both sides can be presented and heard. 1, 2 or even 3 minute testimonies, in my opinion, are just for shows as it is required for them to hear us speak, but they are not required to listen to our words. We need to be organized, take the initiative and be aggressive!
Stop trying to prove them wrong, prove yourselves right.
To quote Oliver Kershaw from September 2018 again:
“There’s only one solution – Unity and aggression.”
Vaping In The News covers nicotine, smoking, vaping, snus, heat not burn, e-cigarettes, harm reduction, tobacco control, public health, government, regulations, policies & more worldwide.
The largest threat to Public Health is an informed consumer.
The vaping crisis – Questions and answers by Clive Bates ~ Tobacco harm reduction and human rights ~ CDC Survey: Flavors Aren’t the Main Reason Kids Vape ~ Here’s More Evidence That Flavors Aren’t the Reason Teens Vape ~ Profiting from E-Cigarette Fearmongering ~ Tweet(s) of the week ~ How to Spot and Avoid Vape Advocacy Scams ~ New FDA Chief Stephen Hahn Will Get Credit (or Blame) for New Vaping Rules ~ “Dependence” and the danger of adopting the language of your oppressors ~ Trump aides hold daily meetings on vaping as White House scrambles to formulate policy
The vaping crisis – Questions and answers by Clive Bates
Clive Bates has questions. And answers. What more do you want?
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You can’t “believe” #science but someone can verify it.
Tweet(s) of the week
New Hampshire has decided access to cigarettes and “other tobacco products” should be 19, vaping products should be 21.
The 2020 Nobel prize for Public Health goes to the sponsor of the bill shown below, in the state of New Hampshire. For 2021, I expect someone to legislate the mandatory, free distribution of tobacco cigarettes in order to prevent e-cigarette use! That will be unbeatable! pic.twitter.com/lSnNfxaI6X
Trump aides hold daily meetings on vaping as White House scrambles to formulate policy
I’m not saying the initial Washington meeting between the vaping industry has anything to do with a sitting President taking daily updates much further or more seriously… wait a minute, yes.
Vaping In The News covers nicotine, smoking, vaping, snus, heat not burn, e-cigarettes, harm reduction, tobacco control, public health, government, regulations, policies & more worldwide.
The largest threat to Public Health is an informed consumer.
Vape shop owner: I quit smoking thanks to vaping. Banning flavors hurts adults like me ~ American Lung Association’s Lies About E-Cigarettes are Dangerous and Irresponsible ~ Although Teenagers Are 80% Less Likely to Smoke Than They Were in 1999, the CDC Insists No Progress Has Been Made ~ Read between the lines ~ Tweets of the week ~ Christmas for Massachusetts Vape Families ~ Grinch Relief Fund ~ Curiosity ~ Obsolete tobacco control themes can be hazardous to public health ~ Silly thoughts ~ Smoke-Free Radio
Vape shop owner: I quit smoking thanks to vaping. Banning flavors hurts adults like me
This is from Nick Orlando himself.
“We’ve built a community. Our stores are not just places for people to buy vapor products for recreational use. My stores are educational spaces for adult smokers to feel comfortable visiting and coming in to ask questions and learn how to quit a habit that could kill them…”
American Lung Association’s Lies About E-Cigarettes are Dangerous and Irresponsible
Dr. Siegel once again slaps the stupid out of some strange decision by the Lung Association to… Well, they’re out of ideas, so they’re going all out on propaganda.
Although Teenagers Are 80% Less Likely to Smoke Than They Were in 1999, the CDC Insists No Progress Has Been Made
Jacob Sullum – explains this no progress thingy much better than I can:
That is true only if you define tobacco-free e-cigarettes as “tobacco products,” which the CDC does, and if you ignore the enormous difference between the hazards of smoking and the hazards of vaping, which the CDC also does.
Next — Greg Conley takes an idiot to task, and the idiot tries to ignore it. Something about water…
Today @GregTHR stated clearly the danger posed by illicit TCH to New Jersey residents. @herbconaway told him that he didn't care to warn NJ residents because it would get in the way of his plans. pic.twitter.com/aoHwHQfXZ0
Next, and importantly, there was some ruckus about a survey this week. Sheila Vakharia PhD MSW clearly explains there are “major issues with how they present their findings” in this thread… you can see them all if you click on the original tweet. (If you’re not on Twitter, join!!!)
