“Recent news about e-cigarette misuse has fueled both public misperception and policy responses that are likely to have unintended consequences. As the US vaping market continues to evolve, policymakers face the tricky challenge of safeguarding the potential for positive public health outcomes from e-cigarettes, which offer a lower-risk alternative to traditional cigarettes, while ensuring reasonable protections against youth use. In the latter half of 2019, public health officials rushed to issue broad warnings against e-cigarettes in response to a surge in vaping-related hospitalizations and deaths that grabbed national headlines. The broad warnings proved to be unfounded, as the hospitalizations and deaths were determined to be unrelated to anything found in typical e-cigarettes. eliminating flavored e-cigarette products, outright e-cigarette bans, or another popular local policy, e-cigarette taxes, have a major downside: more cigarette smoking. Because e-cigarettes are a less harmful alternative to cigarettes, public health advocates and officials must appreciate the impact of e-cigarette restrictions on smokers.”

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Efforts to Combat E-Cigarette Misuse Could Backfire

“The White House fiscal 2021 budget plan proposed an interesting move: taking the Center for Tobacco Products, CTP, out of the FDA to create a new agency within HHS to focus on tobacco regulation. Even this modest transfer probably doesn’t stand a chance in Congress. No lawmaker will want to be seen as soft on vaping. Indeed, despite being far safer than cigarettes and intended for smokers only, e-cigarettes have a serious image problem. The devices have been unfairly blamed for deaths and lung illnesses that were actually due to contaminated THC; for allegedly “damaging” teen brains with nicotine; and for supposedly leading kids to take up smoking. Yet a new agency, call it CTP 2.0, has the potential to be a big vaping thing. With new leadership and a new vision, it could be a significant boon to smokers who are trying to quit — but if and only if Congress also changes the regulatory framework that applies to e-cigarettes.”

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Trump’s Good Idea: Get Drug Regulators Out Of Vaping

“Vaping shops and other tobacco retail outlets in New Mexico would be licensed and regulated by the state for the first time, under a proposal headed toward a decisive state House vote. The Senate-approved bill would license retail tobacco vendors and apply administrative sanctions against prohibited sales to youths under age 21. A House panel on health policy endorsed the bill Monday, setting up a House floor vote. The Legislature has until noon Thursday to send bills to the governor. Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham supports the regulatory framework. Retailers would initially pay $750 per location to apply for a license and $400 for renewals. The fees would help pay for the administration of licenses and enforcement activities.”

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Legislators seek enforcement of age limits on tobacco sales

“Regulations aimed at reducing smoking and vaping are rolling out in Broomfield and public health officials say education is a priority over enforcement. No smoking signs are still being placed around Broomfield parks and open spaces, restaurants and sporting centers thanks to an ordinance that went into effect Jan. 1. The ordinance covers smoking of traditional tobacco products and e-cigarettes. Residents can report violations of the ordinance to Broomfield police. The ordinance requiring retailers who sell tobacco products to be licensed goes into affect May 1. There are about 50 retailers in Broomfield who sell tobacco or vaping products, Long said, but part of the problem is the county does not have an official count because retailers don’t have to report that they sell tobacco.”

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Broomfield clamping down on public smoking, vaping via new ordinances

“The West Virginia Senate’s Finance Committee unveiled Monday a complicated and sweeping set of tax reforms. The proposed refiguration of the state’s tax code is somewhat of a game of musical chairs — with a few significant hurdles to overcome. Lawmakers in the GOP-led Senate are continuing their push to roll back the manufacturing machinery, equipment and inventory tax  but, with a committee originating bill, they’re also tacking on a proposal that would eliminate taxes on retail inventory and automobiles. To make up the difference in revenue, lawmakers are proposing a hike on consumer sales, tobacco and e-cigarette taxes.”

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W.Va. Senate Finance Committee Unveils Proposed Reforms To Manufacturing, Property, Tobacco Taxes

“A new study by researchers at the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital in Dublin and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland has looked at how vaping compares to non-smokers/vapers during pregnancy. They found that vaping has no impact on birth weight and is vastly better than the birth weight of smoking mothers.”

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Obstetric Outcomes

“Clive Bates is one of the world’s foremost experts on alternative nicotine products. In fact, he is so knowledgeable and adept at applying logic to tobacco harm reduction that the United States Surgeon General blocked him on Twitter. He has just published a lengthy question and answer resource on nicotine science and policy, including a section debunking common myths surrounding vaping.”

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Forensic Analysis from Bates

“The final e-facts task force meeting is happening Monday afternoon. Members of the task force and Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot will meet in Annapolis to discuss findings about electronic smoking devices, known as e-cigarettes or vapes. This comes as more people across the country are diagnosed with vaping-related illnesses. Just last week, the comptroller announced the first prohibition in the U.S. of sales of disposable flavored e-cigarettes. The report is expected to including findings about recommendations to protect the public from risks associated with the devices. Task force members will meet at 2 p.m.”

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E-Facts Task Force To Discuss Findings On E-Cigarettes Monday

“Indiana State University’s trustees will consider a proposal to add electronic cigarettes to the western Indiana school’s ban on tobacco-related products. A draft policy that would ban vaping will be presented to ISU’s trustees this week. A final policy recommendation will be submitted for May’s trustees’ meeting. If it’s adopted, the vaping ban would be implemented on July 1. The school’s trustees could suggest changes prior to adoption of any final policy. The current draft policy would prohibit electronic smoking devices, hookah, smoking and tobacco product use on property owned, operated or leased by the university.”

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Indiana State University to consider proposed vaping ban

“Nearly two months later, there’s still confusion over who will enforce the federal law, and local governments are working to comply with it. With little direction, many Fargo area businesses have posted the new age in stores and trained staff to not sell to anyone under the age of 21. Now Fargo leaders are looking into writing local laws to match the federal mandate so that local law enforcement has authority to enforce the law. Typically, federal agents enforce federal laws, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecutes violators. Drew Wrigley, U.S. attorney for North Dakota, said his office hasn’t received guidance on how to handle the change. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to oversee enforcement of the new age requirement, according to handouts shown to Forum News Service by law agencies. Local police cannot enforce a federal law unless state and local governments pass their own legislation to match federal law. “We would only enforce it if the state of North Dakota changed the law,” said Fargo police spokeswoman Jessica Schindeldecker. Discussions on how the city of Fargo can update its ordinances to raise the age for buying tobacco are in early stages, Anenson said Friday, Feb. 14, during a Fargo Cass Public Health Board meeting.”

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Trump hiked the tobacco-buying age to 21. Now amid confusion, Fargo mulls how to proceed