Daily Archives: May 9, 2022

A northeast business has been charged with selling vaping products to minors.

The owner and manager of Gemini Convenience Store in the Pineridge community face 42 counts of violating the Tobacco, Smoking and Vaping Reduction Act. Charges include selling vaping products to minors and failing to request ID from customers under 25.

Business license inspectors and the Calgary Police Service were involved in the investigation after members of the public complained to 311.

I would like to thank those that reached out to us via 311 and would encourage others to do the same, if they learn of a business selling smoking and vaping products to minors, Michael Briegel, the citys chief business license inspector, said in a statement. It is important that we protect the health of young people age requirements are in place for these products for a reason.

Trending Stories

Story continues below advertisement

If convicted, Maple Gifts and Confectionary Enterprise Ltd., Nupar Vasistha and Sudhakar Tandon could face fines of up to $10,000 for the first offence and $100,000 for subsequent ones.

The city also said it will conduct a business license review of Gemini Convenience, given the seriousness of the charges.

2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

See original here:

Calgary convenience store faces dozens of charges related to sale of vaping products - Global News

{Photo by Jovan Barretto, Pexels}

By Jill Fox

Learn about the dangers of vaping and whats being done to address the problem at a town hall meeting on Thursday, May 12.

Hosted by the Department of School Climate and Disciplines Kimberly Young, the discussion covers the facts about vaping and the resources available to students and families.

Panelists include Lori Alhadeff, school board member, Dr. Barry Hummel, Jr., CEO of the QuitDoc Foundation, and representatives from the Broward Sheriffs Office, Florida Department of Health in Broward, and Memorial Healthcare System.

We want to start changing the perception that vaping is safer than cigarettes, said Alhadeff. We have a panel with extensive experience on the topic, and they will be covering a lot of important information with the audience.

They plan to educate the public about Tobacco 21, the consequences of vaping, how harmful it is to the developing brain, how big tobacco companies target youth, and how easy it is to buy vapes over the mail.

The Town Hall is set for Thursday, May 12, 2022, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at J.P. Taravella High School. Attendees can register and submit questions for the panelists here.

J.P. Taravella is located at 10600 Riverside Drive in Coral Springs.

Send your news to Parklands #1 news source,Parkland Talk.

Originally posted here:

Parents Invited To Vaping Prevention Town Hall On May 12 Parkland Talk - Parkland Talk

New Trier High School is among numerous Illinois schools that refer students to local law enforcement following certain on-campus transgressions, as revealed on April 28 in a thorough investigation by ProPublica and the Chicago Tribune.

The report explains how students in districts across the state face fines and court appearances for relatively minor in-school offenses, even though a state law prohibits schools from fining students as a form of discipline.

According to the reports findings, over the most recent three school years (2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21), Winnetka and Northfield police combined to issue 62 citations (Winnetka: 56; Northfield: 6) to New Trier students for violations occurring on school grounds.

School officials told The Record that a vast majority of the citations were part of an initiative to curb student use of vaping devices to consume nicotine and marijuana. Other districts in Illinois, according to the articles research, refer students to local law enforcement for violations such as truancy, littering and vulgar language, among other things.

A day after the investigation was published, Illinois State Board of Education Superintendent Dr. Carmen Ayala sent a letter to all Illinois school leaders, urging them to immediately stop enabling the fining of students.

Alaya wrote in the letter that fines can have a tangible impact on the safety, security, and wellbeing of an entire family and that multiple laws in Illinois intend to prohibit the ticketing of students as a form of discipline.

However, some schools have found loopholes between the Illinois School Code and the Municipal Code and abdicated their responsibility for student discipline to local law enforcement, she says.

New Trier Superintendent Dr. Paul Sally said the district will review its policies in response to Ayalas letter, but he does not believe referring offending students to police runs afoul of the state laws in all cases.

Sally added that he understands scrutiny for law-enforcement involvement in certain in-school offenses, such as truancy, but believes the districts policy to combat vaping devices aligns with the health and safety priorities of the community.

The shared interest for our community is keeping our adolescents healthy, Sally wrote in an email to The Record. The Village has a vested interest in partnering with us to put policies, procedures, and ordinances in place that promote and support the health and safety of our students. To that end, we follow local ordinances when it comes to engaging the police on violations such as nicotine and THC possession, and in the aim to help students learn and grow, the primary consequences the police use are community service and peer jury.