The 2019 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) results are out. And there are some major issues with how they present their findings.
To keep children safe, we MUST demand to remove curiosity, intrigue, and inquisitiveness from blatant subliminal advertising from any and all non-profit-political-non-governmental-front-groups immediately.
Please, “Think of the children™.”
So that got someone to thinking on Facebook… and said to me – “the curiosity figure is 2.5 times higher than flavours, wouldn’t that be an increase of 151%, roughly?”
Well… there you go. Subliminal messaging: 151% stronger than flavors.
Relentless laser-targeted ads by anti-tobacco groups @truthinitiative & @TobaccoFreeKids on social media & TV campaigns fueled curiosity.
Enticed-vulnerable youth were tricked, unable to resist temptation to try vaping products.
Obsolete tobacco control themes can be hazardous to public health
Skip tossed this one at me just before finishing the news today…
“It is important to make clear distinctions between the classes of tobacco/nicotine products as they differ substantially in risk to the user…”
Are they SO far out of touch with reality they can’t do their jobs, or are they completely in tune to what they’re doing… adults are told they’re addicted to nicotine, and “keep trying” with inefficient products. Kids are blitzed with products they shouldn’t use or have access to… yet here we are.
If any of them already knew it was curiosity, not flavors, that the pesky children chose as an answer… then…. yeah… you think I’m reaching. Understandable, I know – he wasn’t in a court of law… but think about it.
Smoke-Free Radio.
I join Patrick and Fig on Smoke-Free Radio on Friday nights. We were being thankful…and we were saying it… because it isn’t said enough. There were thousands I’m sure we missed — even if you weren’t mentioned by name last week, we thanked you, and people like you.
Vaping In The News covers nicotine, smoking, vaping, snus, heat not burn, e-cigarettes, harm reduction, tobacco control, public health, government, regulations, policies & more worldwide.
The largest threat to Public Health is an informed consumer.
Bloomberg Grant ~ Sources of youth access to JUUL vaping products in the United States ~ FDA faces fire from researchers saying it has not prioritized e-cigarette testing ~ Tweet of the Week ~ Truth Initiative Logo ~ NYC Flavor Ban Passes as Vapers Throw Money at the Council ~ Grinch Relief Fund ~ CPSC Will Go After Vape Shops That Violate Bottle Rules ~ Harm Reduction ~ End The Lies
Bloomberg Grant
Fine, the actual title isn’t “Bloomberg Grant”. By giving the CDC Foundation (not the CDC itself – see 3rd question here) some money… that the title I chose, and the “upstanding purpose” he’s trying to (legally) hide behind, are both misleading.
“the CDC Foundation received a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies to monitor and evaluate e-cigarette use”
In a recent presentation at a CO City Council meeting, the Rocky Mountain Smoke-Free Alliance directly quoted the @truthinitiative in a presentation on vaping. How did the Initiative respond? By threatening legal action. Clearly their lawyer doesn't know what "fair use" means. pic.twitter.com/JspaPrar8y
President Trump asked to have a conversation with public health and vaping industry organizations. The purpose of the meeting was to get “representatives of the Vaping industry, together with medical professionals and individual state representatives” to “come up with an acceptable solution to the Vaping and E-cigarette dilemma. Children’s health & safety, together with jobs, will be a focus!”, according to his tweet.
If the President invited me to sit face to face with him along side of those who may not agree with science and data I’d be explaining, I’d certainly read the invite and be prepared to… Well, I’d take reasonable steps above and beyond to accommodate – by offering an acceptable, comprehensivesolution he was asking for.
Now, remember, dear reader – he specifically said “come up with an acceptable solution” in his purpose, so there may be a test.
For public health, seasoned representatives were there, some with 30 or more years in their position. They need less than two sentences of attention from me, and <—these were it.
Also included in the meeting were were Mitt Romney, Joe Grogan, Kelly Ann Conway, Health and Human Services (allegedly unbias and science-based) Secretary Azar among others.
