Whether nicotine is delivered through smoke or vapor, as it is with e-cigarettes, it is still quite harmful and unhealthy, particularly if one considers just how much a person may be vaping or smoking every day. In conclusion, e-cigarettes should be banned, as there is insufficient data and evidence in regards to their health effects on users.
Full Answer
Should vaping and e-cigarettes be banned?
Vaping and E-cigarettes should be banned. Vaping is unbenefictial to a person’s health and rather targets their packaging towards young children and gives them a higher risk of developing a nicotine addiction. The number of kids who vape is increasing, addicting new generations to nicotine and cigarettes, and introducing them to smoking.
Will e-cigarettes ever be allowed in the US?
Ultimately, all e-cigarettes that are “new” tobacco products that seek to continue to be sold in the U.S. will have to be the subject of applications to FDA, and those that are authorized to be introduced, or stay, on the market will only receive authorization after undergoing a thorough scientific review by FDA.
Should e-cigarettes be banned to stop teenagers from smoking?
It is virtually inevitable that banning flavors to make e-cigarettes less appealing to teenagers will simultaneously jeopardize adults who vape in place of smoking. The ethos of vaping is relative risk.
Are e-cigarettes safer than traditional cigarettes?
This is because e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco or as many carcinogens that traditional cigarettes have. Additionally, e-cigarettes show to be less harmful to those who have mild to moderate cases of asthma and they emit less toxic second and third-hand smoke.
Why is there a ban on flavored e-cigarettes?
Is Juuling a danger?
Should the tax on cigarettes be increased?
Is Juul a good nicotine salt?
See 1 more
About this website
Why did the US ban vaping?
The US is banning the sale of all products sold by Juul, one of the country's top e-cigarette companies. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it did not have enough data to be sure that marketing the firm's products was "appropriate for the protection of public health".
Why e cigs should be banned?
Moreover, vaping increases the risk a teen will smoke regular cigarettes later. “The addiction to nicotine and later conversion to (or dual use with) regular cigarettes are the greatest concerns,” says Roy S. Herbst, MD, Yale Medicine's chief of medical oncology at Yale Cancer Center.
Will vaping be banned in the US?
After a two-year review, the Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday it will ban all vaping and e-cigarette products sold by Juul. It's part of a series of more aggressive moves by the FDA to target vaping and smoking.
Why should vaping not be banned?
Even the federal government has suggested it might push for a ban on some vaping and e-cigarette related products. But these products have been shown to be effective at helping smokers quit — more effective, in fact, than any other nicotine-replacement therapy on the market, including nicotine patches and nicotine gum.
What are 5 negative effects of vaping?
Coughing, dry throat, headaches coughing. dry mouth and throat. shortness of breath. mouth and throat irritation.
What are the pros and cons to vaping?
Pros and cons of vapingPro: better than cigarettes. E-cigarettes do not produce tar or carbon monoxide, “two of the most harmful elements” of inhaling tobacco smoke, said the NHS. ... Con: harmful substances. ... Pro: help to stop addiction. ... Con: appealing to teens. ... Pro: no secondhand smoke. ... Con: can lead to smoking.
Is vaping still safe?
1: Vaping is less harmful than smoking, but it's still not safe. E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavorings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic.
What states banned vaping?
U.S. bans on flavored vapes and online salesArkansas – online sales ban. ... California – flavor ban (on hold until 2022) ... Maine – online sales ban. ... Massachusetts – flavor ban. ... New Jersey – flavor ban. ... New York – flavor ban + online sales ban. ... Oregon – online sales ban. ... Rhode Island – flavor ban.More items...•
Where is vaping banned in the world?
These are the countries where vaping is banned: Antigua and Barbuda. Argentina. Australia (unless you have a prescription)
What are the benefits of vape?
Benefits of vaping Vaping can help some people quit smoking. Vaping is usually cheaper than smoking. Vaping is not harmless, but it is much less harmful than smoking. Vaping is less harmful to those around you than smoking, as there's no current evidence that second-hand vapour is dangerous to others.
What are the pros of vaping?
Pro 1. E-cigarettes help adults quit smoking and lowers youth smoking rates. A July 2019 study found that cigarettes smokers who picked up vaping were 67% more likely to quit smoking. ... Pro 2. Vaping is a safer way to ingest tobacco. ... Pro 3. E-cigarettes reduce health care costs, create jobs, and help the economy.
