Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Vaping Epidemic: Why Did Illnesses Only Happen Now?; NYC Bans Flavored E-Cigarettes; D.C. Sues Juul; And More
Stat: New CDC Report Offers A Possible Clue About Why Vaping Illnesses Sprang Up In 2019
A new report adds to the evidence that vitamin E acetate might play a role in a spate of vaping-related illnesses that have sickened thousands. It could also offer an early clue about why the illnesses appeared seemingly suddenly this year — though experts caution it’s too soon to rule out other potential culprits. The chemical — used as an additive or thickener in some vaping products — was found in vaping products used by 11 of 12 patients sickened with vaping-related illness in Minnesota, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday. (Thielking, 11/26)
The Associated Press: More Clues Point To Chemical Compound In US Vaping Illnesses
Health officials said Tuesday they have more evidence that a certain chemical compound is a culprit in a national outbreak of vaping illnesses. Researchers analyzed black market vaping cartridges seized in Minnesota during the outbreak this year, and vaping liquid seized in that state last year. The newer cartridges contained the compound vitamin E acetate, but none of the older samples did. (Stobbe, 11/26)
The Wall Street Journal: Researchers Say FDA Has Fallen Down On E-Cigarette Testing
The Food and Drug Administration has come under fire for not moving quickly to address the health risks of e-cigarettes, but outside the public spotlight it is also under attack for not prioritizing study of whether those vaping products may well be an important way to reduce deaths from traditional smoking. More than 480,000 Americans die each year from causes related to cigarette smoking. Some leading academic researchers believe e-cigarettes may be an effective and safer alternative. (Burton, 11/27)
The Star Tribune: Minnesota Investigation Points To Vitamin E's Role In Vaping Lung Injuries
Lab tests performed in Minnesota on illicit THC vaping products have solidified the role of vitamin E acetate in an outbreak of severe lung injuries among e-cigarette users across the nation this year. The tests found vitamin E in illicit vaping products that were seized by Minnesota law enforcement agencies in 2019, at the height of the outbreak, but not in products seized in 2018, before the outbreak, the Minnesota Department of Health reported on Tuesday. (Olson, 11/26)
The Associated Press: New York City Lawmakers Vote To Ban Flavored Vaping Products
New York City lawmakers voted Tuesday to ban flavored electronic cigarettes after a lawsuit halted a statewide ban. “We are acting to protect our kids by banning the e-cigarette flavors that have been hooking them for years,” Democratic City Council member Mark Levine said before the Council voted 42-2 to adopt the ban on flavored vaping products. (11/26)
The Wall Street Journal: New York City Bans Flavored E-Cigarettes
The council’s proceedings were briefly interrupted by pro-vaping protesters who shouted and threw $1 bills at council members, accusing them of bending to tobacco companies that the protesters have said will benefit from the ban. Councilman Mark Levine, the bill’s primary sponsor and chairman of the committee on health, said at a news conference, that the nation has been “woefully slow” in responding to the teen vaping epidemic. Mr. Levine acknowledged that underage people are already prohibited from buying e-cigarette products, but those age restrictions haven’t kept children from vaping. (West, 11/26)
Bloomberg: NYC Lawmakers Ban Flavored E-Cigarettes After Trump Wavers
The Council’s action came after President Donald Trump reversed an earlier vow to ban flavored vapes, saying that doing so would encourage a black market with unregulated and unsafe products. Also this month, the Massachusetts legislature approved a law that would make it the first state to ban all flavored tobacco products, including menthol, and imposing a 75% tax on the wholesale price of all nicotine vaping products. (Goldman, 11/26)
The Associated Press: DC Government Sues E-Cigarette Maker Juul Over Teen Use
The District of Columbia is joining several states in suing the nation’s largest e-cigarette maker Juul Labs, saying the company’s online ads and promotions illegally targeted minors. Washington, D.C., Attorney General Karl Racine announced the lawsuit Tuesday, alleging that Juul’s viral marketing contributed to the surge in underage vaping by teens in the district and across the U.S. (Perrone, 11/26)
The Washington Post: D.C. Sues Juul, Alleging E-Cigarette Maker Marketed To Teens
Vaping has exploded in popularity in recent years, including among teenagers, and has raised alarms in schools and among anti-tobacco advocates. “There is a teenage vaping epidemic, and usage levels are spiking at an unprecedented rate, which importantly is reversing a decades-long decline in smoking rates among young people,” Racine said in an interview. (Nirappil, 11/26)
The Hill: District Of Columbia Sues Juul Over Alleged Underage Marketing
Under pressure from Congress and federal and state investigators, Juul has halted its advertising and removed most of its flavors from the market. It recently removed its CEO, and replaced him with a former executive from Altria, the tobacco company that owns a 35 percent stake in Juul. (Weixel, 11/26)
The CT Mirror: As Federal Effort To Ban Flavored Vaping Products Stalls, Advocates Look To State
Frustrated by the Trump administration’s retreat from a pledge to ban flavored vaping products at the federal level, anti-tobacco advocates are doubling down on a push to enact a statewide prohibition in Connecticut. (Carlesso, 11/27)