The other side (with the exception of Juul) representing mostly small businesses (who represent consumers) were also seasoned representatives. Scott Eley, Gregory Conley, Tony Abboud, Reynolds, Njoy, at least one rep for convenience stores, and Americans for Tax Reform.
The President didn’t wast time. He was inquisitive with everyone, asking for, but not always listening to solutions as a response to his questions. Public health group responses to his questions were the same, with variations, referring to his decision from September 11th to ban all flavors except tobacco. The other group, except for one, contributed to the conversation with solutions.
Freedom of choice for millions of ex-smokers and the ability to navigate that right with flavors were the literal discussionin the White House. The conversationjust changed for access to less harmful alternatives on a national scale.
Until now, we have NEVER had a seat in front of the President of the United States. WOW. I don’t think he knew (we, the people) less harmful alternativesexisted until he flew over us on November 9th of this year.
WE the people exposed “Public Health” by applying both social and political pressure and offering solutions “they” could not come up with 👉 in front of sitting President.
Timeline:
With more than a decade of use by consumers, science and data (links to that are all over this blog), a decade of advocacy groundwork had also been laid long before I came along in 2014.
Summer- 2019: Unscrupulous “health” organizations took an opportunity to falsely blameillness and deaths on legal vaping products. In fact, “samples from 29 patients with “EVALI submitted to CDC from 10 states found vitamin E acetate in all of the samples.” Vitamin E acetate was used in THC-containing products. (Link to source)
September 9th: The First Lady (Flotus) tweeted concern of an “epidemic of e-cigarette use in our children”.
September 10th: In the early morning (6:54 AM) hours, gazillionaire Bloomberg announced he was spending $160M on an initiative with Tobacco-Free Kids to ban flavored e-cigarettes
September 10th: Later that day, Flotus tweeted a Washington Post article at 12:03 P.M. (Yes I noticed the times on Bloomberg and Flotus’s tweets)
September 11th: Secretary Azar announces he will be “finalizing policies that will clear flavored e-cigarettes from the market.”
September 13th: President Trump tweeted: “While I like the Vaping alternative to Cigarettes, we need to make sure this alternative is SAFE for ALL! Let’s get counterfeits off the market, and keep young children from Vaping!”
September 18th: small businesses of Vapor Technology Association went to Washington, D.C. with solutions in hand to representatives.
September 18th: Paul Blair explained voters are clearly an issue for the President.
Frustrated consumers & business owners already tweeting and calling the White House in opposition of a flavor ban, and these efforts became more intense.
November 1st, Trump announced the ban of flavors the following week.
November 4th, “White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) canceled all remaining meetings with stakeholders” as Jim McDonald reported here, and Dimitris Agrafiotis tweeted here.
Saturday – November 9th – two months after the First Lady tweeted her first concerns, WE, chose to exercise our freedom of assembly in our nation’s capital. We, the people didn’t just go to Washington, D.C., we were standing in our own yard.
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November 11th:
TWO days after the rally. Coincidence? I think not.
NO one could have predicted this. Bright and early on November 11th, at 9:00 AM, we knew were being listened to.
I’m poaching Schell Hammel’s words: This was a defining moment.
The President of the United States tweeted:
“Will be meeting with representatives of the Vaping industry, together with medical professionals and individual state representatives, to come up with an acceptable solution to the Vaping and E-cigarette dilemma. Children’s health & safety, together with jobs, will be a focus!”
Will be meeting with representatives of the Vaping industry, together with medical professionals and individual state representatives, to come up with an acceptable solution to the Vaping and E-cigarette dilemma. Children’s health & safety, together with jobs, will be a focus!
Finally, on November 22nd, President Trump met with various invited groups and gave them an opportunity, *asking* for solutions.
While you and I can agree or disagree with finer points and details of the conversation, representatives invited from the vaping industry (except for Juul), didoffer solutions. After all, we were having a conversation with the President. I had -0- concerns for who kept their composure in the face to face with those trying to take our freedoms away, and those offering solutions for me in front of President Trump.