Should vaping be banned in public places?
That's the same year the World Health Organization recommended that vaping be banned in all the places smoking is because, among other reasons, “secondhand aerosols from e-cigarettes are a new air contamination source for hazardous particulate matter.”
Is vaping worse than smoking?
1: Vaping is less harmful than smoking, but it's still not safe. E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavorings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic.
Should vaping be banned in public places?
That's the same year the World Health Organization recommended that vaping be banned in all the places smoking is because, among other reasons, “secondhand aerosols from e-cigarettes are a new air contamination source for hazardous particulate matter.”
Why vaping should be banned in Australia?
“Young non-smokers who vape are around three times as likely to take up smoking than non-vapers. Nicotine use in children and adolescents can lead to lifelong addiction issues as well as difficulties in concentration and learning. “Vaping is also illegal [in Australia] if it isn't on prescription.”
Why are Vapes banned in Australia?
It is illegal to purchase any e-liquids or vaping products containing nicotine for personal use from any Australian retailer as it is classified as a schedule 7 – dangerous poision under the National Poisons Standard. The use of Nicotine is regulated by the Federal Government under the Theraputic Goods Act 1989.
Congress Seems Poised To Let the FDA Ban E-Cigarettes Containing ...
Vaping. Congress Seems Poised To Let the FDA Ban E-Cigarettes Containing Synthetic Nicotine A spending bill provision would redefine "tobacco products" to include products that have nothing to do ...
Will E-Cigarettes Be Banned Under New Regulations?
Policy Change Redefines Tobacco Products. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can now regulate the sale of synthetic Nicotine, a decision that could potentially wipe thousands of electronic cigarette, or e-cigarette, products off the market.In March, President Joe Biden signed a $1.5 trillion omnibus, or multi-topic, bill that expands the definition of a “tobacco product” to include ...
Question: Should We Ban Cigarettes? - Economics Help
Readers Question: Using data and your economic knowledge assess the case for and against a government completely banning the sale and consumption of cigarettes. AQA (15) 1. Cigarettes are a demerit good. People underestimate the costs of smoking, e.g. lower life expectancy. It has been suggested that the true cost…
Why Electronic Cigarettes Should be Banned - Free Paper Sample
Over the last few years, electronic cigarettes, also called ‘e-cigarettes,’ have become more and more popular, particularly as a substitute for smoking, with e-cigarette companies claiming that they are healthier and safer than actual cigarettes.
Where do vaping bans happen?
Most vape bans in the U.S. happen at the state and local levels .And while a few California cities—notably San Francisco—have banned sales of all vaping products, most American vape restrictions involve flavors and online sales. There are only a few of each, despite the large number of vaping bans that have been proposed in state legislatures in recent years—proof that grassroots opposition can stop bad legislation.
How many countries have banned vaping?
There are more than 40 countries that have some type of ban on vaping—either on possession and use, sales, or importation, or a combination. What we have attempted here is to list U.S. state flavor and online sales bans, and the sales and use bans imposed in other countries.
Which cities have flavor bans?
Major cities with flavor bans include Chicago, IL; Oakland and San Jose, CA; and Boulder, CO. Hundreds of smaller cities and counties—mostly in California—have flavor bans, as do some larger cities whose bans have since been superseded by state bans (like New York City and Newark, NJ)
Is there a central repository for information on vaping laws?
Our list is extensive, but maybe not definitive. Laws change frequently, and there is no central repository for information on worldwide vaping laws that is updated in real time. While our list includes some original research, these are the primary sources:
Does the FDA regulate vaping?
The FDA has federal authority to regulate vaping products. In September 2020 the agency began reviewing Premarket Tobacco Applications (PMTAs), and has signalled it will not authorize flavored products without extraordinary evidence. Whether the agency will be successful creating an unwritten standard that eliminates legal flavored products (except tobacco and menthol) may be determined by federal courts.
When did e-cigarettes start being banned?
shores in 2007.
Which countries have no laws on vaping?
Asia. Bangladesh . Bangladesh currently has no laws or regulations specific to vaping. However, in December 2019 a health ministry official told Reuters that the government is “actively working to impose a ban on the production, import and sale of e-cigarettes and all vaping tobaccos to prevent health risks.”. Bhutan.
