Who’s behind the expensive campaign to ban Chinese disposable e-cigs?

On June 21, 2023 Consumer Action for a Strong Economy ran this full page ad in the San Francisco Chronicle urging the public to demand that the FDA “get illicit disposable vapes in kid-enticing flavors from China off American store shelves.” On the webpage linked to this ad, Consumer Action for a Strong Economy (CASE)Continue reading “Who’s behind the expensive campaign to ban Chinese disposable e-cigs?”

Guardian exposes Big Tobacco’s effort to make it look like the public opposes e-cig regulation in England

Last week, the Guardian published a detailed article, Lobbyists with links to Big Tobacco fund pro-vaping Facebook campaigns: Secretive lobby groups are spreading pro-e-cigarette messages purporting to be grassroots campaigns, detailing how historical tobacco industry allies and third parties have created a network to make it look like there is grass-roots opposition to regulate e-cigarettes.Continue reading “Guardian exposes Big Tobacco’s effort to make it look like the public opposes e-cig regulation in England”

Watch “E-cigarettes: Harm enhancement and protection of global tobacco interests”

On May 31, 2023, I delivered an invited lecture to the Associação Brasileira de Estudos do Álcool e outras Drogas (Brazilian Association for the Study of Alcohol and Other Drugs) entitled “E-cigarettes: Harm enhancement and protection of global tobacco interests.” As the title indicates it is a comprehensive review of the current state of knowledgeContinue reading “Watch “E-cigarettes: Harm enhancement and protection of global tobacco interests””

New paper details how PMI’s Foundation for a Smokefree World manipulates science; the more things change the more they stay the same

In 2017, Philip Morris International created the Foundation for a Smokefree World, which is widely viewed among health advocates, including the World Health Organization, as the latest industry device to slow down progress in tobacco control by claiming to be “part of the solution.” In particular, FSFW claims to its mission is to “to endContinue reading “New paper details how PMI’s Foundation for a Smokefree World manipulates science; the more things change the more they stay the same”

California AG determines that “non-menthol” cigs are flavored and so illegal to sell in California

On April 25, 2023, the California Attorney General’s office wrote RJ Reynolds and ITG brands notifying them that several of their brands currently being sold in California are flavored and violate the California prohibition on the sale of flavored tobacco products: This is because the California law established a rebuttable presumption that a tobacco productContinue reading “California AG determines that “non-menthol” cigs are flavored and so illegal to sell in California”

GOP efforts to limit ballot measures protecting abortion build on similar efforts by Big Tobacco in the 1980s

On April 23, 2023 the New York Times published an extensive description of how Republican states are trying to limit access to ballot initiatives that pro-choice groups have been using to protect abortion access. Such efforts are not new. After public health advocates started using the initiative process to pass tobacco control measures, including tobaccoContinue reading “GOP efforts to limit ballot measures protecting abortion build on similar efforts by Big Tobacco in the 1980s”

E-cig studies from England twice as likely to support e-cigs as studies from other countries

England is unquestionably the most pro-e-cigarette country on the planet, most recently evidenced by the fact that the government is giving away free e-cigarette starter kits to one million smokers despite the fact that e-cigarettes as consumer products don’t help smokers quit and may, in the long run, keep them smoking (even in England). TheContinue reading “E-cig studies from England twice as likely to support e-cigs as studies from other countries”

The 6-state Juul settlement includes some stronger provisions than earlier settlements

The latest settlements between six states (California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico and New York) and the District of Columbia and Juul, announced on April 11, 2023, mostly follows the earlier North Carolina settlement, but does include some stronger provisions, particularly compared to the earlier 33 state settlement. This summary is basedContinue reading “The 6-state Juul settlement includes some stronger provisions than earlier settlements”

Juul settlement should stop internet sales of Juul menthol pods in California

On April 11, 2023, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that he (and six other states) has settled litigation against Juul for money, making some of the Juul documents from discovery public, and an agreement by Juul to curb some specific marketing activities. I will be providing a detailed analysis of the settlement later, butContinue reading “Juul settlement should stop internet sales of Juul menthol pods in California”

“Non-menthol” is a characterizing flavor, so illegal to sell in California

California law (SB793, upheld against an RJ Reynolds’ referendum) prohibits the sale of flavored tobacco products. In response, RJ Reynolds and ITG Brands introduced “non-menthol” cigarettes to try and evade the law. While most discussion has concentrated on the fact that these products are marketed just like menthol brands (which, by itself, is enough toContinue reading ““Non-menthol” is a characterizing flavor, so illegal to sell in California”