Question of the day
Monday, Sep 23, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker supports a ban on flavored e-cigarettes and is urging residents to stop vaping while authorities investigate a series of serious respiratory illnesses linked to electronic cigarette products.
Pritzker’s office issued a statement Friday in which the governor said he supported legislation in the upcoming veto session to stop the sale of flavored vaping products in the state. Flavors such as cotton candy and mango, among thousands of others, have been blamed for huge spike in the number teenagers vaping.
“There is much more research needed to understand the short and long-term health effects of using e-cigarette products,” Pritzker said in the statement. “During this investigation into recent respiratory illnesses associated with vaping, I am urging Illinoisans to avoid using these products.”
The number of those impacted by a mysterious respiratory illness linked to vaping continues to grow. As of Friday, 69 cases of have been reported in Illinois, including one fatality, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Another 13 potential cases are still under investigation. It’s unclear whether e-cigarettes containing nicotine or THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, are to blame.
* Press release…
The Smoke Free Alternatives Coalition of Illinois released the following statement in response to recent proposals to ban flavored e-cigarettes statewide.
“Banning flavored vapor products would greatly hinder adult smokers’ attempts to quit traditional cigarettes. Our customers have been clear: being able to choose flavored products are crucial in helping them quit for good, and studies have shown that flavored products are directly related to the reduced smoking rate amongst adults. Instead of passing legislation that would drive adults back to traditional cigarettes, we urge lawmakers to push for solutions that would prevent youth access to these products,” said Victoria Vasconcellos, President of the Smoke Free Alternatives Coalition of Illinois.
For the past three years, the vaping industry supported a licensure bill that focused on keeping vapor products out of the hands of minors. The proposal included strict penalties for sales to minors and required proper labeling and marketing of these products.
Flavored vaping products are one of the most effective smoking cessation tools on the market. Recent studies published in peer-reviewed medical journals have found that vapor products are nearly twice as effective at helping adults quit smoking than any other nicotine replacement methods, and that users of non-tobacco and non-menthol flavors are significantly more likely to have quit smoking.
In addition to making it more difficult for the nearly 1.5 million adult smokers in Illinois to quit traditional cigarettes, such a ban would have a meaningful adverse economic impact on an industry that contributes more than 7,000 jobs and has a total economic impact of $1.1 billion on the state economy.
* The Question: Should the state ban flavored e-cigarettes? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
survey service
- downstateR - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 2:11 pm:
What the Smoke Free Alternatives Coalition of Illinois said.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 2:13 pm:
No, and I suspect I’ll be in the minority, but I think the FDA needs to step in to this mess and sort if out. In the absence of federal regulations, we’ll see a patchwork quilt approach to legislating this and other things and I don’t think that’s the best way to go.
Give consumers good information and trust them to make good decisions (and also don’t market to kids).
- Dave - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 2:14 pm:
Vapes are already banned to children. No need to take them away from adults. No different in my mind than Cigarettes or booze and they won’t try for a ban on those.
- twowaystreet - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 2:24 pm:
No, but likely the ban will happen. This is an easy way for elected officials to get a win and make it appear as if they are doing something proactive about public health. They should figure out if there is a correlation with the illness and black market products. If that is the case, then illnesses will probably increase because those who are not ready to quit will just turn to whatever is available or back to cigarettes.
- cover - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 2:26 pm:
Any consideration of extending the statewide indoor smoking ban to vaping?
- ktkat1 - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 2:27 pm:
Flavored vaping is the only way DH has been able to stay away from the tars and poison in cigarettes. Juuls are different from other products out there, someone should be questioning what is in their products because he felt the difference when he tried their product. Find the link to the illnesses before creating complete bans.
- Just Observing - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 2:34 pm:
People have straight-up lost their minds over vaping. E-cigs have been on the market for a decade without much of an issue until this Summer, and there is no known issue in the rest of the world. Something serious is going on, and we should be trying to zero in on the culprit, but let’s not throw out the baby with the bath water — vaping has gotten a lot of people off of traditional cigarettes which, according to some evidence (there hasn’t been enough study yet) is much worse than vaping.