What did Trump say about vaping?
In September, President Donald Trump announced a commitment to ending the vaping scourge: “We can’t allow people to get sick, and we can’t have our youth be so affected.”. In addition to the youth of the victims, uncertainty about exactly what’s causing this spike in sickness has fueled an emotional public response.
How much money did California allocate to vaping awareness?
California allocated $20 million for a “vaping-awareness campaign.”. There appears to be a unanimous consensus that something should be done to better understand and prevent this vaping-related harm. The message from many in the public-health community simply has been to avoid vaping.
What would happen if diet coke was banned?
Friedman uses Diet Coke drinkers as an analogy: If Diet Coke were banned, people would likely switch to Coke or Coke Zero or Diet Pepsi, not water. This replacement principle would be especially true for nicotine users, because the substance is even more addictive than Diet Coke.
Is it bad to ban vapes?
Amid so much uncertainty and harm coming from the mushrooming market for novel, unregulated products, some researchers raise the concern that banning legal vapes would make the problem worse, not better. Some nicotine-addicted people would be driven to the black market. Others could switch from vaping to smoking cigarettes. In a 2015 study, Friedman and colleagues found that vaping bans increased rates of teenage smoking. “Electronic and conventional cigarettes are economic substitutes,” Friedman says. “If the price of one product goes up, demand for a substitute is expected to increase.”
Is vaping water bad for you?
Vaping water should be a harmless, if curious, thing to do. Adding nicotine to that vapor, on the other hand, noticeably affects the cardiovascular system and brain. The addictive properties of nicotine can alter neural functioning permanently, especially in younger people—that’s why every medical institution advises against vaping. But nicotine alone should not acutely cause the sort of severe inflammatory lung disease that is being seen.
Is vaping safe?
The question is not whether vaping itself is safe or unsafe, she emphasizes, but what elements of the practice are causing these acute diseases: “An e-cigarette is fundamentally a device, not a substance. One thing that I think is really confusing people is that vaping just means using an e-cigarette.
Is vaping banned in Massachusetts?
A mix of political momentum and genuine will to protect kids has led to calls for bans and absolute avoidance of vapes. Massachusetts temporarily banned the sale of all vaping products. Walmart announced it would stop selling all vaping products. California allocated $20 million for a “vaping-awareness campaign.”.
What happened to the e-cigarettes in New York?
This tragic event comes just days after another man in his twenties in New York was reported to have serious burns after his E-cigarette exploded in his pocket. According to experts, 62 percent of e-cigarettes that explode do so while they are carried in a pocket.
Why is the FDA suing electronic cigarettes?
The lawsuit contends that the FDA allows marketing of candy flavored “juice” to appeal to young kids.
How Do E-Cigarettes Work?
The e-cigarette as we know it today was invented by Chinese pharmacist, Hon Lik. They work like a regular cigarettes, only the source of the heat is electronic. Plus, the heating “element” in e-cigarettes is an atomizer which is used to vaporize liquid. Basically, a battery powers the heating element and a sensor activates the heater when the user sucks on the device.
How does vaping affect your lungs?
However, a new study by the American Physiological Association found that vape smoke may be more harmful to your lungs than smoking an actual cigarette. Further, the University of North Carolina recently found that even the smallest dose of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, two primary components of e-cigs, can expose users to high levels of toxins. Side effects of vaping include: 1 Dehydration 2 Coughing 3 Sore throat
Why is my vape pens overheating?
The lack of regulation in the vaping industry has caused many people to become injured by the battery devices that are used to charge vape pens. 80% of injuries occurred when the device was charging in a USB port. This problem stems from the fact that different USB ports put out different levels of voltage and current, which can cause the e-cig battery to overheat. As a result, a reaction called “thermal runaway” occurs.
What are the side effects of vaping?
Side effects of vaping include: Dehydration. Coughing.
How many e-cigarette explosions have been documented?
The FDA has documented over 130 instances of e-cigarette explosions since these devices were brought onto the market in 2007. However, new research reports that these numbers might have been underestimated.
What does the FDA do to regulate tobacco products?
In order to regulate a tobacco product, the F DA had to write a rule that would specify which products it deemed to be subject to the TCA. The law immediately deemed cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, smokeless tobacco, and hand-rolled tobacco as subject to the TCA, and required the FDA to stipulate what other tobacco products it would regulate. Thus, in order to regulate cigars, e-cigarettes, and hookah and vaping products, the FDA had to write a rule that was processed through the formal “notice-and-comment” rule-making process. The shorthand for this effort is “deeming regulation.”
