Read articles from United States of America

September 29, 2021 by reason.com

In my syndicated column last week, I noted that politicians who favor new taxes and restrictions on nicotine vaping products tend to ignore the lifesaving potential of this harm-reducing alternative to conventional cigarettes. One of those politicians, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D–Ill.), responded with a letter to the Chicago Sun-Times that proves my point. Krishnamoorthi exaggerates the threat posed by underage vaping, conflates vaping with tobacco use, and insists "there's simply no evidence" that e-cigarettes help smokers quit.

September 29, 2021 by filtermag.org

“Huge step backwards for recovery, it sucks!” was how one participant in a new study described the smoking ban in drug treatment programs in Philadelphia.

The exploratory study* was conducted by Dr. Casey Bohrman, a researcher at West Chester University, in partnership with Angels in Motion. It used both qualitative and quantitative methods to examine how the policy was impacting people with a substance use disorder (SUD) who also smoke. Over half, 56 percent, of people with SUD smoke cigarettes.

September 28, 2021 by marijuanamoment.net

The governor of New York says marijuana legalization will generate “thousands and thousands of jobs” in the state, and she’s touting her recent actions to make regulatory appointments for the industry to get implementation underway.

[...] Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) talked about the state’s business ethic and the importance of supporting markets of all sizes, including cannabis companies.

“We do want to go big or go home, and I want to help you get there,” she said. “I need you to survive because you’re the identity of New York that people create jobs and opportunities. You are who we are as New Yorkers. Your success means the success of this entire state.”

September 24, 2021 by news-medical.net

New data collected by University of Minnesota Medical School researchers demonstrate a clear connection between nicotine withdrawal and poor eating habits. Their findings point to the opioid system, the brain functions responsible for addiction and appetite regulation, as a possible cause for smoker preference of energy-dense, high-calorie food during nicotine withdrawal. This can lead to weight gain, for those who quit smoking, which, in turn, may increase the risk of relapse.

September 24, 2021 by journalnow.com

September 23, 2021 by gazette.com

Last month Denver students, parents, and teachers made the shift back to in-person learning after almost 18 months away from the classroom. With school in session, local educators are tasked with navigating an array of concerns about students’ health and safety — the least of which should be concern about a resurgence of vaping and e-cigarette use among Denver’s kids.

Before the COVID-19 shutdown last year, youth e-cigarette use was a huge problem nationwide. It is estimated that roughly 3.6 million kids were using e-cigarettes across the country. [...]

September 23, 2021 by None

Small- and medium-sized e-cigarette makers and vendors are fighting to keep their doors open after the Food and Drug Administration ordered them to stop selling more than 6 million flavored vapes.

The agency shook up the market in the run-up to a Sept. 9 deadline for determining which vaping products could stay on the market by denying nearly 300 companies’ applications to continue selling e-cigs with flavors like cotton candy and cinnamon toast. It also informed several that their paperwork was missing key information. But the FDA has yet to act on applications from the biggest manufacturers, including Juul, Vuse and NJOY.

September 22, 2021 by nypost.com

E-cigarettes, which deliver nicotine without tobacco or combustion, are the most important harm-reducing alternative to smoking ever developed, one that could prevent millions of premature deaths in the United States alone. Yet bureaucrats and politicians seem determined to negate that historic opportunity through regulations and taxes that threaten to cripple the industry.

When a court-set deadline for “premarket” approval of vaping products came and went Sept. 9, the Food and Drug Administration had received millions of ­applications but had not approved any. [...]

September 20, 2021 by filtermag.org

On September 14, Bidi Vapor, one of the largest disposable vape producers in the United States, announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had ordered all of its products except tobacco flavors to be removed from the market. This marketing denial order (MDO) included its menthol flavor, “Arctic.”

Bidi believes that particular decision to be a mistake on the FDA’s part, and is currently exploring next steps to address the situation.

“It looks like FDA is making a mistake in many, many cases,” said Azim Chowdhury, a partner at the law firm Keller and Heckman, where he advises Bidi and other clients on nicotine regulations. [...]

September 17, 2021 by reason.com

It's been a rough couple of weeks for the vaping industry.

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) let a deadline for authorizing vape products pass without having processed millions of pending applications—effectively making those products illegal to sell. Then on Monday, House Democrats unveiled a funding plan for their $3.5 trillion Build Back Better bill that would impose steep new excise taxes on nicotine-containing vaping liquid for the first time.

The hope is that new taxes on vaping products—alongside massive rate increases on traditional cigarettes—will bring in $96 billion in revenue while deterring people from using either.