In 2018, Sally said, New Trier student usage of vaping devices more than doubled from 19 percent in both 2014 and 2016 to 42 percent leading to a new district strategy involving local law enforcement.

A district memo to the School Board in August 2018 mentions fines and court appearances as possible consequences for vape usage or possession.

To address this issue along with an increase in marijuana usage due to vaping, we made curricular and policy changes with the goal of educating students about the risks, helping them make informed choices, and when appropriate, providing a consequence, Sally wrote.

In the memo, Asst. Superintendent for Student Services Tim Hayes wrote that addressing the vaping concerns requires a community-wide approach and reported that beginning that school year the district would notify its school-resource officers who are employees of the local police departments when a student is found in possession of a vaping device or e-cigarette.

Our hope is that these citations will provide an additional incentive for students to cease using these devices, Hayes wrote.

Winnetka Police Chief Marc Hornstein said the school resource officers have discretion on whether to issue a citation, which may include a fine if the offending student is under the age of 18. A fine does not accompany a marijuana citation, he said, but $75 is the departments standard fine for underage tobacco use. Hornstein added, however, that in most cases fines are waived in favor of community service or peer jury deliberation. A court hearing fee of $40, though, may still apply.

Sally said that the strategy has reduced student vaping on school grounds.

Hornstein told The Record that the Winnetka Police Department does not typically work with Winnetka Public Schools District 36 to issue tickets to students. Neither does the Wilmette Police Department, according to Chief Kyle Murphy, who said most Wilmette schools handle disciplinary issues in-house and the goal of both the district and police department is to avoid citing students unless it is necessary to open the door for a specific course of action.

Officials from Glencoe D35 and Avoca D37 agreed and said they do not refer minor in-school violations to local police.

The Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism.

Subscribe to The Record to fund responsible news coverage for your community.

Already a subscriber? You can make a tax-deductible donation at any time.

Continued here:

Over vaping devices, New Trier High School refers students to local police, who have issued dozens of tickets in last 3 years - The Record - The...

The concept of vaping is something few people are unaware of but back in the early 2000s it was an unknown phrase.

Although electronic cigarettes date back to the 1960s it was a patent filed by Hon Lik in 2003 which really kickstarted the industry. Fed up with his own 20 a day habit and the fact that his father was dying of lung cancer, Hon Lik set about inventing a less harmful cigarette.

The story is that the idea came to him in a dream, where he was dying via drowning, his lungs were filling with water, and suddenly the water turned into a harmless vapour, and hence the idea for the e-cig. Many companies have since jumped on the vaping bandwagon but it was way back in 2008 that Totally Wicked was launched in Blackburn.

READ MORE: Blackburn Rovers confirm new front of shirt sponsor after Recoverite partnership ends prematurely

On October 8 that year the company was launched by Jason Cropper with his brother Fraser, who is the current chairman, saying 10 years later: "It was a true pioneering moment; with the term vaping still at least three years away from making its appearance, e-cigarette manufacturers and retailers had a tremendously difficult task of creating awareness and trust in our products. Even in our earliest infancy, we were privileged to be able to rely on the support of some tremendously loyal customers, who understood first-hand the potential of vaping."

Jason is no longer involved in the running of Totally Wicked, having stepped down from the multi-million pound company in 2013, after his comments to politicians deemed 'not to reflect the views of the company'. Marcus Saxton is the current chief executive.

Although Totally Wicked now has over 500 shops across the UK including company-operated outlets and franchises, as well as selling in Asda, Sainsbury's and Bargain Booze stores, its roots in Blackburn are a big part of the firm. Totally Wicked has been the shirt sponsor of Blackburn Rovers since 2018 and has been the club's principal sponsor since January of this year after Rovers parted ways with Recoverite Compression.

Fraser Cropper, Totally Wicked's chairman, has been a lifelong supporter of the club, having sold programmes at Ewood Park when he was a youngster, and seeing his company's logo on the front of his beloved team's shirts is something he takes great pride in. The sponsorship also helped Rovers out of a budgetary quandary and Totally Wicked has also been a sponsor of St Helen's Rugby FC for the last 10 years.

Totally Wicked directly employs more than 140 people, as well as supporting many more jobs through franchises, and the company posted a turnover of 43.5m for the 12 months to March 31, 2021, up slightly from the 43.3m it achieved during the prior year. Headquartered in Stancliffe Street, the firm takes its responsibilities seriously, requiring age verification for online sales, and in 2016 was the founding member of the Independent British Vaping Trade Association (IBVTA) which was established to support the independent vape industry.

