Tobacco harm reduction news for February 1, 2019. Anti-harm reduction laws in New York, Colorado, Oklahoma, Oregon, Vermont and Minnesota. Opinion column supports vaping, headlines falsely claim link to vaping health risks, focus on nicotine in pods diverts from low health risks.
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Read CASAA’s submitted testimony opposing the city’s proposed flavor ban on #vaping products and watch video of the committee hearing.
CASAA Submits Written Testimony in Opposition to NYC’s Proposed Flavor Ban (Int. No. 1362-2019) – CASAA
COLORADO: (CALL TO ACTION) HB 1076 would prohibit businesses from allowing vaping in their establishments, removing important incentive for #smokers to switch to safer alternative. Attend the meeting on FEB. 6th and contact your lawmakers using this link!
CO – Stop a vaping ban!
OKLAHOMA #1: (HEADS UP!) SB 290 would prohibit businesses from allowing #vaping in their own establishment, removing important incentive for #smokers to switch to much safer alternative.
Lawmakers want vaping products treated the same as tobacco
OKLAHOMA #2: (HEADS UP!) HB 2460 would change current law and allow employers to discriminate against prospective employees who use any type of #tobacco, including low-risk, smoke-free #vaping products, during NON-working hours.
https://bit.ly/2DOo6ZS
OREGON: (HEADS UP!) @OregonGovBrown wants to double the tax on lower risk #smokefree #tobacco products and extend sin tax that discourage #smokers switching to much safer alternative #vaping products.
Oregon Considers Tobacco Tax Hikes Montana and South Dakota Reject
THE MORE YOU KNOW: Despite sensationalist headlines claiming the contrary, cross-sectional study did NOT show #vaping increases risk of heart attack/stroke, as high risk past and current #smoking weren’t excluded as factors. Loose correlation ≠ causation.
Vaping health risks: Study links e-cigs to heart attack and stroke—but there’s more to it
VERMONT: (UPDATE) State House bill H47, a 92% wholesale tax on #vapor products, that woud dissuade adult #smokers from switching to much safer alternative, has passed in the House. Goes next to Senate.
Vermont House passes 92-percent e-cigarette tax
RUSHFORD, MINNESOTA: (HEADS UP!) City considering ordinance revisions to include #vaping products. Possible discussion at MARCH meeting. Contact your city officials and make your opinion known!
Rushford council ponders tobacco ordinance, approves engineering studies
OPINION: (RONALD W. DWORKIN) “Public health activists know the difference between fact and fantasy, but they believe the fantasy—that vaping is as bad as smoking—because they themselves have invented and ornamented it.”
The Arrogance of Public Health Advocacy – The American Interest
THE MORE YOU KNOW: Focus on #vape pods having “as much #nicotine as pack of cigarettes” (not true: approx. 41 mg in pods vs 200+ mg in cig pack) purposely diverts attention from fact that 99.9% of health risk is from the SMOKE. Low health risk & habitual use doesn’t justify bans.
If you’re on Facebook, please be sure to join your CASAA state group: CASAA.org – The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association
This article was originally published at CASAA
Author: KNoll-Marsh