Why is tobacco important to the economy?
This person’s conclusions: tobacco produced economic benefit not only because it created jobs , but also because it reduced longevity after retirement. In other words, people who die from tobacco-related diseases often die from sudden cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or lung cancer — all of which are associated with relatively short intervals of disability.
What is the result of this mix of legal and illegal use of addictive substances?
The result of this mix of legal and illegal use of addictive substances is that our jails are full of drug users who have committed nonviolent crimes, significant premature death and disability is tolerated, and there are enormous disparities in enforcement as functions of wealth, race, and power.
Is methamphetamine illegal?
Amphetamine derivatives are contained in many over-the-counter and prescription medications, but methamphetamine is illegal and its use is growing rapidly again as opioids become more difficult to obtain. Opioids are prescribed legally, but they are illegal for consumer use.
Is cigarette tobacco a TCA?
The law immediately deemed cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, smokeless tobacco, and hand-rolled tobacco as subject to the TCA, and required the FDA to stipulate what other tobacco products it would regulate.
When did CTP start regulating e-cigarettes?
When CTP began regulating ENDS, many of the regulatory and legal requirements that had been in place for manufacturers of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and roll-your-own tobacco since 2009 — as well as several new requirements specific to ENDS — became applicable to makers of e-cigarettes and other ENDS products. As of June 2019, the compliance dates to meet many of these requirements have passed, and makers of all ENDS currently on the market should have met certain requirements, including, but not limited to:
How many people smoke combustible cigarettes?
from tobacco-associated cancers, emphysema, heart disease, stroke and the 34.3 million Americans who still smoke combustible cigarettes despite decades of efforts to help them quit. So, any product that can diminish the use of combustible cigarettes substantially has to be considered of enormous potential value. Are e-cigarettes that product? Well, given that most e-cigarette users continue to smoke cigarettes, the answer is not clear. Though there are some data, both epidemiological and from direct clinical trials, that some electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS, which includes products known as “e-cigarettes”) can reduce the use of combustible cigarettes and may be less harmful than traditional cigarettes.
What is the Youth Tobacco Prevention Plan?
An integral part of the Youth Tobacco Prevention Plan is direct education to teens themselves. In 2018, FDA expanded the youth tobacco prevention campaign, “The Real Cost,” to include an e-cigarette prevention campaign. “The Real Cost” Youth E-Cigarette Prevention Campaign focuses on educating the nearly 10.7 million youth aged 12-17 who have ever used or are at risk of using e-cigarettes on their potential dangers, such as nicotine addiction and exposure to other chemicals. Campaign ads can be found in schools and on age-verified digital and social media sites where teens spend most of their time and will expand to television beginning in summer 2019.
Why is the warning statement on nicotine important?
Likewise, the warning statement on nicotine is an important requirement to let the public know that these products contain nicotine, an addictive chemical. FDA has also issued new or revised guidances on these topics.
How many warning letters did the FDA issue?
In September 2018, in the largest coordinated enforcement effort in the agency’s history, the agency issued more than 1,100 warning letters and initiated 131 civil money ...
Why is the FDA evaluating Ends?
Because ENDS products are still relatively new, FDA supports and funds research to evaluate ENDS’ public health impact both at the individual and population levels. For example, in 2018, the agency commissioned the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to evaluate the available scientific evidence of the short- and long-term health effects related to the use of ENDS.
When did the FDA issue the first warning letter to a company for selling e-liquids without the required marketing?
In 2018 , as a result of regular inspections that now include e-cigarette manufacturers and retailers, FDA issued the first warning letter to a company for selling e-liquids without the required marketing authorization.
Is vaping safe?
The article goes against what most public health officials and addiction experts in the United States have been saying for months, which is that there is no safe form of vaping, and that the only substance that people should inhale is clean air. Major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, ...
Will vaping bans do more harm than good?
Will vaping bans do more harm than good? Some public health experts say yes.
Is Johnson vaping a long term solution?
Still, Johnson said vaping is not a long-term solution. Now that he's quit regular cigarettes, he's motivated to quit e-cigarettes.
