Here’s the latest from Brent Stafford at Regulator Watch:

Fear is appealing, infectious and proven to motivate people to change the way they think and act. It’s no wonder then that the public health profession employs fear as a textbook tactic in its effort to persuade the public to modify behavior. To be effective, fear appeals must operate at the population level, thus national panics over the so-called youth vaping epidemic and vaping-related lung illnesses are born.

In this edition of RegWatch we are joined by Dr. Raymond Niaura, Interim Chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Professor of Social and Behavioural Science at NYU School of Global Public Health to discuss new research he co-authored that shows fears of a youth vaping epidemic may be overblown.

What are the facts concerning youth vaping in the United States? Are flavors a prime motivator? And, did public health authorities use unfounded fear to pump hysteria over vaping-related lung illness?

Find Out! Only on RegWatch by RegulatorWatch.com.

Live Streamed: January 31, 2020
Produced by: Brent Stafford

Produced by: Brent Stafford

This episode is supported by: Demand Vape

Here’s the latest from Brent Stafford at Regulator Watch:

It’s hard to overstate the importance of the policy shift on vaping announced this week by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. In its latest national smoking cessation guidelines, the College now advises GPs and other health professionals to recommend vaping to smokers who have tried to quit but were unsuccessful with currently available medications.

As is the case in most western countries GPs in Australia are typically the first point of contact in matters of personal health for millions of smokers. Now smokers can ask their GP about vaping and learn that vaping is an effective tool to quit smoking and that it’s 95% less harmful than smoking.

It’s an extraordinary development considering Australia remains one of the more hostile regulatory and public health environments towards vaping.

Joining us for this edition of RegWatch Live is Dr. Colin Mendelsohn, Founding Chairman of the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association and member of the Expert Advisory Group that develops the Australian national smoking cessation guidelines.

Could this policy shift be a game-changer for Australia?

Find out! Only on RegWatch by RegulatorWatch.com.

Live Stream: January 29, 2020
Produced by: Brent Stafford

This episode is supported by: STLTH & DVINE LABS

“Britons where the world’s biggest per capita spender on e-cigarettes in 2019, with each adult spending about £33. This accounts for an overall revenue of £2.5bn – almost 17% of the global market share. Other high spending countries included the US with the biggest overall market volume of £5bn or £14 per capita, and New Zealand, with an overall market volume of £142m or £30 per capita. Most revenue is being generated in Europe and North America, with Canada coming in third place with £855m, and France (£823m) and Germany (£773m) following suit.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Brits were the world’s biggest spenders on e-cigarettes in 2019

“Health managers have decided to allow vaping in the grounds of Devon’s largest hospital. Derriford could also start issuing disposable e-cigarettes as part of its drive to cut levels of smoking. The plans would see the external area at the hospital becoming “vape-friendly” but signage will request people to avoid entrances and bus stops. Professor John Newton, director of health improvement at PHE, said: “There is no situation where it would be better for your health to continue smoking rather than switching completely to vaping.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Derriford Hospital to allow vaping in grounds

“Altria Inc took another $4 billion charge on its investment in Juul Labs Inc and said it had reworked its deal terms with the embattled e-cigarette maker, which is facing increased regulatory scrutiny amid a backlash against vaping. Altria said it would stop providing services including logistics, distribution and access to retail shelf space to Juul, while also outlining a plan to reshuffle the company’s board once regulators complete the anti-trust probe related to the deal. It will only help Juul with regulatory affairs services including the submission of its products for approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the company added.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Altria takes $4.1 billion charge on Juul investment, revises deal terms

“Kentucky lawmakers are considering putting an excise tax on e-cigarettes sold in the Commonwealth. The tax would be equal to the current tax on traditional cigarettes. State Rep. Jerry Miller, R-Louisville, the bill’s primary sponsor, said his colleagues are struggling to come up with a state budget amid the worst projected revenue growth in decades, largely attributable to tax cuts. He said House Bill 32 would bring in much-needed state revenue. According to the latest Kentucky Health Issues Poll, three out of four Kentucky adults approve taxing e-cigarettes and vaping products. That support includes 78% of Democrats, 76% of Republicans and 72% of independent voters.”

ARTICLE LINK:

House bill would tax e-cigarettes, currently the only tobacco products not subject to state excise tax

“The American Lung association said, Maryland is on the right track to stopping the trend, but it needs to do more. That includes removing all flavored tobacco products from the market. Another way the state is working to lower tobacco usage is to increase the tobacco tax. Senate Bill Three would not only raise the tax by $2 but will make sure that the taxes are the same for every tobacco or vaping product.”

ARTICLE LINK:

General Assembly considering flavored products ban

“Utah legislators this session are pushing to add a state tax to e-cigarettes, limit the sale of flavored products to specialty tobacco stores and raise the state’s legal tobacco age. An outright flavor ban — as some vape shop owners have feared and some health advocates have pleaded for — has not been proposed in legislation. According to proposed bill SB0037, vaping and e-cigarette products would be considered the same as tobacco products and subject to the same rules. “It establishes, hopefully, one of the best preventive measures, and that is it puts a significant tax on vaping e-cigarettes and vaping products, which will be the same tax which is on other tobacco products,” said Christensen, the bill’s sponsor. That tax would be 86% of the manufacturer’s sale price, Christensen explained, as it is for tobacco products. The bill would also restrict online sale of vaping products and carry a large fine for the seller.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Utah lawmakers look to continue efforts to stem youth vaping

PROPOSED UTAH BILL SB0037

“The Truth Initiative hasn’t yet blamed global warming, shrinking Mars bars or the ending to Game of Thrones on vaping – but give it time. It does say vaping has nothing to do with declining rates of teen smoking in the USA, and now it is promoting a study claiming that using an ecig could encourage teens into a lifetime of drug use. There is no evidence to say that vapers go on to smoker and take drugs, the suggestion is beyond stupid. There is evidence that vaping is a gateway out of smoking and that the Truth Initiative only cares about securing future funding. This was an example of data manipulation to produce a required result; a big lie.”

BILL TARLING – “The Truth Initiative” is often referred to as “The UnTruth Initiative” due to their extensive range of misleading and intentionally deceptive fabricated claims and anti-vaping propaganda that defies any common sense logic, and is filled with more head scratching blunders than even an old ’50 Sci-Fi low budget B-Movie could come up with

ARTICLE LINK:

Vaping Causes Everything

“Hawaii can expect to see more federal oversight of tobacco and vaping sales beginning this month, now that the federal government has caught up with Hawaii in prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to anyone under 21. The Hawaii Department of Health issued a warning this week to companies that make, distribute or sell flavored cartridge- or pod-based e-cigarettes to stop sales by the end of January, or risk penalties by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Some Hawaii legislators are considering a ban on the sale of all flavored e-cigarette products. Others are considering raising penalties for minors who are caught with vaping paraphernalia.”

ARTICLE LINK:

More Oversight Of Vape Shops Expected Under New Federal Ban On Tobacco Sales