- Enviro - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 2:37 pm:
What the Illinois Department of Public Health and Governor Pritzker said.
More research is needed for public safety.
- Donnie Elgin - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 2:39 pm:
hardly an unbiased voice…
Who We Are:
The Smoke Free Alternatives Coalition of Illinois are Illinois businesses that are part of the manufacturing, wholesale, retail, and supply and distribution chains for vapor products.
- downstateR - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 2:42 pm:
Donnie Elgin
Of course they aren’t, but I’m not a fan of moral panics. (not to suggest you are.)
- Alex - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 2:44 pm:
So the vaping industry is against this. They look like a real responsible bunch of actors who in no way would consider marketing to children: https://www.sfacoil.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/state_street_vapor_co_2_sky344.jpg
- Responsa - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 2:45 pm:
Voted no. Vaping/e-cigs may pose some risk to the “smoker” (and I believe they do to some extent). But as far as I can tell they pose no threat to the public as is the case with regular smoking where those in proximity to the smokers get to inhale second hand smoke with all that that contains.
- Just Observing - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 2:48 pm:
=== hardly an unbiased voice… ===
Doesn’t mean they are wrong either.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:03 pm:
Voted no. Despite the fact that this might lead to a lot of people losing their jobs at vape shops, and despite the fact that this is nothing but a liberal freak-out by those clamoring for a nanny-state overreaction to a black market problem, and despite the hypocrisy of many here who deride “reefer madness” while using the same tactics marijuana legalization opponents use to call for a vaping ban (vaping madness) - IL is just going to lose out on revenues when people start ordering the flavored stuff online from vape shops in Missouri or Iowa or Indiana.
- Anon - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:04 pm:
The state legalized marijuana…how concerned can they actually be about the effects of anything. Smoking marijuana has done a ton of damage to the city and state. Just tax it and all will be forgiven.
- Techie - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:04 pm:
No ban. No reason to harm adults who use flavored e-cigs as a way to quit nicotine altogether.
Side note: nicotine, like caffeine, is just a stimulant and causes little, if any, bodily harm in normal doses.
- Illinois Resident - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:05 pm:
No. Government overreach at its finest. Clearly these are underground products otherwise there would be an epidemic of thousands of people having issues. So now forbid law abiding regulated products from adults because minors bought bad products on the black market? Makes no sense.
- twowaystreet - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:08 pm:
===hardly an unbiased voice…===
Right and they make it pretty easy to find out what their interest in this are, as you found. The third sentence starts with, “Our customers…”
It’s not like they have a misleading name like the “Moms against teen vaping” or “clouds for children” and then end up being a group of Illinois businesses who make money off of vaping.
- Dotnonymous - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:12 pm:
Voted no…because there is a new generation of people addicted to nicotine…some of whom will immediately turn to deadly whole tobacco products.
Ban nicotine vapes…and light up a coffin nail?
- Demoralized - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:19 pm:
==Government overreach at its finest==
Protection of its citizens is one of the primary functions of government.
==otherwise there would be an epidemic of thousands of people having issues==
Thank you for that reasoned scientific analysis. We don’t know that there eventually won’t be thousands.
==forbid law abiding ==
That has always been one of the most ridiculous arguments people make against a law. If it’s made illegal then by definition it is no longer “law abiding.”
You don’t have a right to smoke or vape or any other thing.
- JS Mill - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:19 pm:
Voted Yes. I am sick and tired of dealing with this issue in schools. If the flavored ones are not readily available maybe we start to see a slow down in kids vaping. Not a guarantee but worth a shot to me. Most people have no idea how bad it is with kids, even with the media coverage.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:20 pm:
===sick and tired of dealing with this issue in schools===
Under 21 consumption was just banned by the state.