Can prohibition thwart efforts to quit smoking?
In an editorial published Thursday in the journal Science, the group writes that such "prohibitionist measures" may thwart earnest efforts of adult smokers trying to quit regular cigarettes by turning to electronic cigarettes. The group includes public health experts from major institutions, including Columbia University, Emory University, New York University and Ohio State University.
Is vaping a long term health risk?
The long-term health effects of e-cigarettes are unknown, and the group is careful to point out that vaping does not come without risk. But for adult smokers hooked on nicotine, vaping "is a harm-reduction initiative, not a harm-elimination initiative," Amy Fairchild, dean of the Ohio State University College of Public Health and one ...
Why are e-cigarettes banned in checked baggage?
Airlines prohibit e-cigarettes in checked baggage due to the possibility of their lithium batteries catching fire. In Jan. 2019, a passenger’s e-cigarette overheated and caught fire in the airplane cabin. [ 38] .
How much more likely is vaping to quit smoking?
A July 2019 study found that cigarettes smokers who picked up vaping were 67% more likely to quit smoking. [ 48] . A New England Journal of Medicine study found that e-cigarettes are twice as effective at getting people to quit smoking as traditional nicotine replacements such as the patch and gum. [ 14] .
Why are electronic cigarettes good for health?
E-cigarettes reduce health care costs, create jobs, and help the economy. Sally Satel, a psychiatrist specializing in addiction and resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, wrote that “promoting electronic cigarettes to smokers should be a public health priority.
How much does e-cigarettes cause?
E-cigarettes caused a 50% increase in the rate of people using a product designed to help people quit smoking. [ 15] Traditional cigarettes are known to cause health problems such as lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke. [ 10] .
What is an e-cigarette?
E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid into an aerosol vapor for inhalation. [ 3 ] . The liquids often contain nicotine (which is derived from tobacco) and flavorings such as mint, mango, or tobacco. [ 4 ] .
What are the components of a vaporizer?
The main components are generally flavoring, nicotine, and water , along with vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol, which distribute the flavor and nicotine in the liquid and create the vapor. [ 44 ] [ 45 ] 5 Different Designs of E-Cigarettes/Vapes.
What gases do e-cigarettes release?
Burning a traditional cigarette releases noxious gases such as carbon monoxide. Cigarette smoke contains tar, which accounts for most of the carcinogens associated with smoking. E-cigarettes don’t have those gases or tar. [ 12] .
Which states have banned vaping?
Other states, including Michigan, Rhode Island, Washington, Oregon, and New York, have banned all fruit and candy flavors or have taken steps to do so.
Why are there misperceptions about e-cigarettes?
Why the misperceptions? A thick haze of misinformation about e-cigarettes includes unwarranted claims of e-cigarette-induced heart attacks and “ popcorn lung ,” an often lethal obstruction of the smallest pulmonary airways, along with the notion that nicotine causes cancer. Such apocryphal medical news is routinely put forth by various advocacy groups and even public officials. A Harvard Medical School pediatrician called vaping “bioterrorism,” while reputable entities such as the Tennessee Medical Association and the University of Rochester Medical Center maintain that e-cigarettes are no safer than smoking. Whom can the public trust?
How many teens vape in 2019?
According to preliminary data collected for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, one in four teens vaped at least one day in the past month in 2019—a significant increase from 2018.
Is vaping good for you?
The U.S. adult smoking rate has fallen to 14 percent, the lowest ever recorded. Vaping has undeniably helped. Vaping achieved twice the one-year quit rates as gum, patches, and lozenges in a rigorous, randomized clinical trial. Vaping is more popular among would-be quitters than nicotine patches and gum combined, according to research from the CDC. And flavors are key to vaping’s appeal for the country’s 11 million to 14 million vapers. A 2018 preference survey of 70,000 adult vapers found that fruit and dessert flavors are the most popular by far, with only a minority using tobacco flavors. It is virtually inevitable that banning flavors to make e-cigarettes less appealing to teenagers will simultaneously jeopardize adults who vape in place of smoking.
How many people disagree with the statement that e-cigarettes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes?
A 2019 poll conducted by Morning Consult found that 53 percent of the public disagreed, either strongly or somewhat, with the statement that e-cigarettes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes. (Only 24 percent agreed; 22 percent had no opinion).
Is vaping a good alternative to smoking?
