Thinking 'bout THR News and Views
Feb 7-13, 2025
Cranky
That’s how I’d describe my mood—coated in a cloud of blue.
Kevin Crowly lovingly gave me the handle of #CrankyOldBroad years ago. It is his term of endearment for my fighting spirit.
Joe Gitchell tells people to #BeLikeSkip, which reminds them to embrace my love of kindness and curiosity.
Both hashtags make me smile!
I can’t lie to you—it is one of those days when using a frying pan sounds inviting. And I don’t mean going home for some kitchen therapy and enjoying my love of cooking.
The wisest man I’ve ever known was my Grandpa. When my “Irish Temper” or frustration got the best of me, he would remind me, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”
So, here is this week’s essay: <SILENCE>
Until next time…
I’m grateful it’s one day closer to spring.
Breaking the silence. “Research on science communication has largely focused on teaching scientists how to describe their studies in ways that interest the public while deepening their understanding of scientific exploration. However, there is another, often overlooked side to science communication—how scientists respond when questions arise about the integrity of their research.”
Jeffrey Weiss - “…In upcoming discussions regarding reform of U.S. tobacco/nicotine regulation, there is much that FDA and CDC – under new leadership – can learn from the UK experience…”
Arielle Selya - “An oldie but a goodie. A "meta" study of scientific citations and how apparent "facts" can be created through citation alone, w/o solid supporting evidence. Some mechanisms below (thread).”
BEHIND THE FEAR | Dr. Mark Tyndall on the Fight for Safer Nicotine Products.
Nicotine Control | Lies, Bans, Politics & Betrayal | RegWatch.
Shaping Vaping Special Edition: VLN, yea or nay? Diane Goldstein, Jim McCarthy, Joe Gitchell, and Skip Murray
Federal judge halts Trump administration cuts to NIH research payments in 22 states. “Attorneys general sought court order to halt 15% cap on research overhead costs.”
Judd Legum - (Thread) “BREAKING On Monday, Popular Information broke the news that the NIH had frozen virtually all grant funding in violation of 2 federal court orders On Wednesday, NIH leadership distributed a memo, acknowledging that its funding freeze was illegal and directing staff to resume issuing grants.”
Katie Phang - “JUST IN: Federal judges orders HHS, CDC, and FDA to restore “by no later than 11:59 pm” today their websites and datasets to pre-January 30th status.” (Link to document)
RON MARSHALL, in his official capacity as Representative of the 87th Legislative District, Montana House of Representatives, Petitioner, v. THE ALTRIA GROUP INC., NJOY HOLDINGS, INC., R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY and, R.J. REYNOLDS VAPOR COMPANY, Respondents.
It continues to travel:
I didn’t search for anything for this edition. Sometimes, I can’t stand to look for articles containing misinformation. It is an endless flood!
Putting on the brakes:
Meta Ends Fact-Checking, Raising Risks of Disinformation to Democracy.
Update - Tweet(s) now displaying a community note:
Not researched for this edition
Canada Pauses on Vape Flavor Ban. But It’s “Far From Over.” “The Canadian government has put a proposed vape flavor ban on hold. The decision, confirmed by Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Ya’ara Saks in January, followed concerted efforts from tobacco harm reduction advocates who oppose the policy. It also arrived amid fresh evidence of the importance of flavors in helping people quit smoking in Canada.”
Bringing Common Sense to Tobacco Control Policy. “There is no such thing as a truly clean slate when it comes to policymaking - certainly not on an issue with so many entrenched issues and deeply held beliefs as tobacco control policy.”
Most US Adults Who Quit Smoking Now Use Nicotine Products to Do So—Typically Vapes. “We found that smokers report more use of nicotine replacement products and e-cigarettes compared to prior reports,” he told Filter. “Because this is a nationally representative study, we can make stronger inferences about what is occurring at the population level of adult US smokers.”
