Author: James Anderson

A new report has uncovered a significant disparity in vaping rates between LGBTQ+ individuals and their heterosexual counterparts. The findings, based on data collected from 2019 to 2021, reveal that 37.8% of LGBTQ+ adults have used vaping devices compared to just 16.5% of straight individuals. These devices include e-cigarettes, e-cigars, e-pipes, e-hookahs, vaping pens, and hookah pens, according to the U.S. Surgeon General’s comprehensive 837-page report. A Deeper Look at the Numbers The report also delves into subgroup differences within the LGBTQ+ community. It shows that 32% of gay men, 27% of lesbians, and a striking 47% of bisexual individuals…

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on Monday in a case involving the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) refusal to allow two e-cigarette companies, Triton Distribution and Vapetasia, to sell flavored vape products that the agency considers a health risk to youth. The case, an appeal filed by the FDA under the outgoing Biden administration, challenges a lower court’s decision that the agency failed to follow proper legal procedures under federal law when it rejected the companies’ applications to sell these nicotine-containing products. Potential Shift in Regulatory Approach Under Trump Administration During the arguments, Eric Heyer, the lawyer representing Triton…

The Supreme Court’s oral arguments on Monday regarding the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) rejection of a new flavored vape felt like a lame-duck exercise, as the challenge against the agency regulation may become moot once President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Eric Heyer, the attorney representing the vape companies, acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the FDA’s approach under the new administration, given Trump’s stated intention to “save flavored vapes.” The looming conclusion of the Biden administration, which has overseen agencies that have been significantly more aggressive in their regulatory efforts compared to what is expected under Trump, cast a shadow over…

Trading standards in England have confiscated more than 1.19 million illicit vapes in the 2023-24 period, marking a staggering 59% increase compared to the previous year, according to data released by National Trading Standards (NTS) on Tuesday. The seized products failed to meet basic UK safety standards, with most containing excessive nicotine levels. The data, gathered as part of Operation Joseph, a Government-funded project targeting enforcement and compliance in the sale of vaping products, also revealed alarming figures related to the sale of illegal vapes to minors. Nearly a quarter (24%) of the 775 in-person test purchases conducted by trading…

A Wisconsin oncologist has called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take urgent action against the influx of illegal, flavored disposable vapes flooding the U.S. market, primarily from China. These products, intentionally designed to appeal to children with their eye-catching packaging, fruity flavors, and influencer endorsements, pose a severe public health crisis by luring vulnerable youth into nicotine addiction. The oncologist, who has witnessed the devastating impact of nicotine addiction firsthand, emphasizes that these illegal vapes are stronger, larger, and cheaper than their regulated counterparts, making them more accessible and potent to minors. This deadly combination is pulling…

A new study published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research has found that smokers who switched from cigarettes to e-cigarettes experienced significant improvements in respiratory health. Researchers analyzed data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study, a large-scale, national survey of tobacco use conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to determine how different nicotine use behaviors impact respiratory symptoms over time. The study included adult participants who exclusively smoked cigarettes at the onset of the research and reported common respiratory symptoms such as coughing and wheezing. Researchers divided the subjects into four groups: those who quit…

A new study from the University of Michigan has shed light on the primary reasons teenagers engage in vaping, with relaxation, boredom, and experimentation emerging as key factors. The research, titled “Reasons for Vaping Among U.S. Adolescents” and published in Pediatrics, analyzed data from in-school surveys of U.S. students in eighth, tenth, and twelfth grades. Megan Patrick, a researcher at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, emphasized the importance of understanding why adolescents vape to develop effective strategies for reducing and preventing nicotine use among teenagers. The study found that vaping has become the primary method of nicotine…

New York City filed a federal lawsuit against Price Point Distributors Inc., a major distributor of disposable flavored e-cigarettes, on Thursday. The Farmingdale, Long Island-based company stands accused of distributing e-cigarettes with flavors such as snow cone, strawberry shortcake, and Hawaii Punch to retail stores and directly to consumers in New York City and across the country through online sales, violating nearly every applicable federal, New York state, and New York City law governing the sale of such products. New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Acting Corporation Counsel Muriel Goode-Trufant announced the lawsuit, emphasizing that flavored…

The Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2024 has passed through Ireland’s Seanad on November 7, completing its passage through both houses of the Oireachtas. The Bill, which aims to increase the minimum legal age for the sale of tobacco products to 21 years, now heads to President Higgins for his signature. Once signed, the Act will take effect on February 1, 2028, allowing for a transition period to ensure that individuals currently eligible to purchase tobacco products, specifically those aged between 18 and 21, are not impacted. The Bill extends current penalties for anyone convicted of selling tobacco products to…

The UK government has unveiled plans to make smoking illegal in children’s playgrounds and outside schools and hospitals in England, with certain areas also becoming vape-free. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have already made it an offense to smoke on NHS hospital grounds. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will also prohibit anyone currently aged 15 or under from buying cigarettes and grant more powers to restrict vape flavors, displays, and packaging. The government previously announced a ban on the sale of single-use disposable vapes from next June in England and Wales. Health Secretary Wes Streeting emphasized the government’s commitment to…