The ethos of vaping is relative risk. E-cigarettes reduce harm, but can’t be called harmless. As a safer alternative than smoking for people addicted to nicotine, they are analogous to prescribing methadone for people addicted to opioids, a strategy called harm reduction.
Is vaping safer than smoking?
A Harvard Medical School pediatrician called vaping “bioterrorism,” while reputable entities such as the Tennessee Medical Association and the University of Rochester Medical Center maintain that e-cigarettes are no safer than smoking.
Why is there a ban on flavored e-cigarettes?
A ban on flavored e-cigarettes is tantamount to a ban on the sale of vaping products, because there are virtually no unflavored e-cigarette liquids on the market. Pretty much all e-liquids contain the same ingredients: water, propylene glycol, glycerin, and nicotine. It is the flavors that differentiate between different brands and types ...
Is Juuling a danger?
I wouldn’t say that this is as big a danger as traditional cigarette addiction. If you become addicted to smoking, there is a 50 percent chance that you are going to die prematurely because of it. But with the Juul, we don’t know if there are any long-term health consequences. We certainly want to do what we can to prevent youth from becoming addicted to Juuling, but in no way would I compare that to the danger of youth addiction to real cigarettes.
Should the tax on cigarettes be increased?
If they do this, they should increase the tax on cigarettes to an even higher level to make sure that price remains a deterrent to smoking and an additional incentive for smokers who cannot quit completely to switch to vaping.
Is Juul a good nicotine salt?
These products pose very little risk of addiction. However, the Juul is different. It uses a nicotine salt that is much more rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. The nicotine pattern in the blood mimics that of actual cigarette smoking. Juuling has a real potential for addiction.
The Not-So-Safe Alternative
How Do E-Cigarettes Work?
Injuries and Explosions
- The lack of regulation in the vaping industry has caused many people to become injured by the battery devices that are used to charge vape pens. 80% of injuries occurred when the device was charging in a USB port. This problem stems from the fact that different USB ports put out different levels of voltage and current, which can cause the e-cig battery to overheat. As a result, a reactio…
Youth Prevention Efforts
- Tobacco use among youth has dropped by 25 percent in less than a decade – but there is a catch. Studies have shown e-cig use among teens has increased by 900%. Data collected by the FDA shows that in 2017, 2.1 million middle school and high school students used e-cigarettes. Luckily, key findings from the 2017 National Youth Tobacco Survey shows that tobacco use decreased f…
But, Is It Enough?
- In March, the American Lung Association and other health partners filed a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration to keep electronic cigarettes off the market. The lawsuit contends that the FDA allows marketing of candy flavored “juice” to appeal to young kids. Flavors include cookie dough, grape, cherry, and even Fruit Loops infused vapor...
Education Or Ban?
- Increased awareness through media campaigns and more funding for studies has not only given us a clearer insight into the harmful effects of vaping, but it has allowed regulators to demand stricter laws on how big tobacco companies market their products. A smoke-free future might not be around the corner but progress is definitely being made to educate and inform the public on h…
Your Comments
- The question is: What do you think? Is vaping really a problem? Do people use e-cigarettes in “epidemic” proportions? If so, what’s the way forward? We welcome your comments. And we try to respond to all real life questions or feedback with a personal and prompt reply.
The Link Between Tobacco and Disease
How The FDA Came to Regulate Tobacco
- There is a widespread misconception that the FDA has been regulating tobacco products since the time that a young FDA commissioner, David Kessler, MD, confronted the tobacco industry in the 1990s. Kessler and his colleagues used their authority to uncover documents revealing the tobacco industry’s efforts to obfuscate evidence of harm from their products and to optimize th…
A Path to Enforcement
- However, to fully understand the history of tobacco regulation since the passage of the TCA, one also needs a basic understanding of how federal laws are interpreted and implemented. In essence, once Congress enacts a law, that law must then be interpreted, and federal rules provide binding instructions on how a law is interpreted by the relevant federal agencies. Guidances are …
The Economic Impact of Tobacco Use
- An additional key background issue concerns the economics of tobacco and tobacco products. My own introduction to these issues occurred during a clandestine breakfast meeting with a famous demographer and epidemiologist who had conducted a 1990s version of a “big data” analysis. This person’s conclusions: tobacco produced economic benefit not only because it cre…