Dispelling the “gateway theory” myth in vaping
Since the advent of vaping, various researchers have made claims that e-cigarettes serve as a “gateway” to traditional cigarette use. However, a recent study (published November 5, 2019) in Nicotine & Tobacco Research calls this theory into question and finds that causation may just be correlation.
To arrive at this theory, researchers looked at 14 “shared risk factors” among teens who have picked up vaping and cigarette smoking. These factors included things like; exposure to health warnings, previous alcohol and drug use, and comfort being around smokers. Before considering these factors, teens who vaped were 36 times more likely to become cigarette smokers. But when accounting for these 14 risk factors, researchers found no statistical causation rate.
According to the authors of the study, “E-cigarette use does not appear to be associated with current, continued smoking. Instead, the apparent relationship between e-cigarette use and current conventional smoking is fully explained by shared risk factors, thus failing to support claims that e-cigarettes have a causal effect on concurrent conventional smoking among youth.”
The Relationship Between Electronic Cigarette Use and Conventional Cigarette Smoking Is Largely Attributable to Shared Risk Factors — Sooyong Kim, MD, Arielle S Selya, PhD
American vapers prepare for a Washington D.C. rally
In response to the Trump administration’s potential flavour ban, thousands of vapers are expected to showup in Washington D.C., on November 9, 2019, as part of the United Vapers Alliance Rally. Thousands of vapers are expected to be there and the rally will run from noon to 4:00pm at The Ellipse, a 52-acre park that is visible to all occupants of the White House.
The United Vapers Rally is totally consumer-focused and will not feature any advertisements or products for sale. The rally was organized by a group that includes various members of the Vaping Legion, as well as YouTube vape reviewers Matt Culley and Kevin Crowley of THR4Life.
The rally will also feature speeches by well-known vaping advocates like AVA President Greg Conley, CASAA CEO Alex Clark, and regular vapers who have successfully used e-cigarettes to quit smoking.
https://unitedvapersalliance.org/
Vancouver city council considers vape regulations
At the time of writing, Vancouver does not impose any restrictions on where vape retail shops can be located, unlike how liquor stores and cannabis shops are governed in the city. However, a recent motion put forth by NPA Couns. Rebecca Bligh and Lisa Dominat will look to limiting the locations of where vape retailers can set up shop, in relation to schools and other youth facilities. The motion will also determine what steps the city can take in banning ads on city property (i.e. transit shelters and benches)
This city motion also coincides with a B.C. School Trustees Association motion that is requesting provincial and federal politicians to support vaping education and regulations.
Exploring a More Robust Policy Framework Relating to the Sale and Promotion of Vaping Products — Rebecca Bligh, Lisa Dominat
San Francisco upholds its vaping ban
Proposed by JUUL, Proposition C was submitted to legislators in the city as a means of overturning the city’s ban on e-cigarettes, which came into effect on January 2019. The vote occurred on November 5, 2019, and ended in a lopsided 80% to 20% in favour of upholding the existing ban. The ban currently applies to all vaping products, flavoured and otherwise, and essentially forces these products off the shelves until the city receives a full decision from the Food and Drug Administration.
Prior to this November 5th decision, JUUL poured substantial resources into quashing the ban, making it the second most expensive campaign in the city’s history. This ban has hit JUUL in a particularly hard way, as the company called San Francisco its home, and is currently fending off a growing pile of lawsuits and investigations from the Federal Trade Commision.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrickcai/2019/11/06/san-francisco-vaping-ban-results/#4dc87e3f6bb7
China aims to regulate e-cigarette use
Despite China serving as the largest e-cigarette manufacturer in the world, the Chinese government is now looking to place regulations on the practice and to regulate the booming vaping industry.
In a document published on November 7, 2019, China’s National Health Bureau, the State Administration for Market Regulation, China Tobacco, and five other government bureaus urged local governments to curb tobacco consumption among young people, this includes e-cigarette consumption.
In this document, the various bureaus are requesting the prohibition of vaping in public places, as a means of reducing the trend of youth vaping and exposure to second-hand vapor. The regulators go on to state “there is no conclusive evidence that e-cigarettes can help to effectively quit smoking.”
While China does produce an overwhelming majority of e-cigarettes used by vapers around the world, the domestic market is actually quite small and only accounts for a fraction of global e-cigarette sales.
JUUL Labs pulls mint from U.S. shelves
In light of recent studies related to the 2019 Youth Tobacco Survey and the Monitoring the Future Survey, JUUL Labs has made the announcement that the company will immediately cease accepting orders for Mint JUULpods in the U.S.. This extends onto JUUL’s ecommerce site which will also pull Mint JUULpods from its inventory.
In a statement made by JUUL Labs’ CEO K.C. Crosthwaite, “these results are unacceptable and that is why we must reset the vapor category in the U.S. and earn the trust of society by working cooperatively with regulators, Attorneys General, public health officials, and other stakeholders to combat underage use. We will support the upcoming FDA flavor policy and will follow the PMTA process.”
https://newsroom.juul.com/juul-labs-stops-the-sale-of-mint-juulpods-in-the-united-states/
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