Being a responsible vaping company is a hot topic at the moment. Last month Conservative MP Adam Afriyie, the vice chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Vaping, demanded tougher regulations on e-cigarettes after a report revealed that thousands of vaping devices have been sold to schoolchildren.

Mr Afriyie warned that online sellers are using colours and flavours to target under-18s as trading standards officers have reported that thousands of children have been sold vaping devices. According to a new report by Scottish Trading Standards (SCOTSS) a total of 88,839 disposable vaping devices were removed from sale as they were either not labelled correctly in accordance with the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.

In line with tobacco products, e-cigarettes and liquid have an age restriction meaning you have to be 18 to buy them, but earlier this year a BBC investigation found a third of shops selling to underage youngsters. An increase in the number of children vaping has led to calls for tighter regulations on the sale of e-cig products.

View post:

Blackburn vaping company might be pioneers but there are calls for tougher regulation - Lancs Live

Lawmakers in Colorado's House passed one of the sessions most hotly debated bills a ban on flavored tobacco products this week. But the clock is ticking, and more than 220 bills await passage.

The bill now goes to the state Senate. Even with the session end looming, one of its co-sponsors, state Sen. Rhonda Fields said she was optimistic.

You know, it looks great. It's on its way to the Senate, and then we'll make sure it goes through all the appropriate committees and I'm looking forward to debating it, said Fields, a Democrat from Aurora.

Opponents say a ban would hurt convenience stores and vape shops and have argued the issue is one of personal choice.

For Fields, she said its aboutthe toll tobacco consumption, driven by attractive flavors like menthol, has taken on the community.

It started back in the 60s, (the brand) Kool Cigarettes, all these menthol flavors, she said. The industry has now put flavors into vaping, into cigarettes to make it more attractive for young people to start smoking early.

The tobacco industry has denied deliberately targeting communities of color, but the industrys own documents show companies developed sophisticated campaigns to addict Black consumers.

Last month, the FDA proposed new rules to prohibit menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars in what it said was a push to prevent youth initiation, significantly reduce tobacco-related disease and death. The change would not impact flavored vaping products.

The Democratic majority in the House passed the flavored tobacco ban bill 35-27 on Wednesday after the appropriations committee approved it earlier in the day on a 7-4 vote.

How did the bill manage to progress despite a ticking clock to the sessions end?

We've stayed on message. This is about kids health we see way too many kids using these products, said another co-sponsor, Rep. Kyle Mullica, a Democrat from Northglenn. We have the data backing us up. We have the science backing us up and we never stopped talking about that.

Mullica said the bill has survived despite heavy lobbying its the third-most lobbied bill this session, according to an analysis by the Colorado Sun, involving more than 140 lobbyists representing nearly 90 clients on both sides.

I think that that's amazing that we didn't let big tobacco, and their well-funded industry, be able to beat this back, he said.

The measure, HB22-1064, bans retailers of cigarettes, tobacco or nicotine products from selling or marketing any flavored product. Those are defined as products imparting a taste or smell other than the taste or smell of tobacco.

Menthols are a critical element of the ban, but the legislation also would cover newer products, like the fruit- and candy-flavored vape products that are attracting a new generation of users.

Supporters of the measure gathered on the west steps of the state Capitol after House lawmakers approved the bill on a largely party-line vote.

When we fight, we win! When we fight, we win! they chanted.

Nyla Pollard, a senior and member of the Black Student Union at Aurora's Smoky Hill High School, said she sees a lot of vaping in her school, especially in the bathrooms and classrooms. The vaping products are very easy to hide and teachers don't know, she said, adding that teens consider vaping as less damaging and better than cigarettes.

I see lots of my friends, not knowing they're addicted or saying they'll stop and there's no harm, but they can't stop because they're addicted, she said.

Other speakers echoed those concerns and raised others, about the long-term health impacts of flavored tobacco and nicotine use.

A report issued by a coalition of health and civil rights groups last year, called Stopping Menthol, Saving Lives, explained that "in the 1950s, less than 10 percent of Black smokers used menthol cigarettes. Today, that number is 85 percent."

Sondra Young, the president of the Denver branch of the NAACP said the majority of Black women who smoke use menthol cigarettes.

"And there's a growing concern regarding mental health, maternal health, infant mortality. We simply cannot ignore these dangers, she said.

