“Centura Health, one of Colorado’s largest health systems, made waves when it started testing for nicotine and refused to hire those who tested positive back in 2014. As of this year, King said Centura Health decided to change its policy. Instead of turning away job candidates who test positive for nicotine, King said those candidates can now be hired and would be given optional resources to quit if they are brought aboard. Contrary to popular belief, King also said the health group did a review and found that not hiring nicotine users didn’t lower health care costs for its employer-provided health insurance — which is often the No. 1 driver for companies considering these policies. Colorado’s lifestyle protection law states that employers can’t fire an employee for what they do “legally” outside work, but it doesn’t say anything about hiring. “You can be discriminated [against] for legal activities outside work before you’re hired,” said Kevin O’Brien, a workplace expert and business law associate professor at the University of Denver.”

BILL TARLING — Sadly, Colorado anti-vaping regulations are forcing more and more vape shops out of business, which means the State is removing one of the most successful tools to help create ex-smokers

ARTICLE LINK:

U-Haul’s move to stop hiring smokers reignites debate in Colo. about nicotine-free hiring policies

“A ban on the sale and distribution of flavored vaping products will not move forward in the Oregon Legislature this session after an analysis of the revenue impact of a ban caused the bill to lose Democratic support. The analysis, given to lawmakers by a tobacco industry lobbyist, showed that if voters passed an increase and expansion of the tobacco tax in November and the vaping ban in Senate Bill 1577 passed, the state could lose $5.4 million in revenue this biennium and $22.6 million in the next biennium. If the bill was amended to include a ban on other flavored products — such as menthol cigarettes and moist snuff — the losses could exceed $70 million in the current biennium and $227 million in the next. The bill is schedule to have a work session Thursday afternoon. It is expected to receive an amendment that would remove the ban but add a licensure component.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Oregon Senate bill to ban flavored vaping products dead after revenue concerns

“Colorado state lawmakers took the first step Wednesday night towards new regulations of nicotine and tobacco use in Colorado. The House Health and Insurance Committee passed HB20-1001 with a 9-1 vote Wednesday night. Similar to new federal regulations, It would raise the consumption age for tobacco and nicotine to 21 with some additional regulations specific to Colorado. The bill states that after July 1 of 2021, all businesses that sell the products must be licensed with the state. This means retailers would be subject to compliance checks and complaint investigations. The bill also increases the fine for selling to minors — up to $15,000 for repeat offenders. One big change proponents of the bill are excited about is online regulation. The bill moves next to the Committee on Finance.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Colorado 4th Grader Shows Lawmakers How Easy It Is To Get Vaping Products

COLORADO HB20-1001

Nicotine Product Regulation

“The Journal of the American Heart Association published a study by Stanton Glantz last year. In it, he made the fallacious claim that vaping causes heart attacks. Professor Brad Rodu discovered serious flaws in the research, letters were sent to the Journal, but its editors are refusing to act responsibly and take down the work. The study, conducted by Stanton Glantz and Dharma Bhatta, drew swift rebuke for its use of data. The headline finding was quickly embraced by the unquestioning media, but genuine experts could see the glaring flaws.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Journal Doubles Down to Protect Glantz

“Published in French on Vapolitique, SOVAPE’s Philippe Poirson’s article has been translated by European consumer group ETHRA. In it, Poirson calls out the World Health Organisation (WHO) for its misinformation and scientific denialism. It raises a large question mark over whether the English and the French should “continue to finance this propaganda”.”

ARTICLE LINK:

WHO’s Scientific Denialism

“HB58 goes before the House Education Committee and addresses student use of alcohol, tobacco, electronic cigarette products and other substances through education and prevention programs as well as discipline policies. Among other things, the bill would require local school boards to adopt discipline policies to address possession and use of electronic cigarette products on school grounds; rename the Underage Drinking Prevention Program the Underage Drinking and Substance Abuse Prevention Program; and add a requirement to teach a school-based prevention program for students in fourth and fifth grades.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Utah House committee to discuss e-cigarettes in schools

HOUSE BILL
H.B. 58 Electronic Cigarettes in Schools Amendments

UPDATE [HB58 Passed]: “A committee unanimously passed a bill that would establish clearer policies for vaping on school property and empower schools to create programs to tackle student usage of cigarettes and other negative behaviors through prosocial intervention.”

Committee passes bill to empower schools to tackle e-cigarette usage

“Some Montana vape and e-cigarette retailers are once again squaring off with the Bullock administration over the state’s temporary ban on the sale of flavored vaping products. This time they disagree on when it ends. Flavored vape and e-cigarette product sales are currently off limits in Montana, but a vape industry association vows to resume those sales next week. Now, the Marshalls and the state of Montana aren’t even a little close to consensus on the effective end date of that emergency rule banning the sale of flavored e-cigarette and vaping products. “It ends on February 20th,” Marshall says. Not so, according to Governor Steve Bullock’s Chief Legal Counsel, Raph Graybill, who says the ban actually ends: “April 15 , 2020,” Graybill says. That’s a 55-day difference of opinion.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Questions Remain Over Montana Vape Ban’s End Date, Effectiveness

“A federal court in Washington dismissed e-cigarette manufacturers’ First Amendment claims challenging the Food and Drug Administration’s decision to deem e-cigs “tobacco products,” which are subject to regulation under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Courthouse News Service

COURT RULING (pdf)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

“Newfoundland and Labrador is contributing $75,000 to an advertising campaign intended to raise awareness about the risks of youth vaping. The Newfoundland and Labrador Alliance for the Control of Tobacco, which receives $210,000 annually from the province, announced the campaign called “The New Look of Nicotine Addiction” in St. John’s today. Advertisements will appear on billboards, online and on social media. It will include information about vaping products such as chemical contents, types of devices, effects of nicotine on brain development and youth being targeted by the vaping industry.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Campaign launched in Newfoundland and Labrador to raise awareness about risks of youth vaping

“Vape shops would have to be permitted and regulated by the state, under a Florida House effort to combat an “epidemic” of electronic-cigarette use by teens. Under the proposal, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, which oversees sales of tobacco products, would also have authority over retail establishments that sell e-cigarettes and other vape products. The House Health Market Reform Subcommittee on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved the measure (PCB HMR 20-04), despite the objections of the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association. A group representing vape shops, however, supported the legislation.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Florida House Seeks Regulation Of Vape Shops