- Anon but Social Knows me - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:21 pm:
The bans are a political grandstanding maneuver. As others have stated, it’s a seeming instant win in public eye.
But dig underneath it all. Ban the flavors and who wins? Big tobacco. Not only will many return to cigarettes but these are the new owners of the big vaping companies as well. You say - ah ha, but this is about banning vaping. Sure for now. How did that banning alcohol work so many years ago? What about marijuana? Yes, bans that ultimately get overturned because of public desire.
In this case, however, if banned, and then repealed - the repealed version will likely require FDA analysis and approval per product. Good, right? Except that the exorbitant costs associated mean that only big tobacco can afford to have their products tested and certified. Therefore this gut reaction ban will just sweep the field clear of mom and pop operations and create a fabulous greenfield for big tobacco.
To another poster’s point - vaping has been around for over a decade and all of a sudden there is an issue. At the same time, the FDA just asked the FBI to start investigations and charges - but still no info on what. I suspect we won’t know as it’s convenient to make general vaping look bad when the reality is people are buying cheap junk to vape and hurting themselves.
- Illinois Resident - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:21 pm:
Anon - Smoking marijuana has done a ton of damage to the city and state? Do you have any stats to support this or is that just like your opinion? Making cannabis illegal was where all the problems arose.
- Illinois Resident - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:24 pm:
Demoralized - You must not have read my post. You don’t outlaw industries for adult use just because a few minors decided to buy black market products that were unsafe. If anything, the black market will now get worse.
- downstateR - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:24 pm:
I’ll just leave this here:
http://tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/
- Illinois Resident - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:26 pm:
Demoralized - Should the government outlaw sugar next? How about caffeine? How about fast food? How about alcohol? All of these items in excess cause us problems. Should the government protect us from these products?
- NoGifts - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:27 pm:
No because it would encourage the rise of black market flavor additives. FDA should not have been AWOL on this topic for such a long time.
- Demoralized - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:27 pm:
==that were unsafe==
Anyone that proclaims to know anything about the public health risks of e-cigarettes is just kidding themselves. We have absolutely no idea what the public health risks of this product will be. It’s still too new to know the full extent. What we do know is that problems are starting to rear their ugly head.
As I said, you don’t have a right to use this product. As far as I’m concerned the government should ban it’s use.
- Charlie Brown - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:30 pm:
I am a parent.
I am an ex-smoker.
I supporter the increase to 21 for tobacco products.
This is the worst kind of knee-jerk, government over-reach.
I generally agree with Dick Durbin, but this is another example of The North Shore wagging the State.
- Anon but Social Knows me - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:33 pm:
@Illinois resident - sorry it didn’t read sarcastically enough, we agree on the same point. Cannabis was labeled as “bad” and made illegal. Now it’s coming back. In fact to add to this line of thinking, while it was thoroughly illegal, the black market thrived and hurt everyone more.
- Illinois Resident - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:36 pm:
Demoralized - It sounds like you are in favor of an authoritarian government. I am not. Again, since you want the government to protect us from everything bad or potentially bad, are you in favor of a ban on sugar, caffeine, alcohol, high fat foods, and guns. If not, then why the hypocrisy?
- Dotnonymous - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:37 pm:
I can’t speak for Black Market sellers…but…I can guess they love prohibitionists…best.
- Illinois Resident - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:38 pm:
Anon - Sorry did not pick up on the sarcasm. It sounds like we both agree on cannabis policy and the general discussion of government overreach.
- Been There - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:39 pm:
I’m not a smoker so obviously I prefer people smoke e-cigs around me instead of regular cigs. And I go to Indiana a lot and still plenty of bars allow smoking and that sucks. Not that I wish any harm on anyone but I’d rather they hurt themselves instead of me inhaling secondhand smoke. And I believe most of the e-smokers wouldn’t just go back to smoking regular cigs.
- Stas - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:40 pm:
No they shouldn’t ban it. It’s a slippery slope - is the state going to ban ‘flavored alcohol’ next?
- Been There - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:42 pm:
Sorry. I meant to say most will go back to smoking regular cigs.
- Just Sayin' - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:48 pm:
I voted “yes”, but they should limit it to e-cigs that contain Diacetly:
https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/ehp.1510185 (”Conclusion: Because of the associations between diacetyl and bronchiolitis obliterans and other severe respiratory diseases observed in workers, urgent action is recommended to further evaluate this potentially widespread exposure via flavored e-cigarettes.”)
- Nanker Phelge - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 3:55 pm:
I voted no, as I believe it is already against the law to sell teens vaping products. As such, there is no need to ban flavored e-cigs. Would the Guv support the ban of flavored vodkas if there was a problem with teens drinking flavored vodkas?
- Earnest - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 4:00 pm:
I voted ‘yes’ as I perceive the flavors as a way to get teenagers vaping. The ‘no’ arguments above make good points though.
- consmom - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 4:05 pm:
A ban on under 21 consumption works really well for alcohol, and we’ll see the same with marijuana. If you don’t have kids in high school, you have no idea what’s going on. Thankfully my kids aren’t dumb enough to have started vaping, but they have friends, none of whom would ever consider smoking, who are now addicted to nicotine because of vaping. And their parents are too stupid to realize their kids are vaping and addicted to nicotine. I don’t care what adults do, if they want what I read was described as “bacon grease” building up in their lungs, so be it, but this is an alarming issue in high schools, and the flavored liquids are clearly marketed to kids.
- Anon but Social Knows me - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 4:15 pm:
So how many of us over 45-ish had friends that smoked in high school? How many of us smoked in high school? It was illegal to sell to under 18 then, yet somehow there was never a shortage of cigarettes (or dumb youth to buy them). This is no different. It’s not about flavors - it’s about peer pressure and teens trying to fit in. Block the sale, they still get through. Ban the product, THEY WILL STILL GET THROUGH. The big difference between then and now is that heaven forbid your parent caught you… did we get a whoopin. Still didn’t stop - but got the whoopin.
- LoyalVirus - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 4:16 pm:
I voted no - how’s about enforcing the 21+ law as a start? Was in a smoke & vape shop last week - soon after the discussion of banning flavored vapes came out. The place was bustling - and none of those purchasing looked older than college age, if that. The person behind the counter asked each “ya got your i.d. on ya?” yet not once did they ask to see anyone’s i.d.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 4:22 pm:
===it’s about peer pressure and teens trying to fit in===
I fit into the age category you outlined, but for me it was about nicotine addiction. My parents smoked, all my friends parents smoked, cigarettes were everywhere. If you didn’t want to be carded, you could buy them from vending machines no questions asked.
I might have started to smoke out of peer pressure, but it wasn’t long until smoking was all about the nicotine.
(PS: I quit 15 years ago, before my kids were born. Trying to end the cycle of addiction.)
- Last Bull Moose - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 6:50 pm:
I voted yes because nicotine is addictive and flavored vapes are going to develop new addicts.
- CubsFan16 - Monday, Sep 23, 19 @ 10:16 pm:
It is illogical to ban vapes and not also ban cigarettes. If there is to be a debate on banning both, at least it is a reasonable debate. Banning just vapes is purely reactionary.
Also, we just legalized marijuana because we realized that people are going to smoke it legal or not, and regulated, taxed, and legal is better than an unregulated black market. Same concept applies to vapes.
- northernwatersports - Tuesday, Sep 24, 19 @ 9:05 am:
caveat emptor
- LathamPlace - Tuesday, Sep 24, 19 @ 9:39 am:
I think all of the different flavors are too enticing for younger kids/adults, which then leads to an addiction just like cigarettes. People slowly start increasing the nicotine by trying different flavors and then they’re hooked. There’s not enough long-term studies out there on vaping yet like there are for cigarettes.