Pain may lead to increased cigarette and cannabis use in cancer survivors. “PATH data indicated that higher past-week pain intensity was associated with a greater likelihood that cancer survivors would use cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and cannabis, and a lower likelihood that they would drink alcohol.”
Our Study Spotlights How Vaping Can Reduce Health Disparities. “The recent decline in smoking in New Zealand’s disadvantaged communities has been remarkable. In the seven years in question, smoking prevalence in the lowest socioeconomic quintile fell three times faster per year than in Australia (12 percent per year versus 4 percent), mirroring a dramatic difference in vaping rates (15.8 percent versus 2.8 percent in 2023).”
We will defeat cancer, alternatives work better than bans, says oncologist. (Google Translate) “I am primarily referring to the principle of "harm reduction", i.e. the effort to reduce risks. You know, people will always behave in a risky way. And prohibitions in this regard are not a functional way. This was once shown by alcohol prohibition in the USA. In our case, this mainly concerns the fight against smoking.”
NY lawmakers want to add Zyn flavors to ban on flavored nicotine. “Niaura said that a ban could create an illicit market for flavored nicotine pouches in New York, making it harder to regulate the pouches’ contents or keep them out of the hands of minors. In places where vape flavor bans are imposed, the market is “flooded” by illicit products, he said — and cigarette smoking rates often go up in the absence of alternatives.”
Trump Could Pave the Way for a Future Without Smoking. “Instead of embracing bans and pushing entrenched misconceptions, the Trump administration has an opportunity to embrace innovation and common sense to extend the lives of American adult smokers.”
New Study Fails to Show that Youth Vaping Causes Future Smoking. “A team of public health researchers found “very low-certainty evidence” to support a commonly held belief that nicotine vaping is a gateway to cigarette smoking for young people.”
How Tucker Carlson’s Nicotine Pouch Became the Latest Front in the Culture War. “Later that week, he received a note from Zyn. His comments about the product’s potential as a sexual aid had apparently made their way back to the company, which pointed out — in what Carlson described as a threatening tone — that his health claims were not backed up by the available science. (A spokesperson for Zyn denied Carlson’s account, saying the company raised concerns about his comments in response to a request from Carlson’s business partner for a corporate sponsorship, which the company had declined. The email, which POLITICO Magazine reviewed, did not make any formal demands of Carlson and was not noticeably threatening in tone.)”
Get help and Swap to Stop smoking. “The service is being delivered by trained members of staff who offer free vape starter kits alongside support and weekly 'check-in' sessions delivered from the convenience of local community venues to help people on their quitting journey over a period of 12 weeks.”
The New Nicotine Alliance turns 10 years old. “We are also proud to have been a founder member of European Tobacco Harm Reduction Associates (ETHRA) which formed in 2019 and now represents over 27 million consumers from 24 grassroots associations in 17 European countries, including sister organisations of the NNA based in Sweden and Estonia.”
More news: Vapers Digest Feb 10, and Feb 12.
New Study Shows that E-Cigarettes Help Young Adult Smokers to Quit. “This study is important because it adds to the body of knowledge refuting the claim that vaping is a gateway to smoking among young people. While there was already incontrovertible evidence that e-cigarettes are associated with decreased, rather than increased smoking among adolescents, this study adds the same finding for young adults. This means that for young people in general, there is no evidence that e-cigarettes are a gateway to smoking.”
Tobacco age restrictions may not be working, new research shows. “Despite recent reports of tobacco bans’ success, new research shows 18 to 20-year-olds are finding ways to get cigarettes and vapes. Traces of nicotine and tobacco in their bodies prove it.”
Not researched for this edition
Not researched this time around
Notes:
I create these newsletters as a personal project. They are not affiliated with any current or past employers or groups I do volunteer work with. I receive no financial compensation for my efforts to create these newsletters.
My blog, Skip's Corner, has an X/Twitter account. My personal accounts are on BlueSky, LinkedIn, and X (Twitter).