“E-cigarettes are officially banned under Houston’s smoking ordinance. Houston City Council voted unanimously Wednesday morning to ban e-cigarettes and vaping devices in places where traditional tobacco products are prohibited. The ordinance will go into effect immediately.”

ARTICLE LINK: Ban on e-cigarettes in indoor places passed by city of Houston

From Brent Stafford at Regulator Watch

It’s an original sin of Canada’s federal vaping regulations, the enshrinement of vaping as a health hazard rather than a safer nicotine source for smokers trying to quit.

Every aspect of Health Canada’s approach to vaping regulation and its public health messaging is based on this tenuous assumption.
Health Canada’s authority to regulate vaping products rests in the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act, and the regulator recently kicked off the first official review of the three-year-old legislation.

With the specter of teen vaping all-pervasive and a possible flavour ban around the corner: Is Health Canada failing its mission to protect the health of “all Canadians?”

Today on RegWatch, we are joined by David Lévesque, national vaping activist and founding partner at Digital Smoke Supplies. Get a full rundown of the most pernicious aspects of the TVPA and learn how you can have your say with an easy-to-use website that streamlines submissions to Health Canada.

Don’t miss this episode!

On RegWatch by RegulatorWatch.com.

Released: March 26, 2022
Produced by Brent Stafford

Part of our “Last Stand” coverage

Make RegWatch happen, go to: support.regulatorwatch.com

From Brent Stafford at Regulator Watch

Congress granted FDA the authority to regulate synthetic nicotine in a crass attempt to ameliorate the moral panic over teen vaping. A problem that many researchers say is waning if it existed at all.

Joining us today for a special LIVE edition of RegWatch is Amanda Wheeler, president of the American Vapor Manufacturers. Learn what happens next for the U.S. vaping industry as it navigates the treacherous path to keep much-needed safer nicotine products on the market.

Only on RegWatch by RegulatorWatch.com.

Live Streamed: March 18, 2022
Produced by Brent Stafford

This episode is supported by DEMAND VAPE

Make RegWatch happen, go to: support.regulatorwatch.com

Phil is coming! Phil is coming! 🙂

I’m really looking forward to this!

Let’s pretend it’s somewhere around 2012/2013…

People are excited about vaping and quitting smoking!
Vape shops are opening all over!
Vape events in the US are HUGE!
There are no issues with flavors, regulations, or negative PR!
Dimitris is fatter than I am!

Let’s pretend that and let’s head over to E-Cig Source and celebrate as we once did. Celebrate what we were able to accomplish, celebrate those who found tobacco harm reduction through vaping when all else failed, and celebrate what places like E-Cig Source and Peggy Whitmore are still able to accomplish.

Let’s have some fun.
Let’s have a chat.
Let’s tell some stories.
Let’s reminisce.

If you can go… get there.

I look forward to seeing you!

Thank you to Innokin for supporting this event!

“Indiana’s new tax on vaping is being cut even before it takes effect despite protests from anti-smoking advocates. Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill this week that included provisions cutting the 25% tax that wholesalers were to be charged for closed-system vaping cartridges such as Juul devices to 15%. State lawmakers approved the higher rate last year for Indiana’s first tax on electronic cigarettes to start in July 2022. But the Republican-dominated Legislature approved the lower rate with seven lines included in a 118-page bill on mostly technical tax law changes.”

ARTICLE LINK: Part of Indiana’s new vaping tax cut before taking effect

URGENT!! TENNESSEE CALL TO ACTION BAN ALL VAPING PRODUCTS EVEN NON NICOTINE

If you want to protect your right to vape contact your legislators starting today thru Tuesday and wear out their phones and emails.

Talking points:

What does SB2143/ HB2119 do?

This bill would ban flavored vapor products for adults – including products that do not even
contain nicotine. It mandates that the Department of Revenue create and maintain a new product
directory tied to the FDA’s Pre-Market Tobacco Application (PTMA) approval process. It also
creates a new Class C Misdemeanor for anyone under the age of 21 who uses a vapor product on
public school grounds.

Who does this affect?

All businesses engaged in the manufacturing and selling of vapor products in Tennessee.
However, the largest impact would be on independently owned and operated stores dedicated to
the sale of vaping products. It would effectively put [insert # of vape shops] out of business.

Are your local vape shops currently complying with regulations already in place?

Yes, dedicated vape shops have the best compliance rates in Tennessee. Of the 271 FDA
Compliance Check Inspections of Tobacco Product Retailers between January 1, 2019 and
December 21, 2021 involving the sale of e-liquids to a minor in the state of Tennessee, only 16
were vape shops (6%). Otherwise, the overwhelming majority of sales to minors occurred at gas
stations or convenience stores.

Would Tennessee be an outlier if it passed this bill?

Yes, Tennessee would become one of the first states in the nation to regulate synthetic nicotine,
outpacing the federal government. Nationwide standards are needed, not a state-by-state
patchwork.

Would this bill cost the state money?

Yes, because Tennessee does not currently have or maintain a product directory for each vape
manufacturer. Additionally, state and local governments would bear the cost of prosecuting and
jailing those under 21 accused of vaping on school grounds.

The Tennessee Smoke Free Association asks you to VOTE NO on this bill to
protect small businesses and their employees in Tennessee.

From Brent Stafford at Regulator Watch

It’s been nine months since Health Canada released details of its proposed nationwide ban on flavours in nicotine vaping products and there is still no word on whether the regulator intends to pull the trigger on what many believe could be a disaster for public health.
Is Health Canada punting on the flavour ban?

Joining us today for a special issue update edition of RegWatch is Dr. Mark Tyndall, renowned infectious disease specialist and harm reduction advocate. Learn why he thinks the flavour ban could be losing steam at the federal level and how the provinces might step in.

Only on RegWatch by Regulatorwatch.com.

Released: March 10, 2022
Produced by Brent Stafford

Part of our “Last Stand” Canada coverage

Make RegWatch happen, go to: support.regulatorwatch.com

From Brent Stafford at Regulator Watch

As we’ve reported endlessly over the past years, there appears to be a schism within public health between those who believe safer nicotine products play a valuable role in helping smokers to quit.

And with those who believe that compared to vaping, smoking is the lesser of two evils.
Joining us today to unpack this question and more is world-renowned tobacco control researcher Dr. Michael Cummings, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina. He formerly led the tobacco control program at Roswell Park Cancer Center and in 2002 Dr. Cummings helped establish the ITC-Project.

What explains the schism over vaping within public health? Find out!

Only on RegWatch by Regulatorwatch.com.

Released: March 5, 2022
Produced by Brent Stafford

This episode is supported by DEMAND VAPE

Make RegWatch happen, go to: support.regulatorwatch.com

From Brent Stafford at Regulator Watch

The Canadian government announced last year it would introduce a new excise tax on nicotine vaping products in 2022.
The tax is based on e-liquid volume and not a measure of nicotine content, which is a relief for many. However, the tax could still prove punitive for many smokers seeking to quit.

Joining us today to talk about the troubles of this new tax is Ian Irvine, Professor of Economics at Concordia University and Research Fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute.

Only on RegWatch by RegulatorWatch.com

Released: February 26, 2022
Produced by Brent Stafford

Part of our “Last Stand” coverage

Make RegWatch happen, go to: support.regulatorwatch.com