Addiction is real, said Pastor Thomas Mayes of the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance. Flavored tobacco is more addicting than just about anything on the market right now. And it's not just harming our generations coming. It's killing them, it's killing their minds. It's killing their desire to succeed.

Regular use of vaping products by Colorado youth exceeds the nations, and heavily-Latino Pueblos rates are even higher, said Rudy Gonzales, executive director of Servicios de La Raza, He said a recent poll showed most Coloradans support banning flavors to address the issue.

The situation in Pueblo is just one example in Colorado, but it is an important example for the Latino community, and the impact these flavored products are having on our children, in our neighborhoods, he said.

The speakers urged the governor to sign the bill if lawmakers pass it.

The governor recently told CPRs Colorado Matters he opposes the measure, calling banning flavored tobacco products a local issue. In December, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock vetoed a similar citywide measure, saying the issue should be handled at the state level.

The bill faced strong pushback in committee hearings, as well as on the House floor.

Republican House Minority Leader Hugh McKean attempted to create an exception for menthol.

This is a product that's been on the market for a very long time. It's been on the market, has lots of adults that appreciate it, use it, want it to stick around, he said.

That amendment failed.

The bill has been one of this sessions most contentious and lawmakers listened to many hours of impassioned testimony. On one side, there were frustrated moms and educators, doctors and public health folks.

On the other, concerned adults who say vaping products helped them quit, along with vape shop owners and employees, saying the products make up a considerable share of their revenues.

Some warned if passed and signed by the governor, the bill would result in the closure of hundreds of small businesses.

Make no mistake, that's exactly what this bill would do. Banning flavored nicotine doesn't magically make it go away, testified James Howard, who said he was representing his two small vape shops and thousands of Coloradans. All it does is shutter small businesses and create a black market that gives no regard to who its clients are.

Vapor businesses provide 2,370 jobs in this state, 126 million a year in wages and over 366 million a year in annual economic impact to Colorado, Amanda Wheeler, president of the Rocky Mountain Smoke Free Alliance told lawmakers.

She said shes a former smoker who used vaping products to quit traditional cigarettes, like millions of other Americans. Wheeler cited research showing flavored e-cigarettes are used by more than three-quarters of adults who currently vape.

Here's what that means. Nicotine vaping is the single most effective smoking cessation method ever devised, Wheeler said. And the most appealing reason people are able to switch is because of the variety of flavors.

See the original post here:

Flavored tobacco ban bill heads to state Senate with a week left in Colorado's legislative session - Colorado Public Radio

The case studies clearly indicate that vapes are at least 95 percent safer than combustible tobacco products, and twice as effective as traditional nicotine replacement therapies.

They presented findings of a recently released white paper containing case studies related to vaping carried out in four countries, and answered questions from the audience who joined the live session. In line with statements by established health agencies such as Public Health England, the case studies clearly indicate that vapes are at least 95 percent safer than combustible tobacco products, and twice as effective as traditional nicotine replacement therapies.

The paper highlighted that data from countries where these findings are considered and incorporated in local regulations, reflect the benefits of the products. Countries that embrace vaping, such as France, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Canada have witnessed a decrease in smoking rates that is twice as fast as the global average, the paper noted.

Michael Landl emphasized the difference that such a change in approach could make. Progressive countries are implementing vaping regulations. If Bangladesh implements the regulation for vaping, it could be 6 million people who could switch to vaping than smoking cigarettes as per our calculation, said Landl.

Vapes are at least 95% safer than the traditional combustible tobacco, according to the Public Health England. Its not the nicotine that kills people, but its the tar from smoking, the speakers said while replying questions., he added.

Meanwhile, a small-scale focus group study by the locally-based Dhaka Ahsania Mission, recommended a total vape ban despite finding that most of the participants took up vaping to help them quit smoking.

Carried out between January and February 2020, the survey consisted of three focus group discussions with students from two universities: Dhaka University and North South University. All students were regular vapers, and most reported preferring open system vapes that have refill tanks.

The compiled data indicated that most of the [[participants] believed that there werent enough scientific studies showing e-cigarettes as harmful. A total of 65% said they started vaping because of how they taste, and many said that vaping helped them quit cigarette smoking. Despite this, the research team recommended a comprehensive ban on vaping to [safeguard] health and safety of youth and future generation.

Earlier this year, anti-tobacco campaigners said that a sharp turn and strong actions are required if Bangladesh is to achieve its set target of becoming tobacco-free by-2040-target. Bangladesh was the first developing country to sign the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in 2003. Two years later, in 2005, the government had passed the Tobacco Products (Control) Act in 2005, which was revised and amended in 2013.