These people were fighting most importantly, for millions of former smokers and future smokers who have the human right to CHOOSE the option of flavors and the right to less harmful products. They were also fighting for thousands of small businesses, thousands more of their employees, customers (you and me), and more employed in various ancillary functions.
WE WERE CHANGING THE CONVERSATION INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE.
We were offering SOLUTIONS inside the WHITE HOUSE.
Sorry I yelled. No I’m not.
This was a defining moment.
The eyes of the world were upon us. Again. Here are key personal takeaways from this historical meeting:
Thirteen days after the vaping community and the world watched the Washington, D.C. rally on November 9th, the whole world waited in anticipation to see this meeting unfold.
President Trump wasn’t operating in a bubble. He was concerned, he was engaging. For a change, we weren’t in facing a one-sided wall of resistance. The media couldn’t report it the way they wanted to. No press could spin or invert the narrative of one side. We all witnessed the same exchanges.
We were not being told we only had three minutes. Instead, we publicly voiced concerns and were offering solutions with an opportunity that has been actively foughtfor years – represented in the highest office in the land.
WE were well-prepared with answers.
We were articulate with safety and standards
We were armed with data, science, and solutions.
Public health (“they”) didn’t present answers. They presented the same narrative – that children are breaking laws, and proposed absolute bans.
Trump DID ask great questions. He was attentive, and at times, curious. At one point he asked:
“If we take out flavors, won’t they just be made illegally?”
Tony Abboud “this is the new vapor industry, not the old tobacco industry”.
It was CLEAR Trump understood THC deaths and illnesses ARE a separate issue.
Like it (I don’t) or not, “Tobacco 21” looks like it will be law of land – eventually. Trump leaned in and it said, “we need to do that”.
He did NOT like the idea of a ban with valid fears of a black market – and kids doing what kids may do. He understood while kids are an issue, adults are an issue. He asked very specific questions – he asked from a business point of view.
Because President Trump didn’t like a black market, he also quickly realized the “public health” representatives were parroting his words and did not have a solution.
Importantly, President Trump asked questions about less harm. Gregory Conley explained it to him.
President Trump reiterates his understanding by giving Tony Abboud a chance to speak.
He understood flavors.
He was looking for and likes to know about:
Economical impact.
Job numbers. Employment.
He understands math and votes.
Now, he also understands adult access.
Trump understands safety. Secretary Azar mentions “health claims” at the end – and lies, stating there is “no evidence” (Yes there is – Gottlieb spoke about this, so has Azar) (there is plenty) and they will go after companies who make those claims.
Trump seemed painfully aware of the body parts groups focusing on the children™ without any substance. His question asked for their solution.
This time there was no controlled environment – no national stage to speak and walk away from. It wasn’t just their narrative. They were – for the first time in history-not in charge or control of the conversation.
See, the thing about the industry representatives is – they were listening. They were interacting with the President. Those allegedly representing “public health“, political front group NGOs were not listening. They simply waited to reply to him. If data, science, or less harmful alternatives was mentioned – they tried to drown it out by repeating various angles of their nursery rhyme – “Think of the children”™.
By the reaction and follow up questions by President Trump, it seemed he was well aware of their tactics. It seemed each time he asked any of the “health” body parts groups for a solution, he received the same scripted answers and reactions (in no particular order):
If smokers and less harmful alternatives are brought up: “Everyone talk at once“!
Drown out and talk over anything to do with harm reduction, data, science, law, or jobs
Adhering to and referring Trump to his original plan of bans made them look arrogant and unprepared. He already changed his mind once. By using that strategy – in my opinion – it showed their only motive and insulted his intelligence. We all know who they are.
In fact, as I watched – “their” strategy, I couldn’t help thinking their approach was narrowly thought out. After all the years of doing what they do, they never had and didn’t prepare, a concrete solution. Confident in advance, they didn’t think it was necessary for any solution but their own. They didn’t need – forgive me for the gratuitous pun – an alternative solution. What exactly is it they “do” again? They don’t have answers.
We were prepared, articulate, and brought multiple solutions to the table.
I don’t recall political front groups mentioning or demanding cigarettes come off the market immediately.
