Press Coverage of New York Vape-In

Monday’s Vape-In to protest New Yorks recently-enacted ban on public vaping has been getting a healthy amount of press.

Newsweek’s coverage of the event takes a mostly positive look at vapers and the reduced health risk of electronic cigarettes compared to their tobacco-based counterparts. It portrays vapers as people enthusiastic about saving their own lives by getting off cigarettes, despite, in the words of Reason Magazine’s Julian Morris, “unsound science or no science being used to justify an extreme restriction on people’s freedom that will harm others.”

There’s also coverage from The Verge, from which we’ve seen several positive vaping-related articles in the past. Typical of other articles from the publication, The Verge’s “Thank You for Vaping: New Yorkers protest the new e-cig ban at the Museum of Sex” is filled with images from the event, including lots of big clouds and close-ups up vaping devices and the people who love them.

Finally, an article from Vice.com sees the event as the beginning of a “fuck-the-man, David and Goliath-style battle” of vapers and vaping companies against government and Big Tobacco.

Image from the Verge

Press Coverage of New York Vape-In

Vape-In to Protest New York City’s E-Cigarette Smoking Ban

The following came to us from Patrick McMahon of Reason.org:

Event: A Vape-In to Protest New York City’s E-Cigarette Smoking Ban

The vape-in will be preceded by a discussion on the role electronic cigarettes can play in reducing harm from smoking and the unintended consequences of NYC’s e-cigarette ban

Opponents of New York City’s ban on e-cigarettes will gather to discuss its ramifications on public health and personal liberty. Then they’ll thumb their noses at the prohibitionists by vaping as the ban takes effect at midnight. A DJ will play music as guests show their disregard for the nanny state by vaping and dancing the night away.

The vape-in, hosted by Reason magazine, Museum of Sex, and Henley Vaporium, will begin at 9:00 pm on Monday, April 28 at Play in New York City.

Who:

Moderator — John Tierney, Co-author of Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength

Bill Godshall, Director of SmokeFree Pennsylvania

Talia Eisenberg, Co-founder of Henley Vaporium

Dr. Gilbert Ross, Executive and Medical Director of American Council on Science and Health

Kmele Foster, Co-host of Fox Business Network’s The Independents

Matt Welch, Editor-in-Chief of Reason magazine

What:

Prominent critics of e-cigarette regulations will deliver presentations, take questions and be available for one-on-one interviews. Vaping and dancing will follow.

When:

Monday, April 28, 2014 at 9:00 pm

Where:

Play

1 East 27th Street

New York City, NY 10016
Map

RSVP:

http://thank-you-for-vaping.eventbrite.com

Contact:

Patrick McMahon

Communications Specialist, Reason Foundation

patrick.mcmahon@reason.org

Vape-In to Protest New York City’s E-Cigarette Smoking Ban

Study Raises E-Cig Cancer Concerns

A study funded by the National Institutes of Health has some people concerned over the potential for electronic cigarettes to cause cancer.

The study, performed by researchers from Boston University, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the University of California, Los Angeles, involved exposing human lung cells modified for increased risk of cancer to both cigarette smoke and e-cigarette vapor. According to researchers, both sets of cells showed similar changes associated with the development of cancer.

The media, of course, has been picking up the story and running with it, portraying the study as a link between e-cigarettes and cancer. Those who performed the research, however, don’t seem quite as convinced.

Study leader Dr. Steven Dubinett of UCLA, for example, urged in an interview not to be too hasty to rush to a carcinogenic conclusion. The study’s findings, he said, are preliminary, and do not show a link between the use of e-cigarettes and cancer. He added that researchers do not know which components of e-cigarette vapor may have led to the changes his researchers observed.

Abstract B16: The effect of e-cigarette exposure on airway epithelial cell gene expression and transformation

Study Raises E-Cig Cancer Concerns

Democrats Issue Report Claiming E-Cigs Targeted at Youth

Democratic members of Congress have issued a report which they say shows that electronic cigarette companies have been targeting young people.

The report, entitled “Gateway to Addiction? A Survey of Popular Electronic Cigarette Manufacturers and Targeted Marketing to Youth” was based on an inquiry led by Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) and Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), including a survey of nine major e-cigarette brands, to which eight responded.

“[The] FDA should ban and companies should cease marketing e-cigarettes in ways that are attractive to children and teens under the age of 18, such as the use of characterizing flavors that appeal to children and teens, distributing free samples of e-cigarettes, and product promotion through social media, sponsorship of events, and other activities that are intended for a youth audience.”

The primary basis of the claim that e-cigarettes are marketed toward youth appears to be that six of the companies said they had sponsored events such as parties, sports events or music festivals, and that eight had given away free samples of their products.

The report further cites the use of flavors “such as strawberry, grape or chocolate” which “appear to be designed to appeal to youth,” advertising via social media and the use of celebrity spokespeople as evidence that e-cigarettes are marketed toward young people.

The ties between sponsored events and youth are a bit tenuous, with the report including events unlikely to be attended by youth, such as DJ appearances at night clubs, smokers’ gatherings, pub crawls, and a great many other adult-oriented events. Most of the events listed in the report, in fact, seem to be events of this type.

With the FDA still not having issued rules for the sale and use of electronic cigarettes, congressional Democrats seem to be increasing the pressure on the agency, urging the swift issuance of regulations, and a ban on “flavors that appeal to children and teens,” and the distribution of free samples.  The report also calls for bans on promotion through television and radio, social media and event sponsorship.

Gateway to Addiction?

Democrats Issue Report Claiming E-Cigs Targeted at Youth

NJ Senator Calls for State-Wide Ban on E-Liquid

On the heels of a CDC report that poisonings involving nicotine are up as a result of the rise in popularity of e-cigarettes, New Jersey State Senator Kemp Hannon introduced a bill late last week which would ban the sale of e-liquid in his state.

“I know this bill will make some people angry.”

-New Jersey Senator Kemp Hannon

Hannon says he had previously attempted to pass bill which would have banned e-cigarettes entirely, but admits that “even my colleagues did not agree with me on that.”

According to Hannon, calls to poison control centers for nicotine poisoning via the e-liquid used in electronic cigarettes increased 300%, “and many of these have been calls involving children under 6 years old.”

Hannon did not comment on whether he intends to ban everything toxic, including the thousands of household products which are responsible for far more poisonings than e-liquid, such as cosmetics, cleaning solutions, pesticides and plants.

Ban on e-liquids for e-cigarettes proposed in State Senate – Newsday

 

NJ Senator Calls for State-Wide Ban on E-Liquid