Sadly following in the footsteps of neighbouring India, in 2019, a Bangladeshi health official had announced a plan to prohibit the sale and use of vaping products and other electronic cigarettes. The ban was to be incorporated in the new tobacco control policy, currently being drawn up by the government, said the official at the time.

Read Further: The Business Standard

Bangladesh: Four MPs Call For Tobacco and Vape Tax

Read more here:

Webinar Reiterates That The Evidence on E-Cig Effectiveness is Undisputable - Vaping Post

Thieves break into vape store and steal $12,000 worth of items. Video / CCTV

OPINION:

New Zealand, the land of the long white vape trail.

That doesn't sound right, does it? My mouth is overcome with a nasty taste, like a cigarette might, as I write those words but it's our reality.

In 2018/19, 21.2 per cent of adults had tried vaping, up from 18.5 per cent in 2017/18, according to Stats NZ. The figure is bound to be higher now.

I've been vaping for near-on two weeks.

People would be right to question why I picked up vaping because I'm not even a smoker. I needed it as part of a costume for a party.

I dare say many Kirknesses would scoff after that, mainly due to the dickish way people look puffing out plumes of vapour.

There's a theory it takes about 21 days to pick up a habit and I'm well on the way to being hooked on vaping but I'm trying to stop.

Why do I continue when I think it won't have anything but negative consequences? The answer, I'm sure, is nicotine - a chemical in tobacco that causes temporary pleasing effects on the brain. Temporary is the keyword there.

I'm not opposed to a coffin nail after a few beers but the taste it leaves on my lips is foul and the smell even worse.

18 Apr, 2022 06:00 PMQuick Read

5 Apr, 2022 07:00 PMQuick Read

13 Mar, 2022 08:00 PMQuick Read

12 Jan, 2022 08:00 PMQuick Read

That's nothing at all like my experience with vaping.

While someone might be off-put by the taste and lingering effects of cigarettes, vape flavours help mask the problem.

I have two sweet flavours for my vape device: watermelon ice and blueberry ice. You can also get flavours like cotton candy and bubblegum.

It's the more egregious, youth-focused flavours I would suggest are causing health professionals headaches because they could lead to nicotine addiction without people ever smoking a cigarette.

And it seems to be working that way, with a recent survey showing one in five secondary school students are addicted to vaping.

Vapes have the power to help people stop smoking but it's not clear what long-term problems they have themselves.

Smoking can cause cancer, heart disease, strokes, lung diseases, disabilities and other terrible problems.

Vaping? Who knows?

The Ministry of Health encourages smokers who want to use vaping products to quit to seek the support of local stop smoking services because they provide the best chance of quitting successfully, it said in its position statement on vaping.

"The Ministry of Health will continue to monitor the uptake of vaping products, their health impact at individual and population levels, including long term effects and their effectiveness for smoking cessation as products, evidence and technologies develop."

What is clear is they lead to nicotine addiction and that is a bad thing, causing things like anxiety, irritability, restlessness, frustration and insomnia.

People have questioned why vapes are so readily available and not in the hands of health professionals. It's a good question. Apparently, rapid retail expansion meant when government regulations came into play, it was too late.

I believe it makes sense to get vapes out of the hands of people in dimly lit stores and allow them to be controlled by medical professionals.

It's worth limiting the number of flavours too, to stop enticing people to try vaping. If the flavours were awful like cigarettes or brussels sprouts, I probably wouldn't vape.

Some might say that taking vapes away from retailers would result in a black market for vape products.

That could happen because anyone who wants to get a hold of something probably can, no matter if it's illegal or not - just look at our nation's drug trade.

I believe that's just something we'd need to tackle - if it occurred - because who knows what impact a generation of vapers might cause in the coming years.

While the ministry might say vapour has toxicants at levels much lower than cigarettes or at levels unlikely to cause harm, a range has still been found including some cancer-causing agents.

Just because there is no clear evidence now doesn't mean we should hold on to a she'll be right attitude, especially when it comes to a product featuring a restricted drug.

If vapes are used as they are intended, to help people quit smoking, then it makes complete sense to make it mandatory to get a prescription from a medical expert.

There's no way a health professional is going to sell a vape to a young person without a proper reason - like trying to look cool at a party.

Read this article:

Luke Kirkness: What I think about getting hooked to vape despite not being a smoker - New Zealand Herald