We all know we got exactly what we expected from the body parts groups. That doesn’t matter. The focus on harm reduction, of insane policies being proposed, the exact same concern for children as the front groups have, and the importance of flavors became clearer to President Trump – as long as we were heard over their incessant chanting.
So what will come of this meeting?
In no particular order:
Did the stance of the one-sided morality crusade persuade President Trump once he heard both sides?
Did we raise and a much larger concern in his mind for public health, freedom of individual choices for less harmful products, and is there hope for the process of democracy in our county?
Can there be change in restrictive local/state regulations?
Are we able to say we’ve changed the conversation nationally?
Will this change the course of the industry and harm reduction?
Will the alleged “health” groups stop denying science and data?
This photo was blatantly poached, snagged and stolen from one of these two attorneys for the purposes of this blog.
I hope I don’t miss anyone participating in this meeting, but I want to thank (in no particular order):
Every single one of you, who called the White House, tweeted, hash-tagged, made some noise… (and will continue to do so!), and all who have come before us, to advocate for less harmful choices to smoking.
@realDonaldTrump, a man who’s never smoked a cigarette, spends the time to make sure that his Administration gets the policy right for the American people. As usual. pic.twitter.com/OkDzkr9cBA
Not only did they not want cigarettes banned @VapinGreek they offered zero solutions to the real problem! Just proves more that it never was about the youth! @realDonaldTrump asked for solutions! They answered with prohibition! Even when he said it would create a larger BM! https://t.co/UYBxJ6VqiI
While we can all armchair quarterback and “would’ve / could’ve” this meeting until the cows come home… I am proud of the ruckus, I am hopeful there will be more meetings with President Trump and urge him to take positive steps to change national conversationswith consumers – our voices, represented by CASAA. We need to continue to CHANGE the conversation daily. To be louder. To show up at hearings. ALL the stuff you already know.
You can watch the complete coverage of President Trump’s discussion unfold here.
Run-on sentence alert bonus:
If you told me back on May 23rd of 2013 I would create a blog, author a survey, email & call local, state and federal officials, tweet like a madman, participate in state organization meetings, come to despise and distrust what I thought was the epitome of “public health“, travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to see a 1 1/2 hour movie, make friends around the country and worldwide, publicly challenge the claim of addiction to nicotine, travel to Washington D.C. to rally against my own government to protest a ban less harmful products because officials calling themselves “public health” demanded it, and then see some of those people I admire take a seat at the table with the President of the United States because my wife and I quit smoking… I’d have told you to pound sand.
This photo was blatantly poached, snagged and stolen from one of these two attorneys for this, and another pending blog.
Yesterday, We, the people exposed “Public Health” by applying both social and political pressure and offered a solution they “couldn’t” come up with in front of sitting President.
Vaping In The News covers nicotine, smoking, vaping, snus, heat not burn, e-cigarettes, harm reduction, tobacco control, public health, government, regulations, policies & more worldwide.
The largest threat to Public Health is an informed consumer.
“Small Vape” Stood Up for Itself at the White House ~ Trump Hears From Vaping Opponents, Industry Executives ~ Remarks by President Trump in a Listening Session ~ Heart Association Claims Tweet Of The Week ~ Regulatory Restriction of E-Vapor Products Under International Human Rights Law ~ Is the USA coming to its senses on e-cigarettes (and cigarettes)? ~ Ethan Nadelman ~ Open Letter to the American Heart Association ~ NGO’s Can’t Quit Lying ~ Heads Should Roll at CDC after Botched Vaping Investigation ~ Vaping and Public Health: Fact vs Fiction ~ Vape Debate: Are e-cigarettes wiping out teen smoking?
“Small Vape” Stood Up for Itself at the White House
Longest blog title of the week goes to: Dr. Siegel !
While American Heart Association Claims E-Cigarettes are as Harmful as Smoking, a Clinical Trial Shows Immediate Cardiovascular Improvement After Smokers Switched to E-Cigarettes
Always offering information – and common sense… the E-Cigarette Summit offers this video (and more) of Ethan Nadelman. I strongly suggest listening to the “Founder and former executive director (2000-17) of the Drug Policy Alliance” and follow him on Twitter as well:
