Thread by @tomscheck

The @FDATobacco announced an advertising campaign today that warns young people about the dangers of e-cigarettes. (1) fda.gov/NewsEvents/New…

The announcement comes one day after @apmreports took a look at what state tobacco control agencies were doing when it comes to vaping. The answer: not much. (2) apmreports.org/story/2018/09/…

It also comes a week after @SGottliebFDA warned there is an epidemic among teens using e-cigarettes (AKA #vape or vaping). (3)
mprnews.org/story/2018/09/…

What prompted our question was 2018 is the 20th anniversary of the historic settlement between states and tobacco companies. Since tobacco evolved into e-cigarettes, we wanted to know whether tobacco control agencies evolved as well. (4)
nytimes.com/1998/11/14/us/…

Our @apmreports and @marketplace investigation found that just 13 states are currently spending money on PSAs and ad campaigns warning about the dangers of e-cigarettes. (5)

Several states say they don’t have the money to engage in these types of ad campaigns DESPITE tobacco companies directing $146 BILLION in total annual payments to states (Source: @TobaccoFreeKids) (6) tobaccofreekids.org/assets/factshe…

The spending decisions weren't made entirely by tobacco control groups but by state legislatures and governors who opted to spend those billions elsewhere. About 20 bundled up the payments and sold it to Wall Street for a one-time payment to balance the budget. (7)

For example, Minnesota dissolved an endowment in 2003 that was created to curb teen tobacco use. Anyone remember Target Market? It was created as a result of the state settlement with tobacco companies. (8) news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2003/…

Georgia and Alabama used the tobacco settlement money for economic development. North Carolina used a portion to pay tobacco farmers. (9) abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1…

Now, the FDA warns there’s an epidemic related to teen vaping. The popularity of @JUUL and other devices have driven teen rates up. Want more background? Read this fantastic @jiatolentino story in the New Yorker. (10)
newyorker.com/magazine/2018/…

Some states are spending on vaping campaigns. California has spent the most of any state - $53 million - since 2014. The @capublichealth is running ads like this one: (11)

Colorado, which is the state that has the highest rate of current e-cigarette use among high schoolers, recently launched a $1.5 million ad campaign to warn about vaping. (12)
tobaccoisnasty.com/tin/vape-is-na…

"These kids could become addicted for life and they may not realize that the products they're using actually are addictive," said Alison Reidmohr, Tobacco Communications Specialist for @CDPHE. (13)

Several e-cigarette companies, including @JUUL, have said they want to limit the products to teens. They say the products should be used to help adults to switch from more combustible cigarettes to e-cigarettes. (14) support.juul.com/learn/read/let…

And that gets to the disagreement within the public health community. Some argue e-cigs are safer than combustible cigs, so adults should switch. (15)

They point to studies that say there are no long-term effects from vaping. Those studies also warn that e-cigs could be a gateway to other tobacco products. (16) www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsi…

It’s a delicate balancing act for the FDA and state public health agencies. But failing to address teen vaping could create a new generation of nicotine addicts and other long-term effects may not be known for some time. (17)

"The bottom line is the more they (states) spend, the lower smoking goes," said Frank Chaloupka, a research professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. (18)

We’re still covering this story so please send comments and tips my way. Here’s the story again. (19)
apmreports.org/story/2018/09/…